Along Main Street: 214 E. Main Street

The Lowell Area Historical Museum is taking us on a stroll along Main Street and sharing the history of buildings in Lowell’s historic downtown. To learn more about Lowell history, visit the museum website to explore its collection of local artifacts and records.

Address: 214 E. Main
Date Built: 1873
Builder: Sylvester Brower
Owner: E. J. Booth
1st business: Hine, Parrish and Birch shoes and dry goods

Ownership of this property can be traced through the property abstract. In 1844, Daniel Marsac was the original owner of 63.1 acres of land in Section 2, town 6 north, range 9 west. He sold 9.69 acres to Cyprian Hooker in 1846 and the remainder to Abel Avery in 1854. Avery platted the village of Dansville laying out the streets and lots. Chapin and Booth purchased several parcels including the lots that today are 214 E. and 212 E. Main.

In 1863, after the passing of Booth, the lots were probated to his son, Ephraim J. Booth. There was a “gravel block” building on one of them. Booth was the owner of these lots in 1873, when the new block of six stores was built. In 1886, Booth filed for a Life Lease with reservation giving the two buildings to his 3 daughters, each 1/3 interest; a quit claim deed to the three daughters was given in 1894. The daughters owned the buildings until 1926 when they sold to Thomas M. Doyle.

Hine, Parrish & Birch dry goods was the first business here in 1873. In 1883, F. C. Johnson had a “Bazaar Store”. He advertised that he sold the “Latest Improvements in Fireworks!”

From 1884-1918, the building was listed as a boot and shoe or cobbler shop. A. J. Howk was a partner with Isaac White from 1867 to 1880. Then the partnership became “Howk & Hine”, “Howk & Bostwick”, and “Howk & Son.” A. J. Howk died in 1905 but his son Willis F. Howk continued the business using the same name until he sold out in 1918. He sold because he had a physical disability, and all his clerks were being drafted for WWI. This was the oldest firm in Lowell – 52 years of selling shoes. It was known as “The Old Reliable Shoe House”.

This big leather shoe was made in 1865 as a shoemaker’s sign. It hung in front of A. J. Howk’s store from 1884 to 1918. It is now displayed at the Lowell Area Historical Museum.

John Kellogg purchased 214 E. Main in 1930, with a land contract for the I.O.O.F. (Odd Fellows). The second party assignee was James E. Green. Finally in 1942, the Warranty Deed was given to Lowell Lodge No. 115, Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Island City Rebekah Lodge No. 282, both of 214 East Main, jointly and in entirety.

The 2nd and 3rd floors were used as the International Order of Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F.) Hall. The I.O.O.F is a fraternal organization. The men were called Odd Fellows and the women Rebekahs. There was a separate entrance door on the right side of the building that led directly upstairs from Main Street. The Lowell Lodge No. 115 I.O.O.F. was instituted on February 15, 1893, with six charter members; membership was 140 in 1931. They continued to meet into the 1980s.

Roth’s Capital Lunch was here occupied the first floor in the 1930s. In the 1950s and 60s, it was Lowell Bakery, Dawson Bros. Bakery, and Fluger’s Bakery. The photo above shows Dawson Bros. Bakery after it moved to this location in 1953. L-R: Jesse Cahoon, Grandpa Seymour Dawson, Charlie Dawson, Mrs. Wordon.

While Fluger’s Bakery started in 214 E. Main Street, it moved to 216 E. Main Street in 1969.

In 1969, it is listed as Moraco Corp. Lowell seniors met here when it was the Lowell Senior Neighbor’s Center from 1971-1987. It was Ye Olde Curiosity Shop, 1989-91.

Daniel and Deb Pipe bought the building and lived upstairs operating Rupert’s Drop, an eclectic retail art store on the 1st floor, 1995-2001. Spins and Needles yarn shop was here previous to the opening of the Station Salon (hair care) in 2012. Nancy DeBoer, owner of Station Salon, recently stated: “There is no better way of improving your self-image than sitting in the chair of a great hairdresser.”

And here’s what 214 E. Main Street looked like in the past. ”Howks” is written on the awning of the 3rd building from the left.

​And here’s what 214 E. Main Street looks like today when the sun is shining overhead: