It’s Photo Friday!  I have a great photo for you today.  It’s a view by Alma photographer, Gus Meier, of four employees of Ditman Grocery in Alma, standing in front of the business, located at 311 Missouri Street.  The men seen here, identified from left to right, include Milford “Jiggs” Terrass, John Ditman, Oliver Diehl, and Milton “Shook” Herrmann.

Four employees of Ditman Grocery, located at 311 Missouri Street in Alma, Kansas, stand in front of the entrance to the business. Seen here, left to right, are Milford “Jiggs” Terass, John Ditman, Oliver Diehl, and Milton “Shook” Herrmann. Photo courtesy Charles Herman.

Notice that this 1930s photo was taken before the front of the building was “modernized” in the 1960s, removing the original windows and front doors.  While “remodeling” of Alma’s historic building was in vogue in the 1960s, in retrospect it is quite unfortunate that the historic character of so many of these buildings was lost to the aluminum framed windows and doors.

Ditman Grocery was located in the north half of the Kinne and Kerans building, seen at the far left in this view from about 1910.

Today’s photo comes to us courtesy a good friend of mine who passed away ten years ago, Charles Herman of Alma.  Charles’ brother, “Shook” is the man seen at the far right in this photo.  Charlie Herman, an accomplished photographer in his own right, also had an impressive collection of historic photographs of his home town, Alma.