| Additional Information: | Storefront alteration; Fireside Lounge has parts of original storefront.
This building was constructed for JW Bingham and L Cline and stood as the second brick building erected in New London. A clothing store, trading business, grocery store, a local newspaper called, "The Times", real estate offices, attorney offices, and a furniture store all resided in this building at some point. A bootlegging business also was established in this building by the Wainers, but in 1926, federal prohibition officers raided the building and quantities of alcohol and moonshine were found on the premises. The Wainers were arrested several times but no charges were ever brought to court. However, in 1935, when the Wainers were convicted of conspiracy to violate the Internal Revenue laws and were sentenced to six years. They were fined $12,100. In 1927, Frank Rusch purchased the building from the Wainers and added a gas station to the west.
2004 Survey Info:
According to historic maps, this building was constructed around 1880 (1871-1889). On the 1892 Sanborn-Perris Map, the west two storefronts housed a furniture store and the east storefront was a grocery. The second floor housed the Grand Army of the Republic Hall. The Grand Army of the Republic was a Civil War Veterans group. By 1898, the hall was no longer in use for the GAR, possibly because of the dwindling numbers of veterans by that time, and the first floor was entirely a furniture store. In 1904, the furniture store was housed in the eastern two storefronts and a printing shop was in the western storefront. In 1913, the furniture store section was vacant and an office was in the western storefront. By 1926, the building's three storefronts had separate businesses, one of which was a "junk" shop. The building's most recent use appears to have been a tavern with residential space above. It now appears to be vacant, at least on the first story.
Not resurveyed 2020. Multiple changes to first floor storefronts in particular. Update photo. |
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