Lenhart Plumbing

919 Main Street

Built around 1900, this building was first occupied by Harvey’s Café & Knick Knacks.  The Dallas County Assessor’s Office dates the construction of this building to 1890, but its architectural design suggests a slightly later date. Numerous cafes, candy stores, and ice cream stores occupied the building for its first sixty years. In 1960, Anderson’s café auctioned off the building’s restaurant and ice cream equipment which put an end to the location’s time in the food service business. Since then, the building has been used as a coin-op laundry and dry cleaning, Lenhart plumbing, Imnam Realty, and Luellen Chiropractic Clinic.  It is currently occupied by Chelsis Skin Therapy.

One of the building’s most notable uses was as the headquarters for Adel’s Quasquicentennial Committee in 1972. This committee planned a massive 4-day celebration for the city’s 125th anniversary.

“A big thank you is due to Bob Lenhert. The Quasquicentennial Committee was looking for a headquarters and Bob came forth with the suggestion that he move his material to the back of the building at 919 Main Street and the group could have the front for their headquarters. Source: Dallas County News, December 1, 1971

  • Current Occupant - Chelsis Skin Therapy

  • 919 Main - Towards End of Main Street Block

  • Matches from Haldix Candies with slogan "A Treat to Eat"

    Matches from Haldix Candies

  • Inside of Chesis Skin Therapy

  • Elva and Ivyl Emehiser at Quasquicentennial headquarters

Architectural Survey Research

Narrative Description

This is a 2-story, brick commercial building. The storefront features an asymmetrical arrangement of windows and doors flanked by brick pilasters. Although this storefront projects a completely remodeled look, an original transom may lurk behind cover-up materials. The second floor features a symmetrical arrangement of three windows, which feature 1/1, double-hung sash crowned with brickworked hood molds. A denticulated cornice flanked by the caps of the pilasters surmounts the facade. The pilasters and cornice are now painted white. The Dallas County Assessor's Office dates the construction of this building to 1890, but its architectural design suggests a slightly later date.

Statement of Significance

The building calls attention to the surge of new construction In this block of Main Street during the late 19" and early 20" centuries. (See cover document.) This building_ is National Register eligible under Criterion C. The building calls attention to the influence of Classical Revival styling on its design. Although the pinnacles at the top of the building continue to reflect the influence of the Late Victorian styling, the segmental arches above the second floorwindows and the facade's overall restraint show the influence of Classical Revivalism in Adel.

Historical Uses*

  • Harvey's Cafe and Knick Knacks

  • Haldix Candy Store

  • 1950's Susie's Candy

  • 1950's Bob and Dot's Cafe

  • 1962  Coin-op dry cleaning

  • XX?? - 1960’s: Anderson café. Auctioned off late 1960. Unsure when opened

  • 1970s to XX??: Lenhart Plumbing

  • 2000: Luellen Chiropractic Clinic

  • Kristy Hall Photography

*Site survey research completed in 2004. Supplemented with newspaper research in 2025.