The Charles Paine business block burned to the ground on this day in 1899. The building, nearly a full block long, stood on one side of East Street in Northfield, and had been bought by Dr. William B. Mayo nine years earlier.

Dr. Mayo had the entire building lifted up and put on rollers so that the structure could be rotated to face south. The building was a bustling center of commerce and social activity for all of Northfield and the surrounding area.

After the fire, Dr. Mayo immediately built a replacement which, at the time, was referred to as the “New Paine Block.” Today, the structure is commonly known as the East Street Block.

Image courtesy Picture Northfield: A Photographic Study by Julia W. McIntire and Richard L. Cleveland.