Story of "Cock-Eyed Liz"

As it's name implies, the Palace Manor, still standing on the 400 block of east Main Street in Buena Vista, was once the "palace of joy." It flourished in 1886 when Elizabeth Spurgen purchased it. An accident had caused Elizabeth permanent damage to one eye, hence her nick-name "cock-eyed Liz". She later married Alphonse (Foozy) Enderlin in 1897, and for the next 30 years, gave up the "pleasure" business, and along with her husband, lived a quiet and exemplary life. As the years slowly took her health, "Liz" confessed to her housekeeper,I'll have to pay for the awful things I've done, won't I? I was married when I was thirteen years old to a man old enough to be my father. He put me in a "house" and made me become one of "the girls". I used to run away, but he would always find me and bring me back. He would beat me so badly, that I finally gave up. Years later I became a madam. I couldn't help myself when I was young, but, oh, all the little lives I've destroyed - that's what I'll have to pay for - all those little young lives.

At 72, she died of a heart attack. Two stories remain unconfirmed as to why her funeral was held at home ... one was that funerals of the day often occurred at the home ... the other, that none of the churches in town wished to hold her funeral. Whichever the reason, her funeral was held under the apple trees, cut down in 1995, as we believe she wished!