The Original "Strip Mall" : The Cole Building

After a tragic fire destroyed over twenty downtown businesses in the early 1930's, the owners of the Cole building and the Hicks-Cobb General Store decided to rebuild - with rock instead of wood. The Cole building has been languishing at the mercy of the elements for many years, which has caused the roof to fall in due to dry rot. Even so, the premises are not without historic value. Some items of interest were salvaged and remain on display at the Museum, with the exception of the old Mosler bank vault and a few other trinkets from that era.

With the roof now caved in from expos ure to the elements, a true restoration according to standards set forth by the Secretary of the Interior would be very costly and seems unlikely. A more reasonable alternative is what is known as rehabilitation - making the old building habitable again while striving to retain its unique character. Recent advances in insulated concrete form (ICF) construction offer many tantalizing possibilities.

As an alternative to costly restoration, The Downtown Medicine Mound Preservation Group believes that building a small community center with living quarters for an on-site administrator may better serve our needs. As in years past, the Cole building would act as a gathering place for visitors and groups alike while retaining its "frontier" flavor. A multi-use facility could serve our mission by offering the public a place to hear story-tellers, hold reunions, or display works from local artisans. Stay tuned to this site for developments as they become available.