History of Some of the Business on North Main

This week’s column will feature some of the businesses that were once in many of the old buildings on North Main, where the paving is being done this summer. These businesses were hotels, theaters, many saloons, and even the Hop Sing Laundry.

This from The Sheridan Post October 23, 1921 – While Sheridan, as a town, existed for several years before the coming of the railroad, it was not until ten years after the town was first established by J. D. Loucks. that it began its long spurt forward along the path of progress and prosperity. In the late eighties, the B. & M. Railroad, of which the present Chicago, Burlington and Quincy is the successor, announced its intention of building a line up through the sandhills of Nebraska and through Wyoming into Montana, there to connect with the Northern Pacific, which had been built somewhat earlier. It was also announced that the little town of Sheridan would be on the line of the new railroad, a statement which immediately caused wild – excitement in the village.

Here are a few of the buinesses mentioned in a long list of establishments; G.H. Cutter, Brickmaker. L.M. Stroud, Hotel. Moore & Peak, Livery Stable. Mrs. Wunderlich, Dressmaker. Kennedy & Powers, Blacksmiths. Hop Sing, Laundry. D. L. Forbes, Blacksmith. Dr. Seabury, Veterinary Surgeon., Newcomer & Frazier, Contractors.; P. Hamma, Contractor.” (Taken from the Sheridan Post, issue of Nov. 10, 1892.)

Judy Armstrong, Judy Armstrong Senior Outreach Services Manager in the Sheridan Library Wyoming Room talked about one of the businesses where Wells Fargo now stands.

Many of the original buildings still exist, on North Main, but now house more modern businesses. As Sheridan moved with the times, auto dealerships replaced livery stables, and live theater acts gave way to motion pictures.

One building that is a landmark in Sheridan is the Cady House. It was built in 1893 and there have been several businesses housed within its walls. One of the first references to the Cady House was in the Sheridan Daily Journal, in August 2, 1895 – One Year Old To-Day. The Journal has passed its first-year mile post and today enters upon Its second year. On the 2nd day of August 1894, one year ago today, it started out on its journey. The Journal has noted with much interest and watched with great pleasure the many substantial improvements that have taken place here during the past year. By far the finest and most expensive block is “The Cady” which is of fine architectural appearance, built of gray stone and occupied by the various county officers and by business firms as well.

The way the articles are written, it seems as if a ‘block’ referred to the building that the businesses were housed in, not necessarily a piece of land as is a more common usage of the word, ‘city block’ today.

At one time the Cady building housed the Cady Opera House and this from the Sheridan Daily Journal, June 17, 1896 – The Seguidilla Mandolia Club of Alliance which is billed to play at the Cady opera house tonight arrived on the noon train today from Newcastle. The club has just made tour of the Black Hills where they have played to good houses and every one of their entertainments have been well received.

But in 1906, the top floor of the Cady House caught on fire and much of it was destroyed.

From the Sheridan Post, October 9, 1906 – Cady Opera House Burns Early Morning Blaze Consumes Nearly Everthing Above Second Floor. Firemen Fight Nobly Well Directed Efforts, Together With the Substantial Character of the Building Prevents its Entire Destruction. – Sunday morning at a few minutes past three o’clock, a fire was discovered burning fiercely in the northeast corner of the Cady opera house, on the second floor and behind the curtains and scenery on the stage.

An alarm was turned in and the fire department responded in its usual prompt manner. The fire had evidently been burning some time before it was discovered, and this is accounted for by the fact that it started in a corner of the building away from any street, the window curtains were down and the curtains and wings of the stage prevented it from being discovered from either side fronting on a street. Three streams of water were soon playing upon it, but it had gained such headway that they had but little effect, and it seemed almost a certainty that the building would be gutted. It was not improbable that the intense heat from within, the falling of the heavy timbers of the roof and the action of the water on the heated stones would cause the walls to fail and thereby completely ruin the fine structure.

