Locust St. 

Marion & Minton Horse & Mule Market

Dexter Motor Car & Supply Co. 

According to the label this house is located on Locust St.  It is unknown if that is North or South Locust.  

The image says "South Walnut St." at the bottom but this clearly South Locust St.

The above image shows Arthur Jenkins' store on South Locust St. Jenkins was born in 1876 in Kentucky and moved to Ripley County Missouri about 1888 where he was raised.  He opened a store first in Poplar Bluff and then moved to Dexter just before the turn of the century.  The building still stands today.  Jenkins began to have serious health problems around 1930.  His health caused him much pain and forced him to be hospitalized off and on for three years.  In 1933, unable to deal with further physical and mental pain, he committed suicide by cutting himself eleven times with a straight razor.  While not expected, his death wasn't a complete surprise to those who knew him and his mental struggles.  He was considered to be a successful and well liked businessman in the community (The Dexter Messenger, January 19, 1933).  He was buried in Dexter Cemetery.    

Arthur Jenkens' store building (the tallest building). The two smaller buildings next to it are also original.

South Main St. 

The Jeffersonian Hotel on fire in 1938. It was built and owned by Col. William Jeffers. Located on the north side of present day First Midwest Bank in downtown Dexter.

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Site of the hotel as it looks today (2022).

The Jeffersonian Hotel

The Jeffersonian Hotel was built in 1896 by Colonel William Jeffers, former commander of the 8th Missouri Cavalry (CSA).  Jeffers eventually sold the hotel to Colonel Sutherland, who then later sold it to W. A. Leoffler.  Leoffler sold it to a Dr. Williams of Doniphan who leased the hotel out to O. B. Davis.  Davis was in the process of refurbishing and making improvements on the building when a fire broke out in the basement in 1938. Fifteen guests were in the hotel when it caught fire, two escaped off the fire escape and the rest through the front door.  The loss from the hotel is estimated to $16,000 to $20,000 worth, Davis did not have insurance on it because he was going to wait until he was done refurbishing to do so.  It stood on the northwest corner of South Main and North Mulberry streets and faced S. Main.   

1968

Paving South Main Street, Jeffersonian Hotel in the background.