The Mileham Building stands out in downtown Georgetown with its grand example of a Mesker Brothers pressed metal storefront. Note the similarity of details on this building and the H. C. Craig Building. Marble and mirror held with copper strips embellish front display windows, indication a 1920’s remodeling. Early uses of the structure included a ground floor buggy repository and a second floor tin shop, followed by a hardware store for several decades. Restoration was completed in 1983.
Additional Information:
The early one-story wood frame building on this site housed a saloon by 1885 and a grocery in
1888. The two-story limestone building we see today started with a harness store and tin shop in
1894 that returned to the building in 1910. In between those years, the building served as Mann’s
Drugstore run by the town’s well-known druggist, W. L. Mann. The building served as a
hardware store for about 80 years – first as Lunblad Brothers and then Berry Hardware.
Fun Facts:
1. Penelope Ake Mileham, daughter of Ake Hotel owner John J. Ake, actually oversaw the
construction of the building in 1891, making her an early female developer in Georgetown.
2. Joseph Taylor Mileham and his wife, Penelope, were wealthy landowners in Georgetown and
around the county. They were wealthy enough to gift each of their 5 daughters 30 head of cattle
when they married.
3. When built, this was the tallest building on the square.
4. W. L. Mann’s son, William L. Mann, served as Rear Admiral in the U. S. Navy during WWII.
Date: 2023
Image Credit: David Valdez, 2023
Date: 1984