The amount of detail in these photos is insane, isn’t it. Here’s the Cornell and Baer store, looking like it would have served the clientele at Deadwood instead of 1930s urbanites. I’m guessing that the hood over the Rugs and Stoves sign held lightbulbs, since the era of backlighting awaited the development of cheap, rugged plastics. Signs were lit from above or below, or had their names spelled out in bulbs. It would have been someone’s job to climb up the sign when a bulb went out.

Next door – and yes, this technically has nothing to do with the Dyckman, but who can resist? - was an amazing building about which I must learn more. That’s a skylight. Or was, before they painted it over.

Warner Hardware was a local chain, and still has a few outlets open.