above photo from Niagara Falls Library.
above: same view, Oct.26, 2009 - a major fire on Oct.25 destroyed the former fire hall (behind the tree at centre right) which was currently the Copper Leaf garden shop, and another three storefronts to the right.
The building at the left (which housed Elizabeth clothing on the corner, Marco Polo to the right; and Kenneth Lane Smith Gallery and The Name Place, along the left, facing King St.) suffered smoke damage. (The shops on King were open again on Oct.27, 2009; Elizabeth's and Marco Polo were closed.)
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below: same view, Nov.10, 2009: the buildings have been demolished, hoarding being installed.
above: Oct.26, 2009 - a wider view of the same corner. Note a worker standing on the old courthouse roof by the cupola, in the upper right.*
below: fire fighters over the Shaw Leather shop and the Sotheby's Realty office, hosing down the upper level which was still smoking on the morning of Oct. 26, 2009. The Owl and the Pussycat shop (at the far right) did not burn, but had a basement full of water; it re-opened on Oct.27, 2009.
Above: the Sotheby's office storefront when it was under renovation, Jul.19, 2009.
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Below: a view of the front of the Copper Leaf, as it looked on Jul.19, 2009
above: Oct.26, 2009 - the same front view of the Copper Leaf after the fire. Reports are that the blaze started here in the basement. To the right is the corner of the Butterfly Gallery shop; at the left, just out of frame, is Marco Polo.
above: Nov.10, 2009; this is the same view as the above previous two photos - the building has now been demolished. Visible along the left is the clapboard siding of the Marco Polo store, which has essentially been been hidden from view for some hundred years. The old firehall must have been built after the building at the left was built.
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below: Oct.26, 2009 - the Copper Leaf is at the left, next is the Butterfly Gallery, then Shaw Leather, then Sotheby's, then the Owl and the Pussycat shop at the far right.
above: Oct.26, 2009 - a view of the burned properties from the rear lane. The Copper Leaf shop is/was the building to the right. 
Above: Nov.10, 2009 - looking from the rear lane at the side of the Marco Polo store along the right. To the bottom left is the basement of the former firehall/Copper Leaf store, after all the debris had been cleared out. In the left distance is Niagara On The Lake's historic Apothecary, which also has not been seen from this angle for some hundred years! Photos by R. Bobak*
Below: Video of site, taken on Oct.26, 2009, by R. Bobak.
3 comments:
I like all the pictures and information you have offered here. I did not know the old fire hall was actually destroyed. On what now appears to be a rebuild of the building I see a new date of 2011. Unfortunately I have not been able to find any confirmation or information that a new building was indeed built.
Unknown: It's been several years now that a new building has definitely been built on the site of the demolished former Copper Leaf store! It is currently (2019) a restaurant. Just go on 'Google street view' to confirm it!
Thank you, Rob
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