Harris Building

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about the Harris Building in Hood County. Now, every now and then you come across a building that's got a story baked right into its walls, and I mean that almost literally. Back in 1899, a local stonemason by the name of I.W.

Walley stacked up the rock walls of this masonry commercial building, and whoever hired him wanted more than just solid stone. The plastered facade got dressed up with a cast iron storefront and some decorative brickwork, because apparently Wesley Smith Harris (born in 1854, died in 1930) was a man with taste as well as commerce on his mind. Two stories tall, built to last, built to impress.

Now here's where the story takes a turn that'll make you set down your coffee. Harris ran two businesses out of this building: a furniture store and a funeral home. And before you raise an eyebrow, the marker tells us exactly why those two concerns shared a roof; furniture manufacturers at that time made casket parts.

Same supply chain, same building, different kind of final delivery. It's one of those details that sounds like a tall tale but is just plain history. Eventually, a man named Ben Estes took over the operation of both concerns, carrying on what Harris had built, stone by stone, chair by chair, and otherwise.

What the marker says

Local stonemason I.W. Walley erected the rock walls of this masonry commercial building in 1899. A cast iron storefront and decorative brickwork enhance the plastered facade. The two story structure was built for Wesley Smith Harris (1854-1930), who ran a furniture store and funeral home here. The two businesses were associated because at that time furniture manufacturers made casket parts. Ben Estes later took over operation of both concerns.