The following is a list of the businesses in Waukee in the late 1800s - 1870s - 1890s. As you will observe from the large number of business houses, Waukee was considered a “boom town” exhibiting great promise for further growth and expansion.

General Stores: A.T. Blackman; C. Middlehauff; M.R. Blackman; A.M. Horton; W. M. Cribs; Fry Copeland; L.G. Wallace; Howe & Brumfield.

Groceries: Albert Bullock; Mrs. B.M.Snow; Howe & Duncan; W. J. Johnson.

Drug Stores: C.F.M.Clarke; J.A. Bundy

Lumber Dealers: Tyler & Huston; Grant, Lewis & Co.; Charles D. Cramer

Coal:C.C. Tyler

Real Estate: Miles Sines; L.A.Grant

Grain Dealers: Herbert & Carrell; C.C.Tyler; A.D.Bullock;Morris & Carters

Blacksmiths: Charles W. Robinson; John Olke; James Brier & Sheets; Gus Smith

Hotels: Thomas J. Sloan (Prop. Of the Valley House); James Parker; Spencer Smith

Livery Stables & Hack Lines: Thomas J. Sloan; Thomas Ashton; Milton Scott

Physicians: J.K.L. Duncan; George L. Piper; S.W. Aldrich; William McClure; George McMahon; F.W. McManus; William A. Carter

Lawyers: B.T. Halstead; George A. Smith; M.H. Baugh; James Jennings, (Mr. Jennings was also a Notary Public & R.R. & Ex.Agt. Tel Opr.)

Flouring Mill: Gurnsey & Treefry; Smith & Hamsher

Creamery: Miller Crispin

Harness Maker: George S. Warton; A.L. Fish

Restaurant: R. McDougal; Moores Restaurant; Robert R. Blake; Wooleys

Carpenter: Z.T. Bates; Daniel Bates

Wagon Maker & Builder: William H. Wood

Grain & Stock Buyer: J.R. Morrison; Spencer Smith; Tyler & Huston

Meat Markets: Garlock & Mills; Blake Bros.; William Overmire

Barber Shop: Billy Fish

Furniture & Undertaking Goods: A.J. Bassler (the Bassler store housed the long distance telephone office and also provided a Notary Public)

General Merchant, Grain & Stock Dealer including agricultural implements: J. W. Youngerman.

It is interesting to note that Waukee was really a complete business town with a flourishing trade. Of course, there was a lot of land speculation in those early days, which brought many land buyers to town.  There also seemed to be a rather rapid turnover in business with many men starting a business and becoming successful for a few years, then selling and buying farm land and moving to the country.

There were a rather large number of lawyers, blacksmiths, general stores, lumber and grain dealers.  Of course, all of these professions were needed in those times, due to the many needs of this period such as lumber, not only for the building of residences and businesses in town but also houses, barns and other buildings out on the farmsteads. 

The blacksmith, who is certainly a rarity now, was a mighty important figure in those early days, as he shod the horses.  Since this was before the advent of tractors and any kind of mechanized machinery, this meant that there were a great many horses used for work on farms as well as for transportation.

The old general store must have been an exciting place to visit, as it carried everything from frying pans to farm machinery.  Supermarkets really are not a new innovation as compared to the old general store, and every item wasn’t wrapped with that fingernail breaking plastic as it is today. If they didn’t have an article in the store, all one had to do was tell the merchant (whom you knew personally and called him by his given name) and he would go to this wonderful catalogue and order it for you. That same merchant would buy the farmers’ eggs, poultry, cream and homemade butter.

The Waukee Area Historical Society is holding its KICKOFF FUNDRAISER Dinner on April 15^th at St. Boniface from 5:00 to 8:30 p.m.  We are bringing back Alice’s Spaghetti Land Spaghetti, by nephew Jim Nizzi.  Please call or email for tickets – 987-5308 or tasphoto@aol.com.