The magic growth of Coldwater is almost unparalleled in the state. Six months ago, the ground upon which it now stands was covered with waving grass and inhabited only be cattle men and roaming herds.

Now we have a town of 500 inhabitants, composed of good citizens and their families from all the states in the Union.

Coldwater is centrally located in the county and will undoubtedly be the county seat of Comanche county, as soon as matters can be arranged to that end.

The first house erected in Coldwater about June 9th, and from that day until now business houses and dwellings have steadily sprung up, until we can now number 181 and several more are not yet completed. We hope to see her grow until she will be ranked among the cities of the first class, and it will not be very long before she will reach that point if she improves as she has in the last six months.

We give below a list of the principal business firms represented in Coldwater, and the time they began business. We say "hurrah for Coldwater and its energetic class of citizens."

WILBY A. PENNINGTON,
Established the U. S. Land office in this city the latter part of July, and are located on the south side of west Main st. They are both from Centerville, Iowa, and have made many friends by their agreeable way of doing business. They deal in real estate, make loans and collections and handle insurance.

SISSON & M'CLURE,
Land, loan, law and insurance office; take fillings and make final proofs. The office is presided over by our genial friend, S. W. McClure, formerly of Harper county, and he is one of our best office men in Southern Kansas. He was first established here on the 15th of last September. The firm is doing a large business.

W. T. WILLIS,
Has a loan and insurance office on west Main street north. He is from Wichita here and opened his office the first of September. He is a live, wide awake real estate man, perfectly responsible and attends to business.

C. M. CADE,
Is at the head of the Comanche County Land Office. He is a notary public, real estate and insurance agent, takes filings and makes final proofs. He is from Anthony, Kas., and was one among the first men to establish himself in this city. He enjoys the entire confidence of the people and does a rushing business.

CROSSMAN & MEYER,
Real estate, land, loan insurance and exchange agents. Also, take filings and make final proofs. Opened their office September 1st. Mr. Meyer is from Pratt county here, and Mr. Crossman from Iowa.

K. P. AND JNO. I. LEE,
At home at the Western Land office. They are real estate, land agents and surveyors and locate settlers. They hail from the northwestern - Arkansas to this place, and opened their office about the first of August.

J. B. CURRY,
Notary public, takes filings and makes final proofs. He has lately located here and can be found at post office.

A. M. MEALEY,
Opposite the Hungerford house, has the pioneer land office, and buys and sells real estate. He is a young man, rather good looking, and would be a good catch for a young lady in search of a husband. He is from Minneapolis, Minn., came to this county in May and opened his land office the 1st of august.

G. W. VICKERS,
Attorney and counselor at law, makes loans and takes filings. He is formerly of Anthony, Kansas, but has been here almost since the town was located. His office is on north side east Main st., and you will find him strictly a business man. He is also a surveyor and surveyed the town site of Coldwater.

COLDWATER CASH STORE,
of Issac Wright, is on the north side of east Main street, and under the supervision of J. M. McClain, of Columbus, Kas. He carries a general stock of clothing, boots, shoes, hats, caps and hardware. This store was first opened to the public about the 18th of August.

BARCLEY & YOUMANS,
Are proprietors of the "Red Front Supply House," on east Main street, and keep a general stock of dry goods, clothing, boots, shoes, hardware and groceries or anything else you want. These enterprising young gentlemen are from Kingman city and opened their stock about the first of October. They have one of the best arranged stores in town and carry an immense stock.

G. M. NORRIS,
From Eagleville, Mo., has just opened this week, his elegant store room on the corner of Main street and Central Ave., and it is his aim to keep a general supply store of everything from a hair pin to a steam thresher. T. W. Van Derveer has charge of the store until Mr. Norris gets here with all his goods.

T. H. DALE,
Formerly of Kingman city, keeps a stock of groceries, clothing, hardware, etc., on Central Avenue. He is a good business man and opened his stock last July.

H. CHAPMAN,
Keeps groceries and canned fruits, on the north side of west Main street. He is from New Cambria, Mo., and opened his grocery the 15th of June.

CLINE & NICHOLS,
D. L. Cline is the pioneer merchant of the town. He first sold groceries and had charge of the mail last spring under a tent, before there was a house built in town. We now find him postmaster and associated with Mr. Nichols in a general grocery and provision store in the same building. The firm has two accommodating clerks, Messrs. Cameron and Curry to aid in waiting on customers and distributing the mail.

DR. P. C. JAY,
Druggist, formerly of Elmwood, Illinois, is located on the north side of east Main street. He opened his drug store on the 16th of last August.

W. A. CARPENTER,
Deals in drugs and stationary on south side east Main street and occupies the first completed building in town. Mr. Carpenter's former residence was at Kingman city. William Botts, a clever young man, has charge.

