Growth was outward and upward

As the square filled, the businesses spread along the spokes . . . Boonville, College, South, St. Louis . . . As there was further growth, the buildings grew taller with the 10-story Woodruff Building built in 1911, the Holland Building in 1913 and the Landers Building in 1915.

As the city grew, businesses relocated to better serve that growth and the downtown area lost some of the hustle and bustle of its earlier days when it boasted, among other things, of 20 hotels with over a thousand rooms.

A concentrated effort to reverse the trend . . . started with the modernization of the square into Park Central Mall in the early 1970's . . . is revitalizing the area and the development of the Landers Building into a state office complex once again should bring more people and businesses to that area where it all started. A strong Downtown Springfield Association has aided in this.