December 30, 1880 Fire On Main Street

In January 1952 Nelle Bradley prepared a paper for the Historical Society Meeting entitled, So As By Fire, about THE fire on Main Street on December 30, 1880. The entire paper can be readhere.

The entire article is six standard pages long, and therefore I’ve taken paragraphs from that paper and added photographs from the socieity’s collection to show before and after of some of the buildings. What follows are direct quotes from the paper, my notations being the captions to the pictures.

Looking at Main Street from the steeple of the Baptist Church, pre-1880.
Interlaken Historical Society photo #383

The story goes, that on the present site of the Masonic building stood a frame house occupied by Peter R. Shafer, a jeweler.

In the middle of a very cold night, 16 below zero, on the 30th of December 1880, flames were discovered coming from Mr. Shafer’s house. He had emptied hot ashes into a wooden ash barrel.

The village was without fire-fighting equipment with the exception of a small hand pump. Men, women and children carried water and did everything possible for human beings to do to stay the fire’s progress, but it continued on up the street.

The next house to catch fire was that of the Widow Carman and her two daughters, one of whom was a dressmaker. George Mosher’s harness shop burned next and then a small one-story building owned by Enoch Covert and used at that time as a meat market.

There was no stopping the fire’s advance now and it leveled the hardware store of Frank Case, a brother of C. Fred Case. Thad Rappleye’s tin shop was on the second floor of this store.

The general store of James C. Knight was next in line. It was much larger than the other stores and a porch roof, similar to the one at Minor’s hardware store, reached over the stone sidewalk.

James Knight Store, Main Street, pre-1880 fire.
Interlaken Historical Society photo #47

In a corner of this store, Jas. C. Knight & Co., established in 1860, the first banking office in Farmer. The safe he used is purported to be the one now in use in the Interlaken Post Office. [see also December 10th Ira Johnson Funeral Bill.]

On the corner of Main and Lodi Streets (now West Avenue), separated by a few feet from Knight’s store, stood the old Exchange Hotel. This hotel had been built by Jacob S. Rappleye in 1823, early in Farmer’s history.

It had thick brick walls and a balcony along the front and side extended over a flagstone porch. Good pictures of this hotel have been preserved.

Deyo's Hotel, front of James Knight's store on right.
Corner of Main Street at West Ave. pre-1880 fire.
Interlaken Historical Society photo #139.

It was thought that this brick hotel would escape destruction so people from the burning buildings brought things to the hotel for safety. One little panic stricken woman limped in with a bed pillow under each arm and her sister came carrying only a piece of underwear. The story is told of Mr. Knight that he salvaged a large cheese box but when he found it empty of cheese he was so angry he threw it back into the fire.

Wet carpets were spread on the hotel roof, but it was doomed, too, as a barrel of oil in Knight’s store, exploding, blew out the hotel windows and flames sucked in.

Hattie Taylor says that an agent from the city, spending the night there, was slow to be aroused when they shouted, “Fire.” He asked, sleepily, “What ward is it in?” He was told, “If you don't get out it will be your last ward.”

Many things were carried from the hotel to the Baptist Church yard only to fall into the hands of looters. Mr. Trusdell and several others had no insurance. Across from the hotel the residence of C. Q. Bergen (now occupied by Clarence Pell) was not reached by the fire. It was a fairly new house at this time, but let us leave our story for a while to tell of the building that originally stood on that site, facing up Lodi Street. [2017 the U S Post Office is at this location, see January 30, 1961]

But we must return to the Big Fire and we find that the hotel barn, which was also on the east side of the street, has been saved by heroic efforts of Mr. Goodrich, a school teacher, but a bolt of fire from the oil explosion in Knight’s store had shot across the street and ignited the Post office on the present site of Jack Wiggins’ service station.

The name of the Post office had been changed from Farmer to Farmer Village in 1865. It was the first real post office in the village; a little white, one-story building. On one side of a narrow aisle stood a wooden bench and beyond it a small stove. On the other side were the boxes lettered in green. John B. Avery was Postmaster for many years. It was known that D. C. Wheeler subscribed to a daily paper! Some of the mail was burned, but the letters were saved.

