In the spring of 1912, The Claremore Progress and Rogers County Democrat announced, “E.W. O’Brien purchased of Messrs. (Earle) Bayless and (George D.) Davis a lot at the (southwest) corner of Third (aka Will Rogers Boulevard) and Cherokee with a fifty-foot frontage. He will shortly commence work on a two-story brick building at this corner extending the entire length of the lot.” This became the O’Brien-Bridwell building that eventually housed Ann’s Cleaners. The newspaper continued, “It is also understood that Bayless and Davis will do some building in this section of the business district.”[i] It was not until the following spring that brothers-in-law Bayless and Davis began their building campaign on the northeast corner of this intersection.
“New Building to Be Erected,” The Claremore Progress and Rogers County Democrat informed the community in 1913. “Earle G. Bayless and G.D. Davis let the contract Wednesday for a one-story brick building, 75 ft. wide by 115 ft. long to be erected on the lot opposite C.B. Littlefield’s office (located in the Campbell building across the street) and upon which the old Draper Meat Market formerly stood, to the firm of Cockran & Meyers, of Coffeyville, Kansas. The building will make a wonderful improvement in the appearance of that part of town, and especially from the Iron Mountain trains, as it will be a good substantial building, built out of the same kind of brick that was used in the construction of the Hall building opposite the gas office. It will be divided into three rooms, one for a garage and the other two for store rooms.”[ii] This building located in lots 11, 12, and 13 of Block 105, Claremore, Oklahoma, grew into the triplet building we now know as 318, 320, and 322 West Will Rogers Boulevard.
Claremore historians well know that untangling the twisted threads of specific businesses that inhabited this triple-space building is challenging, as West Third Street addresses shifted several times during the course of the building’s lifespan. Lot 11 (think Rhapsody Boutique), now 318, was originally labeled with the street addresses of 320 (1916 & 1925) and 320 & 322 (1933 & 1940). Lot 12 (think Three Twenty on Main), now 320, was originally labeled 322 (1916 & 1925) and 324 (1933 & 1940). Lot 13, (think Vintique Charm) now 322, was originally labeled 324 (1916, 1925 & 1933) and 326 (1940) according to Claremore’s Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps 1916, 1925, 1933, and 1940. Addresses and building descriptions in newspaper articles do not always align with notations on these fire insurance maps.
Construction on the three-space Bayless-Davis building began in earnest May 1913 as reported. “The excavation for the Bayless-Davis building has been going on for several days. Material for the foundation was put on the grounds Monday and the foundations are well under way. The work will be pushed as fast as possible.”[iii]
By July, W.E. Austin, proprietor of the Claremore Garage, had moved his business into this space.[iv] The following winter of 1914, the offices of the Inola Oil Field shared the Bayless-Davis building moving in next to the Claremore Garage.[v]
The business plan of the three-spaced building was reorganized in April 1914 as the Claremore Garage was enlarged. “The management of the Claremore Garage have enlarged their place of business” wrote The Claremore Progress, “by moving into the room formerly occupied by the 96 Ballard and Inola Pipe Line Co., both of which have in turn moved into the corner room of the same building.The partition has been removed from between the Claremore Garage and the room formerly occupied by the oil companies so that the Claremore Garage now has comfortable and roomy quarters”[vi] taking up two-thirds of the triple business space.
