Merrihew Building 1900

Standing proudly at the northeast corner of Main Street and First West, the historic Merrihew Building at 98 West Main has been a cornerstone of downtown Lehi for well over a century. Few buildings on Main Street can claim such a colorful history, having served generations of residents as a drug store, bank, post office, jewelry store, and community gathering place.

The story begins in the 1890s when the property passed from pioneer Paulinus Allred to local businessman Henry Joyce, and eventually to pharmacist Harry Bert Merrihew. A graduate of Highland Park College of Pharmacy in Des Moines, Iowa, Merrihew arrived in Lehi in 1897 and quickly established himself as one of the town's leading businessmen. Seeking a better location for his growing pharmacy, he purchased the corner lot and constructed the impressive two-story brick building in 1900.

Built with walls four bricks thick, the Merrihew Building was one of the most substantial commercial structures in Lehi. Its upper floor soon became a meeting hall for the Odd Fellows and Modern Woodmen of the World, two popular fraternal organizations that played an important role in community life during the early 1900s.

Downstairs, the Lehi Drug Store became one of the city's most beloved businesses. It featured what many considered the finest soda fountain Lehi had ever seen. Customers gathered around an elegant marble-topped counter beneath an ornate walnut cabinet and arched mirror backdrop. The beautifully carved soda fountain cabinet has survived to this day and is preserved at the Hutchings Museum as a reminder of Lehi's golden age of downtown commerce.

In 1917, Merrihew sold the business to John Franklin Bradshaw and pharmacist Gerald R. Taylor. Just two years later, a trade with the Bank of Lehi transformed the building yet again. The bank moved into the former drug store, and as Lehi continued to grow, a substantial addition was constructed on the north side in 1930 to accommodate expanding operations.

The building entered another chapter in 1954 when local pharmacist Paul Julian converted the former bank into Julian's Walgreen Drug. During an extensive renovation, the main entrance was relocated to the corner where it remains today. In a creative reuse of space, the old bank vault became a prescription area, complete with a large display window cut through the vault wall. The Julian family even transformed the upstairs into living quarters, making the building both home and business.

Over the following decades, the building adapted to the changing needs of the community. It briefly housed the Lehi Post Office, later became Jo's Fashions beauty shop, and eventually found new life under Wes and Geraldine Dalley. Their jewelry, gift, and clock business became a Main Street favorite, while Geraldine's collection of Madame Alexander dolls attracted visitors from across the region.

Recognizing the building's historical significance, the Dalleys successfully secured its listing on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. They then undertook an extensive restoration that preserved many of its historic architectural features while bringing new life to the stately structure.

Today, the Merrihew Building remains one of Lehi's most recognizable historic landmarks. For more than 125 years it has reflected the changing story of Main Street—serving as a pharmacy, soda fountain, bank, post office, jewelry store, and gathering place. Its enduring presence stands as a testament to the entrepreneurs, families, and community organizations that helped shape the history of Lehi.

- LehiCity.org