c. 1950	c. 1965
St. Nicholas Hotel, Owenton, which was torn down in 1966
It's known that on July 26, 1915, there were 44 guests at the hotel - from Lexington, Louisville, Owingsville. Carrollton, Georgetown, Burlington, Ball's Landing, and Williamstown. Traveling salesmen were much more common then, and it wasn't unusual to see a newspaper item about who was checking in at the local hotel.

 

Mitchell Wagons; Florian & Attila Cox, Insurance; and True Groceries
From a Facebook post by Jane Fitzgerald Wright

Owenton blacksmith	Owenton shoe store, c. 1925

 

Charles Marshall opened the first car dealership in Owenton in 1914. He reportedly sold Model T Fords faster than the factory could deliver them to him.

 

Spike Thomas's in Owenton, more here.	Hutcheson's Clothing, Owenton	Tackett's Mens Store, Owenton, more here.

 

R, L. Vallandingham Company
“Owenton's Clothier”

 

Kraft Foods	Nisius' Monument Shop	Dunavent's Harness Shop

 

Owen RECC, 1966
“Heat by wire instead of fire”

 

Owen County Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation (RECC) became Owen Electric Cooperative. In January of 1938, Governor A.B. "Happy" Chandler flipped the switch at a substation in New Liberty to energize homes for the first 100 Owen County R.E.C.C. members. This is their original headquarters, at 510 S. Main. From a Facebook post by Owen Electric Cooperative, Inc.

1929 Owenton Service Station
Corner of Main & Seminary

P & A Cox Co. & Mitchell Wagons	Arnold & Riley Roller Mills, West Adair Street, Owenton	Joe Glascock's Store in Owenton, 1901  It was a branch of the main store in Williamstown

Farmers National Bank	The St. Nicholas Hotel	C. T. Doty	W. P. Swope, Clerk

 

Hudnall's Grocery
Cull Road and Rt. 22
From a Facebook post by Jane Fitzgerald Wright

 

Bud's Auto Sales, 1971	Smither-Coates Funeral Home, 1966	Owen County Memorial Hospital, 1973

 

Gaines Drive In From a Facebook post by Regina Fitzgerald Duvall	The Hi Y Inn From a Facebook post by Charlotte A. Howard

 

Lerman's Department Store, 1971	Saveway Supermarket, 1971	Krogers, 1947 From a Facebook post by Margo Karsner

 

McDanell's Farm Equipment on Rt. 22
From a Facebook post by Linda Jean McDanell

Allen Trout, a Louisville Courier-Journal columnist, writes about an account book from an Owenton store from 1846.  Interesting stuff.  You can read it here.	A 1901 Owen Court grants a franchise to local men to build a railroad, story here.
“We [the Owen County Democrat] were the happy recipient of delicacies from the Owen Hotel on Friday last week. Pineapple ice cream and cocoanut cake were what they consisted of - just the thing for a hot day for anyone. Mine hostess, Mrs. Cash, will please accept our thanks.” Owen County Democrat, May 20, 1887
The time the News-Herald gave away a free car.	Munday's engine, 1859.
The Kentucky Bureau of Agriculture, Labor and Statistics, in 1916-17, only lists two businesses in Owenton - certainly there were more - and show the Owenton Telephone Co had as employees 2 men and women, while the Isenberg Bros. general store employed 3 men and 9 women.	“Owenton,  Ky., - The Owenton Telephone Company has been incorporated with a capital stock of $7,500.  J. U. Connvach, June Gaybe, and J. A. Johnson are the incorporators.”   from the American Telephone Journal, December 6, 1902
Stylish millinery opens in Owenton, story here.	“The co-partnership heretofore existing between Lee and Bond, as publishers of the Owen News, has been dissolved. The paper will still be carried on by E.E. Lee.” Courier-Journal, January 13, 1873
“Honaker & Lewis is the style of the newest firm in Owenton.  It is composed of Fritz Honaker and Joe Lewis, two of our enterprising and accommodating citizens.  They will hold forth in the Glasscock's building next door the Littrell's, in Court street, and will run a first-class meat, restaurant, and grocery store,  Homemade candies, fruits and vegetables of all kinds will be kept fresh on tap at all times.  Mr. Honaker was at one time associated with Mr. Barthel, the baker, and is a practical candy maker.  Mr. Lewis is the proprietor of the Farmers Hotel, but expects to retire from this business the first of the year.”  News-Herald, December 14, 1906.