This strategic move occurred just before the Claremore Garage business changed ownership. “A deal was consummated Monday, whereby Wm. Mull & Sons purchased from Austin & Son the Claremore Garage, the consideration being in the neighborhood of $10,000. Wm. and Jake Mull, the sons, will conduct the business until after harvest time when the father will assume the duties of president of the concern. Mr. Mull has sold his farm containing 280 acres, five miles northwest of Inola, for $10,500, taking as part payment a $3,000 residence property at the end of Third street in Claremore. Mr. Mull unloaded $3,000 worth of automobiles here last Friday and has several car loads on the road. Saturday, he sold three Ford cars, one to Bert Draper of Inola, one to H. Tom Brown and one to Mr. Blackwell, both of Claremore, and expects to send one to a purchaser in Catoosa soon. Mr. Mull says that he thinks the new firm can conduct the business in a profitable manner and reduce cost of automobile repairing about 20 per cent, which will be good news to those owning cars. The Mulls are experts in the automobile business, William having been foreman of the garage for some time and the other partners having had a wide experience with automobiles. We wish the new firm continued success.”[vii]
Six months later, Mull & Son “hit the brakes” on their auto garage business. The Claremore Messenger made it known, “Ed Gregg has started up business in the Claremore Garage building, formerly managed by Mull & Son. Mr. Gregg has leased the building and purchased the tools of the Nichols garage and machine shop, and will put in competent workmen, including Al Holder, for repair work. The garage business here should be good if handled right as there is much business in this line besides the sale of new cars.”[viii]
Apparently, the Mull men found their garage “un-a-Ford-able” as the business veered off the road into financial trouble. The Claremore Messengerwas obligated to report, “Notice is Hereby Given that on the 2nd day of December, A.D., 1914, the said Abram B. Mull, Jacob A. Mull, William Mull, and Claremore Garage were duly adjudicated bankrupt.”[ix]
May 1915, The Inola Pipe Line Company’s office moved out of the Bayless-Davis building.[x] That summer, the Claremore Garage did the same when its new home, opposite the Lyric Theatre further west on Third Street, was ready for occupancy.[xi]
By June 1916, Block 105, Lot 13 located on the immediate northeast corner of Will Rogers Boulevard and North Cherokee Avenue housed a new resident, a “Picture Theatre.” The Electric Movie Theatre moved from its original location in the Gorey building (404 W. Will Rogers Blvd.) to the “building formerly occupied by the Inola Pipe Line Co.” The building was “remodeled into a cozy little theatre and” opened “for business the 1st of June,” 1915.[xii] The “Picture Machine” projection bump-out room at the rear of the building was a small square iron-clad addition. The Electric Theatre lasted at this location until the spring of 1918 when this theatre disappeared from Claremore’s movie theatre scene.[xiii]
The Modern Auto Company had moved to the first door east of the Electric Theatre by January 1916.[xiv] The Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, Claremore, concur. The double Lots 11 and 12 to the east of the theatre continued to house a “Garage” with the space available to hold 32 cars. Its amenities included gas heat and electric lights. A wooden partition running through the middle of the rooms, north to south, separated the sales room to the west (Lot 12) from the repair shop and storage space to the east (Lot 11).[xv]
The Claremore Progress shared, “Modern Auto Co. One important factor in the business life of Claremore that is favorably advertising the city over this section of the state is the up to the minute garage of the Modern Auto Company, located at Third street and Cherokee. This is true principally because of the high degree of service they render to motorists. At this Garage you will always find a full line of auto accessories and parts. An up to date repair shop is maintained which is fully equipped to make speedy repairs and to do Oxy-Actyalene welding. In fact, they can make any repairs a motorist might need in a short time. ‘Knowing how’ is a characteristic of the Modern Auto Co., and if you head for their Garage your trouble will be of short duration. The Modern Auto Co. is under the management of Beard & Clark, who rank among the leading garage men of this section.”[xvi]
June 1916, W.A. Briscoe “purchased a half-interest in the business of the Modern Auto Company, located first door east of the Electric Theatre, which has been conducted for many months by W.E. Beard. Since taking charge of this business Mr. Beard has, by courteous treatment and fair dealing, built up a business of which he should be proud.”[xvii]
The following month it was revealed, “W.E. Beard, of the Modern Auto Co., who has been suffering from an attack of appendicitis is again able to be about. He is going to the hospital this week to have his appendix removed.”[xviii]
That fall, another auto business partnership had formed. “J. Utterback, of Oklahoma City, and Frank Wilson, of Hinton, have formed a partnership and will handle Fords in this city… For the time being they will store their shipments of cars at the Modern Auto Co… It is their intention of buying the Modern Auto Co., if possible, and establishing a Ford Service Station… In the meantime, the repair work will be done by the Modern Auto Co., under the management of W.A. Briscoe.”[xix]
The 320 building is in the one-story cluster of buildings on the right side of the street, to the left of the auto. Photo Source: “Claremore, Oklahoma, The Home of Radium Water. Health – Man’s Greatest Asset. 1920-1921.” p. 19. Photo Courtesy The Rogers County Historical Society, Belvidere Mansion Archives. Used with permission.