The hitching sheds of the hotel, also on the east side of the street, were back of George Murphy’s cobbling shop. These all burned, and then the 1815 store building that Mr. Knight had moved across the street and was occupied on the lower floor by Mon Chandler's pool room. Upstairs, A. W. Porter had a photograph gallery. A paper of 1876 speaks of his “excellent pictures.” Probably there were destroyed some pictures of the early village and its inhabitants, which we should greatly prize today.

Stone and Crise had a meat market next north, above which lived the Auten sisters. Ed Redman’s grocery store is now on that site. That, too, burned and the fire finally was stopped at the frame house now owned by Charles Wiggins, but at that time was the property of C. Q. Bergen, who had a furniture store in the front part, while in the rear was his brother Jacob's undertaking rooms and printing office. Here Jacob Bergen, my great uncle, edited for one year (1867) the Saturday Evening Journal.

C. Q. Bergen building, now bank parking lot.
Interlaken Historical Society photo #21
See also July 9 Snippet

New Year’s Day, 1881, but who on Main Street, looking on those ruins, cried, Happy New Year!

In front of the ruined hotel, still swung in the breeze the sign, Stewart House, W. D. Trusdell, Proprietor. Mrs. Trusdell had rescued all the turkeys that had been prepared for New Year’s dinner, but the contents of the cellar, the winter’s supply of vegetables, cabbages, potatoes, etc., burned and continued to smoke for six weeks.

But in the minds of some villagers, plans were already forming. Mr. Sessions, of Cleveland, Ohio, the father-in-law of Frank Case, was in town, having been called here by the illness of his daughter. Evidently, he was a man of vision and quick action. He learned that the owner of the hotel was Nina Kraft, of Syracuse, and he directed Frank Case to telegraph her immediately to ask for an option on the hotel lot. It was secured and the following day a village lawyer was sent to Mrs. Kraft to close the deal.

On that site, as soon as possible, Frank Case began to erect a brick building for his hardware store. Later, C. Fred Case and H. H. Rappleye conducted the store for a number of years. The present owner is Don Hanford and it is still a hardware store.

Built in early 1881 following the fire of 1880
Interlaken Historical Society photo #12

When this building was being erected, John B. Peterson got the idea of having a store next to Case’s so they arranged for a party wall between the stores and Mr. Peterson continued the block with a grocery and shoe store. That part is now a show room for Hanford's electrical appliances.

James C. Knight continued the brick block, intending it for his general store, but he died that next summer, and C. Q. Bergen moved his furniture store there. It is now the Wickes’ Drug Store, and carved in the stone entrance is the date 1881. The tread of many feet across that threshold had worn down the carving so recently Charles Wickes had the date recut.

The 1881 date was carved in such a way that it can be read as you enter the store or leave.
Photo by the author.

Mr. Knight added a shallower building on the north with the idea of housing the Bank of O. G. and D. C. Wheeler, but they chose the location where now is the theatre, and Knight’s building was later extended beyond its original 40-foot depth to accommodate the tailor shop of Ed and Joe Foote. It is now the Red and White Store.

This block was further extended to become the Covert Saddlery Works, which, at first, was two stories high, but later a third story was added. Starting in a small way on the east side of the street and doing only hand work, Enoch Covert and his brother Jim, enlarged their business and in the new building, the Saddlery Works became a thriving concern. Until the automobile crowded the horse from the road, it had a wide market for its goods, shipping to Nova Scotia, Germany and Australia, and one special order was filled for the Czar of Russia, Charles Teed personally doing the finishing work on it.

Covert Saddlery Block, 1952 Crane feed and display rooms.
photo taken before the wooden structure to the north was built

Originally, the stone sidewalk in front of the whole length of this block was roofed over.

The Carmen women rebuilt next. Theirs was a frame house which since has had several additions and is now the liquor stare.

