Submitted by Kate Emmett-Sweetser
In celebration of the Historic Fort Scott’s Dowtown District’s 10th anniversary, business owner Jennifer LaRoche, is offering a sneak-peak of the buildings at 10 and 12 E. Wall St., locally known as the old Othick Abstract office.
The sneak-peek open house will be Wednesday, Dec. 18 from 4:00 to 6:00 pm. Light refreshments will be served. The public is invited.
The building, which has been empty for a few years, is slated to become the new location of Common Ground Coffee Company in early 2020.
The 110-yr old brick building with a stone façade is an excellent example of historic restoration done right — with meticulous attention to detail which will help ensure it will be a viable venue for another century and beyond.
History of the district
Fort Scott’s Downtown Historic District was accepted for listing in the National Register of Historic Places on December 18, 2009.
In the late 1980s, local historian Connie Banwart completed an inventory of structures in the downtown for the Kansas State Historical Society. However, at the time, there was virtually no interest among local property owners in the creation of a downtown historic district.
In 2006 –a year after a fire spread through Block 88, resulting in the demolition of the damaged structures– Connie Banwart, Kate Emmett-Sweetser, and Becky Mann volunteered to complete a Preliminary Site Information Questionnaire for downtown properties for the State Historic Preservation Office. The PSIQ was completed in early 2007.
In 2008, the City of Fort Scott, per an agreement with the State of Kansas, hired Professor Dale Nimz as a consultant to complete the official nomination.
In 2009, the Fort Scott Downtown Historic District was added to the Register of Historic Kansas Places then sent to Washington, DC, for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
Also on Dec. 18, Kate Emmett-Sweetser will give the program at Rotary on the Fort Scott Historic District at noon at the Presbyterian Church. Rotary meetings are open to all Rotarians and their guests.