The Fire of 1903
Did you know that the Village of Quincy had a fire? Yes, the fire of 1903. Here are some facts about the fire. The fire took place on the south side of Quincy along E. Chicago Street (US-12). The fire destroyed many buildings, mostly businesses. In the early days, the buildings in downtown Quincy were made of wood. When the buildings were reconstructed, they were made from concrete and brick to make sure there were no more fires. The rebuilding began almost immediately after the fire.
Donovan and Conley's Block
What was once called "Donovan and Conley's Block" is located on the north side of Chicago Street (US-12) in downtown Quincy. This group of buildings was built in 1876. Businesses that existed there were: Frank L. Avery groceries, a picture frame shop, the post office, the Quincy Herald Newspaper Office, Jesse B Sutton general merchandise, and Loveland Drug Store. Today the north block includes a barbershop; Sunshine used clothing store, The Swallow's Nest-coffee house & bookstore and a beautiful fountain/park sitting area. The fountain and a parking lot now sit where the town's major hotel once did business.
The South Side of US-12
Believe it or not, a Kroger Grocery Store once did business on the south side of Chicago Street. There was a real estate building, Mains Drugstore, The Bisel & Son 5 cent to 10 cent Store, and the Quincy Hardware. Today that block still houses a hardware store, now Ace Hardware. Other businesses include: Beth Ann's Embroidery, Butch's Pizza, Karma (a children's entertainment center), Bev's Accounting Services, Antique store, a framing shop, and Idle Inn Tavern. The Quincy Fire Department can be found in a separate modern building just east of the old buildings.
Location:
N41°56.6661, W084°53.0205
