It’s now time for “the rest of the story.”
Six readers of The Lime Springs Page responded to the little “What Is It?” game. None were incorrect and each gave details the others did not.
Two of the six have lived in Lime Springs their entire lives, three lived in or near Lime Springs, and one has never even lived in Iowa.
Here are the responses, in the order received:
Kareen (Bowers) Johnson:
“Hey Keith, does the picture have something to do with the elevator in the back of Miss Green Jeans?”Jim Thomas:
“It looks like the freight elevator that was used in store buildings. I remember that Price and Williams had one as John Price and I used to play on it when we were kids!”Sheryll (Bowers) Smith:
“We’re sure that this pic is of the old elevator still in use in “Miss Greenjeans”–I remember my dad using this, mom too. He worked there for lots of yrs.”Wayne Roberts:
“This is the last of the hand powered elevators in LS, in the old Leader store. There was a heavier model in the Fries Implement building, and possibly one in Price & Williams, but I am not sure on that one.. Wilford Nise and I moved the parts for a corn snapper machine down on the one at Fries, probably in the summer of 1952.”Tim Hoopman (River Falls, WI):
“All three “What’s it” have a common theme, elevators. Internet says that Kimball Bros. made hand powered elevators so I’m sure that’s what the big wheel is for. Quit a mechanical advantage. Dad’s home made elevator in the Cherry Grove store had electric power.Susan (Jones) Bigalk:
“Is your picture that of an early elevator? Grandpa Price had an elevator in his store which was the highlight of any trip to the store basement. I wasn’t allowed to operate it but my brothers did.”
Indeed, the pictures are of a freight elevator in a store. Specifically, this is the one in the old Leader store, now Miss Green Jeans grill and pub.
I knew that Price’s Store had one, located back in the corner, near the door which opens onto the street near the barbershop. I either did not know or had forgotten that Fries Implement had one, too. Probably didn’t know.
Regarding the Cherry Grove reference: In the 40’s, my aunt, Goldie Hoopman, ran a grocery store called Goldie’s Grocery in the store building on the west side of the street in Cherry Grove. The upper floor of the store was used to store the store’s inventory. It was hard work getting all those groceries up there, then back down again.
Her husband, Orrin, the local blacksmith and one-time Lime Springs resident, solved that problem: he built a small freight elevator! As Tim (their son) said, it was electrically powered. As I recall, part of the gear mechanism came from a washing machine.
This elevator was located just inside the front door. I would not be surprised if it still worked today! Orrin built no junk!
I, too, Googled “Kimball Bros.” and learned that they were an elevator-building company which began business in Anamosa. Soon, they were enticed to move to Council Bluffs. In the 1950s, they were bought by a company in Omaha and ceased to exist under their original name.
There is no wonder that the elevator is still operational. It is built to last! The wooden members are clearly “heavy duty” and the rope is larger in diameter than the rope used on our farm to pull hay into the hay mow. I’ll bet it is the original rope!
Finally, here’s the picture I didn’t need to use. It would have almost given the answer away.
This was a fun exercise! I really appreciate you taking the time to send in responses. Each provided interesting information on our town!