Building History
The building that now houses the law firm of Bach Hamilton LLP has existed since the late 19th Century. It actually began its existence as two buildings located at 108 and 110 North Main Street. During its long life, it has been the home of many enterprises.
Sanborn fire insurance maps from 1885 indicate an open lot at 108 and 110 North Main Street, but there was a promise of “brick stores to be built here” on the lot. By 1892, 108 North Main housed a “Queensware and Hardware” store, and a jewelry store and confectionary counter were in business next door at 110 North Main. The 1889-1890 Henderson City Directory lists Blackwell, Branch & Son as the proprietor of 110 North Main Street, where they sold stoves, fine china and “queensware” (pots, pans and crockery). Next door at 108 North Main, J.W. Moore & Co. operated a saloon.
By 1897, 108 and 110 North Main contained a hardware business and a home furnishings store, respectively. Two years later, a tin shop operated by H.F. Dade, Jr. was located at 108 and Sam J. Heilbronner conducted business at a china and glass shop next door at 110. The hardware store at 108 eventually changed hands and became the B.L. Powell & Company store sometime before 1909. Around the same time, the first chain store appeared. F.M. Kirby Co., one of the first five-and-dime stores and a precursor to F.W. Woolworth’s Company, was located at 110 North Main.
A 1912-1913 City Business Directory contains an advertisement for I.B. Walker Hardware located at 108 North Main Street. The business sold stoves, furnaces and mantels and also advertised tin and sheet metal work. 1912 also saw the merging of F.M. Kirby Company’s interests with the Woolworth Company. At some point between 1912 and 1921, the two buildings on the lot were combined and a new Red Front five-and-dime store was opened at 108-110 North Main Street.
The Woolworth’s store continued in business at the location for the next several years. A photograph from the early 1930’s of the J.C. Penney store shows Woolworth’s just to the left. The Sanborn maps from the period indicate a brick wall dividing the building on the second floor and iron posts on the main floor. Presumably, the decorative tin ceiling, which would later be restored by Bach Hamilton LLP, was prominently displayed.
After 1956, a cinder block addition was made on the rear of the building. It was also at some point during this time that F.W. Woolworth’s closed, and the Kolbrener Brokerage Corporation operated a dry goods store for several years. The 1959 City Directory indicates that the business as owned by Maynard Kolbrener, a St. Louis businessman. E.J. Mabrey, now a local insurance agent, worked at the store for several years, as did Paulena McBride, the grandmother of Lynda Schreiner, one of the paralegals at Bach Hamilton LLP.
A February 1978 photo of Main Street shows the building with covered upstairs windows and bearing the name P.B. Hirsch Company. Bach Hamilton LLP purchased the building at 108-110 North Main Street in 2004 and began extensive renovations. In August of 2005, we moved into our new 5600 square foot office space. In recognition of the redesign of the building, the firm received the Downtown Henderson Project’s 2005 Commercial Design Award.
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