Morton Building History
Mr. Ben Cartwright operated a blacksmith and iron shop in a two-story frame building on the corner of Main and Jefferson Streets in the 1880's. Mr. Cartwright sold the blacksmith business to P.W. Voelpel, who in turn sold the building to Voelpel Manufacturing Company on June 24, 1904. The company employed fifty men in various departments in the building. One section was a blacksmith shop that welded, did repair work and made boilers. There was also a woodworking department that constructed carriages, buggies, coffins and hayracks. It produced the first two-wheeled carts for Peoria Union Stockyard, as well as the ladder and hose carts for the Morton Volunteer Fire Company.
The property changed hands a few more times, and the old two-story framed building was removed. On November 12, 1915, Whitney and Gallagher of Canton purchased the land on the corner of Main and Jefferson Streets from George Hoffman and built a new brick building where the old blacksmith shop once stood. Whitney and Gallagher, who had operated the Jacobs Dry Goods Store across the street, changed to a five-and-dime store in their new building, with the North one-third being separated by a wall and rented to various grocery stores and butcher shops. In 1921 Whitney sold out to Gallagher.
Mrs. McCoy purchased the business from Mr. and Mrs. Gallagher in 1938, and converted it into a Ben Franklin store. She owned and operated the business until she sold it to Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Schumacher in October 1940. One Sunday morning, a deer crashed through one of the front windows, and the Morton police had to enter the building to capture it in the back room. The entire building was remodeled, taking out the dividing wall. The walls were redecorated, a new lighting system and fixtures installed, and a new store front put up in the modern Ben Franklin style. The grand opening of the store was held December 7, 1940, and featured merchandise ranging in price from five cents to one dollar. In 1973, Gallaghers' daughters, Heath and Calahan, sold the building in which the Ben Franklin was operated to Mr. and Mrs. Schumacher.
The Ben Franklin business was sold to Charles Pollow in 1983, and he closed the store in 1987. The building changed hands several more times and over the years housed a florist, decorator and bridal shop. A wall was once again erected to separate the North one-third of the building.
On July 16, 2002, Benckendorf & Benckendorf, P.C., purchased the property and did extensive renovations to restore the building. The original tin ceiling was refurbished, and the building is fully handicap accessible through the parking lot entrance. While the North one-third is rented to a physician, our firm's new home includes several spacious offices, the "quad" occupied by our title and closing staff, a kitchen and three conference rooms to accommodate our expanding real estate services.
Sources:
Morton Centennial Edition February 1977, by Tazewell County Newspaper for the Centennial of Morton.
MORTON, A Pictorial History, by Donald and Ruth C. Roth, 1988.