By February 1922, J. Leon Brogan’s Brogan Motor Company, located on the corner of Third and Cherokee, was the Authorized Ford and Fordson dealer in Claremore.[xx][xxi]
Business was going well, in August of 1922, so Brogan made plans to enlarge the parts room. “The Brogan Motor Company is enlarging the parts room to give space for a larger stock of parts. Part of the display room is being converted into a parts room. For some time, the rapidly growing business of this concern has made itself felt in lack of suitable room to carry sufficient stock to care for the local demand. J. Leon Brogan is a live wire in the automobile world and he is backed up ably by an excellent corps of mechanics in the repair department and a competent office force. The Brogan Motor Company is one of the good business firms of the town.”[xxii]
Brogan “rearranged the interior of the Ford Service Station, making new office rooms for his men, (converting) the old office into a parts room. The stock was getting so large that it was not convenient the old way. He also placed a cement floor in the entire building and will soon have a fine place for his customers to call. Ceiling fans will be put in to make the new office quarters cool. Mr. Brogan is full of pep and the sales department reports daily sales of machines and tractors and their equipment. Energy is what counts and this man Brogan has an abundance of it.”[xxiii]
Again in January 1923, Brogan’s building remodel continued. “In order to make room for the demands of his rapidly increasing business, J. Leon Brogan of Brogan Motor Company is having the building in which his business is housed remodeled. Partitions have been torn out and the back end of the building is now one large room which gives greater space for the workshop and for storing cars. Mr. Brogan is a live wire in the automobile world and his chief difficulty is keeping enough Fords on hand to satisfy the local demand.”[xxiv] The building was enlarged and extended to the alley,[xxv] and J.F. Dollard was hired to install ceiling fans “for the comfort of the employees and the public.”[xxvi]
Two large Ford signs were erected on the roof of the Brogan Motor Company building in November 1923. These could be seen for blocks. Plans were made to add signs out on the road as well.[xxvii]
A large clock sign was installed “on top of the Brogan Motor Co.,” December 1923. “It is 16 x 16 feet in size and can be seen for blocks. This will serve as the town clock and will keep the correct time night and day. At night it will be illuminated. Mr. Brogan erected this ad at considerable expense.”[xxviii]
Unfortunately, the following April, a turbulent wind storm “came out of a black cloud and blew from the southwest. It also hailed here at 3 o’clock Saturday morning. The wind is believed to have been the back whip of the tornado which struck Shawnee Friday afternoon about 4 o’clock, killing eight people, wounding others and causing a heavy property loss. The city light system had seven or eight poles down Friday morning and the telephone company reported 40 phones out of order as a result of the wind. The large clock sign on the Brogan Motor Co., was blown down falling flat on the roof; a number of plate glass windows were broken out. Luckily there was no loss of life. The wind began to blow at 10 o’clock Friday night and gradually died away at 4 o’clock Saturday morning.”[xxix]
The Ford station was remodeled once again in December 1924, “The Brogan Motor Company, authorized Ford dealers are completely remodeling their show room. The business of this popular firm has grown by leaps and bounds, and the old show room was inadequate to accommodate the increase. When finished the new room will accommodate 21 cars. Steel bins will be used for all parts. The South door will be removed and plate glass put in. This will be one of the finest show rooms in the state when finished.”[xxx]
When it was time to procure auto licenses in January 1925, Claremore residents did not need to send their application to Oklahoma City. The Auto License Bureau came to Claremore. The Claremore Progress announced, “an agency has been established here and the license tags have already been procured. F.R. Ellis has equipped himself with all of the necessary supplies to provide Claremore and vicinity with new tags. All one has to do is to pay the tax and a small fee and the new tag can be had right now. At the present time Mr. Ellis is making his headquarters at the office of County Assessor Arthur Settle but just as soon as the remodeling work is done at the Brogan Motor Company, he will move the agency to that place. License tags for all makes of automobiles can be secured from Mr. Ellis. The new tags are due now and will become delinquent March 31st.”[xxxi] This convenience was offered at Brogan Motor Company the following year as well.[xxxii]
Brogan tried all kinds of gimmicks to encourage the Claremore community to come to his showroom and to buy his Fords. One promotion reported in the Claremore Progress explained, “They’re Off in the Ford Race. The Brogan Motor Company has a very unique sign which is attracting universal interest in Claremore. It is a large race course, a straight away, 10 feet long and 3 feet wide, placed in the west front window of the garage. On the course are shown five miniature Ford touring cars, four of them bearing the name of a salesman and the fifth being the ‘office’ car. As the daily sales of Ford cars are made the miniature automobiles are advanced on the track in a race that began February 1st, 1925, and is to last for four months, at which time the salesman with the winning car will be awarded a cash premium by the management of the Brogan Motor Company… The race course is so diagramed that the public can keep track of the race day by day. At the top of the race course is a sign reading ‘Play your favorite salesman. Four months’ contest.’ And the contest promises to grow hot. The plan of advertising, which is also an incentive to greater effort on the part of the salesmen, was devised by Mr. Brogan.”[xxxiii] Unfortunately, the name of the winning salesman that May could not be discovered.
