Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1911-08-15
ERECTED FORTY YEARS AGO

Wilson opera house building, at
the corner of Second and Des Moines
street, is now in progress and when
completed will be one of the finest
appearing business structures in the
city. The property now belongs to
Mrs. Minnie Wilson and the Lewis
Crary estate. It was built in 1870
or 1871 and has been occupied on
the ground floor by various business
institutions. 1t was erected by W..
C. Wilson and Lewis Crazy. The
second story was used as an opera
house and for many years Wilson's
opera house was among the best in
this part of Iowa. 1t was used for
that purpose until the armory opera
house was put up few years ago,
since which time it has been idle.
The lower or ground floor is now
occupied by the Webster City Saw
ings Bank, Levalley drug store, and
the Palace meat market. The store
room occupied by the meat market
belongs to the Crary estate and the
balance Of the property to Mrs.
Wilson.
This is one of the landmarks Of
this part of Webster City and was
built the year following the erec-
ton of the w. E. Brown building,
Just across the street, south. The
Brown building, now occupied by
Buster Brown and the Shipley &
Black dry goods store, and the Al
lington building, occupied by Kane's
variety store, formerly all one
structure, was the first building
constructed in what was called by
it's friends forty years ago will
sen Town." and by its enemies,
Frog Town" The principal part
of the city at that time was in the
vicinity of the corner of Seneca ard
Bank streets. In fact, that part of
the city is practically as it was in
1870, few buildings being erected
down that way since the advent of
the Illinois Central railroad into the
town in 1S69-the year in which
the old frame Wilson house was
erected upon the present site Of tho
fine hotel of that name. These
properties-The Wilson, Wilson's
opera house and the w. e. Brown
and the Arlington building adjoin-
ing, with the exception of the Crary
interests, were erected by Sumler
and Walter C. Wilson, and we be-
lieve Jacob NJ. Funk had some inter-
est in the Brown building.
Forty years ago the north side Of
Second street, from the Grempel
building to the Wilson building.
bordered upon big slough. and 1t
was with difficulty that substantial
at the north end of
some of the buildings erected since
that time could be assured. In the
early days ducks and geese used to
nest around this slough and the in
dustrious frog furnished music by
day and by night at different sea-
sons of the year, hence the name OF
Frog town" given by the then resi-
dents Of Seneca street. However,
by the material advancement and
Of the town. all this has
been changed, and those coming to
Webster City in later years would
not know that the main business
section OF the town is located upon
what was once the shore OF quite
a good sized pond.
When the building now being re-
modelled was erected, there was
nothing else in the block and moth
ing in that Immediately south, sur
rounded by the streets Of Second,
Des Moines. First and Wilson av-
enue, except the Brown building.
the Wolgamot residence and the ].
D. Hunter residence, save a big barn
just east Of the Brown building. oc-
cup'ed by the pioneer implement
firm of Spaulding G Root.
Wonderful changes have taken
place in Webster City during the life
Of this old Wilson's opera house
but it is probable that the
next forty years will see even great
er changes and much more substan-
tial improvement. The building is
to have complete new outside walls
from the foundation to the roof and
all the store fronts are to be new
and up-to-date.