THE REPUBLICAN

August 18, 1899

 

The Location of Main Street

 

TO THE REPUBLICAN:

            Mr. Editor: - From frequent allusions I have heard I am inclined to the opinion that the impression generally prevails that Main street was located as it now is, near the bank of the river in consequence of the close proximity of a potato patch that would be disturbed by locating the street otherwise.  I must say these allusions have caused a smile, that such a trivial cause, and one only temporary at best, could be seriously entertained and believed to the real motive for thus placing the street.  Having had as much as any one and perhaps more to do with its location, will say that the potato patch question had nothing to do with its determination.  Wm. Mumbrue was the engineer employed to do the work of laying out the town.  “As a matter of course an initial point had to be established, and the starting of Main street would naturally be that point.  The subject was carefully canvassed by the surveyor and others and it was the consensus of opinion to place Main street so near the bank of the river and bank gave such a fine prospect, and if properly improved and beautified would add much to the town by its picturesqueness.  And I now submit the query for consideration; had this thought or plan been carried out would it not have added a beauty and attractiveness that is now completely lost?  At all events whatever may be the major opinion as to the wisdom of placing Main street where it now is, the potato patch question played an insignificant part.  It reminds one of the rumored stories regarding the crooked and irregular streets of Boston as the legend goes, that they built on either side of the cow path which ever way that went.

                                                                                                            E. C. S.

                                                                                                            {Erastus Sessions)

 

 

 

Note:  there was an article in the Historical Society papers by Barnham which stated Main street was originally supposed to run from Christoph’s Dairy to Campbell’s but George Hutchinson (who lived on the southwest corner of what is now Fulton and Franklin) protested as it would cause the road to go through the middle of his corn field.

 

Also, the potato industry did not start until late 1870’s to early 1880’s – after Main street was supposedly already established.