HISTORIC REFLECTION … 1913 – Fire destroyed four structures in Edon’s downtown business district, causing $10,000 to $15,000 in dam-ages. Fire was discovered about 11 p.m. in the rear of George Ries’ wooden frame butcher shop. Although the Edon Fire Department was quickly on the scene, the blaze had already made considerable headway, and strong winds hampered their efforts. By using the village’s hand-operated fire pumper, and with assistance from the Montpelier Fire Department, firefighters were able to save all but the Ries’ building (the north half of which housed the Edon Commercial newspaper office), the Perfection Climber factory building, Dr. G.C. Reese’s veterinary infirmary and John Doty’s wooden frame photography studio. The fire damaged S.S. Eyster’s implement store, Dr. E.F. Brandon’s office, and cracked a large plate glass window in Kiess’ jewelry store across the street. This photograph, taken by John Doty the morning after the fire, shows where the Edon Commercial office, Ries’ butcher shop and the Perfection Climber building stood on the left; in the center are the concrete block walls of Dr. Reese’s veterinary clinic; and on the right the former site of Doty’s photography studio. This vintage image is from the Williams County Public Library Huffman Photographic Archives.