Carmen family home 1890s, later Wiggins, Emmons and Overslaugh
The Covert Saddlery on left and Masonic Hall on right
Interlaken Historical Society photo #1567

About 1889, a blacksmith shop occupied the lot where the fire had started, but that happily, was replaced in 1893 by the Masonic building, the main floor of which is the H. C. Peterson Dry Goods Store.

Early photo of the Masonic Hall Association building
Meeting rooms on the second floor and retail space on the first floor.
See May 30 Snippet for dedication of the meeting rooms
Interlaken Historical Society photo #2033

On the east side of the street, ideas had been taking form also. Mr. Trusdell had purchased the land where the Post office had stood and where now is the Wiggins’ Service Station. Mr. Trusdell moved back the old hotel barn and built the Robinson House, again naming it according to custom, for a Mr. Robinson.

It was a three-story building with mansard roof and had upper and lower porches along the front. John King was the builder. He also built the Catholic Church.

Hotel Robinson
Interlaken Historical Society photo #720

Then, on a bitter cold, day in February 1939, it, too, burned to the ground, and

Jack Wiggins’ Service Station takes its place.

1941 Wiggins Gas Station
2017 Quik Fill shops
Interlaken Historical Society photo #1505

Meanwhile, masons were at work erecting a building north of the Robinson House, the exterior of this brick block being similar to the one across the street, but a wooden porch ran the length of the building, the porch and stone sidewalk being roofed over.

It is said that it was financed by Sam Stone and John Bainbridge.

In the north half, Sam Stone and Adam Crise continued their meat market. The smaller part of the south half was taken by George Mosher for a harness shop, while to the storage space between these two, A. C. Peterson transferred his dry goods business from his residence on Seneca Street. Later, Mr. Peterson bought this store and the wall between his and the Mosher store, was removed to accommodate Mr. Peterson’s growing business. A central stairway led to living quarters on either side of the second floor and where, for a while, the Petersons lived and where Howard C. Peterson came into the world.

Sam Stone's Meat Market on the left, Peterson's Dry Goods on the right.
1952 Redman's grocery stone, Hurlbut Caskets and Bill Jay Shoe Store
Interlaken Historical Society photo #332

And so, we arrive back at the old Bergen building that has stood for no-one-knows, how long. It was a wagon shop in 1842 and has a number of times barely escaped destruction by fires from the north and from the south and is now owned by Charles Wiggins.

Ca 1900 photo from the steeple of the Baptist Church
Left side, roof lines of the new brick buildings.
Right side, the Robinson Hotel, Peterson and Stone building
Behind the trees the Bergen building. Top the "new" Goodman hotel.
Interlaken Historical Society photo #1189

The public, in general, was, as is often the case, a gainer by the fire, for from its ashes rose a neater village, but let us hope that further improvement in the appearance of the village will come by planned construction or remodeling and not so by fire.

Dewitt’s Diary, Saturday, December 30, 1972

Temperature 32, cloudy, rain predicted.

Worked in the wood after filling the grain bin with wheat for the chickens this morning.

Around the house playing lazy this afternoon.

Warming up to 40 tonight. Snow mostly gone.

Corn picking mostly at a standstill. Too wet and not froze enough. Many ears of my corn moldy inside the ear.

Took Tim out for coon, got one in the east woods at Lantos. Could not get Tim to come in at 11 o’clock so left him out. Got up at 4 and he was barking in the old Miller wood down east, so went down there at 4:30 and shot another.

Snow gone, strong south wind and 52 at 5:30 this morning (Sunday).

December 6, 1926 Interlaken History Club

The Interlaken Historical Society recently received an account/scrapbook for the early years of the Interlaken History Club.

Memberships, officers and yearly programs are included within the pages.

For many years the History Club would have a year-long theme, with each meeting being a part of that theme.

The theme for the 1926-1927 year was “A Tour of the British Isles.”

Cover, 1926-27 Interlaken History Club Program
Interlaken Historical Society Collections

Each meeting was broken into a variety of topics. Roll call featuring a group of people, and then short presentations.

