The Dewey Block

900 Court Avenue

The old Dewey Block (at left, above), occupied when this photograph was taken by Chariton Floral, now a furniture store, is known by many, too, as "that building with the blue front," reference to the 1960s "modern" packaging that conceals an 1890 facade --- or what's left of it (no one is quite sure what's behind the false front).

The structure has a number of claim to modest fame. It was built by a daughter of Lucas County's first major entrepreneur, John Branner; it was the location of Chariton's first Hy-Vee store; and it once was owned by Leo A. Hoegh, Chariton attorney who went on to serve as Iowa governor from 1955 to 1957. His offices were located in it.

The legal description of the property at the southeast corner of the square, intersection of Court Avenue and Grand Street, is the east half of Lot 1, Block 14, original city of Chariton. John Kizer purchased the entire lot from Lucas County by deed dated Dec. 1, 1851. Kizer sold it to John Branner on April 25, 1854, and the Branner estate transferred title to the lot to his widow, Jane, on Oct. 22, 1873. On July 8, 1890, Jane transferred ownership to her daughter, Victoria J. Dewey, who commissioned this building during that year. You may read more about the Branners in two parts of an incomplete project concerning them, Working Title: The Almighty Branners and The Almighty Branners: Part 2.

The building had been completed by late October, 1890, when The Chariton Herald was able to report:

"One of the finest brick buildings in the city is the Dewey block on the southeast corner of the square, upon which Messrs. W.F. Layton & Co., the architects and contractors, are just now placing the finishing touches. It is well proportioned, of excellent style, constructed of first-class material from bottom to top, and exhibits good workmanship throughout, including foundation and brick work done by G.B. Routt. Messrs. Layton & Co., who drew the plans, superintended and completed the structure, are entitled to much credit for the architectural skill and excellent workmanship displayed in the construction of a building than which no other on the public square reflects more credit upon the public spirited enterprise of our goodly city. In the selection of this enterprising, capable and reliable firm as the architects for her brick block Mrs. Dewey displayed a discriminating judgement and an appreciation of home talent that is truly commendable, and from which others may well take pattern. It is not only folly but also a gross injustice to send your money away from home for something of less value than you can get in your own town. Patronize home talent and home industries in preference to all others should be our motto."

W.F. Layton & Co. was a partnership of two young men, William F. Layton and Oran Alonzo Hougland. Layton died at age 38 of cancer during late December, 1892, however, and the partnership was dissolved. Hougland launched himself independently as an architect and, for a time, contractor. His first documented commission as an independent agent on the square, acting as both architect and contractor, is the 1894 Knights of Pythias building on the east side. By the turn of the 20th century his reputation as an architect had been established and he became one of the profession's most prolific and popular southern Iowa practitioners.

The first tenants of the new Dewey Block's first-floor retail storefronts were The Novelty, a variety store that moved in during October of 1890, and a drug store operated by G.E. Whitlock & Co.

By about 1910, when this postcard view of the south side of the square was taken, A. J. Woodman, who had a second hardware store in Russell that later became his base, was tenant of the east storefront of the Dewey Block. By this time, Branner daughters had entirely rebuilt the east half of the south side of the square. The three-front building to the right of the Dewey Block, built by Virginia M. Branner, occupied the site now filled by the Ritz Theater/Connecticut Yankee Peddelar building and the building occupied by the Chariton Newspapers. The towering building to the far right, also built by Victoria J. Dewey, contained the Lincoln Theater and retail, office and living quarters on its first and second floors and Knights of Pythias lodge rooms on the third floor. The site now is occupied by a medical supply firm. A 1930 fire destroyed everything east of the alley on the south side --- other than the Dewey Block and the brand new Ritz Theater facade.

As the years passed, the east half of the block became home to a succession of grocery stores and the west half, sold during 1921 to Henry W. and Olive Brewer, clothing stores and other retail operations. Offices and apartments, some occupied by members of the extended Branner family, occupied the second floor. By 1946, the east half was owned by Walter Dewey, Victoria's son, and Olive Brewer, Henry's widow, owned the west.

During May of that year, both sold their interests to Midwest Realty, a holding company, which in turn sold the entire building during September of 1948 to Hyde & Vredenburg, "Hy-Vee." Hyde & Vredenburg turned around three days later and sold the building to business partners Edward G. Danner, an optometrist, and Leo Hoegh.

Hyde & Vredenburg had entered the retail marketplace in Lucas County during 1936 when the partnership purchased Morris Gendler's grocery story, tenant of the corner storefront, and rebranded it the Chariton Supply Store. Now, the size of that store was doubled.

The Supply Store was rebranded Hy-Vee in 1953 and continued to occupy the entire ground floor of the Dewey Block until the night of Dec. 17-18, 1966, when fire gutted the offices, businesses and apartments on the second floor and heavily damaged the store beneath. At the time, Hy-Vee's principal store in Chariton was the 1955 supermarket at the intersection of North Main Street and Auburn Avenue. An expansion project was under way at the time of the fire that would double the floor space of the newer store as well as add a second parking lot and an in-store bakery.

Plans already were afoot to the close the southside location once the expansion was complete and Jack Young had purchased the building from the Hoeghs, who had bought out the Danners in 1957, in 1966 and planned to relocate his furniture store there.

After the fire, Hy-Vee closed its store and Young reconfigured the damaged interior to serve as a two-level furniture store. He also added a new front, including the blue covering from the top of street-level display windows to the cornice, to give the building what then was a popular modern look. The block has remained relatively unchanged since.