Hand-hewn limestone, cast iron and pressed metal components were creatively combined in this noteworthy Victorian commercial building. Name plates from Mesker Brothers iron works are visible on the floor pilasters. The ground floor, which was originally divided into two storefronts, has housed a wide variety of retail and commercial activities, including hardware, drugs, books and stationery, shoe company, harness shop and tailor. The second floor, accessible by an ornate cast iron exterior stairway, has served as office space, an early telephone exchange and a residence. The building is still owned by descendants of the Dimmitt family.
Additional Information:
The current building replaced a 2-story wood frame building that housed groceries, a printing shop, a tailor and even a millinery. When the new building opened in 1894, it became home to a wide variety of businesses over the years, all located in what was called the "old Dimmitt building".
Fun Facts:
1. The Telephone Exchange was located here on the second floor in 1910.
2. Montgomery Wards was located here in the 1980s, but a women's clothing shop was planned for the space once the renovations were completed.
3. Hill Country Bookstore, a beloved Georgetown institution, was housed here in the early 2000s.
Date: 2023
Image Credit: David Valdez, 2023
Date: 1976