The 1926-1927 year opened with Prof. Wallace Notestein of Cornell University as the speaker. His topic was The Map and the People.

Programs as shown in the 1926-27 Interlaken History Club program

Collections, Interlaken Historical Society

Mrs. A. C. Peterson was in charge of the December 6, 1926 meeting. She was assisted by a number of other people. The program notes that roll call that evening would be British Statesmen. I can only imagine that as each member’s name was called, they would respond with the name of a statesmen. On November 22, the roll call featured British Poets, and on December 20, one needed to quickly know the British Novelists. It would seem that each person present needed to have a different answer.

Following the Roll Call, Mrs. John Porter presented a report on Houses of Parliament and Royal Residences. Mrs. Nellie Blauvelt reported on the London Museums, and Mr. John Porter on The Thames.

The cover for the 1926-1927 program listed the officers for the year: President: Mrs. Enda Travis; Vice President: Mrs. H. C. Peterson; Secretary: Mr. J. B. Docharty; Treasurer: Miss Anna D. Peterson; with program committee Mrs. T. P. Currier Chairman, Mrs. L. Arthur Gould, and Mrs. H. C. Peterson members and Mrs. Travis, ex-officio member.

I did not find an announcement in the paper for the December 6, 1926 meeting, but found one for 1925. “The Interlaken History Club will be held…December 7…by 8:30 the final preparations for the Mediterranean Cruise will have been completed and the anchor weighed. The steamer is expected to make a record passage across the Atlantic, reaching Madeira and Gibraltar the same evening.” [Interlaken Review, December 4, 1925.]

The History Club existed for many years, with the scrapbook dating from 1910 to the 1930s. In 1951, when the Interlaken Historical Society was formed a note in the early minutes stated that funds left from the History Club were given to the Historical Society as a natural successor.

Dewitt’s Diary Monday, December 6, 1926

Drew up a load of coal on the bob sleigh today.

Good sleighing.

Thermometer about zero all day.

November 2, 1944 Flood at the Arno River

 Today is another of the articles published in the Interlaken Historical Society newsletter, June 1992 Volume 18, number 3.

The Mediterranean Theatre from an Evacuation Hospital

Lt. Annette Heaton
38th Evacuation Hospital
From the author's collection

Annette M. Heaton of Detroit, Michigan joined the Army Nurse Corps as a Second Lieutenant on 2 February 1942. After several stateside locations, she returned to Camp Kilmer following a Washington, DC weekend to find her bags packed and ready for deployment overseas. 2nd Lt Annette and four other nurses from the Midwest were assigned to the 38th Evacuation Hospital, where, except for the death of one, they would stay together for the duration of the war.

The 38th Evacuation Hospital was a unit from Charlotte, North Carolina with the nursing staff equally divided between the North and the South. This mixture of personnel would often result in reenactments of the Civil War.

When the ship carrying the 38th Evac arrived at Arzew, Oran on 9 November 1942, they were ordered to wait at sea until completion of military action to reclaim Oran. Once landed, they began operations, and on 11 November 1942 a hospital unit with the American flag flying over the administration tent was opened. Until 2 September 1943 the 38th Evac was moving across the northern coast of Africa, establishing Evac Hospitals at Arzew, St Cloud, El Guerrah, Telergma, Bega and Tunis. It was while in Africa that Annette would have her picture taken with Ernie Pyle, a newspaper picture seen across the US.

Photo and caption from an undated article written by Ernie Pyle in North Africa. Ann kept the original article with her military papers. Now in the author's collection. 

These evacuation tent hospitals were often 10 miles or less behind the front line. Ambulatory patients would arrive by truck transport while stretcher cases were brought in by whatever method was available. The 38th Evac had approximately 250 beds split between medical and surgical units. Annette was a charge nurse on the medical unit, having three or four 30-bed tents to supervise and patients with all types of viral infections, malaria and battle fatigue.

As the front line moved, the Evac Hospital unit would follow.

Ward tents would be taken down as patients were returned to duty or sent to the Station Hospitals. The nurses might find a full ward at the start of their shift along with orders to begin packing up before truck transports awaited them at the day's end.

