Denison Daily News
January 6, 1880
Pg. 2

LONE STAR LUMBER YARD
We call particular attention to the double column advertisement of Lone Star Lumber Yard. Mr. Carr, the proprietor, says he does not ask for a lengthy notice – his advertisement explains his business and immense stock speaks for itself. He will simply add that he is always fully stocked up and sells at the lowest figures

Denison Daily News
January 8, 1880
Pg. 1

The Lone Star Lumber Yard, owned by John Randolph Carr (1849-1888), constructed a building located at 100 W. Chestnut in 1885. Carr's lumber yard had previously been located at the intersection of Houston avenue and Woodard street.

Sanborn Fire Insurance Map
January 1885
outline of the building at the corner of Houston & Chestnutwith the notation "To be built 1 Sto. Br. Lumber Ho. Off."
(Translation: "1-Story Brick Lumber House Office"):

The 1886 Bird's-Eye Map of Denison also showed the building completed. The next published Sanborn map, in 1888, shows the building completed. The description shows the business office in the northern end of the building and the larger southern end housing sashes, doors, blinds, and shingles.

The Sunday Gazetteer
Sunday, July 5, 1885
Pg. 1, col. 1
Mr. John Carr has put the finishing touches on his new brick office...New additions have also been made to his extensive lumber yard which occupies nearly a whole block...Mr. Carr is prepared to furnish building materials at the very lowest figures....Mr. Carr furnished the material for the new capitol of the Choctaw Nation....

The Sunday Gazetteer
Sunday, September 2, 1888
pg.4 , col.2

REST IN PEACE
A Much-Love and Worthy Citizen Passes Away
We chronicle with deep regret this issue the death of our esteemed fellow-citizen John Randolph Carr....He passed away at ten minutes to five o'clock Thursday morning, Aug. 30th...Interment at Fairview Cemetery.

After his death Carr's lumber yard passed through at least three different owners or tenants before the arrival of the Denison Bottling Company. The 1892 Sanborn map shows a lumber yard owned by Oliver Thomas "O.T." Lyon, who had previously owned lumber yards in Sherman and Wolfe City, etc. Lyon and his son, Cecil Andrew Lyon were both active in the Republican Party on the state level. O.T. Lyon served a two-year term as the first mayor of Texarkana before moving to Sherman in 1876. Lyon did not remain in Denison long; before the 1896-97 City Directory was published, he had moved his operation back to Sherman.

President Roosevelt Greeting Capt. O.T. Lyon.
Sherman, Texas
April 5, 1905
Hendricks Photo
Property of SMU Library

Denison Bottling first opened in 1890 at 106 West Woodard, where the old Texas Electric Terminal was built in 1919. In 1896 Denison Bottling Works provided warm-weather drinks - Deep Rock mineral water and introduced the Dalby Springs mineral water. (The Sunday Gazetteer, April 26, 1896)

In April 1897, the Denison Bottling Company opened for business at the new location, 100 W. Chestnut

The Sunday Gazetteer
Sunday, May 2, 1897
Pg. 4, col. 6

DENISON BOTTLING AND CANDY WORKS
A New Industry That Promises Much for the City of Denison
The career of cities is as the lives of individuals, made up of numberless little things that are of minor importance in themselves, but when taken in connection and as links in a chain of circumstances, they possess a value that is not to be discarded. It is not along the railroads that will make Denison great, but our future prosperity will to a large degree depend upon this being a manufacturing centre. Without any parade or blowing of trumpets, a very important industry has quietly located here, that is destined to play a very important part in our industrial history. We refer to the Denison Bottling and Candy Works that has recently located on South Houston avenue at the junction of Chestnut street. There, a first class plant for the manufactury of all kinds of high grade candies has been put in. Everything is up to date and strictly first-class. Experts inform the Gazetteer that no better candies are made in St. Louis or the East. There is no reason whatever why as good an article cannot be made at home as in the East, and the Denison Bottling and Candy Works are doing it...The firm is particularly fortunate in the location of their plant, the building is commodious and there is plenty of room to spread out. Large additions have been made to the building. [Editor's note: these additions were on the southwest side of the building and were removed within a few years.]
The works have only been open about a fortnight and yet they are crowded with orders that have come from abroad and at home, in fact the magnitude of the business is far beyond the expectations of the proprietor.
They give employment to twelve persons and expect to increase the force. The foundation of a great business has been laid in Denison, and the future is already assured.
It is not necessary in the future to give your order to drummers, for Denison is to-day turning out as fine an article of candy as made in the United States. The officers of the Denison Bottling and Candy Co. are as follows: Jas. D. Elliott, president; A.H. Coffin, vice-president; L.J. Omohundro, secretary and treasurer....

N. L. and William Moore took over Denison Bottling in 1905.

1906
Denison Bottling works
106 W. Woodard St.

The adjoining store was T.W. Robinson Second Hand Store, 104 W. Woodard St.
To the right can be seen a sing, Hanna, Cowles, & Co., - a wholesale hardware dealer lead by John M. Hanna.

1906
Denison Bottling Works
106 W. Woodard St.

The sign at the right "Etsey Organs" handled fine organs manufactured in Vermont.

The Moore brothers in turn sold out to William Hiser in 1910, who moved the company to its final location at 1100 West Main.

At the turn of the century, William Richard White Sr., set up his produce company at 607 West Main. Soon thereafter (certainly before 1906), he moved into the building at 100 West Chestnut Street at Houston Avenue.

The Southern Feed and Fuel Company, operated by Harry Thompson and John Handy, took over the site at 100 West Chestnut for a number of years.

Dr. Pepper Bottling Co.
127 W. Chestnut St.

According to James R. Perry, this building was one of Babcock Brothers Home and Auto warehouses in the 1970s. It was used for seasonal items, mainly toys for the Christmas season. Each store would get its Christmas toy stock in one annual delivery, with no opportunity to reorder popular items.

In 1999, the building, in badly deteriorated condition, was purchased by Alfred Robinson, an artist, and was rehabilitated to serve as his Fresh Light Studio. Robinson, the son of a military father, had lived in various parts of the world growing up, but had spent a good deal of time in Arkansas, New Orleans, and Dallas. His wife, Suchada “Lek” Robinson Komalittipong, a native Thai of Chinese extraction, shortly thereafter became the key owner of the MKT Depot and the Denison Grocer Company/ Southern Nuts Building at 116 South Houston Avenue. The couple also owned a tree farm in Howe and for a number of years had operated a wine store in Plano.

Michael P. Nelson and wife Cathy Nelson purchased the property around 2006 and undertook extensive renovations. The building serves as offices for his engineering firm, Logic Wireless LLC.