Frank D. Cordes (Part 11 - High & Suffolk )

 Now that the northwest corner of High and Suffolk streets has been explored, the following segments will study the early days of the southeast corner of this intersection. The years 1939 to 2025 have been covered with A. T. Gallup Company and subsequently Peoples Savings Bank. It's time to go back in time, from the 1880s to 1939, to explore the land acquisitions, building origins, subsequent building expansion, and identify the primary business occupants.

When viewing the opening photo, one may think the property at the corner is one building erected on a single parcel of land. There were actually three parcels of land and a building (1884), which had a significant conforming addition built in 1885.

Maps indicate there were no buildings on this parcel through 1881. There was a livery stable owned by John Gee, lower on Suffolk Street and east of the corner land, sometime between 1877 and 1881.

Deeds are shown below and summarized to provide the timeline for the building shown in the first photo.

> October 14, 1880- Deed Recorded- Holyoke Water Power Company land at the corner of Suffolk and High Streets to John N. Prew. The rectangular parcel ran about 24.5 feet along High and 88 feet down Suffolk.

> October 14, 1880- Deed Recorded- On the same day as the first transaction, John N. Prew sold this parcel to W. Maurice Thieme of South Hadley.

> March 7, 1881- Deed Recorded- Holyoke Water Power sells a small parcel of land adjoining the corner lot to W. Maurice Thieme. This parcel was a bout. 5.5 feet along High Street and 88 feet deep. The result of these two transactions is that W. Maurice Thieme now has 30 feet of continuous frontage on High Street from the Suffolk Street intersection.

> January 1, 1884- Deed Recorded- W. Maurice Thieme sells the combined parcels (30 feet x 88 feet) to Frank D. Cordes.

Interestingly, Frank D. Cordes began excavation for the four-story building in mid-September 1883. There may have been a contract to purchase in place, as Mr. Cordes likely wanted to excavate before the winter freeze.

The October 1884 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map shows that the building was constructed and numbered 302 and 304 High Street. Mr. Cordes began advertising his painting business and services in early February 1884. He was a renowned Holyoke house painter who serviced many of Holyoke's industrialists with interior and exterior work. He also used the 302 High Street as a retail establishment to sell paints, wall coverings, mouldings, and other furnishings.

In 1885, Frank D. Cordes and Robert Johannis formed a partnership to paint and wallpaper homes. The partners were married to the daughters of W. Maurice Thiemes, previously mentioned as the owner of the land at Suffolk and High Streets.

> June 12, 1885- Deed recorded- Moses Newton sold the open lot south of 302-304 High Street to Frank D. Cordes and W. Maurice Thieme. This third lot along High Street from Suffolk had 40 feet of frontage and 88 feet in depth. It was after this purchase that the remainder of the building was constructed to conform to the initial build. 

Several weeks earlier, Mr. Newton sold the adjacent lot, measuring 50 feet by 88 feet, to the city of Holyoke, intending to construct a new central fire station.

The addition to the Cordes building was completed in November 1885. The ground floor storefronts were rented to Sam Heffernan, who operated a billiard parlor at 306 High Street, and C. N. Stimpson, a piano dealer at 308 High Street.

Robert Johannis continued to operate his paint, wallpaper, and interior and exterior painting business at 302 High Street until about 1905. Frank Cordes had previously moved his independent business to 462-464 High Street in the mid-1890s, after briefly relocating to the Y. M. C. A. building at 365 High Street.

In the next blog post, the corner location is introduced to men's fashions, a trend that will continue for the next 65 years.

Citations:

Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; publication dates and pages are shown.

Registry of Deeds, Hampden County, Springfield, Massachusetts.

Maps:
1877 and 1881 Birds Eye View of Holyoke
1884 and 1889 Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps

1877- High and Suffolk streets' undeveloped land

1881 Map- High & Suffolk Streets map shows the undeveloped southeast corner lot. John Gee's Livery Stable is displayed on Suffolk Street below High.

The 1884 Sanborn Map shows that the first portion of the building at 302-304 High Street was now constructed by or for F. D. Cordes. The store featured Wallpaper & Artist Materials. The Paint Store was to the rear of the building and shown in blue.

1889 Map - In addition to the 302-304 1884 building, 1885 brought the rest of the building, constructed c. 1885 on two lots at numbered 306 & 308 High Street. The new addition was designed to give a uniform appearance for 302-308 High Street.