Stimson Drug Store, Winslow Building, c1879
2022.72.01
Cabinet Card
Stimson, Dr. Henry H. 1824-1916Stimson, Mary (Forbes) 1831-1903Mize Rose Garden south side/Soda Lounge/Crow Hotel/Davis Hotel/Davis Restaurant/Stimson & Winslow building
James T. Faasen estimates the photo be taken in about 1879 and adds the following details: Dr. Henry H. Stimson’s building, aka Winslow building, was built in 1878 and burned down in 1886 The building is not shown on the 1873 atlas map or in the c1874 photo of the village from Mt. Baldhead. The Tanner building, aka Griffin building, seen on the left or north side in the photos, was built in 1869. Mary (Forbes) Stimson, Dr. Henry Stimson’s wife, purchased the property from Stephen A. Morrison on 4 March 1874. Mentions of the building in the Commercial Record: 8-9-1878 The lumber for Stimson and Winslows' block is being hauled. 8-16-1878 The dimensions of Stimson and Winslow's new building are to be as follows: Length 75 feet, width 22 feet, height 24 feet. The lower story is to be used by F. A. Winslow as a clothing store, and C. F. Stimson for drugs. The upper floor will be used at present as a public hall. 8-30-1878 Stimson and Winslow have the frame for their new building up and nearly enclosed 11-29-1878 Stimson and Winslow are hurrying the work on their new building along, having a part of the time as many as twelve men at work on it. 1-3-1879 Stimson and Winslow expect to have their new store ready for occupancy in a few days
1830 Settlement, pioneer eraCommercial businessesHospitals, medical care and doctors
including decorative border
8-1/2 in
10-1/4 in
021 Area Buildings
Poor
Overall yellowing, broken corners, gauges, tape repairs on back of card.
Historian Jim Schmiechen in "Raising the Roof" 2nd ed., describes the building as "A combination drug and clothing store. The wide roof overhang and paired cornice brackets are typical 'Commercial Italianate' but the first floor is unusually tall. Note the advertisement signboards — for clothing — set between the upper windows. Dr. Stimson is to the right of the door while Mrs. [Mary] Stimson is to the left. Many early druggists were also doctors. Stimson lived in Saugatuck from 1858 to 1916. The Commercial Record in 1886 called it the most 'elegantly furnished building in Saugatuck' (including the apartments on the second floor). It also served as the Saugatuck Post Office in the 1870s and 1880s. It was destroyed by a great fire in July 1886 that swept away nearly the entire village block — and then rebuilt to become Freidman's Discount Clothing [Commercial Record, August 1, 1898.] In an article about the neighboring Sand Bar, [https://sdhistoricalsociety.org/Newsletter/2014/apr14/apr14_newsletter.htm] Chris Yoder locates the Stimson Drug Store as north of current Sand Bar on lot 173 of the Kalamazoo Plot, [the south half of the Mize Rose Garden]. In the same article, Yoder writes "On June 24, 1886, a fire broke out in the Post Office, located in the back room of the Stimson Building. This fire destroyed not only the Stimson building, but also the Griffin Building to the north and the Goodrich Boarding house to the south. The Goodrich Boarding house was not insured, and with the exception of the Hat Store, which by 1889 was owned by Tamour Maria (Searles) Winslow (1831 - 1891) and used for her millinery shop, after the fire, lot 174 remanded vacant. In the summer of 1898 this vacant lot was used for the location of a portable photograph gallery."
09/21/2022
06/22/2024