1925 was the year Floyd Board “became Claremore’s Local Atwater Kent Radio Agent working out of the Brogan Motor building.” The Radio was “Fully Equipped; Ready for action. You can own a radio. Let us tell you how.” [xxxiv] Next, Earl Fry and J. Leon Brogan took on the Atwater Kent radio agency for Rogers County and “installed a number of the machines about the city for demonstration purposes.”[xxxv] That holiday season it was advertised, “Say Christmas with an Atwater-Kent Radio. LEA Radio Company with Brogan Motor Co. ‘We Demonstrate.’”[xxxvi]
As another strategy to bring the agricultural population into his dealership, “The Brogan Motor Co., Ford dealer, was host,” in April 1925, “to one hundred and seventy-seven of the residents of the rural district about Claremore. It was ‘Farmers’ Day‘ with J. Leon Brogan as host, and as usual Mr. Brogan did the thing up to a nice tidy brown. A delightful program of interest to the farmers and their families had been arranged for the day with the showing of motion pictures, music by Erle Fry’s cadet orchestra and a big free dinner served by the ladies of the Christian church at the noon hour.”[xxxvii]
The December 1925, Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, Claremore, Oklahoma. Sheet 3, described the corner triplet building as a one-story brick building with a concrete floor. The interior held a three-lot combined Garage. Capacity 32 Cars. There were gas heat and electric lights. A dotted line denoted an interior partition between lots 12 & 13 separating the west corner store space of the building from the two open to the east.[xxxviii]
After the festivities of the holiday season had run their course, Brogan began another advertising campaign to invite the Rogers County public to visit his auto showroom. In January 1926, Brogan asked his community, “Who is Best Fiddler in Rogers County? Well, we are going to find out. The Brogan Motor Company is going to stage a county wide fiddling and dancing contest in their salesrooms. It will be in conjunction of the National Ford Auto Show week, January 9th to 16th, at which time every car in the line will be exhibited. The big dancing and fiddling contest will take place Saturday night, January 16th. It is to be county wide and no one is barred. Everybody is invited to participate. The fiddlers of the county are asked to register at once with the management of the Brogan Motor Company. To the winner of the fiddler’s contest, a beautifully engraved loving cup will be given, while a suitable reward will be given the best dancing couple. The cooperation of everybody is solicited in making this a real event in Claremore. There will be a specially built platform for the fiddlers and the spacious room of the salesroom gives ample opportunity for dancing.”[xxxix]
The anticipation intensified with each passing day as fiddlers and dance contestants registered hoping to win. Who would be the victors of the fiddle and dancing contests, the community wondered?
By Christa Rice, Claremore History Explorer
“320 0n Main – From Rustic Auto Mechanics’ Garage to Elegant Events’ Venue, Part 2.”
Sources:
[i] The Claremore Progress and Rogers County Democrat (Claremore, Oklahoma). Friday, April 5, 1912. P. 1. Newspapers.com.
[ii] Claremore Progress. And Rogers County Democrat (Claremore, Oklahoma). Friday, April 25, 1913. P. 1. Newspaper.com.
[iii] The Claremore Progress and Rogers County Democrat (Claremore, Oklahoma). Friday, May 9, 1913. P. 5. Newspapers.com.
[iv] The Claremore Progress and Rogers County Democrat (Claremore, Oklahoma). Friday, July 25, 1913. P. 4. Newspapers.com.
[v] The Claremore Progress and Rogers County Democrat (Claremore, Oklahoma). Friday, Jan 2, 1914. P. 1. Newspapers.com.
[vi] The Claremore Progress and Rogers County Democrat (Claremore, Oklahoma). Friday, April 24, 1914. P. 1. Newspapers.com.
[vii] The Claremore Progress and Rogers County Democrat (Claremore, Oklahoma). Friday, May 15, 1914. P. 5. Newspapers.com.
[viii] The Claremore Messenger (Claremore, Oklahoma). Friday, November 13, 1914. P. 1. Newspapers.com.
[ix] The Claremore Messenger (Claremore, Oklahoma). Friday, December 18, 1914. P. 4. Newspapers.com.
