D & M Sound, Corner of Eighth and Locust

D & M Sound, Corner of Eighth and Locust

Stephen Bybee
Columbia, MO
2011

Tracing the available Columbia Sanborn Fire Insurance maps back to 1902, 1908, 1914 and 1925, the southwest corner of Eighth and Locust was a wood frame dwelling until at least 1914.  This means the beautiful brick building that houses D & M Sound and occupies this corner with grace and charm was built sometime after 1914.  By the time we get to the Sanborn map issued in 1925, this corner of Eighth was occupied by a two-story brick creamery, and immediately to the south was a one-story brick bottling works.  Across the alley and south of the bottling works was the stately, three-story presence of the Columbia YMCA building, on the corner of Eighth and Elm.  This photograph of the north wall of the D & M Sound building was taken in 2011.  The recent snowfall had lightly dusted the branches of the tree next to the building, imparting the illusion that the musical notes were hanging from the tree.  I’m not sure who had the idea of hanging three, neon musical notes in these three square windows along Locust Street, but it was a brilliant idea, and I look for them each time I walk downtown Columbia at night.