The Windsor Hotel
The Windsor Hotel was advertised as "the only solid brick hotel in town" when it was new in 1887. Brick was considered an advantage due to its fire resistant qualities; patrons felt safer in a brick building. This was especially important in a tall structure like the Windsor which, as you can see here, boasted four stories. The hotel also advertised a new hot air heating system, state of the art in 1887. Unfortunately, like so many buildings in these early days before the establishment of waterworks and effective firefighting equipment, the hotel burned to a shell, only one day after opening, leaving Mr. Merrill, the proprietor out of pocket. From the ashes, a new hotel was built at the corner of Pearl and Water Streets though under new ownership. It operated until it was sold to the Salvation Army in 1920. Today the site is, perhaps appropriately, a fire hall.
