At Main and Elm, 1909

"The conversion to brick business buildings from the frame construction of pioneer Corning began in the mid nineties, first brick building in 1894, but proceeded slowly since the spirit of the times was to get all the use possible out of everything from buildings to apparel.

"The holocaust pictured here started from a coal oil tank explosion in the rear of the central structure, and then engulfed the north half of Block 22 before it burned itself out.  The fire was stopped on the South by a brick structure with fire walls that had housed the Citizens, later the First National."

Submitted by Danny Moore