This old postcard shows us East Main Street in downtown Crawfordsville. To place this the picture into modern Crawfordsville, the building at front left is now occupied by the Little Mexico restaurant. If we could walk into the right side of the image and turn to our right, we would be staring at the old Bank Cigar Store. The building on the right with the two horses and carriage out front is now the Four Seasons Market.
Perhaps the most notable feature of this picture is the set of railroad tracks running down the middle of the street. These tracks were for the Interurban railway which ran multiple times daily to and from Indianapolis.
If we were to walk into the photo and away from the viewer to the first intersection that is at Main and Green Street. What is interesting is that on three of the four corners (northeast, northwest and southwest) those buildings are all gone. One was lost to a massive fire, one was pulled down to build a new building [the bright and shiny “new” Elston Bank] and the third, the old Crawford Hotel, to a lack of care which resulted in its demolition.
However, the block on the left or southeast side is still as it was at this time. It has not been moved or over restored. It is still standing and we hope it stays that way a good long time!
All best,
Beth Swift, Archivist
Wabash College
Crawfordsville, Indiana
