OLD LAND MARK REMOVED

August 31, 1894, Roberts was almost entirely wiped out (that is the business district) by a fire which started at the noon hour and within a few hours the district from the corner almost to the hospital corner (on the south side of the street) was nothing but a smoking pile of ashes.
The first man to erect a new building on the burned over tract was John Kolp, who built a new blacksmith shop where his old one had stood. This new shop served its purpose for many years but during the past few years it has been vacant and because of being vacant it has become dilapidated.
Monday of this week is was torn down and thus after standing for forty-seven years, it is gone.

--Roberts Herald. 23 July 1941.

Fire 1894

--Gibson City Courier.  7 September 1894.  Page 1.

August 31, 1894

Today, as we write this, it is Friday August 31, 1923, and the minds of many of our people are turning back to another day, just twenty-nine years ago today, and that was Friday also. Friday, August 31st, 1894. During the hour of noon, the cry was sounded "Fire". The days before Roberts had been celebrating. A great Woodman picnic had been held here. That day Roberts was placed in sack cloth and ashes. From the ashes has sprung what is now the real Roberts. Fire is a great calamity to any community but frequently the calamity proves a blessing, not to the person who suffers the losses but to the town that springs up in the place of the one destroyed.
This was not the first great fire in Roberts. There was one when the town was first started that probably was as great in proportion to the value of the town as was the great fire of 1894. This fire of 1873 was one of which we have been unable to get much particulars except that the business part of town which had been in the block now occupied by the Star Garage, poultry house, harness shop, etc. was entirely wiped out and was rebuilt on Green Street making that the main street instead of Main Street as named.

--Roberts Herald. 5 September 1923.

1894 Fire

TWENTY-NINE YEARS AGO
(From Chicago Daily Record, Sept. 1, 1894)
DISASTROUS FIRE AT ROBERTS
...

Greater Part of the Business Section of the Village Destroyed.
Special to the Chicago Record.

Roberts, Ill. Aug. 1. -- A fire broke out at about 1 o'clock today which destroyed the greater part of the business portion of this village. Following are the business buildings destroyed: Roberts Exchange bank, A. Buzick grocery store, Archer's barber shop, E. G. Reinhardt's drug store, William P. Landel, hardware and furniture; Mrs. I. McNeish, boots, shoes and harness; T. H. Fencken & Co., building owned by J. P. Smith, groceries and dry goods; John Ortlepp, hardware and furniture; Mrs. F. L. Hanson, millinery; William Hahn, wagon shop; Kolp & Sandsted, blacksmiths; Foster Bros, hardware and furniture. The south side of the business block, including twelve buildings, was entirely wiped out. Loss amounts to about $35,000, partially insured. The fire originated in the rear of W. P. Landel's hardware store, but from what cause is unknown. the entire business portion of the village would have been destroyed but for the efforts of citizens in extinguishing the fire as fast as it caught on the opposite side of the side street.

--Roberts Herald. 22 August 1923.

Roberts Devasting Fire 1894

--Posted by Jean Fox to the Roberts Illinois History Group page.  September 2016.

Fire 1894

 

 

 

--Photos from Jean Fox.