February 21, 1876 The Second American House Fire

Wheeler Bassett, in his reflections on the Village of Interlaken, called this 1876 fire, “the first big fire in the village.”

The Waterloo Observer, Wednesday, February 23, 1876, lists the buildings as Delos Collver barbershop, Holton & Woods blacksmith shop, and the barns of the American Hotel. The “Hotel was saved by the superhuman efforts of the firemen, but the barns were more or less damaged. The loss will exceed $5,000, while the insurance only amounts to $4,000.”

The American House was located at the corner of Railroad Avenue and Main Street, today the location of the Interlaken Historical Society’s Farmers’ Museum.

Wheeler Bassett noted that in the aftermath of the fire, several new buildings were constructed. The Crise block, where the barns were, Collver built a wooden structure on the corner “where Morris Maxon now is.” W.E. Peterson’s store was built by J. K. Torbert and “L. LaTourette [built] the Bennett Bros. Store.” Of these last two W.E. Peterson’s store became the Interlaken Fire Department’s fire house for many years, and was torn down in the late 1980s. Bennett Bros. store became Storath’s, and eventually its current use as apartments.

 

Detail of American House and wooden structures to the left.
Interlaken Historical Society photo #396

This 1870s photo detail shows the American House (with the pillars), and two wooden structures to the north (left of the American House). Railroad Avenue did not exist at this time so the buildings are very close together.

Detail from stereoscopic photo
Interlaken Historical Society photo #535

One side of an 1878 stereoscopic photo shows the American House, the wooden structure mentioned by Bassett as built by Collver, and the Peterson store built by J.K. Torbert. Absent from the photo is the Bennett/Storath building.

Main Street buildings constructed after the 1876 fire
Interlaken Historical Society photo #2356

All three of the “new” buildings are shown. Reading from left to right Bennett Brothers (later Storaths), W.E. Peterson’s Store (later the Fire House), and the wooden structure which itself burned in 1928.

Dewitt’s Diary February 21, 1951 and 1952

Wednesday, February 21, 1951 Temperature 36 most of the day.

Rain all morning. Rain changed to snow this afternoon and foggy.

Water in cellar. Down to 32 tonite.  [Dewitt was in Florida at this time and Leland noted the weather reports in the diary at home.]

Thursday, February 21, 1952

Mostly clear, temperature 30. Some new snow last evening.

A beautiful morning and no wind.

A very heavy snow squall and wind from the north at 11 o’clock.