Smith & Gibbs Building

Captain John Smith arrived in Manistee in 1865 and after time spent sailing the Great Lakes and operating his own line of vessels, he invested in commercial properties including the building simply named, The Smith Building. When the building opened in December 1899, the first occupant was the Boston Store, a dry goods store that sold clothing and shoes. As the years passed the building became home to Wellman's 99 Cent Store and in 1929, Montgomery Ward. It was in 1932 that Montgomery Ward constructed the building located directly to the west of The Smith Building. This building was built so that the department store could include an automotive shop to go along with their assortment of offerings for shoppers.