Looking Back: Graves and Ashcroft

Grave’s & Ashcraft’s Addition was the first to the original town of Grain Valley. The land stretched from Walnut Street two block south to the railroad and from Main Street two block west to Capelle. Early dates on the land sales lead me to believe these lots were platted on March 2, 1880 by Edward P. Graves and John E. Ashcraft. The land was subdivided into 48 individual lots.

The numbered lots 1 through 12 began at Walnut and ran south along Main Street, then known as Broadway. Lots 13 through 17 faced south along Front Street, then known as North Main and lots 18 through 21 faced Gregg Street.  In addition to Graves and Ashcraft, these early lots were owned by men with familiar names to our town; Cannon, George, Morrison, Keshler, Gregg, Boyette, Wyatt, Kabrick, Karr, Dean & Williams.

The 1904 Jackson County Map shows the Christian Church on lot 2. About 1910 the little white frame church was evidently torn down and replaced by the large brick church with the stained-glass windows. (It burned down in 1974) Interestingly, the land remained in the possession of Grave and Ashcraft.

Once again, we will probably never know if it was a donation to the church or how it came to be in their possession. At any rate,  the Christian Church obtained lot 4 in 1915. In 1929 the record shows the Christian Church owned lots 1 through 4.

Lot 5 had 10 owners before September 20, 1956 when it was also purchased by the Christian Church. I remember the small old house on the property in the early 1950s. Mrs. Salvage, a widow lady lived there until her death. When I walked to the Post Office with my grandmother, I remember stopping to visit her; she was always sitting on the front porch swing (maybe an exaggeration)!

For a time, from about 1915 until the mid 1970’s the stately Sni-A-Bar Banking Company sat on Lot 6. Although the bank closed in 1926, the building remained for many years. A variety of business occupied the building over the years, including a barber shop and a beauty shop. I also recall that the upper floor had at least on apartment.

Crull Grocery and Ryan’s Locker Plant, Circa 1952
 
 Growing up, I remember Lot 7 as Charlie and Ida Ryan’s locker plant. The freezer room in the back had several various size compartments where many of the townspeople rented a locker to store their meat. The building had been owned by Martha Minter, a relative of Mrs. Ryan.

Lot 8 is currently The Iron Kettle Brewing Company. In the early 1900s Mr. John T. O’Connell owned a wooden structure at this location. It burned in 1920 and was replaced by the current structure. O’Connell sold the building to John Minter. At some point an opening was made in the wall between this building and the locker plant. Mr. Ryan expanded his business to include a grocery store.

If you visit the Iron Kettle look behind the bar, under the stairs and you will notice the uneven brickwork where the wall was replaced. The business was eventually sold to Edwin Crull and he operated a general store there until 1953. Since then, it has been a restaurant and an antique shop. In 2020 it was sold to the current owners, remodeled, and voila, we have the Iron Kettle!
 
Next week, learn about “the alley” and lots 9 through 17 in the Graves and Ashcraft Addition.
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