A.J. Rogers Building

Andrew Jackson “A.J.” Rogers and his father William had 407 and 409 Georgia built in 1891. “W.B. and Jack Rogers have built a two-story brick with galvanized iron cornices, on the site of their old building on Georgia street. It is 32×55 and thirty-three feet high, with fourteen feet ceilings. One, room 14 1/2 x 55, will be used by John H. Rose as a cigar manufactory and the other, 18 x 55 feet, by Mr. Rogers for a saloon.” The stone work was done by Dillinder and Ebenberger, the brick work by English and Stephenson and the carpenter work by Isaac Newton. It cost $3,500 to build.¹

The city directories list the tenants of this building as:
1892²
407- A.J. Rogers (Saloon)
409- J.H. Rose (Cigars and Tobacco)
1903³
407- A.J. Rogers (Saloon)
409- E. Gervig (Cigarmaker)
1906⁴
407- A.J. Rogers (Saloon)
409- O.S. Norman (Barber)
1911⁵
407- A.J. Rogers (Saloon)
409- I.F. Schaeffer and Son (Cigar Manufacturers)
1928⁶
407- Young’s Variety Store
409- Pike Smoke Shop
1937⁷
407-Joe Quattrouchi Fruits and Vegetables
409-Owing’s Cafe

A.J. Rogers ran a successful saloon here until  Congress ratified the 18th amendment on January 29, 1919.  A period of prohibition began across America which put him out of business.  In search of a new business, Rogers began farming.  ⁸

¹ Louisiana Press Journal. 1891. “How We Grow!,” May 8.

² “Pike County Directory: Louisiana City Business Directory (1892-1893).” n.d. Louisiana, Missouri.

³ Prather, Charles E. n.d. “Louisiana City Directory (1903-1904).” Louisiana, Missouri.

⁴ Hackman & Co., R. E. n.d. “Louisiana City Directory (1906).” Louisiana, Missouri.

⁵Hackman & Co., R. E. n.d. “Louisiana City Directory (1911).” Louisiana, Missouri.

⁶ “Artkraft Directory Publishers: Business Directory.” 1937. Louisiana, Missouri.

⁷1928 – Sultzman (Ed.). (1928). Louisiana, Missouri Telephone Directory.

⁸1920 US Census (1920).