meat markets & butcher shops
This is not a comprehensive study of meat markets and butcher shops in Table Rock. These are just a few of the advertisements pulled at random over time, and the few relevant photographs that we have.
a butchering scene
Unidentified people in a butchering scene, photo 1392
hanna brothers meat market, no date
Thank you to Fran Blecha for this fabulous photo! There has been much discussion about it's location. The general thought seems to be that it was on the south side of the square, west of where the theater is now. It may have been in place until 1920, being one that was wiped out by the fire. That appears to be the brick factory chimney in the distance to the left.
Photo labeled as "hana" brothers butcher shop
Same brothers, same location? Different location? That's John Nemecek to the right, co-proprietor of Nemecek Brothers groceries for a while.
Photo 157
"Compliments of Hanna Brothers, Table Rock, Nebraska, Dealers in Fresh and Salt Meat," a promotional plate owned by Historical Society member Terry Hunt Korrell
1878 - a business directory lists a meat market & many other businesses
A. Besom, writing for the Immigrant Union press in 1878, included business directories for three towns in Pawnee County: Pawnee City, Cincinnati, Table Rock.
Table Rock had numerous businesses, including a meat market, wine & liquor shop, a creamery, “flouring” mill, a shoe shop, and a furniture shop. There were two each of grain & livestock dealers, lumber dealers, physicians, milliners, and tin shops. There was a “painter & paper hanger,” a sewing machine guy a justice of the peace, a livery, and a harness maker. There were two hotels – the Abell House and the City Hotel. There were 4 “blacksmith & wagon” shops, and five carpenters. And two churches, the same two as now – the “M. E.” and the Christian Church.
Which meat market? Perhaps G. R. Martin's meat market, which was certainly there in 1882.
Table Rock had numerous businesses, including a meat market, wine & liquor shop, a creamery, “flouring” mill, a shoe shop, and a furniture shop. There were two each of grain & livestock dealers, lumber dealers, physicians, milliners, and tin shops. There was a “painter & paper hanger,” a sewing machine guy a justice of the peace, a livery, and a harness maker. There were two hotels – the Abell House and the City Hotel. There were 4 “blacksmith & wagon” shops, and five carpenters. And two churches, the same two as now – the “M. E.” and the Christian Church.
Which meat market? Perhaps G. R. Martin's meat market, which was certainly there in 1882.
1882 - the andreas history mentions a table rock meat market, but not by name. in 1882, g. r. martin was advertising in the argus, though.
apparently, its proprietor, unlike mrs. lindsly and mr. blacklaw, did not pay for advertising in this history
Mrs. E. V. Lindsly runs the hotel which accommodates the upper town.
John Blacklaw operates a water-power grist-mill, which has three run of buhrs.
Otherwise, the business of the place is represented by three general stores, two hardware, two drug, one restaurant, two blacksmith shops, one wagon shop, two livery stables, one lumber-yard, a grocery store and a meat-market.
G.R. Martin, proprietor of Meat Market and General Provision Store, advertised in the Argus that he was south of the square, and has "the best grades of flour kept constantly on hand."
1890 - stewart & purcell meat market and gabriel r. martin's meat market both listed in the nebraska gazetteer's list of table rock businesses
Click & scroll down to see the complete list of businesses
1891 - enterprise meat market, proprietor o.t. crisler
1893 - d. f. wheeler meat market -- new owner of the decker meat market
February 1893
1893 - The city meat market, proprietor g. r. martin
February 1893
1894, g.r. martin "has reopened his old reliable meat market"
July 1894
1898, g. r. martin meat market
1898, city meat market, proprietor f. m. linn
1899 - captain r. p. jennings, a former confederate soldier, now proprietor of the "lower" meat market. apparently there were at least two meat markets in town at the time.
1904, city meat market, proprietor f. m. linn
hanna & uhlir meat market, 1907
August 1907
1912 - city meat market -- buying hides! will tan them and make them into overcoats or robes. "JUST THINK OF IT!"
1916 - joe w. tomek groceries & meat market
August 1916
1917 - joe w. tomek's "sanitary" grocery and meat market
A "sanitary" counter, a step up from open barrels.
1920 - Joseph macek buys out porter & carter's meat market
June 4, 1920
1922 - Shelenbarger meat market, a 100% proud table rock merchant
1925 - city market meat & groceries
September 11, 1925
1934 - in front of city meat market
Marjorie Horton and "B" Barnard with jawbreakers in front of City Meat Market, the store on the north side of the Opera House ground floor. Thanks to Historical Society member Terry Hunt Korrell for sharing this family photo.
1948 - Vonasek's meat market & grocery
Bob Blecha remembers Vonasek's as being in the store on the north side of the opera house stairs, most recently Pope's. Edward Tomek adds that at some point the meat market moved from that location to the retail store on the west side of the theater, but he is not sure when.
Charlie Vonasek's 1957 obituary says that he had to sell his meat market in 1950 due to ill health, and that they had been in business for 15 years. That puts him back to 1935.
