Davis Building

The Davis Building at 707 Water Street is more than 100 years old.  Erected in 1909, it was known as the Rawson Building until 1939, when the building was sold and renamed.

In 1890 W. H. Rawson purchased the Peavy Drug Store and a frame building on this site.  He operated his business in that building until 1908, when it was torn down and this new stone building erected.  Rawson's Drug moved in August, 1909. The building was expanded in 1924 to accommodate a growing business.

On August 30, 1924, Rawson's threw open their doors to their newly remodeled and expanded store and invited the community to come and see the new store and new soda fountain.  Everything at the new soda fountain was to be free between 4 and 6 p.m.  During that time a total of 2,650 services were provided.  As the newpaper reported, "This does not mean that 2,650 people were served individually, as numbers of people were served more than once, especially the kiddies, many of whom received five and six ice cream cones each."

L. W. Mc Coy operated the drug store from 1938-40, followed by Fred Drug Company 1940-41. In 1943 it became Hart's Pharmacy.
Established in 1927 as the Blue Bonnet Drug Store when it was in the Blue Bonnet Hotel, Hart's Pharmacy moved about a half block west to this location in 1943.  Family lore states that during the move, they piled the goods in shopping carts and walked them to the new location.
After the move the store changed name to Hart's Pharmacy, which operated until 1974. It was sold one more time--to Steve Ackman, who, in 1985, moved across the river, ending more than 75 years of pharmacy services here.