316 E. Main...Millinery

Address:  316 E. Main – Millinery

6th building from Monroe St.

This block once known as the Old Wooden Row was the first business block in Dansville (Lowell). Built between 1846 and 1870, it contained 11 wooden buildings along the south side of Bridge (Main) Street between Monroe and Washington Streets.

This was a wooden one-story building nestled between the City Bakery and the oldest building in the row which was built in 1846. It is nearly in the center of the row.

In 1883, Mrs. Nancy Purple purchased this building and improved it for her millinery store. Through the years she also did dressmaking, sold hair goods, did hairdressing, and had a bazaar or variety store with her friend Mrs. Bisby in the 1890s. Nancy Spencer had come to Lowell from Nova Scotia in the 1850s. She taught school in Lowell prior to her marriage to William Purple in 1856. William’s sister, Mary, had married Morgan Lyon of Vergennes so the Purple family immigrated here from New York State also.   William came prior to 1850.

From 1887-1889, Will S. Purple sold cigars and tobacco in his wife’s store. Perhaps they shared the building selling millinery and cigars.

An article called “Remember When---“The Old Wooden Row” written by editor Johnson of the Lowell Ledger which was located at that time (1890s) in the building to the west recalls: “Next east was a little variety store conducted by Mrs. Purple and with her lived an old friend, Mrs. Bisby, whom the Johnson kiddies used to call “Mrs. Busy Bee.” We have reason to remember the latter kindly, as she was long a loyal advocate and supporter of The Ledger, to the extent that she used to clip its editorials and send them to school children in other places for use as declamations. Some of them doubtless ‘hot stuff.’”

In 1903, Henry Jones bought the Purple property on Main Street. He repaired it to use as a residence and dressmaking establishment for his wife.
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In 1909: The lot was sold to the owners of Lowell Auto Body so the new factory could be built here. This building may have been moved at that time.

Images:

Photo, 1887-1889, when Will S. Purple had his cigar and tobacco shop in the store with his wife’s millinery supplies. The metal sign was an advertisement for Exemplar cigars produced by the GJ Johnson Cigar Company of Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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Exterior 1896