With rusticated sandstone blocks on the top floor and smooth blocks on the ground floor, the Scharf Block is a bit different from the norm. If the short news article below is correct it was intended that the building be three stories in height. A glance at the accompanying photos show that it was built with only two stories. Possibly a basement was considered to be a third storey. The ground floor was built as retail space, while the upper floor was fitted out as offices. The contract for the building was won by the Cody Lumber Co., with the firm of Elswick and Redman carrying out the construction.
The industrious lady was one Elysabeth Scharf of Lincoln, Ill (or Monroe, Iowa). There is no evidence that Elysabeth (referred to in the news article below as "Miss") ever lived in Cody, though there are newspaper references to her having visited on occasion. Letters from her were received by Cody residents at various times, the points of origination being Lincoln, Illinois and Monroe, Iowa. No further information on Elysabeth has been found.
Initially housing the Cody Drug Co., which moved in in late November from the building next door to the east, we have no information on what, or who, occupied the building in intervening years. Cody Drug Co. was owned and operated by Dr. William Bennett, who also had an office in the building. After the move the Cody Drug Co. printed small text ads in the local papers while, in later years, they had reverted to the more common style of producing larger, multi-column ads. Examples of both are included here, the text ad from page 8 of the Wyoming Stockgrower and Farmer March 26, 1908 issue, the larger quarter page ad from page 9 of the Park County Enterprise of April 06, 1921. They ran a number of these.
While the NRHP Registration Form believes the building to have been built in 1910, the news article below, as well as other, smaller articles, shows it to be have been completed before the end of 1906.
THE SCHARF BUILDING.
Miss Elysabeth Scharf has given the contract to the Cody Lumber Co. for the proposed stone building to be erected on her corner lot adjoining the Cody Drug Co. and opposite the Irma hotel. The building will be modern and complete in every respect.
It consists of three floors, the Cody Drug Co. will occupy the ground floor, while the others have not been leased. This is the third business building this lady has had erected in the past three years and we are glad to know her interests remain with us. Her brother from the east, who was in Cody perfecting the arrangements for the building, returned to his home much pleased with the present outlook for Cody and the surrounding country. He made many friends while here, who hope to see him again.
From the Wyoming Stockgrower and Farmer, April 04, 1906, page 1