West Main Street 29 - Lancaster, New York

Records show that J. Seeger and Mrs. Idtle were in business in the earlier building by 1866. A furnace fire occurred at Seeger's in August of 1881. An arsonists started a fire in one of Mr. Seeger's coffins (the proprietor was also the undertake) in 1885. Fortunately the fire was discovered promptly otherwise all of west Main street might have been burned down because of a high wind. In 1887 there was another fire in Seeger's, again it was put out in time, and again arson was suspected. Fred Seeger's Furniture factory outback was damaged by fire yet again on February 9, 1887. On September 17 of the same year it was destroyed by fire.

The more recent building was not constructed of brick, as many supposed, but was built of wood with an iron front. It had no sidewalls of its own, but leaned on the brick walls of adjoining buildings. Tenants include Seeger's Furniture store and factory from approximately 1891-1901, a women's wear store 1913, Besser's Furniture 1925-43, Rozlers Furniture 1943-55, and Olker’s Furniture 1961.

In 1961 kids playing outback were suspected of setting a small grass fire that spread to cardboard cartons near the back of the building. The fire department came and put this blaze out but apparently some embers must have been blown in the back door into some rolls of linoleum where they went undetected at the time. Later, after the firemen had left, they sprang to life. The fates had finally caught up with the building. This time the whole place went up and nearly took all of West Main Street with it.

Traveling west on West Main on the north side is 31 west Main street

Sources

• Tales of Old West Main Street Harley E. Scott, ed.