| History | One of the stops made by stage coaches, wagons and travelers on horseback was the Old Store's place, Westfield Farm, on the southwest corner of the Sheridan-Mississippi intersection. Because this primitive trail was one of the early routes into present day Lakewood, it gave the intersection of South Sheridan and West Mississippi historical significance. In 1908, Leo Hart and Lena Fischer married and in the early 1920s they bought property on the north side of Morrison Road and South Sheridan Blvd. Hart turned the old root beer stand into a small restaurant and called it Hart's corner. Built in 1924, this vernacular wood frame structure had additions added on until 1950. The bar and restaurant is an irregular plan, 56' long and 48' wide, with a hipped roof. Deciding to cater to the cars as well as the motorists, Hart's installed four gas pumps in front of the eatery around 1926. By 1929 he was earning a comfortable living and bought 90 acres of land which extend south to Louisiana Avenue to build a brick house. He also put up a grocery store across from his restaurant, with eight cabins with garages for the tourist trade. These later were expanded to 16. Hart also had a 1,000 foot deep well drilled which supplied his home and business with pure water. Leo's son, William S. Hart still lives in the immediate vicinity of the Hart enterprise. Leo Hart died in 1939 and Tommy Hart operated the family business until his death in 1978. Hart's Corner Tavern was sold to the Moutsos family. The Moutsos now run the old tavern under the name of "Tommy's Corner." Business continues to be brisk and remains the oldest business in the City of Lakewood. |
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