Historic Buildings
130 West Seventh Street:This building was apparently built before the turn-of-the-century. It housed Gross Furniture, a firm dating to 1860. Later it was occupied by various groceries, cafes, and shops.
103 West 7th Street:George Smith Public LibraryWhen George Smith, suffering from a terminal illness, shot himself on the morning of January 5, 1905 and died five days later, few persons knew that he had left behind arrangements for a $75,000 library (4,000 original volumes) that would still be serving the community many decades later.
The building at 103 West 7th was constructed by Ziegler Brothers for $28,939. The plumbing and heating was installed by F. F. Ziegler at a cost of $2,584. Lighting was handled by the Electric Railway Light and Ice Company for a cost of $675.
The George Smith Public Library opened on St. Patrick's Day in 1908 and has served as our library until shortly before its 75th anniversary in February of 1983 when its doors were closed for the move to a new modern structure at 230 West 7th Street.
The original building continues to serve Junction City. It was sold in 1983 by public bid for $162,000 to Central of Kansas, Inc. for their financial operations headquarters. The interior of the building has been restored by Nardella Construction Company
to enhance the original woodwork, paneling and ceilings. In 1998, the George Smith Library was returned to public ownership when Central of Kansas traded holdings with Junction City.
117-119 West Seventh Street:Durland BuildingF.L. Durland started his furniture and funeral business in Junction City in 1883. This limestone building was built in 1912. Note the marble pillar and the lead colored beveled glass in the transom above the first floor windows.
119 East Seventh Street:The CitadelThis building was built in 1909 as the Junction City Salvation Army Citadel. The native limestone building was styled with a crenellated roofline and a facade to resemble the fortress for which it was named. The interior featured a pressed tin ceiling and elegant frescoed and painted borders highlighting the walls. The building seated 350, and a raised stage area ran the width of the south end. In 1986 Clarabell Van Nahmen purchased the building and saved it from demolition. The building was completely renovated and Clarabell's Dance Citadel was dedicated on May 17, 1987.
Photographs courtesy of Geary County Historical Society
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