Dentist Office

1936
Dr. James and Leona Titterington bought the old hotel in 1936. Dr. Titterington was a dentist. He partitioned a back bedroom on the southeast side and put his office in the outer section. He replaced the small windows with two large ones on the back wall and three larger windows on the south wall to furnish more light for his dental procedures. The inner small room was used for preparation. That inner room, behind the door at the back of the office, is now storage for the museum. A small wood/coal stove sits near the back wall.
Dental equipment has not changed radically since the 1930s and is readily recognized for what it is. The chair and drill here are the foremost necessary equipment. The white cabinet holds a variety of dental tools and reference teeth sets. Dr. Titterington also had his office upstairs for a short time.

Dr. Titterington was a Lieutenant in the First World War, serving overseas from from June 29, 1918, until June 14,1919. He is pictured at left in Belgium. Dr. Titterington was not interested in operating a hotel when he bought it in 1936. He leased the building to Gus and Elma Vandergriff, whose wife and children took care of the hotel business. Dr. Titterington rented two rooms, one for his dental practice and one upstairs for his living quarters, later building a house and several native stone cabins on the back portion of the property. When his wife became ill with cancer, he sold the building.

Dr. Titterington was a member of the Knights of Pythias, a fraternal organization with a castle (meeting place) in nearby Rolla. Upon induction, a member was presented with a ceremonial sword. Dr. Titterington's is pictured at right. It is mounted on the wall behind the chair. At far right is a picture of Knights in their ceremonial regalia. Dr. Titterington is not among them.

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