Easily overlooked, 110 West Main Street is the smallest commercial structure on this stretch of Main Street, yet its rich and varied history reveals a surprising versatility. Though it has changed hands, tenants, and functions many times over the past 150 years, the building has demonstrated a remarkable knack for returning to its original purposes.
From Frame Box to Brick Storefront (1868–1885)
- Built c.1868 by Willis Wilhite, the original structure was quickly sold to Ebenezer Tomlinson, who may have used it for dry goods.
- Sold again in 1870 to Charles Jones, a cabinetmaker who joined with Asa Ellis to open an undertaking business.
- In 1873, the property was sold to Isaac Johnson, a Civil War veteran who replaced the original wooden structure with the current brick building around 1885.
Isaac Johnson: Saddles, Signatures & Sales (1873–1915)
- A true jack-of-all-trades, Johnson ran a harness shop, sold insurance, and served as a notary public—making the building appear on maps as a saddlery/insurance office.
- His business advertised: “saddles, harnesses, whips, lap dusters, fly nets, currycombs, chains, hames, harness oils – and everything usually kept in a first-class harness shop.”
- Johnson held the record for the longest continuously serving notary public in Indiana by 1915.
Barbers & Barristers (1915–1936)
- In 1915, Johnson & Baldock Barber Shop moved in.
- Johnson sold the property in 1919 to Horace Hanna, a young attorney who converted it into a law office, partitioning it into a reception area, private office, and library.
- Hortense Hanna, his wife, also ran her insurance agency from the building.
- In 1932, Hanna rebricked the façade, added plate-glass windows, a new door, hardwood floors, and redecorated interiors.
The Judge’s Office and Notable Trial
- Horace Hanna became Hendricks County Circuit Judge in 1936, presiding over the longest trial in county history (1945–46) involving millionaire Maude Huntington Darrach’s estate.
- Though he stopped practicing law after becoming judge, Hanna retained ownership until 1950.
A Shift to Retail & Spirits (1944–1972)
- Elmer Harris opened Harris Barber Shop in 1944, redecorating the interior to support a three-chair operation.
- In 1950, Hanna sold the building to John R. Griffin, who opened a liquor store, beginning a two-decade stretch of liquor sales.
- John and Alice Wilhoite purchased the property in 1955, running Plainfield Liquor Store until 1972.
Retail Revival & Diverse Tenants (1973–1992)
- In 1973, John and Jean Taylor purchased the building.
- A variety of small businesses followed:
- Sherwood Gift Shop (1973–1975)
- Plainfield Saddlery (1974–1976) – nodding back to Johnson’s original harness trade
- Aquarius Pet Shop
- State Farm Insurance (early 1980s)
- L&L Draperies
Nails, Needles, and Now Insurance (1992–Present)
- In 1992, David and Bobbie Garver bought the building.
- Elegant Nails had a long tenure throughout the 2000s.
As of 2021, the building has returned to its roots—once again housing an insurance agency, just as it did in the 19th century.
