Memories of Jerome - Part VII - Stores, Businesses, Banks, Doctors

  The first store building of considerable size was built in 1889 by Will Fox.  It was located on the corner northwest of the church and was in later years known as the "White Elephant."  At one time it was owned and operated as a store by Lincoln Payne.  Several business buildings were erected at the time of the coal boom.  They were destroyed by fire in 1898.

  A lumber yard was built in 1893 which remained for many years.   E. A. White, formerly of Centerville, was the first manager.  Lafe Hazelwood built a hotel in 1892.  It was sold to Guthrie Norris in 1897 and was operated many years.  A livery barn run by Ice Jackson and a blacksmith shop owned by Henry Hefner both flourished for a number of years.

  The building known as the Big-4 store was built by Millard Allen in 1893.  It was a two-story building and he lived in Jerome for many years.  At one time the second floor of this building was rented for public entertainment.  

  The Knights of Pythias Lodge was granted a charter in Jerome in 1901.  The first officers were Tom Woods, William Kane, Frank Currie, Tom Cathcart, William Hardy, Jr., A. B. Wailes, George Allen and Dave Sexton.  The Pythian Sisters were granted a charter in 1902.  The first Excellent Chief was Mrs. John Graham.  The K of P Hall was built in 1907.  D. D. Wilson was the contractor.  Formerly the lodge had held its meetings above the Big-4 store.

  Brick buildings first occupied in 1916 were the bank and Herbert Warnick store.  First officers of the bank were D. C. Bradley, Robert Hunter, Ed Beer, George Sidles, Sr., G. D. Van Dorn, William Oughton, Frank Ball, B. A. Morrison, Charles Shubat, Sam Rosebaum, David Loofburrow, J. W. Workman, L. F. Cathcart, William Hefner, Frank Long, James Hunter and Frank Morris.  The bank closed in 1932.

Remains of the brick bank building in Jerome in 2008.

  An earlier bank was run by John Lowry of Seymour in the back of his clothing store.

  Some of the medical doctors who lived in Jerome were Doctors Ball, Dillon, Clearwater, King, Nye and Chrisinger. 

  Since the passing of the coal mines, Jerome is a country village, much as it was in its beginning.
[From Memories of Jerome, Iowa, 1989 published for the 1989 Jerome Reunion.]