120 S Court St.

120 S. Court- This building was built in 1879 by Dr. J.L. Taylor, pioneer of the whole sale drug business in Ottumwa. Taylor came to Ottumwa in 1851 to practice medicine. He continued his practice several years and then in 1858, opened a wholesale drug company which he opened until his death in 1881. The company was taken over by Blake Bruce & Company, which subsequently sold its interest in 1888 to the organization of J.W. Edgerly & Co.

Excerpt From “Ottumwa” a publication in 1890-"Taylor and Company, Druggists, Dealers in Books, Stationary, Paint, Oils, Wall Paper, Curtains, Imported and Domestic Cigars, Wholesale and Retail. The stock of goods carried by this firm is one of the largest, finest and most complete of any in Iowa or the West. Occupying their own building, they have no rent to pay, and are thus enabled to undersell all competitors. A number of physicians have their offices on the upper floors of their building and others nearby, which, together with the central location of the store, gives them the largest prescription trade in the city. Their drugs and chemicals are always fresh and warranted full strength. Their line of books, wall paper, etc., is the finest in the city, while their stock of imported and domestic cigars cannot be duplicated outside of Chicago. The present members of the firm are – Charles Oliver Taylor, W. D. Elliot, and G A. Warden, Mr. Taylor being the son of the original founder of the business."

C. O. Taylor’s, son James Charles would later own the building and ran the Truefit Shoe Company on the main level. His son James “Jim” Taylor Would open his advertising agency here in 1947. He would own the building up to the early 2000.

Chris and Tricia Smith bought the Owls nest in 2013. The building then came up for sale the same year, so to protect the business they bought the building. They have been upgrading the building since. The biggest change came with the new façade work done in the last Main Street Façade program when all 31 second and third floor windows were replaced and the repainting of the building highlighted some great architectural details, and the original drug store signs were uncovered. Their plans are to continue the improvements with the goal of upper story housing as an option.