About

Family owned since 1945, Jeff and Kate Lasley, both grew up in Carthage and returned to their hometown after living away for 20 years. They purchased the building from her father, Bill Putnam in 2022.

The abstract for this property indicates the lots (77 & 78) were platted as part of the Town of Carthage plat approved by the Jasper County Court on June 30, 1842. The United States conveyed the land for the town to Jasper County in 1848, and these lots were first sold in 1851 and 1854.

Early Sanborn maps of block #21 in Carthage show that this location was largely vacant in 1884, but by 1888 was the home of J. A. Fry and Co. Lumber Yard. In 1893 it had changed to W. A. Wheatley Lumber Yard, and the maps of 1897 and 1902 show a Wagon and Feed Yard here. The 1909 map shows a garage building at the Southwest corner of the property at 4th and Maple Streets.

The present two-story brick building was originally constructed in 1919 as a shoe factory, largely due to the efforts of William Kaut. The Business Men’s League of Carthage undertook a fund raising subscription drive to provide $20,000 toward the cost of construction, on the promise of $600,000 in wages for future employees.

The abstract reveals that title to the property was acquired by Howard-Hulme-Dittrich Shoe Company on March 21, 1919. Apparently the original company was not successful, as title passed to Goodhealth Shoe Company on November 7, 1921. Carthage native Marlin Perkins of Wild Kingdom fame was a minor shareholder in Goodhealth for a time. By July 1923 the building had been leased to Juvenile Shoe Corporation, and in June 1926 it was leased to Big Smith Work Clothes, who occupied the building until September 1931. Other tenants included United Wood Heel Company, Carmo Shoe Manufacturing Company, who were here until 1940 or 1941, and H. E. Williams Company. In February 1944, the building was leased to Fred M. Sears’s Carthage Furniture Manufacturing Company.

On March 8, 1945, Henry Putnam, Jr., acquired the building for $12,000 and title was transferred to: Elizabeth O’Keefe Phelps ½, Josephine Phelps Putnam 1/6, John A. Putnam 1/6, and William C. Putnam 1/6. When the Missouri National Guard reorganized after World War II (in 1948), the Armory occupied the building until June 25, 1955.

On July 5, 1955, Elizabeth Phelps and her husband George E. Phelps, sold an undivided 1/4 interest to Frank N. Jones, Jr. At that time the building was completely remodeled into an office building, with sheetrock and paneled partition walls added throughout the building. It was renamed The Professional Building, and began housing offices of business and professional tenants.

Original tenants were Lumber Specialty Company (later known as Tapjac Company, Inc.), operated by William C. Putnam, and Broadview Lumber Company and Putnam and Jones, owned by the Putnams and the Joneses, and operated by F. N. Jones, Jr., which shared the second floor.

Downstairs housed the offices of Campbell and Richardson, CPAs, Frank H. Birsner, MD, Jasper County Farm Bureau and Farm Bureau Ins. Co., Walter P. Schlecht (Northwestern Mutual Life Ins.), and Jules B. Van Urk, MD. George E. Phelps, Attorney-at-Law, established his office in the building shortly thereafter.

In 1961, William C. Putnam began acquiring the interests of the other owners, and he became sole owner on May 15, 1973.

In 1974, all windows were replaced with aluminum framed, insulated glass windows, and about that same time, extensive remodeling was done to the hallways, and public bathrooms.

On January 1, 1981, William C. Putnam, Jr., purchased the building from his father and owned the building with his wife, Cindy, until selling to their daughter Kate and her husband Jeff on 12/29/2021, making them the longest owners of this storied building.

A new roof was put on about 1984 and 2004, and again in 2018 after a major hailstorm.

Exterior masonry repairs have been done regularly, and the exterior was painted in 1999, and last in 2011. Tuckpointing was done last in 2020.

Interior painting was done to downstairs halls and all restrooms in 2019, and new flooring and stools were replaced in down ladies room in 2020.

Old cast iron sewer pipes have been replaced over the years, the last being those in the “basement” in 2017.

Fiber optic internet service was installed by CW&EP in 2016.

The original Kansas City Elevator Co. freight elevator, believed to have been installed when the building was built, worked well until 2017, when it “gave up the ghost”. Harry Greninger got it going again by rebuilding the motor in 2018. Last maintenance was done by Country Home Elevator.

First floor suites have been remodeled several times in recent years, with the most recent in 2016.

The five air-conditioning and heating zones have been replaced with new energy efficient systems, the last being the downstairs east unit in 2021. REME Halo infrared air cleaning equipment was add to all units in 2020.

Several upstairs offices were converted to a Putnam family and business history museum in 2005.

At the onset of 2022, the premise changed ownership but continued to stay in the family when William C. Putnam Jr. sold the property to his daughter and her husband Mr. and Mrs. Jeffery T. Lasley. Upon taking ownership of the property Jeff and Kate modernized the interior of the building and established a social media presence along with a website to offer the space to professionals in the Carthage area.