Then – This is a circa 1920 photo (0404) of the M.E. Goertzig IGA grocery store located at 315 Sycamore St., Urbana. The sign on the south side of the building reads: “We sell Purity Ice Cream." Now – This is a 2019 photo of the same location. Note how little the building has changed except for the railed porch. Currently, the building is the Sycamore House, Pregnancy and Family Life Center of Champaign County.
The Champaign County Historical Society is an all-volunteer, not-for profit organization that preserves, protects, archives and displays the artifacts that tell the Champaign County story. The society depends upon donations and dues to provide a free public museum, which is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays. Then – This is a circa 1940 photo (#2016) of the South Main Street upstairs entrance to the Carmazzi Building. As indicated on signs, this was the entrance to the offices of Dr. Daniel C. Houser, M.D. (father) and Dr. Daniel L. Houser, dentist (son). The address of the offices was listed as 100 ½ S. Main St. Father and son were still in practice at this location in 1951. In 1953, Dr. Daniel L. Houser was in practice at this location, but not his father. Now – This is a 2019 photo of the same location. Note how well preserved the detail of this doorway entrance is after almost 80 years.
The Champaign County Historical Society is an all-volunteer, not-for profit organization that preserves, protects, archives and displays the artifacts that tell the Champaign County story. The society depends upon donations and dues to provide a free public museum, which is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays. This is a circa 1910 photo (#1834) of the Douglas Hotel looking west from Monument Square down Miami Street in Urbana. About 1815 on the present-day site of the Douglas Hotel, John Reynolds built a frame house. The Reynolds family lived on the second floor and operated a general store on the first floor. It also served as Urbana’s first post office.
In 1819, John C. Pearson purchased the property and in 1825 erected a two-story brick building, which he established as a hotel. This brick building ultimately became the nucleus of the Douglas Hotel. Sometime prior to 1844 Henry Weaver acquired the property and built two additional floors to the hotel, which was then referred to as the Weaver House. In 1877 the Weaver family sold the hotel and C. L. Stough became the proprietor. Around 1900 the hotel began to be referred to as the Douglas Inn/Hotel. Source: A Brief Early History of the Douglas Hotel by Barbara E. Sour (#8689) The Champaign County Historical Society, an all-volunteer, not-for profit organization that preserves, protects, archives and displays the artifacts that tell the Champaign County story. The society depends upon donations and dues to provide a free public museum, which is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays. This is a circa 1929 photo (CCHS #0206) of the Charles Lantz Grocery and Gas Station at 405 Gwynne St., Urbana. This was a family business involving Mr. Lantz, his wife (visible in the window) and daughter. Signs indicate the following merchandise was available: Tiolene motor oil, Taystee Bread, Purity Ice Cream, Mail Pouch tobacco, Beech-nut tobacco, Fels Naptha, Old Reliable coffee. This would have been a challenging time to operate a business.
The Champaign County Historical Society is an all-volunteer, not-for profit organization that preserves, protects, archives and displays the artifacts that tell the Champaign County story. The society depends upon donations and dues to provide a free public museum, which is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays. This is a photo (#0500) of a Chevrolet Coupe with a 1930 Ohio license plate in front of J.A. Shuemaker and Atwater Radio Store at 119 S. Main St., Urbana. Apparently, this coupe was adapted to serve as a delivery vehicle as it appears to be carrying an appliance. In addition to Norge appliances and Atwater Kent radios the store offered a variety of other products including fishing tackle, sporting goods, Goodrich tires and Ford parts. In 1951 it was the location of the Robert Yocum Grocery; in 1955 the Western Auto Store; from 1959 to at least 1982 the Mumford’s Potato Chip Shop; and in 1991 the Bob’s Appliance Repair. Currently, Dream Home Realty is located here.
The Champaign County Historical Society is an all-volunteer, not-for-profit organization that preserves, protects, archives and displays the artifacts that tell the Champaign County story. The society depends upon donations and dues to provide a free public museum, which is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays. Then – This is a circa 1937 photo (CCHS #0134) of the north side of the 100 block of Scioto Street in Urbana. Moore's Business College was at 100 Scioto Street. In the next building was located Parllete Electric Company at 104 Scioto Street and Miami Granite Co. at 106 Scioto Street and Dr. Poffenberger, Dentist, at 106 1/2 Scioto Street. Note decorative street lamp at corner of the alley entrance. Now – 2018 photo of same location which is now occupied by the Peoples Savings Bank. Note the street lamp here as compared to the one in 1937.
The Champaign County Historical Society is an all-volunteer, not-for-profit organization that preserves, protects, archives and displays the artifacts that tell Champaign County’s History. The Society operates on donations and dues and has a free public museum of history at East Lawn Avenue in Urbana Dateline 1952: The Urbana City Building and Firehouse burns down. Spectacular fire, and huge crowds were their to witness the disaster! Were you there? Were your parents or grandparents? Learn all about it at the Champaign County Museum! Then – This is a circa 1905 photo (#0135) of the southeast corner of Monument Square, Urbana. A drug store is at the Scioto Street corner with “Alabastine” in the window. Painted on the roof of this building was “DRUGS-PAINTS-OILS.” Note the public drinking fountain in front of the drug store. A dentist’s office is above the drug store. Next door is a bakery. In the corner is a harness shop. Later Harmstead & Holding store was located here. On the south side is a photographer’s studio. Note the slanted skylight window providing the best light for taking photos. This building burned about 1960 and was replaced by a one-story building that became the location of the AAA office. At the South Main Street corner is the Hitt & Fuller Dry Goods Store. Now – This 2018 photo is of the same location. Businesses shown are Café Paradiso, Oxner’s General Store, Downtown Diva’s, Vape on the Square, and Thompson, Dunlap & Heydinger, LTD, Attorneys at Law. Just west of the attorneys’ office was the Hitt & Fuller Dry Goods store and later Main News. Now it is Legacy Park (not shown).
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Looking Back at Champaign County
The Champaign County Historical Society strives to highlight historical people, places and events throughout Champaign County. If you have photos of historical significance that you believe would be of interest to Champaign Countians, please Contact Us. Archives
February 2022
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