On 2 August 1943 in recognition of service, Annette received the African campaign ribbon. A month later the 38th Evac left Tunis to begin their train trek back to Oran. The memories of those five days would be of a slow train that seemingly dated to the Civil War, K-rations for food, and Arabs looking in at every town.

They left Oran on 15 September 1943 and arrived at Pasteum, Italy 21 September. Military transport on open waters means one went over the side into a landing craft. Annette learned to do this with the best of them.

In reflecting on the time in Italy, the Battle at Caserta is one Annette remembers well, with the German army on the Hill overlooking the valley where the Americans were stationed. Later at Anzio in April 1944, the medical units and living quarters were sandbagged to shoulder height due to the ongoing battles and the general location of the unit.

For her 33rd birthday at Vairano, Annette received among other things, shoelaces, a bar of soap and an egg. An egg was always treasured, and with the help of the unit dietitian who was among those present, the yolk became mayonnaise, and the “egg white turned the available sugar into a batch of divinity.”

Age set Annette and her four primary companions apart from the rest of the nursing staff. Most were only recent graduates from training and therefore close in age to their patients.

It was in an olive grove outside Rome that the 38th Evac listened on field radios to the reports coming out of Normandy about D-Day.

By word of mouth news traveled of Roosevelt's death. Other hospital locations along the Italian route were Carinola, Massa, St. Luce, Pisa and Montecatini.

All day on 2 November 1944 trouble was brewing for the 38th Evac, and work was underway to prepare for an anticipated flood of the Arno River. Patients were given early discharge to their units, medical supplies were being moved out, and personal gear put up on boxes with the hope that the water wouldn't get that high. Annette received a citation following the flood for leadership in evacuating her patients in time of peril.

The citation Annette received following the flood tells much of the story of that event.

Headquarters, Fifth Army Commendation

Medal received with her
commendation.
Author's collection.

To all whom it may concern

Annette M. Heaton

is hereby commanded for outstanding performance of duty Annette M. Heaton, N30622, First Lieutenant, Army Nurse Corps, United States Army. On the night of 2-3 November 1944, when a hospital area was flooded by an overflowing river, First Lieutenant Heaton, as supervisor of the Medical Section, assisted in the direction of the safe evacuation of all her patients, many of whom were litter cases, and directed the recovery of necessary medical equipment so that treatment could be continued. Her selfless performance in the face of an emergency reflects great credit upon herself and the military service. Entered military service from Detroit, Michigan.

Signed L. K. Truscott, Jr. Lieutenant General, U.S. Army, Commanding.

Seniority has its privileges and Annette had a US furlough for the 1944 holidays, returning in March 1945. The last duty stations for the 38th Evac would be Marzabotto, Fidenza, and Salsomaggiore, Italy. Even when a building might have been available, the 38th Evac would set up their tent city, knowing that great numbers of bed bugs would inhabit the building. The one time they did try using a building, they were in and out before the equipment was even settled.

With the end of the European war, concern still existed for transfer to the Pacific front. Finally, on 3 July 1945, the duties of the 38th Evac were completed and they could look forward to the return home in September. On 16 December, Annette received her final promotion to Captain. When Capt. Annette M. Heaton signed her separation qualification record at Fort Dix on 17 December 1945, the list of decorations included the European Theatre Ribbon with six battle stars, a Meritorious Service Plaque, and the 5th Army Citation.

Following her return to civilian life, Annette married Franklin Bassette and moved to Interlaken, N.Y. where she continued her nursing career. Here they raised three daughters and continued to be active with their grandchildren and civic affairs.

Dewitt’s Diary November 2, 1941, 1943, 1944

Sunday, November 2, 1941

Pete and I tried the hunting. Pete shot one partridge. Helped him put his boat in and brought up his electric saw.

Mild and cloudy.

Tuesday, November 2, 1943

Election day. I began shingling again this morning but soon rained me off.

Edna went to the Burg [Trumansburg] and got 100 feet eave trough for barn.

