Restaurants and other businesses have taken up shop in the Dague block on south side of the square. Hyde’s grocery store (name later changed to Hy-Vee) was located here before moving to its present location. The Dague building was razed in September 1972. In 1990, Nancy Patterson constructed Triple T Dance Studio building in its place. Clarke County Public Health moved into the building, now owned by Clarke County, in 2016.
The building to the east is a 21 by 100 foot building with a pressed-brick front and a blacony with two rooms in the upper story. Built in 1900, the rear part was fitted for a photograph gallery and the front for a suite of rooms for private offices. This was also the location of the Pool Hall. Today, it’s the home of The Grassroots Home.
Next door, the Osceola Sentinel newspaper run by Miss Mary Osmond and Frank Guches, began publishing in 1895. Cafes, grocery markets and bakeries occupied the building from 1903 to mid-1940s. Today this building houses the American Legion.
Next, built in the 1890s and occupied by meat markets, restaurants, utility companies and Winter the Tailor over the years. C.H. Winter, merchant tailor and designer advertised, “If you don’t believe clothes makes a differences in a man, try walking down the street without them.” It’s the site of Earth Angels, 2017.
In 1895, John W Boden, a maker of harnesses, saddles, bridles and whips, built a two-story brick building. It was 18 by 90 feet with a high and elegant steel ceiling and bay window in the front, with the entire lower floor of the building used in harness buisiness. Photography, medical offices, barber and beauty shops, a branch bank and other businesses occupied the location. Today, this is Mayberry’s.
In 1895, Mike Beashor burned a kiln of brick to build a two-story brick building he occupied as Beachor’s Meat Market, complete with an ice house and bologna oven. Utilities and appliance businesses occupied the location. Today, it is Nelson Fry Appliance.
In the late 1800s, the building next door was constructed with a balcony window. Over the years, it has been a jewelry store, beauty shop on second floor, law offices, grocery and variety stores. Built in 1900, the building next door had a room with a very narrow frontage occupied by shoemaker. Later attorney, abstract, savings and loan and insurance businesses. Today, the sites house Booth Law Firm.
In 1900, Frank Edwards bought Dibble block and moved his grocery business there in 1902. Groceries were delivered by a wagon drawn by famous and indestructible mules that wore straw hats in the summertime. Cafes, medical doctors and an Iowa state liquor store were at this location.
In 1868, the first banking house in Osceola orginated at this location, closing in 1895. A shoe and harness shop, barber shop, medical and dental offices and a beauty shop second floor once occupied what is now known as the location of Richard Murphy Law.
In 1882, on the southeast corner of the sqare, was a goldsmith’s building fronting 108 feet on West Jefferson Street and 86 feet on South Main Street with a stone basement, metal roof, large plate glass front windows and steam heat. The second story was used for offices and a courtroom. Many businesses were located there. On November 22, 1917, a major fire destroyed the building and a night marshal and firemen were crushed to death by a falling wall.
A large hole was left after the fire and grew up in weeds for 30 years. In 1947, a service station was built at the site. Today, the building houses a laundromat.