The Lusk Herald, September 12, 1929

One of Oldest Buildings in Lusk Being Torn Down, New Service Station to Be Built

(202 South Main, Lusk, Wyoming)

One of the oldest buildings in Lusk is being hauled away this week as scrap wood, when the work of demolishing the building formerly occupied by the A.E. Johnston grocery and the Berry Electric and Radio shop , was started by a force of men under Joe Kuhn, who was awarded the contract by the Texan company to move the building and clear off the lot so that work on their new service station might begin.

The old building was put up in the spring of 1886 by the firm of Baker Bros., composed of Nat and Jack Baker, who used it as a general store for many years. Baker Bros. afterward sold out to the firm of Collins and Snyder, composed of M.R. Collins and H.C. Snyder. Mr. Snyder afterward purchased the interest of Mr. Collins and organized the Snyder Mercantile company which he conducted until his death in 1916. The old building was the home of Snyder Mercantile company for many years until larger quarters were built at the present location. The property changed hands several times and was finally purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Lyle Berry who sold it to the Texas company.  

With the coming of the railroad in 1886, the town moved from the location of the old tent town, then called Silver Cliff, on the north side of the mining hill, and the building now being razed was one of the first put up in the new town. Others constructed at the same time were the building now occupied by the Lusk Bakery, which was built by Mr. J.K. Calkins as the home for The Lusk Herald; the building now occupied by the Lusk Free Lance; the building formerly occupied by the Payne Grain and Implement company, which was the bank building, in which the first bank was established by DeForest Richards was afterward governor of Wyoming. There are now only a few of the original buildings remaining which made up the town of Lusk in 1886.

The old building now being torn down was for many years the headquarters for stockmen trailing cattle from Wyoming up into Montana, and it was there that they loaded up their supply trains with provisions to last them on their long trek to the virgin grazing lands of Montana.

As the old building was the supply point for travelers of that day, so it will be headquarters for the modern traveler. The Texas company will soon start the erection of one of the most modern auto service stations on the site, with every convenience for the modern motor traveler.

Work is expected to start in about two weeks on the new station. The Texas architect was here last week and plans for the new structure have already been prepared.