I took Spotty down to lower woods. Got a 15 pound coon in no time.

Lorraine W. was in a minute.

We voted.

Thursday, November 2, 1944

Southwest wind and very mild. Clear, temperature 60 to 70 most of the day.

Very dry weather lately. Went to town.

September 23, 2017 Awards of Merit Received

Occasionally, there isn’t a specific date for an item to be shared as a snippet. Today is one of those items.

New York’s museums and heritage organizations are many and diverse. These institutions collect and interpret art, history, natural history, science, technology and culture. These valuable organizations provide opportunities for inquiry, engagement, inspiration and education about the state’s cultural and natural heritage.

The Awards of Merit program acknowledges outstanding programs and individuals who have made the state's museum community richer and more relevant. They reward the innovative efforts of staff and volunteers and they provide encouragement for the development of new and remarkable projects. [Museum Association of NY website]

The Interlaken Historical Society and its volunteers have been recognized three times through the Award of Merit program. One of the interesting aspects revolves around the awarding organization. In 1989 the first Award of Merit was presented by the Regional Conference of Historical Societies; in 2007 the second was from the Upstate History Alliance, and the most recent Award of Merit, presented earlier this year, was from the Museum Association of New York. Over the years that organization has evolved and changed but has remained true to assisting and encouraging historical societies.

The Fall 2007 Between the Lakes newsletter had a short item noting the receipt of an Honorable Mention certificate for the Covert Historic Tour of 2006. [August 6, 2006 Snippet]

The article included a note that “This is the second time our Society has been honored…the first time the Covert Family book by Fischer, Patterson and Covert won an Award of Merit.”

The June 1989 historical society newsletter had a lengthy article [Vol 15 #3]

Under the headline, “R.C.H.A. AWARDS OF MERIT ANNOUNCED”

“The RCHA’s Awards of Merit program recognizes excellent achievement by institutions and individuals in local history. Of particular interest are projects that can serve as models to other institutions and encourage the development of activities of similar excellence.” These criteria are still in use today.

At the Annual [1989] Meeting in Elmira, five Awards of Merit were announced, four historical societies, and one individual. Interlaken’s Maurice (Pat) Patterson received an Individual Achievement Award.

Mr. Patterson has been active in the historical agency community of central New York for more than forty years. He has worked tirelessly as a volunteer and trustee for his own and other local historical societies 'and has served on the RCHA Board of Trustees. Most importantly he has, in the last fifteen years, made the Interlaken Historical Society a model of what a small, all volunteer historical society should be. With an annual operating budget of less than $1500, Pat has trained a team of loyal volunteers who have cataloged and indexed the Society’s collection of about 2,000 artifacts and housed all items in archival-quality materials.

In continuing the newsletter article, Pat noted, “The Award of Merit was really the result of the work of many volunteers over the past 38 years, beginning with the Interlaken History Society’s charter members who met at Dorothy Wickes' home in 1951.” After a list of the many people involved over the years, Pat summed his thoughts with, “The Award of Merit should go to all the trustees and volunteers who have served for the past 38 years.” [click here to see the full article.]

Those same words of thanks to all involved applies to the 2017 Award of Merit received for the Covert Memories 1950-2015 volume.

Slide from MANY power point program, "2017 Awards of Merit"
Provided by the Museum Association of New York 

Award of Merit received by the Interlaken Historical Society, April 2017.

The Historical Society submitted all the required paperwork in March, and we were delighted to receive a telephone call telling us that we had been given an Award of Merit in the Engaging Communities category. It is rewarding for all concerned to receive this recognition from the Museum Association of New York.

If you haven’t had a chance to read Covert Memories, copies are available from the Interlaken Historical Society and the Interlaken Public Library.

The 2018 Award of Merit application materials are scheduled to be released this month, and the Historical Society will again review the options for applying based on the three programs related to the Town of Covert Bicentennial.

Dewitt’s Diary, Monday, September 23, 1968

Temperature 62, clear.

Did some work under the barn. Cut some new posts for under the barn.

