Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book
Stories of Early Nichols
NICHOLS LANDMARK TO BE RAZED TO MAKE WAY FOR GAS STATION
Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book 1884-1984, page 136
From Muscatine, Iowa, Journal, Wednesday, March 14, 1956Nichols – Today is William “Bill” Schmitt’s birthday. He is 78 years old and one of the oldest residents in Nichols. But this story concerns not Bill so much as his birthplace.
Bill enjoys an occasional coffee break, so he frequently leaves his real estate-insurance office at the east edge of Nichols and starts out for a café a couple of blocks west.
At the first corner his glance rests lightly on a weatherbeaten old house whose broken windows give it a hollow-eyed appearance. It is one of the oldest houses in Nichols, and it is the birthplace of Bill and his brothers and sister, most of whom lived there through their youthful years.
He recalls that his father, Adam Schmitt, purchased the house from Ben Nichols before Bill’s birth. After Bill was grown, and his folks had died, he became the owner of three quarters of the house.
Once Housed Newspaper He started an implement business as well as a real estate-insurance business and maintained an office in the house. In addition, he rented out a part of the house to a printer who started a small newspaper in the building.
The printer left and never returned. Some time later another man came to Bill to settle the printer’s rent bill. Since this man was a farmer and needed farm equipment, Bill made a deal whereby Bill became the owner of the equipment, in exchange for farm equipment.
So the building again housed the Nichols newspaper, with Bill as publisher and a printer who came from northwest Iowa to do the technical work. This arrangement continued until the equipment and supplies were lost in a fire.
Since then the building has deteriorated and today houses only “Jakie” Long, an elderly man with several dogs.
Progress has a way of pushing aside anything which gets in the way, and the old building has finally reached the stage where it is impeding progress.
Sold to Kirchner Bruce Kirchner, 25, is in the fuel oil business in Nichols. Bruce has dreams of expansion that includes a two-bay, gleaming, modern gas station, open 24 hours a day.
The old building is located on a corner of Ijem and Main Street, on Highway 76, which would fit in with his plans nicely. So Bruce bought the building.
It is his intention to tear the building down as soon as legal arrangements are complete, and Jakie Long has moved. Then construction of the new station will begin. It is estimated that the building will not be completed until about June 1.
So Nichols will gain a new business. And progress will obliterate an old landmark that has stood for nearly a century.
And Bill Schmitt will probably add a copy of this edition to the extensive historical material in his office. The picture will help to preserve the memory of his birthplace as he passes the new business venture of Bruce Kirchner.
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Page created January 29, 2011 by Lynn McCleary