Weber Peirano Building, Wilson, KS
Weber Peirano Building, 2711 Main Street, Wilson, Kansas. Built in 1904, this large Italianate two-story building is constructed of native stone and is among the last of the two story buildings constructed in downtown Wilson. Nick Weber and Andy Peirano built the building to house their hardware and implement dealership. A large freight elevator/left was installed in the building to accommodate large implements on the second floor. Weber and Peirano also dealt in coal and grain, owning the elevator south of the tracks, just north of this building. A1905 ad for Weber/Peirano advertised furniture, hardware, farm vehicles, and implements. By 1914, Peirano was no longer involved in the enterprise; the building was called the Weber block and the businesses were under the ownership of the Weber Co. An April 9,1914 article in The Ellsworth Reporter stated that Weber Co. operated the largest enterprise in Wilson including lumber, grain elevators, coal yards, an electric light plant and, through this building, were selling hardware, implements, vehicles, saddlery and auto lines. By late 1927, the name of the business had changed to Weber Hardware and Furniture Co. and sometime after 1932, Weber Hardware moved to a new location.
By 1948, the building was occupied by Murphy Implement, and later by Dolecek Implement. In 1964 Jerry Klema bought the building from Dolecek and turned the building into the Wilson Recreation Center offering bowling, skating, and a cafe. The recreation center closed in 2002, and the building has been vacant since. A sign in the window indicates the building was for sale when this picture was taken.
Weber Peirano Building, Wilson, KS
Weber Peirano Building, 2711 Main Street, Wilson, Kansas. Built in 1904, this large Italianate two-story building is constructed of native stone and is among the last of the two story buildings constructed in downtown Wilson. Nick Weber and Andy Peirano built the building to house their hardware and implement dealership. A large freight elevator/left was installed in the building to accommodate large implements on the second floor. Weber and Peirano also dealt in coal and grain, owning the elevator south of the tracks, just north of this building. A1905 ad for Weber/Peirano advertised furniture, hardware, farm vehicles, and implements. By 1914, Peirano was no longer involved in the enterprise; the building was called the Weber block and the businesses were under the ownership of the Weber Co. An April 9,1914 article in The Ellsworth Reporter stated that Weber Co. operated the largest enterprise in Wilson including lumber, grain elevators, coal yards, an electric light plant and, through this building, were selling hardware, implements, vehicles, saddlery and auto lines. By late 1927, the name of the business had changed to Weber Hardware and Furniture Co. and sometime after 1932, Weber Hardware moved to a new location.
By 1948, the building was occupied by Murphy Implement, and later by Dolecek Implement. In 1964 Jerry Klema bought the building from Dolecek and turned the building into the Wilson Recreation Center offering bowling, skating, and a cafe. The recreation center closed in 2002, and the building has been vacant since. A sign in the window indicates the building was for sale when this picture was taken.