Early History of 119-121 South Union Street

Early History of 119-121 South Union Street. . , 1877-1885 , Sometime between 1877 and 1885, a three story building was constructed for the firm New and Miller as a carriage store. The north side on the first floor was where harnesses were sold, a "carriage repository" was located in the south side, with a stable in the basement. The Sanborn Fire Insurance Map (January 1886 - below) shows the former wall between the two stores (dashed line). The former division between these two rooms is marked in the park with a trench drain and brick banding running east-west., When the New and Miller building was constructed, the primary means of transportation within the city was by horse. Historic photographs of Danville illustrate streets crowded with horses, wagons, carriages and buggies of varied styles. New and Miller (one of two carriage shops in the city in 1885) provided a stable in the basement and sold carriages and harnesses on the first floor. Recessed brick windows in the current park are where horses were fed and watered while their owners conducted business in Danville. Stables were the parking garages of their day. A mounting block has been incorporated into the park design to reference features of horse transportation once common in the community., 1899 , Knights of Pythias Phoenix Lodge No. 62 moves into third story., The Knights of Pythias is a fraternal organization founded in 1864 to follow the principles of Friendship, Charity and Benevolence., 1913 , English born Charles Orchard moved in and proceeded to sell mantels, tiles, grates and interior marble work. Mr. Orchard employed 30-60 tradesmen. The Pythian Building was raised to four stories and stuccoed facade was added on the west facing South Union Street., The Pythian Building had five-course American-bond brickwork, standing-seam metal-sheathed gable roof with a front overhang supported by decorative wood brackets, with a brick-lined circular recess with the letters KP in the gable for Knights of Pythias., Illustration above from Pollock, Edward, illustrated Sketchbook of Danville, Virginia: Its Manufacturers and Commerce. (Originally Published E R. Waddill and Bro, 1885) (Danville, VA: Danville Historical Society, 1976), 7., (captions) , 1877 Map (above) shows current site prior to construction of the New and Miller building. (F. W. Beers, Topographic Map of Danville VA, C.E Southern and Southwestern Surveying and Publication Company, 1877., Advertisement above from Pollock, Edward, illustrated Sketchbook of Danville, Virginia: Its Manufacturers and Commerce. (Originally Published E R. Waddill and Bro, 1885) (Danville, VA: Danville Historical Society, 1976), 69, Image of the west stuccoed facade added by Charles Orchard with "KP" for Knights of Pythias in brick-lined circular reccess.New and Miller’s Carriage And Harness Repository. , Pollock, Edward, illustrated Sketchbook of Danville, Virginia: Its Manufacturers and Commerce. (Originally Published E R. Waddill and Bro, 1885) (Danville, VA: Danville Historical Society, 1976), 69, 1800s Danville Virginia, 1907 Postcard (above) - Union Street Filled With Horses and Wagons, View On Lower Main Street , Illustration above from Pollock, Edward, illustrated Sketchbook of Danville, Virginia: Its Manufacturers and Commerce. (Originally Published E R. Waddill and Bro, 1885) (Danville, VA: Danville Historical Society, 1976), 7, Early advertisement for New and Miller Carriage Shop