Salem at the Turn of the Century

Salem at the Turn of the Century. . , Salem developed as a result of the oil boom around the turn of the twentieth century. A major fire devastated the downtown in 1902 destroying the majority of the wood-framed buildings along Main Street. Subsequently, much of Main Street was rebuilt, primarily in brick. The two buildings highlighted here were constructed after 1902 to replace the burned out buildings previously on their sites. Both were built of brick as a fire resistant measure. They housed many businesses throughout the years as well as providing upper story residences in the downtown. They were demolished in 2011 as part of a flood mitigation project along Jacob’s Run through downtown Salem. The downtown Historic District, which encompassed these buildings, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places April 12, 1982. , The architectural details on both buildings are typical of small downtown construction in the eighteenth and nineteenth century. The cornice on 59 Water Street was made of pressed metal with decorative brackets and panels in the frieze band. The second story window openings had arched upper sashes and brick hoods. The cornice and window openings are character-defining elements of the Italianate style of architecture in a commercial building of this period. , The architectural details on 102 E. Main Street were most obvious in the second story window bays called “oriels.” As with 59 Water Street, the main cornice at the top of the building was quite elaborate. The first floor storefronts were decorative as well with paneled kickpanels, also called bulkheads, below the large display windows and the glass transom windows above.

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