International Order of Odd Fellows Building. Businesses in the building include O. P Elliston, undertaker, the Post Office, and two law offices.

 

The Equity Barn, on the Owenton Pike, 1 mile s. w. of Williamstown
Why this is an important image, here.

 

Henry Webb, Teamster, 1915, bringing goods to Williamstown from the nearest rail station or wharf boat.
From a Facebook post by Diane Perrine Coon

Creamery in Williamstown, 1909 Run by W. C. Ware and later his son, Homer Ware. The Grant Co News ran a story on the creamery in 1911, here. And Homer Ware wrote this short history of the business, here. Glenn Stewart is the creator of the locator aerial.

Williamstown Roller Mill
Built in 1906 by Henry Glass.
Closed in 1966; sold to Bank of Williamstown in 1966.
From a Facebook post by Judith Harrison

 

Thompson's new store, at Mill and Main
Grant County News, July 3, 1914

 

	The Johnson House Hotel was on the same corner later occupied by Wigginton's.  It opened in 1866.  This image is c. 1890. The Grant County Historical Society posted this background of the Johnson House. From a Facebook post by the Grant County Historical Society.

 

The Store	The Huckster Truck
Harold Snell had a store in the Williamstown area, and also ran a huckster truck out of his store, c. 1950. That's him in the Huckster truck with his son Steve. Steve is also in the store picture, being held by his mother, Katherine Wilson Snell. The other young lady is unknown, but we'd guess she knew her picture was going to be taken: those don't look like everyday shoes to us. From a Facebook post by Melissa Snell, Heralds's granddaughter.

It's 1923, and H. B. Wigginton is trying to decide whether to build a store or a hotel.
 

Hotel Donald	Hotel Donald, 1936	Hotel Donald, Corner Dining Room	Hotel Donald  Corner Lobby
Read a little more about the Hotel Donald, here.

New Hotel Opens

 An earlier hotel, the Jackson House, closes down, 1923, here.

The Hotel Donald changes hands in 1927,

H. J. Arnold Barbershop, 1916, corner of Main and Falmouth Streets	Soda Fountain at Theobald’s Drug Store	Bank of Williamstown Jim Webb’s History of the Bank of Williamstown is here.	J. C. Fortner Motor Sales, Williamstown

 

Bank of Williamstown, 1896		Grant County Deposit Bank, 1896		Grant County Building Loan and Savings Co., 1896

D & H Restaurant
The Home of Good Food
Charles Estridge, Prop.
Steaks - Chops - Jack Salmon
Fountain Service
Phone 364  -  Williamstown
October, 1953

Insurance underwriter records compiled in 1892 suggest that a distillery was located 3 miles west of Williamstown. It was of frame construction with a shingle roof and fed a single bonded warehouse, also of frame construction with a shingle roof, 350 ft from the still.  At that time, it was owned by the Littell Bros. This map is from 1910.

 

from Maysville's Daily Evening Bulletin, July 1, 1887	Cincnnati Daily Commercial, March 22, 1864
Williamstown Sentinel calls it quits.	Grant County road house demanded closed.
Maysville's Daily Evening Bulletin, July 16, 1887	Terre Haute Evening Gazette, February 15, 1873 What's a “grass widow?” This site knows.
In 1896 the City of Williamstown passed an ordinance that required a permit for people selling “foreign fruits” on the streets.  You know, like bananas.  Read it here.	"[The only complaint with the Williamstown phone system] is that of children talking over the lines for idle purposes and amusements.  This should not be permitted by parties renting phones.”  Williamstown Courier October 19, 1899
“H. C. Musselman estimates that the 50 rat traps sold by him this season has caught no less than 15,000 rats.  Tom Wallace is the champion rat catcher, having caught 440 to date in one trap and some very fine specimens among them.”  The Williamstown Courier  September 2, 1897
In 1891, the Williamstown Courier published a list of all of the cities to which it mailed subscribers papers.  Fascinating. That list is here.
“R. H. Elliston & Co. have purchased a new rubber tire carriage for their undertaking business.”  from the Williamstown Courier, January 22, 1903	Stagecoach Days in Williamstown, here.
“On last Sunday, for the first time in many years, the saloons of Williamstown were closed, both front and rear doors being stoutly barred. It took a man with a "rabbit's foot" and a good deal of gall to break into one of them. This sudden closing was the result of an order from the Board of Town Trustees. This is as it should be. It is against the law for saloons to be open on Sunday, and the law, whatever it is, should be enforced. If it is a bad law repeal it; if a good law enforce it to the letter. Nobody ought to find any fault with the law closing saloons on Sundays and election days. If a man has the privilege of getting drunk six days in the week he ought to be willing to dedicate Sunday as a day in which to sober up.” Williamstown Courier, October 1st, 1896.

The Webbs, Dry Good Merchants

 

Speed Queen Washing Machine
We'd guess he sold a boatload of them.