In 1932, J.B. Dawson of Grant City Celebrated 65 Years of Business

In October 1932, the J.B. Dawson Company celebrated 65 years of business in Grant City. It was founded in October 1867, when J.B. Dawson and C.R. Dawson, brothers, came to Grant City after the Civil War and started the dry goods business under the name of C.R. Dawson and Brother. 

Back in those days, merchandising was considered to be a pioneer effort. There were no delivery trucks or trains back in those days, so the Dawson family would order goods from Tootle & Craig of St. Joseph and haul them overland from St. Joseph to Grant City. Later, the Burlington Northern line came to Hopkins, which shortened the route; then, the Burlington entered Grant City from the north starting in 1881.

On August 13th, 1882, Dawson Brothers met their first disaster when the entire south side of the Grant City Square burned, destroying 13 business buildings and two residences. That Monday, the Dawsons went to a brick yard near Jay Creek and contracted for the building of the new building on the southeast corner of the Square. In April and May 1907, two more fires hit the south side of the Grant City Square, but it survived those.