About Late Bloomer - Shop History

Late Bloomer on Main makes it’s home at 318 West Main Street in a house built in 1858 by dry goods merchant William L. Haydon. Known as “the Shelbyville Tara” the house features a southern plantation floor plan sitting on three lots with eleven rooms and seven fireplaces. In addition to Mr. Haydon, other owners of the home included Judge Anthony Thornton, Thomas Graybill, Ervin Homrighouse, Harvey Churchill, and in 1930 was purchased by Dr. W.C. Turner.

Dr. Turner and his wife made several changes in the home, including the removal of the front porch, using part of it as an addition to the west side of the house. They also added two bathrooms, built a brick garage, and in later years, converted the front sitting room into a doctor’s office.

In 1972, the home was purchased by the Connors family. In addition to renovating, they took a keen interest in learning more about the home’s history.

The home was transformed into commercial space some 25 years ago and served as a banking institution until the purchase of the property for “Late Bloomer on Main”, in the spring of 2006. In the fall of that year a new building was erected directly behind the historical home, for the fresh flower business that started in March of 2007. Customer parking is convienently located west of the “red carriage” doors. The large display cooler of fresh flowers with arrangements for that quick purchase will be found there. Also any help that you might need in making your plans for parties, weddings, and sympathy tributes.

Throughout the numerous renovation projects, care has been given to retaining the unique details of the home. When entering through the front door, notice the etched frosted glass panels framing the door. A rising sun motif above plus etched flower baskets and birds adorn the glass entrance.

Once inside, attention is drawn to the artistic detailed given to the crown area of the ceiling entry and around the hall ceiling. Craftsmen from St. Louis were hired to create the ornamental edging by dipping heavy bonded paper into a starch solution and crating patterns with the treated paper adhered to the wall and ceiling. The unusual edging gives the hall a kind of Renaissance mood, usually reserved for theaters.

The door and window casings are made of hard pine and were given a varnish base coat and a second coat applied with feathers, corks or other tools to create a grained effect. The casing are narrower at the top and flare out to the floor giving the wide frames an Egyptian or Oriental look.

One of the original fireplaces exists in the rear parlor and its mantel was replaced around the turn-of-the-century by Ervin Homrighous, who made the present carved mantel with bevelled mirrors. Other evidence of Homrighous’s work is the preesnt main staircase railing and the massive carved newell post on the first floor. Another interesting feature is the sitting room fireplace which is faced with green majolica tiles. Throughout the house are bits of the antebellum years. Ceilings are twelve feet high downstairs and ten and one half feet upstairs. Above doorways and on various edgings are dental moldings, featuring carved, wooden “teeth”.

Upstairs in the main hall is a small open stairway going up to the third level, now used for storage. The 11-room, triple brick house has seen much history including two Main Street Schools, two Methodist Churches, and everything from horses to modern day vehicles going down Main Street.

Late Bloomer on Main hopes to continue the proud history of “the Shelbyville Tara” for many years to come. We hope that you will stop by often we are planning many changes with the store and the grounds! (Please note: Much of the information contained in this history was originally written by Tammy McElroy and appeared in the Daily Union in 1977.)