Fire, Rebuilding, and More Than 170 Years of Main Street History
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Photo restoration by Herk Schmidt
Standing on the west side of Main Street between Railroad Street and the railroad tracks, the Marcy Block has been part of downtown Sandwich for more than 170 years.
Today’s brick building dates to 1894, but its story begins decades earlier. Beginning in 1854, a row of wooden commercial buildings occupied the site, housing merchants, bankers, physicians, barbers, restaurants, cigar makers, and many other businesses. By the late nineteenth century, the property had become known simply as the Marcy Block, after owner Abram A. Marcy.
A devastating fire in 1893 changed everything. Yet instead of abandoning the site, Marcy salvaged what he could, moved the surviving buildings to another location, and immediately began planning a handsome new brick business block. The building that rose the following year still stands today as one of downtown Sandwich’s most recognizable landmarks.
Facts at a Glance
Location
West side of Main Street, between Railroad Street and the railroad tracks
Original Buildings
Three wooden commercial buildings constructed beginning in 1854
Current Building
Completed in 1894
Original Owner
Abram A. Marcy
Architect
J. E. Minott of Aurora
Construction
Two story brick commercial building
Known Features
Copper front, plate glass storefronts, bay windows, turret, terra cotta coping, offices and apartments above street level businesses
A Corner That Grew With Sandwich
For many people, the Marcy Block is simply the brick building that stands on Main Street today. In reality, the location has served Sandwich businesses since the town’s earliest years.
Beginning in 1854, three frame commercial buildings occupied the property. Early tenants included merchants, the Culver Brothers’ bank, physicians, dentists, jewelers, restaurants, cigar manufacturers, and numerous small businesses that served a rapidly growing community.
As Sandwich expanded, so did the importance of the corner. By the 1880s, residents commonly referred to the property as the Marcy Block, recognizing the growing investment of Abram A. Marcy in downtown Sandwich.
Fire Changes Everything
Disaster struck during the early morning hours of February 17, 1893, when fire swept through the northern portion of the wooden Marcy Block.
Several businesses were forced to relocate while the damage was assessed. Among those affected were a barber shop operated by Irve Schrader and Tom Emerson’s cigar factory. The Sedgwick Bank temporarily moved into Nathan’s store while business owners searched for permanent solutions.
The fire also became an important test for Sandwich’s young volunteer fire department. Newspapers praised the firefighters for their determined efforts and specifically recognized assistance provided by Sandwich Manufacturing Company’s hose cart, manned by shop employees under the direction of former fire chief Sam Mitten. Working together, the volunteers succeeded in limiting the destruction and preventing an even greater loss.
Not Everything Was Lost
Although the fire destroyed much of the Marcy Block, not every building was demolished.
During April 1893, newspapers reported that crews were removing the surviving portions of the old wooden buildings from Main Street. Rather than tearing them down, Abram Marcy had them moved to lots near the southwest corner of Second and Lafayette Streets, where they were converted into residences.
It was a practical solution that allowed valuable buildings to continue serving the community while making room for a completely new commercial block on Main Street.
A New Brick Landmark
Even before the last of the damaged buildings had been removed, Marcy was planning their replacement.
In May 1893, the Sandwich newspapers published detailed descriptions of the proposed building. Designed by Aurora architect J. E. Minott, the new Marcy Block would be a handsome two-story brick structure featuring a copper front, large plate-glass storefronts, bay windows, decorative brickwork, a turret, and terra cotta coping along the roofline.
The first floor would contain three commercial storefronts facing Main Street, while broad stairways led to apartments and professional office suites on the second floor.
Newspapers followed construction closely throughout the spring and summer of 1893. When plans for the new building were published, the Sandwich Argus praised its handsome appearance and modern design, concluding that it would become “a very desirable addition to the business part of the city.” More than 130 years later, that prediction proved remarkably accurate.
A Building Full of Businesses
Over the years, the Marcy Block became home to an ever changing collection of local businesses and professional offices.
Among its many occupants were pharmacies, jewelers, physicians, dentists, barbers, cigar makers, restaurants, attorneys, florists, and numerous retail stores that reflected the changing needs of the community.
Dickerman & Company operated one of Sandwich’s best known drug stores in the building during the early twentieth century. Ben Wiltsey conducted a jewelry business there, while physicians and dentists occupied upstairs offices. In later years Holland’s Drug Store continued the building’s long association with pharmacy service, and Leon Johnson’s floral shop added another chapter to the building’s history.
Although tenants changed over the decades, the Marcy Block remained one of downtown Sandwich’s busiest commercial addresses.
Abram Marcy’s Investment
The Marcy Block reflected more than good architecture, it reflected the determination of its owner.
Abram A. Marcy settled in Sandwich in 1854 and spent more than forty years investing in local real estate. Newspapers described him as a landlord who kept his properties in good condition for his tenants, and his response after the 1893 fire demonstrated both optimism and confidence in Sandwich’s future.
Rather than allowing disaster to define the property, he quickly cleared the site, salvaged what he could, and invested in a larger, more permanent brick building that continues to shape downtown Sandwich today.
Legacy
For generations, the Marcy Block has stood at one of the busiest corners in downtown Sandwich. It has witnessed horse drawn wagons, steam locomotives, automobiles, changing businesses, and countless people who passed through its doors.
Its story is about more than bricks and mortar. It is the story of a community rebuilding after disaster, of businesses adapting to changing times, and of one local investor whose confidence helped shape the commercial heart of Sandwich.
Today, more than 130 years after the brick building was completed, and more than 170 years after the first businesses occupied the site, the Marcy Block remains one of Sandwich’s enduring downtown landmarks.
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Research & Sources
This article was compiled from contemporary newspaper accounts, business directories, historic photographs, maps, and other primary and secondary sources documenting the history of the Marcy Block and its many occupants.
Primary Sources
- Sandwich Argus (1880s–1890s), including reports on the February 17, 1893 fire, removal of the original wooden buildings, construction of the new Marcy Block, business advertisements, tenant notices, and architectural descriptions.
- Sandwich Free Press, including the obituary of Abram A. Marcy (March 1897).
- Ira C. Converse Diary, February 17, 1893, documenting the Marcy Block fire.
- Contemporary business directories and advertisements identifying businesses and professional offices located in the Marcy Block.
Additional Sources
- Historic photographs and postcards of the Marcy Block and downtown Sandwich.
- Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps.
- DeKalb County business directories and local historical publications.
- Oak Mound Cemetery records and related genealogical resources.
- Research and photographic collection of Historic Sandwich, Illinois.