But, by the end of October, the rebuilding began. The Sheridan Post, October 30, 1906, The Cady Opera House -To be Remodeled and Converted into an Office Building Workmen are busily engaged in clearing up the debris at the ruins of the Cady Opera house building preparatory to remodeling it. The partially burned timbers are being hauled to Cutter’s brick yard, where they will be used as fuel. U. G. Shores, who has charge of the work, informs The Enterprise that the heavy timbers to be used in constructing the roof have been shipped from Washington and will be- here in about a month. As soon as they arrive the work will be pushed to completion as rapidly as possible. Walter Scott, who has drawn the plans for the remodeling of the building, informs us that the greater part of the first floor will be occupied by O’Marr & Son, the present tenants, while the two upper floors will be used for office and rooming purposes. The building will be finished throughout in a first class manner and contain all the modern conveniences.

ABC Signs, at 348 North Main, has housed several businesses over the last 116 years. One was the Palm Theater. These two articles from The Sheridan Post, September, 1907, and again in December. – A new institution opened its doors to the Sheridan public Monday evening, which has drawn large crowds of people and given perfect satisfaction. It is known as The Palm Theater and is located on the second floor of the new Williams block on North Main Street.

Fixing Up Hall For Dances. Parties and Entertainments of All Kinds – The E. C. Williams Hall, on North Main Street, lately used by the Palm theater, is being fitted up to accommodate private or social dancing parties, entertainments, bazaars, and can be rented by the night or by the week. It will be thoroughly overhauled, electric fixtures, steam heat, cloak rooms, reception rooms, card rooms, and a fine dancing floor put in, making it an ideal place for social gatherings and other amusements. The hall will be in charge of F. H. Stotts & Co., who will have the entire management of the place.

The Hotel Rex was also housed in the building at 348 N. Main. This in The Sheridan Enterprise, July 11, 1913 –Hotel Rex Is Opened To The Public Today. Sheridan has a new hotel now open for business, it being the Rex, located on the second floor of Williams Hall, and it is being run by Mr. and Mrs. Bantock, formerly of Denver. For several months past Contractor N. A. Pearson has been busy converting what was nothing but a barren room into one of the prettiest little lodging houses in the west. As one enters the stained glass canopied entrance, he sees ahead of him, a handsome little lobby fitted up with easy chairs, desks, and a long deep divan. The hotel register is on a desk at the right of the stairway. The floors of the lobby and of all of the corridors are covered with carpet beneath which is a sound-proof layer of cork.

The lobby itself is fitted with elegant chandeliers of tungsten lamps, with which the entire house is lighted. In front of the lobby are situated four unusually large rooms which look out on Main Street. One of these has been fitted out with mahogany furniture, while the other rooms have oak equipment. The remainder of the twenty-two rooms in the hotel are reached by two long corridors leading back from the lobby. These are all furnished with oak furniture and dull brass finished beds, which are used exclusively in the house. In addition to having a splendid outfit of furniture, each room has hot and cold water all of the year around, the water being made hot during the summer by a small heater in the back of the house. Every room also has a radiator for steam heat, the system for the house having been carefully figured to insure even heat. All of the rooms that are not situated so as to have windows are equipped with large skylights, so that each room is equally well lighted. Although the Rex is fitted out as well as any hotel in the city, its rates are to be very reasonable. Mr. and Mrs. Bantock have had experience in operating hotels before, and it is their intention to run an up-to-date house for Sheridan.

Where ERA Carroll Realty now stands was once the Bucket-of-Blood Saloon, and this piece from The Semi-Weekly Enterprise, October 1, 1907, mentions the saloon – Attempted Hold-Up Charles H. Zentz and William Ayers were arrested Saturday night at 10:30 at the “Bucket of Blood’ saloon by Policeman Jobe. These men are wanted for an attempted hold-up. A short time before they were arrested thy made an attack on George Ruckdeshal as he was passing along Second street between North Main and Val Vista. They jumped on aim and tried to choke him down while they rifled his pockets. He put up a vigorous fight and as good luck would have it a squad of soldiers came along and the robbers took to their heels. They were traced to the “K. C.” or “Bucket- of-Blood” saloon and placed under arrest. The police turned the prisoners over to Sheriff Benefiel and they are now in the county jail. Tomorrow, the men will be given a preliminary hearing in Justice Foster’s court

Over 100 years ago, Sheridan looked much different than it does today, but look up above the modern businesses and get an idea of what our town used to look like.