Photograph of the damage to the business district, seen northeast across the railroad to the Congregational Church, caused by the 1889 fire. In 1891 another fire destroyed the center of the block to the north.
Photograph of damage to the business district caused by the fire of 1889. The view is northeast across the railroad to the Congregational Church; Central Park is on the right. As a result of the fire, the City Council set up a fire zone and forbade the use of wooden awnings. The width of Commercial Street, which varied, also was made uniform.
The First Congregational Church, known as the Old Stone Church, was built in 1877 on the site of J. B. Grinnell's original Congregational Church. It was demolished in 1951.
Photograph of the First Methodist Church at Fifth Avenue and Park Street. The church was later moved to 616 Fourth Avenue, where it was used as an armory for about a year before it was destroyed by fire in 1896.
Electa thanks Sarah for the dress pattern, and briefly discusses their family. George writes about the District Court, the weather, buying a farm in Massachusetts, and the injury of an acquaintance.
