Alvin Hatch Building, 1873

This photo from 1873, shows the Alvin Hatch building (now F.H. Gillinghams), Tracy Block (burned in 1972), and the newly built Fairbanks building (site of Bentley's).

In 1873, M.C. Fairbanks begins to put up "a new and handsome building of brick and iron, two stories with Mansard roof." "In procuring stone for his foundation walls, Fairbanks discovered a quarry from which blocks with natural and perfect faces are obtained with great ease." The quarry was located near A.B. Janquith's nursery on the outskirts of the village.

The building is described in the July 17, 1873 edition of The Vermont Standard: "After some delay M.C. Fairbanks has obtained the iron and brick for his store and work on it is being rapidly pressed forward. The building will be the most centrally located and one of the finest in town, and it merits some description. It is to be built of iron and brick; in height two stories with a Mansard roof, making in reality a three story building, only a foot or two lower than Phoenix Block. On Elm street it has a front of twenty-two feet, on Central Street of seventy-two feet with a depth partly of twenty-two feet and partly of fifty. The basement will be an unusually high and airy one as the ground floor is considerably higher than the sidewalk. The ground floor will be arranged for three stores of which Mr. Fairbanks will occupy the one towards the bridge. Rumor has it that Mrs. White, the milliner, will occupy the corner one. The second and third floors will be divided into offices, ect. It will be furnished in butternut, and let weak eyes rejoice in knowing that it is to have thirty-eight plate glass windows. Mr. Fairbanks expects to have it ready for partial occupancy in six weeks."