Main Street looking east from Lewis Street in 1900 before the fire
Monroe Historical Society photo #297

On the right (south side of the 100 block of East Main Street) is the entire block that burned in the 1901 fire that started on the second floor of the Odd Fellows Hall, which is the second two story building in from the right. The photo was taken from about point B on the this detail of the 1910 plat map and on this 1907 birdseye view photo.

Before the coming of municipal electricity in 1904, an open kerosene lamp was located at this intersection between 1895 and 1900. It was lit each evening and held enough kerosene for several nights. It was not the safest way to light up a town built entirely of wood frame buildings. One of the orignal lamps is on display at the Monroe Historical Society Museum.