Fay Land

Fay Elmer Land was born December 20, 1888, in Home City, Kansas. He married Lucy Patee in Wray, Colorado on October 16, 1912. The couple lived in Ellsworth, Kansas, shortly after their marriage. However, they moved to Washington in 1914, where Land opened a clothing cleaning and pressing business in the basement of the city building, called the Model Cleaning Works.

In 1917, Land moved his overcrowded shop to 131 Washington Square, later known as Marshall's Tavern.  His focus slowly switched from cleaning to tailoring and sales.

In 1926, Land moved again to 121 Washington Square, replacing the Lyric Theater with his clothing store.

Land was very active in the community. He served on the executive board of the Methodist Church, was a member of Taylor Lodge, Scottish Rite, and the Mohammed Shrine, and served on the Washington school board.  He passed away on April 30, 1958.  Clarence Zimmerman ran the store after his death until it was sold to Michael L. Gregory.

Fay and Lucy raised four beautiful daughters in Washington, pictured below: Dorothy, Miriam, Harriet, and Carol.