(30) 447 Center Street

"The Spencer family, retired circus and theater people, lived here. They operated a small grocery store for many years. Some of the family were school teachers and they also organized an orchestra and played for many functions. Across the street was the Nickel Plate Railroad depot."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ The second photo down in this post is the Nickel Plate depot (date unknown).
♦ The Nickel Plate depot — undated, but I'm guessing circa 1920 (and here she is again.)
♦ I'm not entirely sure of the ID, but this may be the Spencer house circa 1968.

(57) 236 Main Street

"The building just south was the Colonial Theater owned by Ed Spencer who sold to Pliny J. Truesdell who sold to H.T. Coons of Chicago, August 19, 1913. The Theater was called "The Gem" until Sam Routes bought it and renamed it "The Strand." In 1913 the program listed three one-reel movies and two acts of vaudeville. Prusieckis took over The Strand in 1939. It is now a saloon. This building and the next one on the corner were built in 1893."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ A Dash to Death, which came out in 1909, was playing at the theater when this photo (otherwise undated) was taken.
♦ An early-20th-century postcard that takes in the northwest corner of Main and Third.
♦ You can see the Gem Theater with its elegant arched entryway in this undated image at Third and Main Streets, and this 1913 image.