Oshkosh in Garden County, Nebraska — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Original Campbell Drug

— Old Town Historical Plaque —

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, August 13, 2023

1. Original Campbell Drug Marker

Inscription.
The brick building at 318 Main began its life as Campbell Drug and was built in 1954 by Jess Campbell with Dewey Jensen as the contractor. Jess Campbell hired Fred Albee to dismantle the wooden frame building that occupied the lot and that had been built in 1905 by LaSalle and Miles.

Lou Aufdengarten, Sr. and son from Ogallala bought the LaSalle and Miles store from W.W. Bowers who had purchased it in 1906. The old Bowers building had been two shops; Oshkosh Shoe and Harness Shop owned by Gorge Rose and Bob Roger's Paint Shop. Then the Aufdengartens ran a general store until 1918, when they moved their business across the street. Dr. George Morris acquired the Bowers building and had his office there before he built the hotel in 1929 and moved his office into it. He then rented the Bowers building out as a café to Mrs. Ada Rogers, later to Bill Munson's Café and after that to Dr. Oliver Jenkins and Tom Kildare as a furniture store, The Trading Post.

Jess Campbell bought the lot from the Morris estate for $4,650 in 1954 and built a modern, air conditioned building with an all glass front. His son, Don, a pharmacist, and

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his wife, Elaine, from Gordon, NE, moved to Oshkosh and opened Campbell Drug in January 1955. The new drug store featured a stainless steel soda fountain with eight stools and two booths. After Don Campbell's death in 1970, his wife, Elaine, continued to operate the store with pharmacists Howard Jensen and DyAnn Armstrong. The fountain was removed in 1977 to make room for new fixtures and added merchandise. Ann Cooper was an employee for 25 years and Mavis Hensley for 18 years. Other long time employees were June Waltman, Toots Alworth and Dixie Piva. In 1994, after owning the store for 39 years, Elaine sold the drug store to Wendall Gaston, from Sidney, who later sold it to Elton and Lauren Tophoj in 2000. The Tophojs moved the drug store across the street and sold the 318 Main building to Melvin and Barb Moffat in 2001, and they moved the Oshkosh Cleaners into it. After Barb Moffat's death in the spring of 2011, Paula Plog bought the Oshkosh Cleaners and is the present owner.

Erected 2014 by Old Town Project and 2010 Garden County Centennial Planning Committee.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists:

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, August 13, 2023

2. Original Campbell Drug Marker

The marker is at the left/south edge of the facade.

Architecture • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1954.

Location. 41° 24.306′ N, 102° 20.673′ W. Marker is in Oshkosh, Nebraska, in Garden County. It is on Main Street just north of West Avenue C (Robinson Avenue), on the left when traveling north. The marker is mounted directly on the subject building, at the left/south edge of the facade. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 304 Main Street, Oshkosh NE 69154, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Nebraska Panhandle.

It is also in the American Midwest,

in the Corn Belt,

on the prairies,

on the Great Plains,

and specifically on the High Plains.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Morris Hotel (here, next to this marker); Chase Hardware (a few steps from this marker); Consumers Public Power Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Williams Hotel and Original Garden County Courthouse

Original Campbell Drug image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, August 13, 2023

3. Original Campbell Drug

(within shouting distance of this marker); Nebraska State Bank (within shouting distance of this marker); Masonic Lodge (within shouting distance of this marker); Bar and Pool Hall (within shouting distance of this marker); The Corner Store (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Oshkosh.

More about this marker. The marker text gives this address as 318 Main Street, but the correct address is 304 Main Street.

Credits. This page was last revised on October 30, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 27, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 4 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 30, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.