Apparently Lot 18 included a building that was used as a store and a second floor assembly room as well as a house that was attached to the house on Lot 19 (similar to the double house on Lot 26). By 1850 William L. Johnston had built a structure ($157) on Lot 18 and by 1855 the lot was valued at $295. The valuation stayed fairly constant until about 1930 when, I assume, both the two-story structure and the attached house were razed. From about 1905 until 1920, the lot had three owners, which can possibly be explained as one owner for the second floor (IOOF Lodge, Miltonsburg Council, etc.), one owner for the first floor, and one owner for the attached residence. That is somewhat unusual, but modestly confirmed by a comment in the tax records that states, “pt NW corner (formerly IOOF Lodge).”

In any case, by 1930, the lot was co-owned by the Miltonsburg Council and the Catholic Church and in 1930 the value jumped to $810, suggesting that the Catholic Church had built their new assembly building behind these structures. By 1935 the value had gone down to $720, suggesting that the former town hall and IOOF building had been razed.

Oral History

The stairway to the second floor was located between the house attached to Lot 19 and the Town Hall. There was a small gate, about four feet wide, between the buildings.

About 1921 Catholic dances were held on the second floor of this building. Hulda Landefeld Young (Lot 19 and Lot 44) recalls going to the second floor with Lorena and Clementine Burkhart (daughters of Bass Burkhart) to help prepare tables for these Catholic functions. In the early 1930s a new Catholic Hall was built behind the old two-story building and the old building was torn down. The new hall had garage-type doors in front that could be opened during dances and other functions.

In the mid 1920s, the house of this lot was owned and occupied by Katherine Block, who was John Block’s mother. John Block and his family lived just south of Miltonsburg. John’s chhildren included Agnes, Helen, Tom, Walter, and Bob, all of whom were participants in Miltonsburg activities. This house was removed sometime between 1928 and 1934.