Your decorating needs could be met in any number of places in Bloomington one hundred years ago, but Rogers Wallpaper at 311 North Main was an elegant store with a spacious display room.
The president and manager of Rogers Wallpaper was Reginald C. Rogers. His home was directly over the store. He was brought to Bloomington from Pennsylvania by his parents in 1854 and lived the rest of his life in Bloomington. His father was one of the original C & A Shops blacksmiths and had immigrated to the United States from Wales with his wife. On January 20, 1891 William Rogers died of injuries received when an engine tire fell on him at the shop.
Reginald never married until the age of 44, when he married Florine Sackett in DeWitt County. She died six years later without having any children. Reginald continued to care for his mother and live with her at the family home at 812 W. Mulberry.
Reginald worked as a bookseller and stationer for many years -- first for the company that would become W.B. Read and then for Maxwell. At that time, stationers would sell wallpaper as well as books and stationery. He bought out the Maxwell wall paper and stationery business when they moved to Chicago in the 1890s. After the fire of 1900, he moved the store to 311 N. Main (as well as his residence.) At that location he had many employees, including traveling decorators. Lavish and color saturated wallpapers like the ones below were popular one hundred years ago.
In 1919 Rogers retired from business and his three partners took over the business. In 1921 and 1924 Reginald Rogers took two extensive tours through the Mediterranean. He died in 1924 at the age of 75. His business continued through the Great Depression and the second World War, but ended before 1949.