Blair’s Downtown – Block 46

 Lots 3-8 (17th to 16th Streets)

1909 Sanborn Map

Block 46, Washington Street, Blair, NE Sanborn Map from 1909

Lots 3-4

Block 46, lots 3-4, Washington Street, Blair, Nebraska

Oral History Notes: from RJL (Dick Lippincott)

  • 1916 – Home Theatre (Lot 3) Hugh Cook sold tobacco and candy also sporting goods in old theatre building. Greyhound Bus Depot
  • 1930 – New Home Theatre. Restaurant 1930 was next door to the west.
  • 1950s –  Midge Robinson had a battery business above theatre.
    Dixon (Gifford) Insurance on 2nd floor
  • West of Hugh Cooks was C. J. Robinson used Furniture store–then a small liquor store east of Home Theatre and Robinson’s Café west of theatre.
  • Robinson’s Café many years later (1970’s-80’s) was the site of “Tots-To -Teens”
  • 1951- Home Theatre – Stella Roberson sold tickets
  • Carefree Travel
  • Building owned by the Hunt Brothers

Lot 4

  • 1960s-1970s – Children’s clothing store Tots to Teens
  • 1978 – JJ’s Childrens Clothes Juli Plugge
  • Taylor Photography

Lot 5

Block 46, lot 5, Washington Street, Blair, Nebraska
  • 1909 – Drug store
  • 1953? -1966 – Samson Rexall Drugs owned by Francis H. (Frisco) Samson. Samson was a druggist in Iowa before coming to Blair. After leaving Blair, he worked in Iowa and Missouri. (source: daughters visited Blair on October 3rd, 2007)
  • 1966 – Wayne Anderson purchased and turned it into the Holiday House, a gift shop.
  • About 1984 –  Cafe on Main
  • Currently Hoshi Palate

Lot 6

Block 46, lot 6, Washington Street, Blair, Nebraska
  • 1909 – Groceries
  • Carl Kolterman had the “Racket Store” before he moved to the Ben Franklin building.
  • VonLaken Shoes
  • Harris Shoes in the mid 1940s (source: Linda Howland) Shoe store owned by Duane Harris
  • Prior to it becoming Haney’s. It was named Harris Shoes.
  • 2003-? –  Haney Shoes

Lot 7

Block 46, lot 7, Washington Street, Blair, Nebraska
  • 1909 – Harness & Cigar Factory
  • 1920 – Julius Petersen Hardware Store
  • ?? –  Blue Ribbon. Clarence King once operated the Blue Ribbon (He also operated the Eat Shop.)
  • New York Bar & Grill
  • Currently Red Brick Bar and Grill

Lot 8

Block 46, lot 8, Washington Street, Blair, Nebraska
  • 1930s-50s – Carol Thornberg Grocery Store
  • 1951 – Paint Store
  • ? – 2018 – Carnes Paint
  • 2018 – Carnes Collective

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Blair Historic Preservation Alliance | P.O. Box 94 | Blair, Nebraska 68008 | contact@blairhistory.com