From Jim Stalker
Creston
As a relatively new student of history, I’m amazed everyday as I learn more about the history of Creston, the location of the various businesses, long past. For instance, my wife Sandy is recovering from hip surgery in our apartment, that coincidentally, operated as a recovery room, over a hundred years ago.
According to the Ide History of Union County, Dr J.W. Coakley, M.D., moved to Creston in 1904, with office at 317 N. Maple. He and his two sons, later owned and operated a hospital called “Coakley’s Public Hospital. ” J.W. was a man of broad scientific attainments. Prior to their hospital, they operated in their office at the present location of Carter Insurance Agency, and took their patients to the second floor via ramps that continue today. In the 1920s, Charles and Roy Emerson, operated a funeral home at the present location of The Bookstore, next to the Coakley doctor’s office.
One would have to wonder whether the Coakleys also owned a portion of the funeral home, whether there was a conflict of interest involved, and whether you really needed that operation or treatment. I have not been able to find out if both businesses were operating during the same time period, but that is the challenge and excitement of following these histories.
In the present day, as owners of The Bookstore, we discovered what we originally thought was a hidden 4-foot space between Carter’s and The Bookstore. There was a door that had no key to open it. Dennis said he’d not opened it and I had no clue. The only person who could answer and solve the mystery, was Al Zarifis and he wasn’t talking. I doubt that he had ever opened it either. I started to call it the Jimmy Hoffa door. Nobody ever found him and there was that missing 4 feet between our buildings. With a funeral home on one side and its workroom in the basement, no telling what would be buried in that space between.
In the end, we opened the Jimmy Hoffa door, only to find another section of ramp that had long ago opened into the office and operating room of the old doctor. The opening had long ago been partitioned off and out of sight. So much for Jimmy Hoffa.