Main Street Musings: Fires in the Business District

Riffey's Drug strore burns in 1941

The Raymond 125 Years of Memories book published in 1996, has a few references to fires that occurred on Main Street in 1892, 1915, and 1941. The pictures are from the 1941 fire and very little information was given other than the fire on Broad Street destroyed Riffey’s Drug Store.   

Another view of the fire on Broad Street in 1941

A fire in August, 1892 started in a building known as the “Old Tackett Store” and extended to the Costley building, the Casper Young Building (where Scott Tilden ran a post office), the Whealen building, burning out Dr. Harmon’s Office and Dudenhoffler’s Saloon, and ending at Starr’s Store where Chas. Scherer kept a grocery store. Lost in this fire was estimated at 10,000.

In 1915, fire swept through a portion of the business district, located on the East side of Broad Street. A store owned by Mr. Bishop, a jewelry store owned by Sam Bentley, a movie house, and a bakery belonging to Steve Schulte were destroyed. Mr. Schulte said that he had his bread baked, but that the cookies burned a little.