Snapshots of History by Mike Avitt

By Editor | March 18, 2026 |

This week’s picture comes courtesy of the Linda Swanson collection and shows the west side of the Mount Ayr square about 1914. I have a similar photo from this angle and from about the same time frame, but that picture doesn’t have the quality this one does.
I know this photo is from September 1913 or later because of the chime clock on the bank, on the far corner. I know this photo is pre-1915 because the streets are still dirt. There are two men in the photo, both wearing coats, which tells me this photo was taken in the winter of 1913-14 or 1914-15.
The print on the front suggests this was a picture postcard but I don’t recognize the print. I tried to find who the local photographers were at this time and I came up with James Lawhead, William Belvel and Ike Shroyer. I have searched the old newspapers for who produced picture postcards after 1912 and have found nothing.
The two-story building on the left was built in 1891 for A. A. Huggins. This building had three storefronts with 121-23 S. Fillmore being a double store (agriculture implements). 119 S. Fillmore was the grocery store of John Wall and his son E. B. Adolphus Alexander Huggins had previously been in business with Joseph H. Saville at 120-22 W. Madison (Huggins & Saville).
The next building to the north was built in 1902 for Dr. William Horne. Today, it is the Mount Ayr Chamber of Commerce and Ringgold County Economic Development office. Dr. Horne was the father of three children, one of the them being Charlie Horne. Charlie was the father of William “Bill” Horne. Dr. Horne’s brother John was the father of two sons, one being Barney Horne. So, Barney and Charlie were first cousins. I often get asked about relationships between family members.
The next building north was at 115 S. Fillmore and was the doctor’s office of Dr. Cassius T. Lesan. I don’t know when this office was built. In 1931, Dr. James T. Stanton moved in here. Five years later Dr. C. L. Seaman located here. Dr. Seaman went to World War II and located elsewhere after the war. Dr. T. I. Moffett bought the building and tore it down in 1946. The doctor had the current office erected with an apartment in the rear in 1946.
The next building, at 113 S. Fillmore, was a produce house in 1914. In the winter of 1920-21, Dellitt Thompson opened a battery charging station here. Car batteries operated the headlights but cars did not yet have the capacity to charge their own batteries. In July 1923, E. M. Rosenbaum located here with his tire repair shop. In those days, tire repair was called “vulcanizing.” A fire in September 1927 reveals the property was owned by the H. H. Wilson Estate. After the fire, Rosenbaum bought the property, razed the fire-damaged building, and erected the building we know today. For many years this location was Tyler Insurance but will soon open as a bakery. I witnessed work being done on the drive-thru window today.
Mr. Rosenbaum has another claim to fame. In 1939 he started the business at 300 W. South Street (Highway 2) that eventually became Ruth’s Steakhouse (1962-1971). This location was later the site of the original Casey’s General Store.
The building across the alley north was Faith Lodge 179, the Masons, in 1914. This is only the second picture I’ve ever seen of this structure. The building was lost in the 1927 fire but the Masons had moved to 121-123 S. Fillmore in 1920.
The next building is the drug store of John Horne and was probably built in 1894 after his first building burned in February 1894. Dr. William Horne had his office in this drug store before putting up his office at 117 S. Fillmore. John Horne died in 1913 so this building was probably vacant when this picture was taken. The 1927 fire started in this building, Perry Dress Club. The next building was built by R. M. Bowlby in 1902 and was also lost in the 1927 fire.

Posted in Snapshot of History by Mike Avitt