September 14th, 2002 was a beautiful, sunny fall day when someone noticed smoke rolling out from under the roof of the NEWMAN FURNITURE & APPLIANCE store on Main St. in Conneautville. The store had officially closed this summer, but owner, Bob Newman, continued to service appliances and pass his time in the back of the storeroom. On this occasion, he had left the building to respond to an Ambulance call in Beaver Twp. A volunteer with the Fellows Club Ambulance Service for many years, Bob was usually the first one to report to the station. (Click Here to see pictures of the burned out building.)

Fire Departments from around the area were called in to stop this fire, but as it crept up the inside walls to the roof and between false ceilings, it was difficult to knock down. After several hours, the all clear was signaled and volunteers returned to their stations. The building was declared a complete loss and needed to be demolished.

Thus ends the era of the Century plus building constructed by William Power, Esq. in 1868. It was actually completed and occupied in April of that year. The Conneautville Courier of April 16th gives a full description of the building. The mason and brick work was done by Messers P. Carpenter and Matthews. Krick & Sturtevant put on the tin roof; and Moulthrop & Sons furnished the iron columns and castings. Carpenter work was done by the day directed by R. K. Dunn and the painting in the same manner directed by A. S. Pond. All were local contractors and businessmen.

The two story building was occupied first by A. P. Foster on the north, A. L. Power in the middle store room. Enclosed stairs leading to the second floor separated the middle store room from the Bank. Rooms over the Bank were rented by Attorneys, Real Estate Brokers, and/or Insurance Agents.

Although many changes had been made to the interior of this building over the years, the basic structure remained the same with the exception of removal of the store room, which originally housed the First National Bank of Conneautville and was located on the southeast of the building.

Thanks to owner Bob Newman, our Historical Soc. received one of the iron crown mouldings which graced the top of the second floor windows. Each of these ornamental crowns are iron castings and weigh approx. 200 lb. Another artifact in our possession is the U. S. Geological "Bench" mark which was in the corner stone of the Bank Bldg. and removed when this section of the Block was torn down many years ago. It states the elevation above sea level at that location was 949'.