Volume 124 Issue 124
kansan.com
Friday, March 30, 2012
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
CAMPUS & TOWN
HISTORY "EN MASS": Lawrence Rising
Today's epicenter of student recreation, Massachusetts Street, is a long way from the frontier identity that forged it, a vague and distant dream of that time. //JOHN GARFIELD
Northbound view of the 900 block of Massachusetts Street during the early 20th century.
Founded to populate new territory with anti-slavery advocates, Lawrence experienced more than its share of growing pains becoming the town it is today. Horse-drawn carriages, a half dozen wars, the Depression, protests and prohibition are but a few memories of the city, and Mass Street saw it all.
Though it may be difficult for students to imagine these things happening on the same plots of land that they eat, drink, shop and dance on, there are businesses in Lawrence operating today that are living relics of those times.
THE ELDRIDGE HOTEL
The Free-State Hotel was built in 1856 at the cost of $20,000. The hotel had 50 rooms, along with stables and outhouses specifically purposed to accommodate emigrants to the free state, quickly gaining a reputation as a symbol for abolitionist sentiments.
Not long after its inception, the hotel, along with the abolitionist publications the Herald of Freedom and the Kansas Free-State drew the ire of the Douglas County grand jury, Sheriff Samuel Jones and an angry mob determined to shut them all down by force.
After surviving cannon blasts and detonated kegs of gunpowder, the actual newspaper from the recently-destroyed anti-slavery publications was used as kindling to burn the hotel down.
Later that same year, the hotel would rise
again, one story taller under the ownership of the Eldridge family that occupied the building during its destruction.
It was less than a decade, though, before tensions surrounding slavery would bring the symbol of freedom to its knees once again with Quantrill's raid in 1863.
Though the hotel had been declared a sanctuary by the Provost Marshal of Kansas, and Quantrill himself had even declared that the guests should not be harmed, disgruntled border skirmishers killed all but one guest, who survived by playing dead.
Despite the city's best efforts, Lawrence only raised enough funds to rebuild one floor and had to sell the icon. Though it rose again to three stories, the hotel eventually floundered and was left in disrepair.
The year 1925 marked the development of the motif the hotel is known for today. Though the surge of motels in the 1960s would close it again, it would eventually be reopened in 1985 with $3 million in donations to stand at five stories tall — one for each time it shut down.
WEAVER'S DEPARTMENT STORE
In 1857, Lathrop Bullene moved to Lawrence and started a department store with his stepbrother. Though they would eventually split and become competitors, Bullene stayed in the business of selling groceries, glass, shovels and tailoring services as he moved to several locations up and down Mass Street.
The store even survived Quantrill's raid in 1863, with whispers abound that Bullene's wife had fed the raiders in turn for protection. Despite this stroke of luck, the department store would continue a long Lawrence tradition of burning to the ground only a decade later.
In 1883, Bullene hired Arthur D. Weaver, and within two short years, Weaver had both married into the family and inherited the store in the wake of Bullene's newly developed bronchial condition.
Weaver's son would eventually inherit the business in 1915, and in 1929 buy out their largest competitors, the Innes Store, and acquire the location they occupy today. Exploring other ventures, Weaver gradually transferred the store to Larry S. Flannery, whose son Joseph operates the store today.
LIBERTY HALL
When the herald of Freedom was burned down in 1856, a new building would rise in its place. At its base a butchery, the two-story building held up a small theater that would come to be known as "Liberty Hall," a nod to Abraham Lincoln's referral to Lawrence as the "cradle of Liberty."
That name would, however, be short-lived as the building was sold in 1882 to J.D. Bowersock, becoming his namesake opera house. In keeping with the tumultuous times and fire-prone architecture, the Bowersock Opera House burnt down in 1911, taking with it the
newspaper that would become the Lawrence Journal-World.
Rebuilt in 1912 as "fire proof," the renovated venue gradually incorporated movies throughout the 1920s until Bowerson's death in 1923, when it became the Dickinson Theater. By the time it became the Jayhawker Theater in 1940, it showed mostly movies.
Following the Jayhawker's closure in 1956, the venue would be reopened as several night clubs and theaters throughout the 60's, 70's and 80's until it was eventually purchased and restored in 1986 as Liberty Hall once again by David and Susan Millstein and Rob Fitzgerald.
The venue now shows independent movies as well as live shows in its two theaters.
THE LAWRENCE JOURNAL-WORLD
The Lawrence Journal World's location represents a long and storied history of newspapers in Lawrence. Though officially created in 1911, the Journal World as it is known today exists as a consolidation of the Lawrence Journal and the Lawrence World.
