The Tilden Store Company records

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: MS-0073

Staff Only

Scope and Content

This collection (1919-1971, undated) contains correspondence, business evaluations, promotion data, budget records, sales records, store stationary, delivery list, list of accounts past due, original newspaper accounts of the store, blueprints, photographs, and advertisements that ran in the Ames Daily Tribune and Ames Advertiser. Plans of the store's building include blueprints of the original store and remodeling plans from 1961. Included among the photographs of the storefront and merchandise is one of a Tilden billboard advertisement stating "If you don’t find what you want in Des Moines, try Tilden’s."

For additional Tilden Store material, please visit the Ames Historical Society.

Dates

1919-1971, undated

Language of Materials

English

Access Restrictions

Open for research.

Use/Re-use Restrictions

Consult Special Collections and University Archives

Biography/Profile

The Tilden Store Company began as the retail store of Bigelow, Huntington, and Tilden on April 15, 1869 in Ames. George Tilden bought out his partners (D. A. Bigelow and H. C. Huntington) and the firm was dissolved in 1884. George Tilden continued on alone. Primarily a clothing store (the original grocery store was later moved to a different location), it remained in the Tilden family until it went out of business in 1971. Almost as remarkable as being in the same family for over a century, the store remained at the same location on Main Street, at 203 Main Street, for all those years.

Extent

1.42 Linear Feet (in 4 document boxes. )

Additional Description

Items in related collections

MS-0247. Tilden and Brown Family papers, 1837-1996, undated RS 10/7/11. Winifred R. Tilden papers, 1891-2010, undated RS 21/7/151. Farwell Tilden Brown papers, 1873-2010, undated

Processing Information

Released on 2018-11-01.

Subjects

Account books Subject Source: Art & Architecture Thesaurus
Clothing trade--Iowa--Ames Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Correspondence Subject Source: Unspecified ingested source
Financial records Subject Source: Unspecified ingested source
Grocery trade--Iowa--Ames Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Stores, Retail--Iowa--Ames Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings