Looking Back: Main Street, Early 1970s

The 2024 Historical Society calendar featured this photograph, the West side of Main Street in Downtown Grain Valley. It deserves a lot more research than I have been able to accomplish. Hopefully, when it’s winter and there is snow on the ground, I’ll find time to check out a few more details.

First, does anyone recognize the car or the two ladies walking West on Front Street? Does anyone know the year the Bank of Grain Valley was renovated and the windows were covered? Does anyone recollect what year the Drug Store closed? Does anyone recall when the Sni-A-Bar Bank building was demolished? At this point, all I can say for sure is the Christian Church burned in 1978.

Here’s what I do know. (Left to right) The Bank of Grain Valley opened in 1905 with 10 local citizens investing $1,000 each. The group was led by the Warren, Webb, and Cannon families. It is the oldest building in town at 119 years! Next is the Grain Valley Drug Store housed in the original Williams building. It was built around 1910 with bricks made right here in Grain Valley.

Next is another business that was part of the original Williams building. The U.S. Post Office was housed there until the late 1960s. Growing up, I always remember a restaurant there with various proprietors. The current Historical Society is in the building at 506 Main. In this photograph, the building was used by an upholsterer. It had previously been a general store and a grocery store.

Just past the alley there was a restaurant, and Ryan’s Locker Plant. Again, more research is required before I know what might have been there in the 1970s. Finally, we see the once stately Sni-A-Bar Bank building next to the Christian Church.

And that, my friends, is a glimpse of Downtown Grain Valley in the seventies! If you can add any information, PLEASE drop by the Historical Society on Wednesdays from 10 AM to 3 PM and record your memories! You are also invited to visit on First Fridays from 4:00pm - 8:00pm next Friday, June 7th, where we will have a train mural and some artifacts in our building to recognize the founding of our town.  Bring your phones and cameras and take photos at the Historical Society and at several participating locations in DOWNTOWN GRAIN VALLEY!
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