[x] The Claremore Progress and Rogers County Democrat (Claremore, Oklahoma). Friday, May 6, 1915. P. 5. Newspapers.com.
[xi] The Claremore Progress and Rogers County Democrat (Claremore, Oklahoma). Thursday August 19, 1915. P. 5. Newspapers.com.
[xii] Claremore Messenger (Claremore, Oklahoma). Friday, May 28, 1915. P. 1. Newspapers.com.
[xiii] Claremore Messenger (Claremore, Oklahoma), Friday, May 24, 1918. P. 8. Newspapers.com.
[xiv] The Claremore Progress. And Rogers County Democrat (Claremore, Oklahoma). Thursday, June 8, 1916. P. 1. Newspapers.com.
[xv] 1916 June. Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, Claremore, Rogers County, Oklahoma. Sheet 3 https://www.loc.gov/resource/g4024cm.07040008/?sp=3&r=0.219,0.174,0.614,0.282,0
[xvi] The Claremore Progress. And Rogers County Democrat (Claremore, Oklahoma). Thursday, January 20, 1916. P. 4. Newspapers.com.
[xvii] The Claremore Progress. And Rogers County Democrat (Claremore, Oklahoma). Thursday, June 8, 1916. P. 1. Newspapers.com.
[xviii] The Claremore Progress. And Rogers County Democrat (Claremore, Oklahoma). Thursday, July 27, 1916. P. 6. Newspapers.com.
[xix] The Claremore Progress. And Rogers County Democrat (Claremore, Oklahoma). Thursday, September 21, 1916. P. 1. Newspapers.com.
[xx] The Claremore Progress (Claremore, Oklahoma). Thursday, February 2, 1922. P. 6. Newspapers.com.
[xxi] The Claremore Progress (Claremore, Oklahoma). Thursday, July 6, 1922. P. 6. Newspapers.com.
[xxii] The Claremore Progress (Claremore, Oklahoma). Thursday, August 3, 1922. P. 4. Newspapers.com.
[xxiii] The Claremore Messenger (Claremore, Oklahoma). Thursday, August 17, 1922. P. 1. Newspapers.com.
[xxiv] The Claremore Progress (Claremore, Oklahoma). Thursday, January 25, 1923. P. 1. Newspapers.com.
[xxv] The Claremore Progress (Claremore, Oklahoma). Thursday, March 15, 1923. P. 2. Newspapers.com.
[xxvi] The Claremore Progress (Claremore, Oklahoma). Thursday, June 14, 1923. P. 6. Newspapers.com.
[xxvii] The Claremore Progress (Claremore, Oklahoma). Thursday, November 29, 1923. P. 5. Newspapers.com.
[xxviii] The Claremore Progress (Claremore, Oklahoma). Thursday, December 6, 1923. P. 4. Newspapers.com.
[xxix] The Claremore Progress (Claremore, Oklahoma). Thursday, April 3, 1924. P. 1. Newspapers.com.
[xxx] The Claremore Progress (Claremore, Oklahoma). Thursday, December 11, 1924. P. 1. Newspapers.com.
[xxxi] The Claremore Progress (Claremore, Oklahoma). Thursday, January 8, 1925. P. 8. Newspapers.com.
[xxxii] The Claremore Progress (Claremore, Oklahoma). Thursday, December 24, 1925. P. 1. Newspapers.com.
[xxxiii] The Claremore Progress (Claremore, Oklahoma). Thursday, February 12, 1925. P. 4. Newspapers.com.
[xxxiv] The Claremore Progress (Claremore, Oklahoma). Thursday, February 19, 1925. P. 2. Newspapers.com.
[xxxv] The Claremore Progress (Claremore, Oklahoma). Thursday, February 26, 1925. P. 6. Newspapers.com.
[xxxvi] The Claremore Progress (Claremore, Oklahoma). Thursday, December 17, 1925. P. 5. Newspapers.com.
[xxxvii] The Claremore Progress (Claremore, Oklahoma). Thursday, April 23, 1925. P. 1. Newspapers.com.
[xxxviii] 1925 December. Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, Claremore, Oklahoma. Sheet 3. https://www.loc.gov/resource/g4024cm.g4024cm_g070401925/?sp=3&r=0.263,0.21,0.577,0.265,0
[xxxix] The Claremore Progress (Claremore, Oklahoma). Thursday, January 7, 1926. P. 2. Newspapers.com.
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