A Guide to the History of Richardson, Texas: Tours

A Tour of Richardson's Historic Heart

101-103 E. Main Street, Richardson, Texas
Author photo taken January 2022.

Before the building that sits on this lot (#18, block 5) was constructed in in either 1896 or 1898, the property went through many hands. The original purchaser was a man named E. A. Gay, who bought it from the H.&T.C. on Nov. 13, 1883. On Sept. 3, 1886, Gay sold it to J. D. Stratton. Curiously, C. F. Stratton, not J. D., sold the lot to L. B. Miller on May 12, 1894. Then Miller turned around and sold it to Dr. W. E. Rucker and others on January 20, 1896. Finally, Rucker and his partners sold the property to the Eureka Lodge No. 202 International Order of Odd Fellows, on April 11, 1898. Afterward, until the lodge sold the property to the City of Richardson on Jan. 16, 1931, the building was known as the Odd Fellows Hall or Building. Up to that time, various types of public meetings were held in the hall, in addition to IOOF meetings. After taking possession of the property, the City deeded it to the Citizens State Bank.

The answer to the question: Why does the year "1924" appears at the top front center of the building instead of "1896" is that "1896" (or "1898") did originally appear there, but when the building was remodeled in 1924, the old date was removed and the new one added. Below the date can be seen, but now just barely, a Masonic emblem, evidence that the upper floor of this building was at one time used as a Masonic Lodge. The ground floor has been put to a wide variety of uses. Originally, it was Stansell's grocery store (seen in vintage photo below). It has also been a bank, a department store, a church, and a newspaper office (The Richardson Daily News). As seen in one of the vintage views below, it originally had a crenellated top, which was removed during the 1924 remodeling.

111 E. Main top
Author photo taken January 2022.

This vintage photo of 111 E. Main was taken sometime between 1896, when the building was constructed, and 1924, when the crenellated top was removed. Courtesy Richardson Public Library.

111 E Main as grocery store
This is a photo of 111 E. Main when it housed Stansell's gorcery store, circa 1898. Courtesy Richardson Public Library.

111 E Main when it was Citizens State Bank
This is a photo of 111 E. Main when it housed the Citizens State Bank. Courtesy Richardson Public Library.

111 E Main as it is now
Author photo, taken January 2022.

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Below: The historic heart of Richardson, from an 1878 map.

1878 map of the historic heart of Richardson