Current home of CITY OF SALEM ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES – BLOCK 2
On this site during the Civil War a brick store building was being built and was confiscated by the Union Forces. It was torn down to one level and converted to a Federal Fort during the Civil War. It was under the command of Colonel Moses Whybark. It was visited by General Sherman and General Phil Sheridan. It also had an underground prison. The fort burned and later Louis Hoffmeister built a frame building on this site and it burned. T. J. Lewis built a store on this site and it burned. E. B. And F. W. Smith bought the land and built a wagon shop. They sold it to C. J. Mc Murtrey and M. L. Clark who ran the Salem Roller Mill in it. The Salem Roller Mill was destroyed by fire.
Ken and Olive Mae Preston had a theater built on this site and it opened in 1941 and closed in the early 60s. It was vacant until the late 1980s. The property was purchased by Ozark Rivers Savings and Loan Association . The building was torn down by Apperson Excavating and Bill Jadwin. The Ozark Rivers Savings and Loan had Gromer Construction built a new facility in November of 1987. They eventually transitioned into Progressive Ozark Bank. They occupied this building until 2000. The property was bought by the City of Salem and they moved the city offices to this location from April 2001 to present.
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