Dean's Army Surplus

This was a tough one.  I couldn't find Dean's mentioned in any of the business files at the historical society and it wasn't listed in any old phone book.  (They only go back to 1953.)  So if anyone has any memories of this business, please leave a comment.

 This outside view was taken at night.

I found a hint in the upper right hand corner of this negative. Do you see it?

Right at the edge is the Simm's Studio sign.  That means that the store was located at 209 North Holden where Ben Pierce found all of these old negatives.  If my guess is correct, then here is what the building looks like today.

Photographs of Photographs

Most of the pictures from Simmons Studio were taken in the late '40s or early '50s.  Some, though, are on photographic film from that era, but the images themselves are from an older time.  I think they are shots of older pictures that people brought in to be reproduced.  Here are two examples:

Q. How many old-time farmers does it take to cut firewood?

A. Six.  One to tend the saw and five to move the tree back and forth.

That wasn't a joke.

This picture is a mystery to me.  I don't know when it was taken, where, what these men are doing, what those machines are or who anybody is.  The name "Bowers" was written in one margin.

If you know anything about either of these pictures, please let me know.

The Old Abstract Office

I found this picture of the old Abstract Office in the Simmons Studio collection of negatives at the Historical Society.

According to Chad Davis, whose parents owned this building, it once stood on the north side of the courthouse square.  You can see part of the Goodrich sign west of the building.  The American Red Cross entrance is on the east.  

Also there's a sign for the law firm of Pine and ... I can't quite make it out.  Could someone help me here.

Anyway.  Here's the same piece of ground today:

Not a trace.

I Was Born Here

I showed this picture developed from the Simmon's Studio collection of negatives to a friend:

And she immediately identified it as a photo of the nursing staff at the old Johnson County Hospital on Market Street.

I don't know.  I was born in that building in 1950.

And I don't recognize any of these people.

If you do, leave a message.

Kim Murphy Berry Could it be Dorothy McMeekin(5th female from the left) and too possibly Dr. Lee Cooper (on the far right)???

Sheree Box-Mieir Was there in 1955 with Carl Carter and Marsha Swisher. Fun times

Larry DesCombes I was born there in 1940.....Dr. R. Lee Cooper......and his nurse was Jessie.

Luzy Buente Powell Dr. Maxson is in the middle of the back row. He delivered 4 Buente kids at that hospital.

Sue Nuckles My guess is the men in the bottom pic are doctors or administrators of the hospital. It is taken in the lobby/waiting room. I recognize those horrible green plastic chairs in the foregraound. We spent a lot of hours there while Daddy was in the hospital.

Kaye Keth Teater I was not born there but remember going to see Dr. Maxson for my yearly school fiscals. I remember the lobby and those old chairs. Did you see they were covered in plastic, remember when people used those plastic covers on furniture. yuk!

Bob Bryant I was born there in 1945, delivered by Dr. McKinney. He was killed in a tractor roll-over accident around 1950 on the dam at Skyhaven.

Bob Goetz My two younger brothers were born there too.

Larry DesCombes However, I'm of the belief the building was a white frame structure......not the masonry building shown. Am I incorrect?

Joann Cross You are right--first begun in a large white house. . Then front added on. It was called the Warrensburg Clinic. My 2 children were born there (1953 and 1957. Dr. was also Lee Cooper.

Mark Pearce I believe it's Dr. R. Lee Cooper on the right, front row, of picture #3.
I know what he was doing on February 28th, 1957.

Kathy Keth Moore I was born there too. Dr Maxson. I think the bill was like $12.00 !!

Mary Howey Born there in 1950. That's Helen White, a neighbor, behind Dorothy McMeekin. 'Mac' was my nurse when our son was born at WMMC in 1980.

Michael Wyatt Possibly, Dr. McKinney to the right of the picture on the wall. To the right appears to be Dr. Damron and Cooper. Not sure of the other two Dr's. Great history!

Luzy Buente Powell Dr. Maxson is in the middle of the back row

Keith Hix Our family Dr was Dr Damron he was my Dr when my kids were first born

Ann Lossman Dr. Maxson back row middle. He was the new doc in town when he treated my mom for cervical cancer. First time treatment by inserting a radium pack for a certain time period. Then my mom drove to downtown KC for radiation treatments that summer with no  car air conditioning. Lived to be 83 and no cancer returned. Some of those nurses allowed by brother and I to see our mom. All depended who was at the front desk if we could make it up the stairs. :)

Ann Lossman Was born there. Dr.Cooper was supposed to deliver me, but he went to supper and Dr. Dameron delivered me. A day later another girl was delivered and her family moved to Texas and moved back to the area and started Leeton High. In the meantime, my family moved to the Leeton School District. We became life long friends and though we lost her a few years ago, I celebrate both birthdays as we always did.

Citizen's Bank Drowning in Flowers

Remember Citizen's Bank. It was founded by the Cheatham family back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. At least that's what Buddy Baker told me, "It's been there all my life."

That's what makes this picture a mystery.

These pictures from the Simmons Studio collection of negatives were almost all taken in the late 40s or early 50s. So why so many flowers.  It's not their grand opening.

Here's a shot of the same room from the same position taken today. I kid you not - four tellers are crouching down below their windows because bank policy won't allow them to have their pictures taken.  It was nice of them to do that and allow me to take this photograph.

It's called U.S. Bank now.  The teller line has been moved from the south side to the north side of the room.

Here's how it looked on the south side.

Notice the ashcans placed at the teller windows for the convenience of their smoking customers.

Here's the loan officer's desks with all of the most modern equipment.

Interesting historical fact:  They had banks before they had computers.  I have no idea how they did it.

Same room - more flowers:

If you know the reason for the flowers or have any other stories to tell about Citizen's Bank, please leave a message in the comment section.

Remember When This Was Big News?

I can remember a time when there were no deer around here.  I can also remember a time (this morning) when deer were so thick they came into the garden and ate our sweet potatoes.  When did this change?  I can't remember when I saw my first deer.

I know though that when this fellow killed this buck in the late 40s or early 50s, it was a major event.  This picture probably appeared in the newspaper.

I asked Buddy Baker about when he saw his first deer. "My Uncle Ralph Baker lived out in California. Once when he came to visit in the 1930s, he brought a deer hide and hung it up on the wall.  Everybody came to see it. That was really something.

"Now I hate all the deer and the conservation agents that brought them back!" (The sweet potato incident has him upset. He'll calm down.)

Leave a message in the comment section if you know anything about this picture or if you'd like to share your own deer story.

Brownie's Bakery

Does anybody have any memories they'd like to share about Brownies Bakery?

Warning: if you do, the world will know that you're an extremely old person.
They were open in 1945.

They were still open in 1949:

But by 1953 (The earliest telephone book available at the Historical Society) they were out of business. What wasn't to love.  Their cakes looked delicious and well made.  Brownie is a perfect name for a bakery.

Maybe it was because they kept changing their telephone number and their location. Buddy remembers them as being across from where the library is now and their advertisements are for two other locations. Or maybe it was because they advertised in Knob Noster while they were located in various places in Warrensburg.