Our Town 100 Years Ago: January 1896

There was plenty to celebrate at the beginning of 1896 and 1922 even with winter still keeping people close to the woodstove. Whitehall was rebuilding after a series of serious fires during early 1895 and it had survived the "greatest depression ever known in the United States..."

At the start of 1895, there were 20 businesses and professionals in town. At the start of 1896, that had grown to more than 32 and the Zephyr listed details on 60 new buildings in town, all built during the previous year. By 1922, most of the 1895 buildings were still in use and more structures had been added. The to...