War was formally declared on 26th of April, the day Company H left for Camp Bushnell, orders came to leave on Tuesday and early the city was awake, and everywhere flags were displayed. The line of march formed at Market Square and marched up to 2nd Street to Chillicothe, then north to the N&W Depot.
The Biggs House-Massie block fire occurred in 1871. Among other business places destroyed was Carter's Hotel, Lynn's Livery Barn, Dugan's bank, Valley bookstore, John Yoakley's music store, Times Office, Eisman's, Val Reinhart's Candy factory, L wises, Ross palmers, Timmons, Eberhard's and others. Reilly's stock was carried to the Market House, and much stock from the other stores elsewhere, especially cigars and tobacco and candy. The Mountain Boy river boat was moored at the wharf, and the "roustabouts" who joined in the rescue may have mistaken the boat as a place for salvage. at any rate, considerable goods not consumed by flames could not be located. The Steamer Eagle had been secured, but no water works had been built, and it was necessary to run the hose to the Ohio. Charlie Soule, portrait painter, and Mr. Garlic, photographer were in the Massie Block and lost all. For many years, as was in the case of the 1884 flood, everything was dated from, "The Fire". The loss was very heavy, but it served one good purpose… The Water Works was built.
The corner building is located at the south east corner of Market and Second (2nd) Streets, on the present site of the Washington Hotel. The other buildings were on the east side of Market looking south to the river.......all of the past.
One of the best known and most popular hotels in Ohio. The Biggs House was located at 455 Front Street. The Great Fire on March 6, 1871 destroyed the hotel, but it was immediately rebuilt, retaining its original name: the Biggs House. Now it is the site of the Union Mission.
Of nine Sommer Brothers, George had been in the hardware business since 1876. In 1891, Leo and George formed a partnership and opened up the hardware store at 220 Market Street. The large three-story brick building was packed with goods and the basement was filled also.
Colored image of Children's Home building built in 1876 on Grant Street property that now is part of Mound Park. It closed in 1921 when Hillcrest Children's home opened in Wheelersburg.
Dark blue night time image of Government Square opposite the old stone Post Office at far left, and the city building or the Kricker Building at center. The Royal Savings building is on the right.
Tinted image of the Lizzie Bay steamboat with many people on deck. She was built in 1886 in Madison, Indiana. From The Portsmouth Times July 13, 1898: "Three Feet Only Required. The Lizzie Bay passed up at noon. The Stanley comes down at 7pm tonight. These boats can run in three feet of water." She was dismantled in 1912.
