This photograph shows downtown Lake City before 1919, with several businesses and buildings that helped shape the town’s early history.

The building on the right, now Joe’s Barbershop, was originally built for the Farmers and Merchants Bank. A bank operated there from 1907 until the 1960s. Next door was the C.M. Kelly Building, owned and operated by Charles Kelly. Built around 1900, the building burned down on New Year’s Day in 1916.

The J.S. McClam Store, built in 1901 and located where Jarritos is today, was later replaced by a feed and seed store, then a double store and finally W.T. Askins and Sons.

On the left side of the photograph was the Sturgeon Store. The second building from the left was associated with Henry Nachman, who served as Lake City’s Intendant—similar to a modern mayor—in 1895. Nachman was the first person of Jewish descent to serve as mayor of Lake City.

The fourth building from the left was H. Epps, built in 1909 using cinder or concrete blocks. Together, these buildings reflect the growing businesses and changing architecture of Lake City during the early twentieth century.

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