The history of the crumbling brick building on Walnut Street is intriguing, and 501 Walnut has housed of a wide variety of businesses over the years.  In the earliest days of Washington, however, there was a house on the property;  a solid house with oak timbers and rafters with walnut and pine shingles that were never replaced.  In 1868, Benjamin Frederick and Caroline Stormer were married.  501 Walnut was purchased by Caroline's parents and gifted to the newlyweds where they remained until their deaths;  Benjamin in 1923 and Caroline in 1925.

In 1930, the property was sold to the Washington Service Company, and the old homestead was torn down in June of that year making way for a brand new garage and service station with more space than their location at 120 Walnut Street.  John Scheerer was contracted for the demolition work as well as the construction of the garage.  It was a gutsy move in the middle of a depression.

Hoke took over the garage again in 1932 carrying Phillips 66 gasoline and peddling Chrysler automobiles led by head auto salesman Ray Wistehuff.  The business, known as Hoke Sales & Service, then expanded to include a restaurant and bus depot.

In 1935, the Hokes added a second story to the east side of their building as their living quarters.

J.B. didn't live long enough to see his hard work and investments pay off. In 1943,  J.B. Hoke, 54, passed away in his apartment above the businesses.  By 1945, Henry Essig had purchased the entire property and Essig Chevrolet Company thrived.

Essig Chevrolet grew quickly, and in 1950 Essig moved to the new Essig Chevrolet building on the West side of town which is now the area of Mt. Vernon Plaza on Peoria Street.  A couple of years later,  Ed Essig, owner of  Ed's Sales & Service located at 120 Walnut, needed more room.  He moved his auto dealership from its cramped location to the recently vacated building at 501 Walnut.  It was Ed Essig who constructed the glass display room on the front of the building.

In 1955, the building was converted to an industrial factory by Radio Manufacturing Engineers Inc. (RME), moving from Peoria where they had been in business since 1933.  The business was locally managed by Russell Planck of Washington.  RME also had a similar factory in Eureka, and both would close in 1963.

Trasco Corporation, manufacturers of boring tools, milling cutters, and tool holders, moved into the building in August 1964.

In 1968, Trasco consolidated operation of several factories, including Washington, to its local plant in Ferndale, Michigan, which led to a three-year vacancy at 501 Walnut.  In 1971 a new player arrived in town:

Mary Levery owned an antique shop in Morton for about a decade when she moved the store to Washington at 501 Walnut, called Mary Rachel Antiques.  The store opened July 1, 1971.  The name "Mary Rachel" came from the two women who originally started the business in Morton, Levery and Rachel Pescaglia.

Mary Rachel Antiques' 18-year run at the Walnut Street location is by far the longest tenured business to make a go of it there.  Upon the retirement of the store in early 1989, the property again sat vacant for a time before Production Supplies, a paint supply store, opened in 1992-1993, followed by another multi-year vacancy.  In 1998, A&A Fabric Supply had a two-year stint at 501 Walnut.

Curves Fitness operated from 2000-2004 before moving to Cherry Tree Center from 2005-2013.

With the exception of a small run by a company named 309 Customs in 2006, the property has ceased to be a commercial business site.  In 2023, two exterior walls partially collapsed leading city officials to pursue demolition.

Washington Rewind webpage

Washington Bicentennial webpage

Washington Historical Society webpage