Thursday, March 13 at 7:00 p.m.
Members Tour & Program
Two Blair Place (16th & Washington Streets)

Thursday, March 20 at 7:00 p.m.
Blair Reminisce "Young's Cafe and the IOOF building"
Blair Library Meeting Room

Thursday, April  10 at 7:00 p.m.
Blair Reminisce "An Evening with the Sanborn Maps"
Gardner Lecture Hall, Durham Classroom Center, Dana College

This first date, Thursday, March 13 we have an opportunity to tour one of Blair's landmark buildings -- the old Blair Bank Building, built in 1881. This building is located on the corner of 16th & Washington Streets.  It was also known as the Huber Building and is current known as Two Blair Place.  The building houses the offices of HunTel Systems' Human Resources and Marketing Offices.

In a photo published in the 1908 county plat map, the second floor window shows a sign marked "Dentist"  and the basement level have signs labeled "Bath" & "Shave."  There is evidence form other photographs and maps that the Blair Democrat Newspaper offices were accessed a doorway on the south side of the building.  That door has since been brick closes.

Today, the building interior still retains several original features. The front office spaces, where the bank teller's were located still have some of the early floor tiles.  The bank safe is still located in this area. The stairway to the second floor and some of the doorway woodwork is from an early era.

Our "Member's Tour" take about 20 minutes and will include all three floors.  We will conclude in the second floor conference room with a "pre-view" program on the Sanborn Insurances maps. These maps were large-scale, detailed maps showing the size and placement of buildings in most every city and town in the country.  They were prepared every few years for use by fire insurance underwriters. These maps included information on materials used, the purpose of the structure, the number of stories, placement of windows and doors, and the location of lot lines, water pipes, hydrants and cisterns. Today this information is invaluable in tracing the development of business districts and neighborhoods within a community. Maps available for Blair date from 1886 (2 maps), 1889 (4 maps), 1897 (4 maps), 1902 (5 maps), 1909 (7 maps) and 1923 (7 maps).  We will be viewing digital copies of these maps projected onto a screen.  The program will last about 40-50 minutes. This program will be conducted again for the public next month (April 20) at Dana College.

The tour is limited to 12 people. If your are interested in attending please let me know. We will be at the main door between 6:50 and 7:00 p.m.  PLEASE be prompt.  The building is not open to the public and the entrance is an auto-lock door.

Nathan Kramer
nathan@nathankramer.com
home:  426-2828
office:  426-6216