Ceramic plate | 1872

1651:934:1 

Donor: Mabel A. Parmenter

The glaze on this dessert plate, which belonged to Mary and Isaac Clark, was discolored by fire in 1872. 

The fire broke out in the basement of I. B. Clark’s Dry Goods Store and William Edwards’ Clothing Store. In the basement L. A. Kingsbury operated a meat market, and E. Heuber had a barbershop. The fire destroyed the hotel of Goin Bailey, the property of William Edwards and I. B. Clark, and the “Old Tavern” (then called “Eliot House”) operated by Goin Bailey.  The alarm was given at 1:30 a.m. and by 3 a.m. the destruction was complete.

The Post Office and Engine House on the west side of Eliot Street were only two of many buildings badly damaged during the fire. The Merchants block, which at the time also housed the Natick Historical Society Museum, was a total loss.

Two years later, in 1874, an even larger fire would level much of Natick Center.