What Used to be Here? | No. 1

These two photos, taken by one of our member, Lana Waterman, show the current buildings along Laurens Street between 1st and 2nd streets. So…do you know what used to be here?

Photo by Lana Waterman

Photo by Lana Waterman

Answer: A beautiful home known as “The Elms”!

Image provided by Mike Winicki

The house was built in the 1860’s by Russell Martin and was later owned by the JB Strong family for many years. It sat near the present rear of the current public library on the corner of 2nd and Laurens.

The photo of The Elms, above, was taken in 1878 from approximately the corner of N 1st and Laurens, the current view, of which, is shown in Lana’s second photo, above.

The property was eventually purchased by the Niagara, Lockport and Ontario Power Company (NiMo) in 1931 and the house was eventually dismantled in 1935 and ultimately became the site of Loblaws store, which was to eventually house the current public library.

Below is a 1915 map of where the house sat.

Image provided by Mike Winicki

Do you have suggestions for a location of “What Used to be Here?”? If so, let us know! You can also participate by submitting past or present photos of locations around Olean.