1899 - John Wolzmuth Building - Spearfish, South Dakota - Dated Buildings and Cornerstones on Waymarking.com

544 Main (1895): The John Wolzmuth Building is a two story cut sandstone structures. It is not of any particular style but the use of the sandstone and various embellishments creates an attractive appearance. This flat roofed building features a corbel table below the eaves along with rectangular shaped cresting spaced at various intervals. A small portion of the front has had some modernization. Offset to the right is a small period door leading to the upstairs. On the left side, two round arched entries appear with radiating sandstone. The other openings have flat and lugsills for surrounds.

John Wolzmuth Building

Wolzmuth Hardware was built in 1899 by local businessmen John Wolzmuth and L.W. Valentine, although soon after Wolzmuth took over sole ownership.  It is a substantial two-story building constructed of local sandstone.  The store sold harnesses, farming equipment and construction supplies.  John Wolzmuth was an important member of the community.  He originally came to the Hills in 1876.  In 1886 he was elected to the legislature and was a member when South Dakota became a state.  He served at least nine terms and served several  terms as mayor, was on the city council, was one of the first county commissioners and served on the board of education.  He was instrumental in getting state funding for the Normal School with a bond in the amount of $25,000.  The school would later become Black Hills State University.  Eventually his son Elmore went into the hardware business with him.  By the late 1950's the by then former hardware store became the location of the first Safeway in Spearfish.

When logging a visit to a waymark in this category, please provide one or more photos taken by yourself, and note down your impressions and any background information you may have.