DR. J. E. SOMBART,
dealer in drugs, stationary and fancy articles, is from Boonville, Mo. He arrived here first on the 20th of June and opened his splendid stock on the first of November. He has one of the neatest drug stores to be found west of Kansas City.

D. C. KELLY,
Is from Caldwell, Kas., to this place, and deals in feed, flour and coal on the south side of east Main st. He also manipulates the city scales and has the name of being "a jolly fellow well met."

GRAGG & MUNGER,
Are both from Caldwell, this state, and run a wagon and feed yard, on the north side on Main street. They are energetic business men and do a good business. They have been located here since the 1st of October.

H. C. FINLEY,
Keeps a flour and feed store on north side east Main street. He is from Kingman county, and been in business here since June 16th.

L. S. MEAD,
Keeps a livery and feed stable, boards teams and furnishes fashionable turnouts on short notice. Mr. Mead was formerly of Harper city, and went into business here the 1st of August.

McINTYRE & KNIGHT,
Keep the Star Livery Stable, on South Central Avenue, and are successors to Anderson & Galligher, whom they lately bought out. These gentlemen both hail from Macon, Mo., and know how to run a livery stable successfully.

D. P. DOAK,
Is from Cameron, Mo., and engaged in the lumber business on South Central Avenue. He is a good looking young man, unmarried, and attentive to business. He came out to this county early last April and opened his lumber yard about the first of July.

COLDWATER LUMBER COMPANY,
Do a large business, and is controlled by Messrs. R. E. Edwards, W. H. Erwin and A. M. Merryman, all of whom formerly resided in the east. They started their yard here the 15th of September.

WM. HUNGERFORD,
Proprietor of the Hungerford house, opened the first hotel under a tent, but now has more commodious quarters in a 2 story building on Main street. He has the only public hotel and his house is generally full of transient boarders.

JAS. H. MAHAN,
Known among the boys as Jack Rabbit, was formerly a resident of Evansville, Kas., but has been in Coldwater since the 12th of last month attending to the wants of the public, in the way of an eating house, and generally has his tables crowded.

J. G. PATTERSON,
keeps a private boarding house on Central Avenue, adjoining The Star office. He is from Wichita here, and opened his boarding house on the 21st of October. Mrs. Patterson and Miss Laura Rivera preside over the table and cannot be surpassed in the culinary line.

THE WESTERN STAR,
W. M. Cash, editor and proprietor, is the "pioneer" newspaper published in Comanche county. The office was hauled out from Harper city by wagon, and the first paper issued on the 16th of last August. The editor was formerly of Columbus, Kas.

THE REPUBLICAN,
R. A. Crossman, editor and proprietor, located on north side of west Main st. It was first issued on October 30th. R. A. Crossman is from Keokuk county, Iowa.

CAPT. A. D. LEE,
is from Douglas, Butler county, Kansas, and keeps a general line of furniture on the north side of east Main street. He is a shrewd business man, and thoroughly understands his business. His stock was opened the 1st of November.

CHAS. BEYMER,
Keeps the only bakery in the city and is noted for making famous bread. He is from Anthony, Kas., and has been furnishing the public with the "staff of life" since the 4th of August. His sign can be seen on north side of East Main.

W. R. HALE,
Is our "jolly" butcher and keeps the city well supplied with nice juicy meats. He can be found at the City Meat Market on east side south Central Avenue.

MILT SHULTISE,
Is located on the south side of east Main street, and keeps a harness and saddlery shop, also handles shoe findings for repairs. He is from Wellington here, unmarried, and has been in business since September 1st.

J. W. HARDING,
Dealer in stoves and tin ware, and does repairing. He also keeps a fresh stock of groceries. He came to this city with his family on the 28th of last September, and went into business on the 10th of October.

CLARK & FRYMEYER,
Blacksmiths, wagon makers and gunsmiths. W. H. Clark is from Harper, Kansas. The shop was opened August 1, by Mr. Clark, but has since taken in a partner, Mr. J. L. Frymeyer, an experienced blacksmith from Mt. Lon, Va.

CURLEY HACHER,
Is our tonsorial artist, and is proprietor of the only barber shop in town. He is from Harper city, and his shop has been established since June. C. E. Nary, late of Kansas City, is Curley's assistant.

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Also see:

A $50,000 BLAZE! -- Coldwater's Principal Business Block in Ashes.
The Western Star, March 3, 1888.

J.M. Lobaugh: A Few Reminiscences of Pioneer Life in Comanche-co.
The Western Star, April 22, 1922

A Few Facts About The City Of Coldwater, Now 40 Years Old
The Western Star, July 1, 1927.

James W. Dappert: Reminiscences of Early Days in Comanche-co.
The Western Star, January 15, 1926.

E.S. Bennett: A Few Reminiscences of "Cowboy Days"
The Western Star, April 22, 1927.

Coldwater Forty-Two Years Ago
The Western Star, December 17, 1926.

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Thanks to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news article to this web site!

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