Thinking that we all might need a break from fire photographs I went looking for anything that would shed a different light on the corner of Marlinton’s Main Street destroyed by the fire on November 10. I found this lovely little snapshot, dated 1908, in Dr. Norman Price’s photo album at the museum. Close inspection of this group gathered in the middle of the street reveals a man in circus type costume, a man on a stool holding out a hat, and a woman sitting on the back of a wagon load of lumber. Don’t know what’s going on here, but they all seem to be quite amused!
The signs on the Bank of Marlinton, known in the present day as the McK, point to a bit of the building’s colorful history. The sign at the left marks the Marlinton Drug Store. On the second floor is the dentist office of Ernest B. Hill, one of Marlinton’s mayors. The law office of W. A. Bratton is above the main entrance to the bank. Bratton served on the first town council.
The building was built by E. D. King, who also has a colorful history. And yes, we have a photograph! Look for it here next week. Photo by N. R. Price, Courtesy of Pocahontas County Historical Society
Access the “Preserving Pocahontas” Digital Library at www.pocahontaspreservation.org or www.preserv ingpocahontas.org If you have photographs or documents to be scanned for the county Historical Archive Project contact Preservation Officer B. J. Gudmundsson at 304-799-3989 or email info@pocahontaspreser vation.org Prints of photographs from the archives are available.
