15 EAST MAIN STREET
Building in 2013
The Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company in 1925 (UCHS, Ralston Collection) Outside the Acme Bookstore, date unknown (UCHS, Richard Clemens Collection)
SYNOPSIS
The Reger building was constructed about 1902 by Robert A. Reger and Margaret (Maggie) Tillotson Janney Reger. The land was originally owned by A.R. Ireland who in his will had it sold to Maggie’s father, Tillotson Janney, since the property adjoined the Janney home. As a child, Maggie grew up here on Main Street, however, as Confederate sympathizers, the family was forced to flee Buckhannon during the Civil War, only returning at the end of the war. Maggie married Dr. Robert A. Reger in 1878. Dr. Reger practiced medicine for many years and was also appointed a trustee of the West Virginia Conference Seminary, now West Virginia Wesleyan College, and as treasurer of the school. R.A. and Maggie Reger lived next door to this building when it was constructed, in Maggie’s childhood home. This is one of the few buildings in the downtown area where the top façade of the building is made of pre-ordered pressed metal, something very popular in the 1800s. It would have been ordered from a catalog and then shipped in crates to be assembled on the top of the building. Shortly before Maggie’s death in 1944, the building was sold to the Lulos family and has since been used for numerous purposes including Duffy Hornbeck’s children’s clothing store, the City Restaurant, a café, and the Acme bookstore.
OWNERS OF RECORD
2012-2013: Nolte-Rylands Ventures Inc.
2008-2012: Foggy Bottom Work LLC
1995-2008: Peter D./Cristi Vason Cornett and Michael C./Jusith Ann Oldaker
1992-1995: French W./Lois K. Armstrong
1954-1992: Joseph Oldaker
1952-1954: Herman E./Mary E. Rogers 1952-1952: Harry/Betty Lulos
1948-1952: George/Rose Lulos
1943-1948: Spiros Lulos
1882-1943: Robert A./Maggie Janney Reger
1876-1882: Tillotson/Mary Elizabeth Janney
-1876: Alexander R. Ireland
For reference to list above, see in Upshur County Courthouse deed book number/page number: 506/61; 477/294; 416/749; 390/32; 369/319; 148/25; 140/494; 140/337; 107/36; K/319
LIST OF BUSINESSES
All dates in italics are spans of time when the business was known to exist in this location. Dates could extend previous to or after stated dates.
Construction of Current Building: 1902
2013: Antique Store
2003: Aesop’s Restaurant (UCHS Businesses)
1965-2003: Acme Bookstore (UCHS Businesses)
1952: City Restaurant (along with Hornbecks) (UCHS Businesses)
1950-1955: Hornbeck Children’s Clothing (UCHS Businesses)
1941-1949: Humphrey’s Quality Pastry (UCHS Businesses)
1925: Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company (photograph)
West
o 1908-1923: The Leader, Fine Millinery (Sanborn Maps, Murmurontis)
o 1904: Dry goods store (Sanborn Maps)
East
o 1904-1923: Office (Sanborn Maps)
Unknown Date: Jo Louise MacAvoy Photography Studio
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL
Maggie T Reger and Robert A Reger (Cutright 555)
o Born Margaret Tillotson Janney in 1859
o Married Dr. Robert A Reger in 1878
o He practiced medicine for many years
o Appointed a trustee of the West Virginia Conference Seminary in place of his father after his father’s death and as treasurer of the school shortly after in 1893
Built in 1902 (deed from #11 E. Main St.)
WORKS CITED
Cutright, William B. The History of Upshur County, West Virginia. Parsons, WV: McClainPrinting Company, 1977 reprint
of 1907 original. Pg. 555
Heavner, J. Lee. Memories of a Barefooted Boy, Buckhannon From the Year 1865 to 1870 and Later. Buckhannon, WV:
Upshur County Historical Society, 1998.
List of Businesses. Business Files, Upshur County Historical Society.
Morgan, French. Recollections of Buckhannon, West Virginia 1888-1958. Buckhannon, WV: Upshur County Historical Society, unpublished.
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map. Buckhannon West Virginia. Pelham, NY: Sanborn Map Company, 1894, 1898, 1904, 1908,
1913, 1923, 1930.
Upshur County Deeds.
Upshur Republican, Industrial Edition. Buckhannon, WV, 1912.
