If buildings could talk

MARENGO — Every time a new business comes into a former building here in Marengo, memories are stirred about what used to be.

Oh, if only the recently renovated building at 1159 Court Avenue — housing J.A. Casa Magnolia — could speak to help us with that history.

The business district around the city park developed in the 1850s and 1860s. Then, with the coming of the railroad in 1858, a separate business district was developed along Miller Street with hotels, liveries, restaurants and banks to accommodate the train passengers.

The two business districts were competitive for a time, but eventually the city park area became the primary business district for the town.

The first buildings around the square were timber-framed, hence fire was a real hazard. A report in the newspapers documenting history of the town detailed the destruction of ‘half the buildings on the west side of the square’ in May of 1865. Allegedly the fire was of unknown origin but suspicious in nature.

In time, those buildings were replaced by brick structures which were less prone to fire, yet fires did occur.

The building at 1159 Court Avenue, purchased and restored by the Millers, was the site of McConnell’s Millinery in 1860, a shop operated by Elizabeth McConnell.

It is uncertain if this was one of the frame buildings lost in the 1865 fire along the west side of the square, but it may have been.

By 1874, the Snavely Hardware was located there. It was replaced by a billiard hall in 1885 after Snavely relocated along Marengo Avenue.

Fred Rabe operated a saloon at this location from 1893-1941. When the saloon closed, G.W. Knipple took the building for his Knipple Studio.

Knipple manufactured display cases and created advertising items as well as gifts made of wood.

G. W. Knipple and his wife lived on the second floor of the building from 1941-1974 when G.W. passed away. That studio space was then incorporated into the existing Ratzel Furniture store to the north, run by John and Viola Ratzel.

The Ratzel Furniture closed in 1986, and the store remained vacant for a time before the south section was occupied by Betty Mouchka and William Hahn who opened Down A Country Lane. They had an antique restoration and framing business from 1990 until 2006.

Michael Curry opened P.H.A.T. Daddy’s adjacent to the building at 1185 address to the north and in 2007 opened Phool’s Gold in the 1159 address. When that closed, the building was again vacant.

Today the 1185 address is occupied by DK’s Eatery.

It is encouraging to know that someone has an interest in restoration and development of this location along Court Avenue. Don’t we all wish that those existent walls could relate their stories of former businesses and the Marengo citizens who inhabited them?

Note: Much of the material for this article was taken from the 2009 History of Marengo, Community Edition, which was written for the Marengo Sesquicentennial Celebration.