This is a circa 1910 postcard photo (#A139) of the C.B. Hatton Drug Store at the corner of Monument Square and North Main Street (40 Monument Square).

At this time Otway Cooper Saddlery Co. was located on the first floor of this building just west of Hatton’s (#1690) and a clothing store, a building currently under renovation, was immediately west of that.

The pharmacy was started in 1881 at 34 Monument Square by Frank Valentine who sold the business to Charles B. Hatton in 1897. The store was moved in 1907 to the location shown. This became known as “Hatton’s Corner.” Nearly a century before, Doolittle’s Tavern had stood on the same site and served as the headquarters of Gov. Return J. Meigs during the War of 1812.

In 1910 at the age of 13 John J. Enright began working for Hatton. Shortly after earning a pharmacy degree in 1918 at The Ohio State University, Enright became a partner with Hatton and the business became Hatton & Enright. In 1928 the store moved to 205 N. Main St. next to the Champaign National Bank (#2898). In 1940 upon the death of Charles B. Hatton, Enright became sole owner of the pharmacy. Also about this time John Enright purchased the Bunnel Monument Co. on E. Church St. which had been started in 1868. The name of the business was changed to Urbana Monument Co. which is still in business making it one of the longest continually-operated businesses in Urbana.

Thomas J. Crowley came to work at Hatton & Enright while in high school. He continued to work at the drug store and earned a pharmacy degree from the University of Cincinnati in 1951. The store moved to 108-112 N. Main St. in 1963. Crowley became Enright’s partner in 1977 and sole owner in 1985 and served several terms as Mayor of Urbana.

The Champaign County Historical Museum is a not-for-profit organization that depends upon donations and dues to preserve, protect, archive and display the artifacts that tell the Champaign County story. The free public museum located at 809 E. Lawn Ave., Urbana, is open to the public Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

This is a circa 1974 photo of the southwest corner of Monument Square in Urbana showing Ewing’s Restaurant and Cafeteria.

Ewing’s was not only well known in Champaign County but throughout west-central Ohio. The Pooler family operated the business which included a coffee shop and a bakery. Often on Sundays at noon patrons would be lined up from the entrance around the corner on Miami Street; once inside, they would often find Carl Pooler himself carving prime rib. At the end of the line uniformed waitresses would meet patrons at the cash register and carry each tray to a table.

Ewing’s served large family meals on special occasions, such during the Christmas holiday, on the second floor of this building.

In the mid-19th century, the third floor of this building served as a meeting space known as Union Hall. It was the site of theatrical performances as well as church bazaars and political speeches.

In 1863, the Ladies Aid Society of Urbana’s St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church in celebration of the Emancipation Proclamation arranged for Frederick Douglass, the great abolitionist, to speak at Union Hall. However, it is uncertain whether Douglass spoke there as there is no documented account of him having done so. In 1910 there was a motion picture theater in this building, presumably on the third floor.

An interesting note regarding the building is that embossed on a cast iron support column within is “Willcox & Gwynne.” Perhaps this came from a local foundry as the Gwynne family members were early prominent merchants in Urbana.

The Champaign County Historical Museum is a not-for-profit organization that depends upon donations and dues to preserve, protect, archive and display the artifacts that tell the Champaign County story. The free public museum located at 809 E. Lawn Ave., Urbana, is open to the public Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.