South Side of the Square Van Buren St, circa 1868-9

Circa 1868-1871 black and white photograph of the Woodstock Square Park  and brick buildings on Van Buren Street, Woodstock, Illinois.   The square park is full of  young trees and appears to have a small crowd of people gathered together.   In the distance behind the brick buildings is open unoccupied land.

Title

South Side of the Square Van Buren St, circa 1868-9

Description

Back of photo: Old Bunker Block burned 1871
This photo of the south side of the square shows the Phoenix block that would be renamed as the Bunker Block after Bunker Brothers moved their grocery, hardware and crockery business there in 1872. Their previous building was destroyed by the October 8, 1871 fire that swept over the southwest corner of the square.
The public school, built in 1867 on South street, is visible in the right corner. An unidentified large white building is beyond the school, possibly the original Bunker Brothers building.
Woodstock House [111 E. Van Buren] existed between 1857 and 1872 but was purchased by Pratt in 1866 and was called Pratt House beginning ca 1868. We do not know when the sign was changed to Pratt House.
Union Printing Office [115-117 E. Van Buren] started in 1861
Blossom's Jewelry was located here [115-117 E. Van Buren] from 1868-1872 when they moved to 107 E. Van Buren.
The photo also shows activity in the Square park with people, carriages and animals at the south entrance on Dean Street. The sidewalks in the park are still the original straight cross with no diagonals visible.
Dean street has a line of trees in front of one big house and a large amount of open land shows in the upper center of the photo.

The Woodstock House.
This popular house, of which Mr. PATTY is the proprietor, has recently received an addition of some nineteen new rooms in an upward direction, culminating in a very neat and tastily finished observatory, from which may be had a very extensive view, in all directions, of the finest country that lies under the sun. Internally, the arrangements for the inner man are as perfect as the markets can afford, and to our certain knowledge, liberal applications have been made during the past season, to the Chicago market, for luxuries in advance of our sluggish climate. The host and hostess being both of the benevolent turn that delights in the consciousness that their guests are full fed and comfortable, any one may safely confide himself to their hospitality with the assurance that lie will come off in a most excellent state of preservation. Commend US to the tempting Breakfasts, Dinners and Suppers of the PATTY HOUSE, and besides that wo should judge by the smell that they have some very tasteful and kindly cigars.
(November 20, 1856 - Woodstock Sentinel)

Date

1868/1871

Citation

Medlar Studios, Woodstock, “South Side of the Square Van Buren St, circa 1868-9,” Woodstock Public Library Archives, accessed October 4, 2024, https://woodstockpubliclibraryarchives.omeka.net/items/show/371.

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