Snapshot of History
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A. A. Huggins building on the southwest corner of the Mt. Ayr square.
This week’s photo was taken about 1895 and shows A. A. Huggins’ new building he operated as a farm implement business. Built in 1891, an elevator allowed Huggins to place farm equipment upstairs, as well. In this photo, John Wall & Son have their grocery store in the northern one-third of the building.
H. U. Greenlee of Bedford was the chief brick-layer in the construction and Mr. Greenlee built the brick structure at 112 W. Madison for H. H. Wilson when he finished the Huggins’ building.
The Huggins’ building at 119-121 S. Fillmore had many occupants, but not as many as you might think. Mr. Huggins didn’t retire until 1917. This is the same year that John Wall moved out of 119 S. Fillmore so it is an easy guess the building got a new owner, probably George Allyn. After Huggins left, 121 S. Fillmore became an auto garage and dealership with managers such as Sackett & Bellamy, Ira Merritt, Steve Short, H. A. Dulany, Mr. Sloan, and Roy Freeman. Then in 1920, the Masons traded their old building and lot for the southern two rooms of the Huggins’ building.
So, this makes 100 years the Masonic Lodge has been upstairs at 121 S. Fillmore. The same year, 1920, Moore and Campbell opened a flooring, furniture and appliance store downstairs. Campbell left the firm in 1941 and Moore sold out to Barker and Webb in 1945. They in turn sold out to Jake Dailey and Arch Dunfee on March 1, 1954.
Jake moved the furniture store to 300 N. Taylor in 1973 and Mount Ayr Auto Parts moved in.
In 1983 Mount Ayr Parts moved to 109 W. Monroe and McDonnell Appliance moved to 121 S. Fillmore on January 1, 1984. They are still there.
Two businesses opened inside the appliance store; The Brass Thimble (Judy Cunning) and Shirley and Dave’s Computers.
119 S. Fillmore was turned into a funeral home by Rev. T. S. Rhoades in 1920. He left in 1930 and Skinner Brothers operated a barber shop here from 1930 to 1933. Then, I lose track of this location until 1953 when Dr. Duane Mitchell and Dr. George Rodgers opened a medical practice here. Doctor Mitchell retired in 1995. Ringgold County Public Health was here for many years after that.
The upstairs is the Teen Center now but was often used as a doctor or attorney office in the past. Dr. A. B. Ogden was upstairs in 1920.
