The GUNNELS Building

902-904 Main

E. 70’ of Lot 1, 2, 3 & 4 Block 52, Original Town

This corner was the office location of Wm. Walker Implement Co. from 1910 to 1935.  The building, which had occupied the site, was moved temporarily to the rear of the lots and was later moved away or torn down.  In October 1935, Roulier & Son had an auction to sell fixtures, automobiles, tractors, trucks, office equipment, drills, etc. from the Wm. Walker Implement Co.

The new Sinclair Service station at 902 Main was completed in 1935.  As soon as the service station was completed, they started to erect the building at 904 Main.  The brick structure was two stories high with a modern front.  The 25’X40’ building was occupied by the Roulier Implement Co. as an office and display room.  Joe Gunnels of Colby built the buildings, and Jens Jensen was the contractor for the buildings.

Charles Gard, an attendant at the south Conoco service station for many years, was in charge of the new firm.  Lee Combs assisted him.  The new station handled tires, batteries, and all Sinclair products, including gasoline, oils, and greases.  There were washing and greasing rooms so the cars could be given expert attention in all kinds of weather. 

Harvey Babcock returned home from the Navy on March 2, 1945.  Three days later, he took over the Sinclair Service Station at 9th & Main and changed the name to Babcock Sinclair.  Harvey retired April 1, 1971 after operating the station for 26 years.  He sold the station to Albert Fenner whom had started working for Harvey in 1947.  Albert changed the name to Fenners APCO Service.  He operated the station until it was closed in 1994.  It was torn down in 2001 and made into a parking lot.

J.C. Sadewhite remodeled the building at 904 Main in 1947.  J.C. moved back to Goodland, one door north of Harley Atkinson’s office, from Burlington, CO where he had been associated with the Sim Hudson Motor Co.  J.C. had been appointed representative dealer for the Kaiser and Frazer Motor Corp. of Detroit, MI.  The building had been built in an L shape, and the remodeling made the building one of the newest and most modern in this part of the country.  The building faced two streets, and it afforded ample show room and work room.

The Main Street section housed the display room, the office, and a section of the workrooms.  Three apartments were in the second story of the building, and each apartment had a living room, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and breakfast nook.

The body shop was in the west part of the building.  George Conley was added to the force to take care of the under sealing, polishing, and waxing of the automobiles.  They handled Kaiser and Frazer automobiles, and they later added Willis Jeeps.  They had the regular Jeep, station wagon, truck, and universal Jeep.  They also handled the parts for the different lines of cars, trucks, and Jeeps.

Also in 1947, J.C. purchased the Ford automobile and truck agency for Sherman County from Davis Motor Co. Davis Motor Co., which had handled the Ford automobile, truck, and tractor agency for several years, continued with the tractor line only.  J.C. had been the dealer for Quonset buildings, but he stopped selling Quonset buildings and gave up the Jeep franchise when he took over the Ford dealership.

Ernie Schmidt became a partner in the firm in 1952.  Ernie had been working for several years at the Handy Chevrolet Co. and also had been an automobile salesman for GMAC for a number of years.  The new 1956 Ford went on display at the Sadewhite Motor Co. on Friday, September 23, 1956.  It featured the new Thunderbird styling with Lifeguard Design to prevent or reduce the severity of injuries resulting from automobile accidents.  Ernie Schmidt purchased the company in 1957 and renamed it Ernie Schmidt Ford Sales.  It remained at this location until 1971 when it was moved to Highway 24.

In 1948, Clarence and Clara Scheopner started Culligan Soft Water Service in Goodland, and it was located at 702 E. 9th.  Clarence announced in April 1953 that he had expanded their soft water service with the purchase of the Culligan franchise in St. Francis from Caldwell Gas & Electric.  Clarence purchased another route truck so they could regularly serve the people of that area.  Culligan products were well received, and it is boasted that over a million people every day enjoy soft water service “the Culligan Way”.  “We have received many compliments on our service,” stated Clarence, “and are very grateful for the encouragement that has been given us since our inauguration of the service in Goodland.”

In 1973, they purchased the building at 904 Main and moved the business to that location.  It had been vacant for two years.  In 1975, the name of the business was changed to Scheopner’s Water Conditioning, Inc.  The Scheopner family celebrated 30 years in the water conditioning business on November 9, 1979.  Diane Scheopner operated The Balloon Shop within the Culligan building from 1984 to 1998.  Clarence retired in 1990, but the business is still in the family as Clarence’s son Richard Scheopner and his wife Diane took over ownership and management of the business. Scheopner’s Water Conditioning hit the fifty-four year mark in year 2002.