Feature 184: 204-206 West Lexington Avenue (in 2011)

Classification: Contributing.
Historic Name: Milner Building - Building #1.
Architectural Style: Commercial.
Construction Date: ca. 1885 and ca. 1886.
Period 1 of Harry S Truman's Life: The Period of Pre-Significance, before 1890.
Tax Identification: 26-230-16-12.
Legal Description: Old Town, part of lot 72.
Description: Contributing two adjoining, two-story brick commercial buildings; both rectangular in shape; roof hidden behind parapet; brick exterior facade. Rehabilitation of this building and adjoining buildings (at 102-104 North Liberty [this address should probably read “100-104” – Feature 202]) were completed in 2002. Both currently house the Cafe Verona restaurant.
History/Significance: These two adjoining buildings were constructed in the mid-1880s when Independence experienced a boom in growth and commercial activity. The smaller, squarish building to the east (204 West Lexington Avenue) housed a barbershop on the ground floor through the 1890s, followed in the early 1900s by a drug store. In the mid-1910s, the eastern-most portion of the building served as a drug store (which adjoined a much larger drug store at 102 North Liberty [Feature 202]); the west portion of the building served as office space. By 1930, the ground floor at 204 West Lexington was occupied by Kechnew Jewelry Company. The adjoining two-story building at 206 West Lexington [Feature 185] was occupied by a lunchroom (1890s), and, later, a restaurant throughout much of its early life. Thomas W. Milner operated a restaurant and sold groceries at 206 West Lexington for many years in the early 1900s, probably into the 1920s. By 1930, E.F. Bracht operated a restaurant on the ground floor. As late as 1951, the buildings at 204 and 206 West Lexington retained their fenestration on the second floor facade (four bays at 204 West Lexington and three bays with decorative Italianate style hood molding at 206 W. Lexington).