The heart of Kansas City's downtown business district, with its tall, narrow brick buildings, is pictured on the old lithographed post card in pale shades of brick red, greens, blues and tans. The card was copyrighted by G.H. Otto in 1899. The picture was made a year after Congress authorized the use of post cards in the mails. The card, No.5 of a set, is titled Main Street, North from Eleventh. John Taylor's Dry Goods Co. is at the left. Macy's now occupies this site and part of the old building. The 1899 city directories list five milliners in the 1000 block of Main: Ideal, Kreitz, Mary McDonald, Pearson and Vincent Hair & Millinery. (Vincent later specialized in dolls, wigs and doll parts.) Three photographers were listed: W.T. Dole, D.S. Gibson and Mitchell. Five boot and shoe stores were listed: Altman, Eddelhoff Brothers, Holland Shoes, Hickman & Hubbard and Soper Shoe Co. The big shoe atop the building on the right side of the card is the advertising sign of the Ho-Hand Shoe Co. at 1021 Main. Two jewelers were in the block, Jaccard's Jewelry and C. Russel. (Later Jaccard's tall street clock was installed in front of the store at 1034 Main.) W.W. Morgan Clothing; King, the Tailor, and Castle Shirts represented men's wear. There were no dress shops for women. Women's clothing was made in the home by dressmakers, hundreds of whom are listed in the old directories. Material and bindings for the dresses and suits were purchased at dry goods stores. Mrs. Charles Lasky was a pawnbroker at 1027, and Goodyear Rubber Co. was listed at 1019. Street car tracks ran north to 4th Street to the City Market and City Hall in the background. Only horse and buggy traffic is seen. Horses tied to rings in the sidewalks await the return of their owners. Women shoppers wearing the long skirts of the day carry parasols against the summer sun. Kansas City Times, May 15, 1981.
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