Bass Drug Store

Then... George W. Bass Drug Store (c. 1880)

(3 East Main Street, Mooresville, IN). This photograph (circa 1880) shows the first building to house the George W. Bass Drugstore, which operated for 35 years. [FN 1] George W. Bass (1842-1924) was a Civil War veteran who moved to Mooresville in 1878. This photo shows the original structure, which was "a one-story, Greek Revival, gable-front frame building with Doric columns supporting a portico over the sidewalk." [FN 2] (Photograph donated to the Library by Bonita Marley, 10/23/1968).

Then... George W. Bass Drug Store (c. 1902-1920)

(3 East Main Street, Mooresville, IN). The original frame structure was replaced by the existing two-unit, two-story brick building sometime between 1890 and 1902. In 1902, this structure, which still stands, housed the G.W. Bass Drugstore in the west portion, while the Burch Grocery occupied the east part. A barbershop was in the basement. There was a dividing wall between the first floor rooms; the second floor was used as the town hall/opera house. By 1910, the opera house replaced the town hall with stage and scenery, while the first floor remained shared by G.W. Bass Drugstore and Burch Grocery. By 1920, First National Bank had replaced G.W. Bass Drugstore in the west room, but Burch Grocery, which later became George Allison's grocery, continued business in the east room. A "hall" was designated as the second floor user in 1920 instead of the opera house. [FN 3]

Now... (2007)

2020 UPDATE:  On April 8, 2020, the Bass building was destroyed by a tornado.  After considerable delays, demolition of the structure was slated for Summer, 2022 (photos below courtesy of Andy Hendricks).  Learn more here.

 

OCTOBER 2022 UPDATE:  The Bass Building was demolished in September/October, 2022.  Learn more from this blog post.

 

 

FOOTNOTES & REFERENCES:

 

[FN 1] Marylou Smith, M.L.S., A Walking Tour of Historic Downtown Mooresville (Mooresville Public Library, April, 2007).

 

[FN 2] Joanne Raetz Stuttgen, Morgan County Historic Preservation Society, Nomination of Mooresville Commercial Historic District, Morgan Co., IN, National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, Section 8, Page 31 (Dec. 19, 2001) [hereinafter cited as National Registry Nomination].

 

[FN 3] National Registry Nomination, Section 8, at pp. 31-32.

 

© 2008 by the Mooresville Public Library. All Rights Reserved. Photographs reprinted by permission.