Mom washed.

Clouding up the afternoon. Continuing clear weather. This is eleven days of clear days.

Picked half bushel of tomatoes from behind the barn. They are badly cracked open but good size.

We cut the heads from the sunflowers to keep the birds from eating them all up before winter. 

September 15, 1916 Minor’s Hardware Porch Damaged

Some buildings seem to be destined for close calls. Originally built in the 1820s, the building at the corner of Main and Cayuga Street, most often called the Minor Hardware building, is one of those buildings.

 

Print from an Arch Chadwick Glass Plate negative
Interlaken Historical Society photograph collection #1264
The upper left corner is broken from the original glass plate.

Street work was being done in the village in the fall of 1916. According to the September 15, 1916 Interlaken Review, a close call ensued. “In rounding the corner of Main and Cayuga streets on Wednesday one of the engines used in hauling stone got beyond control and started for Minor’s store. It tore away the corner posts and was against the steps before it stopped.”

The reaction of the neighbors is interesting, “People on Cayuga street wish it had made a clean sweep of the steps on the south side. They are in the highway and a 4-ft. walk should take their place.”

Fast forward to a Friday evening in June 1968. The Interlaken Firemen’s Carnival parade was just finished and traffic was trying to get back to normal. In the April 2005 Interlaken Historical Society newsletter Catherine “Kitty” Ritter wrote an article about that evening and the history of the building.

H. P. Minor Hardware circa 1962
Interlaken Historical Society photo collection #479

In her article, “A Few Memories of the H.P. Minor Hardware Store” she quotes from the Interlaken Review dated July 1, 1968, “When the Roof came down.” 

The “Red Hardware with the old fashion porch,” that's what strangers called the Minor Hardware building, later Cronk's Hardware and presently Howard Thompson's School Band Instrument Service. But they will have to find another ‘nom de plume’ in the future because the porch is gone.

Last Friday evening, immediately after the parade, a huge Mayflower moving van, re-routed up Cayuga Street because of the parade, cut too short and hit the overhang on the roof, damaging it beyond repair. The impact tore the roof loose, moving it nearly three feet and broke four windows in the front of the building. Luckily, the roof stayed up, as 15-20 people, who had watched the parade from its shelter, were still beneath it.

Sheriff's men, who were directing traffic here at the time, investigated and reported that the north tum was difficult because of the excessive amount of south-bound traffic.

Mr. Thompson reported that the post that supported the roof had been hit before and had been reinforced, but because of the hazard created by Friday's accident, the roof was removed.

Kitty concluded her story:

I do have a memory of being under the roof at a parade when a tracker trailer took the posts down. I was running with a small child (baby) and many other people. I had walked up to watch the parade with Virginia Crumb, her daughter, and Sharon Eva. There were a lot of children under that roof. Virginia told me Sharon fell and skinned her knee. I've heard from a friend that has called Sharon in Ohio that I was running with her baby, but I didn't remember whose child I had. Just a footnote in history!

The building is another landmark in many old photographs. Arch Chadwick’s glass-plate photograph is one often used.

As part of her article Kitty added a few comments from Webb Rankin about the facets of the building. “Webb Rankin pointed out to me the iron rings in the posts for tying horses & wagons while patrons were in the store. You could see in the picture how the restless horses chewed and rubbed the posts in many places.”

She concluded with a note, “the huge flat stepping stone at the side of the store for descending from your horse or wagon. Oh, for the good old days.”

Clickhere to read more of the history as shared in Kitty’s article.

Dewitt’s Diary, Thursday, September 15, 1966

Temperature 60 degrees.

Edna and I got up at 3 o’clock and took off with Art Horton for Florida. Lula Auten went with us.

We are in a motel in Rowland North Carolina tonight. Over 700 miles. (725 to be correct.)

Heavy rain early this morning and later in the south.

Had a good motel, went to bed early. My eyes very tired. Just a good day to ride.

Cloudy most of the way.

Dewitt would record their Florida trip concluding on Thursday, September 22, when they returned home.