Rogers Pharmacy, Thomison Hospital, and Wilkey Barbershop

Rogers Pharmacy

Near the northwest corner of West Main and Market Streets, Frederick R. Rogers worked at Robinson’s Drug Store during the landmark year of 1925 before establishing Rogers & Pierce Pharmacy at the same intersection in 1926. The pharmacy became a longstanding fixture in the community, later operating as Rogers Pharmacy until its closure in 2004.

Thomison Hospital

Above the pharmacy once stood Thomison Hospital, established in 1930 by Dr. Walter Agnew Thomison and serving the community until its closure in 1960. Though the hospital is long gone, its legacy endures—the original sign remains visible above "Keener Marketing" today. Dr. Walter Agnew Thomison was joined in his practice by his father, Dr. Walter F. Thomison, who notably served as the attending physician to William Jennings Bryan at the time of his death.

Wilkey Barbershop

Wilkey Barber Shop, once a gathering place for key figures of the Scopes Trial—including William Jennings Bryan, Clarence Darrow, and John T. Scopes—stood just west of the pharmacy before being replaced by a parking lot. On May 19, 1925, barbers Thurlow Reed and Virgil Wilkey, at the request of Dayton Progressive Club president Bill Morgan, orchestrated a staged protest fight with George Rappleyea at the courthouse. This theatrical stunt was designed to generate publicity and build anticipation for the trial, reflecting the town’s efforts to turn the event into a spectacle.