Businesses on West Grand Street, the south side of the business square in Gallatin, MO:
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This postcard scene shows Gallatin businesses on the south side of the square on West Grand Street before the town’s brick water tower.
Fitterer Grocery & Bakery was founded by Enos Fitterer in 1877. By 1900 the bakery was producing some 5,000 loaves of bread each week. But times changed. Factory-prepared cake or pan roll mixes were being sold directly to households. Other factors were the large city bakeries and their daily truck deliveries. By 1949, less than 1,000 loaves of bread were being produced and pastry-making had dwindled accordingly. Then the Fitterer sons, Frank and Oscar, renamed the business named the M.E. Fitterer’s Sons Grocery and Bakery. In 1903, some of the store’s features were 57 varieties of apple butter kept in stone crocks and sold by the pound. Farmer’s products were purchased and they often received 12 cents per dozen for eggs which could be used either for cash or for trade. The old brick ovens became cold and unused in 1949.
This 1916 postcard shows the south side of the Gallatin business square. Note the light suspended over West Grand Street with Gallatin’s brick water tower in the background. Woodruff House is located in the center of the block. The ornate edifice of First National Bank anchors the far end with the Townsend Block building shown across Main Street at far left.
Wooden utility poles, dirt street, concrete sidewalk to the courthouse doors, and a variety of businesses make this 1920 scene of Gallatin’s south side of the square unique. At the far end (across from Main Street) is Arbelia Opera House in the Townsend Block; in the foreground is Fitterer & Son Bakery/Groceries. In addition to First National Bank on the far corner and Farmers Store, signs indicate a land office, a pool hall, barber shop, and the Southside Restaurant advertising meals for 25 cents.
In 1966 the real estate office selling land which became Lake Viking was housed in the former First National Bank building at the southeast corner of the Gallatin square. Also shown is the Farmers Store (later Elbert’s Department Store), Place Market, Barton Hardware, Gann’s Bargain Store, and Gamble’s. This was the south side of Gallatin square.
Judging by the age of vehicles shown, this appears to be Gallatin’s south side of the business square circa 1960. The bank building is on the corner, then Famers Store, Place’s Super Market, and Barton’s Hardware. The junction of Highways 13 and 6 was at this, the southeast corner of the business square.
Barton’s Hardware is shown here at left, when buildings to its west sat vacant underneath the Gallatin water tower. At right facing Market Street in Gallatin United Methodist Church.
