On May 10, 1941, at 6 p.m., a fire started in E. C. Kinch’s apartment. Much of the west side of Main Street north of West St. Clair was destroyed or damaged.
Mr. Kinch was the Depot Agent and lived in an apartment over the Ross Lawrence Chevrolet and Filling Station located at the southwest corner of North Main and School Streets (Howard’s Auto & Transmission). The garage burned to the ground and spread to the south destroying the Almont Herald and Almont Times including their archives. Additionally, George Smith’s Hardware, Yoder’s Recreation and Restaurant, a vacant store, Ford Sales and Service, the Odd Fellow Hall with three bowling alleys were damaged. The damage can still be seen today by looking above Mandy J’s and Chicky’s. The third story of the buildings were not completely rebuilt.
