Huber Building a.k.a. Blair State Bank.

From the Newspaper 5/6/1968

The Huber Building at Sixteenth and Washington streets has taken on a new appearance this week following a sandblasting of the brick. The structure, built in 1881 is constructed of a cream-colored brick which had darkened and streaked over the years. The sandblasting removed the stains and restored the original appearance. Following the sanding of the bricks, the window and door frames will be trimmed in a compatible color.

Mr. Huber has done considerable to restore the building since he purchased it several years ago. A new, modern glass and aluminum entrance was an improvement a year ago. In the past few weeks, considerable work has been done on the interior in remodeling of offices and lighting.

The building, now 87 years old, has a long and interesting history. To begin with, the construction of the building was a gamble - - which the original owners won! Blair's first business lots were actually laid out north of the railroad tracks on Sixteenth street in the vicinity of Lacy's Cafe. But there were early indications that the business district would be built south of the tracks. So, to be in a position to cash in on either location, the builders of the Huber Building bought the lots and turned their building to the west instead of the south. On the city plats, the Huber Building, the Arndt Hardware and others in the area are on pieces of lots; all of which face south.

The gamble paid off when Blair's main street actually developed on Washington street instead of State street.

The building was originally built to house the First National Bank. Entrance was from the corner on an elevated steel platform with the steps to the first floor on the outside. This made it possible to enter the basement from the outside also.

The First National Bank later became the Blair State Bank and then the State Bank.

In the basement was a barber shop operated by the late Fred Nemetz, father of Blair's Dewey Nemetz and Mrs. Max Bain. In the rear of the basement was the printing plant of The Enterprise. That was at the time Blair had four newspapers ---- all coming out on Thursday.

Upstairs there were offices. The late Wm: Maher was associated with Reed O'Hanlon in a law practice there. Later, Maher operated the office alone. The late W. F. Hemphill maintained a dental office upstairs, for many years. C. J. Schmidt's insurance and real estate office was a permanent fixture. In more recent years the building: has, provided space for several beauty shops, for the offices Dr. W. P. Goehring and many others. Entrance to the upstairs was gained, for many years by an outside stairway which entered the building on the south side.

There was also an outside platform and steps at the rear of the building to the main floor office which was the business offices of The Enterprise.

The building's present owner attorney Walter G. Huber, purchased the building several years ago from the Ed Mathiesen estate. For many years, immediately before Mr. Huber's, use of the building for law offices, it housed the Blair Building & Loan.