Created in 1892, the Lawrence World was owned by Wilford Collins Simons who worked as a newspaper editor in Lawrence from 1891 until his death in 1952. Though Simons acquired the Journal in 1905, it was not until the 1911 fire that also destroyed the Bowersock opera house that the two papers were merged.
"This sort of energy is good for Lawrence, and it is a more cohesive night for everybody." Murphy said.
Before it started, artists and galleries worked individually. Murphy said the art community is now coming together, and there is more emphasis on community projects.
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This Friday, 26 businesses and galleries downtown will take part in the event. Lost Space Art, 845
In 2011, Jessie Kelley, a senior from Wichita, curated a gallery specifically for 16 college students.
Among the local artists who participate in the event. University students have taken advantage of showcasing their work during the event.
Lawrence Art Center, Downtown Lawrence Incorporated, the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, art galleries and artists collaborated in August 2010 to create the monthly event.
"We've had anyone from KU professors, to people who ship their art in from Seattle," said Summer Bradshaw, an intern at Wonder Fair Art Gallery, 803 1/2 Massachusetts Street.
"Final Fridays gets people in the store," said Irene Walker, an artist and employee at BDC Tattoo. "Sometimes there are people who would never step foot in a tattoo shop that have come in."
5. SIGNS OF LIFE (722 Massachusetts St.)
12. FOXTROT
(823 Massachusetts St.)
Edited by Corinne Westeman
downtown every month.
6. THE LAWRENCE ART PARTY (718 New Hampshire St.)
"A recent economic impact study shows that Final Fridays are bringing in at least $85,000 each final Friday to restaurants and businesses around the locations," said Final Fridays Coordinator Molly Murphy.
13. LOVE GARDEN SOUNDS (822 Massachusetts St.)
7. TELLER'S RESTAURANT UPSTAIRS (746 Massachusetts St.)
8. PACHAMAMAS (800 New Hampshire St.)
14. DOWNTOWN UPSTAIRS (824 1/2 Massachusetts St.)
Art.
Artists from around the country, as well as those from the Lawrence area, have benefited from Final Fridays.
9. SMIILING MAD DESIGNS & INKELLO LETTERPRESS (801.5, Suite 3 Massachusetts St.)
15. PHOENIX GALLERY (825 Massachusetts St.)
4. LAWRENCE PUBLIC LIBRARY (707 Vermont St.)
Like many downtown galleries, its busiest day of the month is on the last Friday.
"The place gets pretty packed," Flinders said. "The town is on fire on Final Fridays."
16. LOST ART SPACE (845 Massachusetts St.)
17. THE BOURGEOIS PIG (6 E. 9th St.)
Big Daddy Cadillacs Tattoo, 938 Massachusetts Street, features one artist a month. This Friday, they are showing Erin Brazler's "Fatties on Parade" exhibition, which are marker-drawn portraits of humorous cartoon characters.
3. THE ELDRIDGE HOTEL
(701 Massachusetts St.)
18. Z's DIVINE DOWNTOWN ESPRESSO (10 E. 9th St.)
ies, such as the Fox Trot shoe store, 823 Massachusetts Street, also participate in Final Fridays. Owner Caroline Mithias said the event brings in a lot of foot traffic into her store, and it supports the art community.
CRYPTOQUIPS 4A
OPINION 5A
ERS
story
GE 6A
GE 7A
nce Arts
Voting Corp.
s is a bad
c, general
GE 7A
SPORTS 1B
SUDOKU 4A
CLASSIFIEDS 2B
CROSSWORD 4A
.GE 7A
CENTER OFF SURFACE
Index
23. THE GRANADA (1020 Massachusetts St.)
22. KANSAS SAMPLER (921 Massachusetts St.)
25. WATKINS COMMUNITY MUSEUM (1047 Massachusetts St.)
21. LAWRENCE ARTS CENTER (940 New Hampshire)
24. AIMEE'S CAFE' & COFFEE SHOP (1025 Massachusetts St.)
26. 1109 GALLERY
(1109 Massachusetts St.)
All contents, unless stated otherwise, © 2012 The University Daily Kansan
Don't forget
Today's Weather
Continuing student enrollment begins for summer and fall semesters, 2012. For more info, see Office of the Registrar, www.registrar@ku.edu.
Skies will be clear with a warm temperature and a calm north wind.
HI: 80
L0: 51
Everyone can see you sweating.