In the city’s earliest days, Second Street was mainly a residential neighborhood. As the city grew, businesses sprang up and replaced or occupied most of those homes. Additionally, a fire in 1845 destroyed many of the buildings on the south side of East Second Street, while the Great Fire of 1852 destroyed many of those on the north side of the street. Take a fascinating walk along Second Street and discover some of its history along the way.
The Phoenix House was built in 1853 as a hotel and by 1881, it had thirty rooms. The hotel closed in 1907 and today businesses occupy the first floor and apartments on the other floors.
This is one of the oldest remaining buildings in the city. In 1809, it was a private residence, but also housed several different businesses including a meat market, barber shop, and a doctor's office.
The city constructed this building in 1910 as Fire Station #1. It is now home to a firefighting museum. The garage on the side is not original to the building. (Image © Chillicothe Gazette)
Built circa 1817, this structure was nearly lost to arson in 2006. Originally a private residence, it once housed a laundry, and for years was the Sherman Haus Beer Garden.
Art, Music, & Theater
This lot, now the Majestic Theatre Courtyard, once housed a hotel (demolished 1990s) along with two buildings that burned in a fire in 2006. The demolition of those buildings exposed the 19th century Mail Pouch advertisement on the side of the neighboring building.
This was once the First National Bank. Notice the wall and windows behind the Ionic style pillars: that was the original structure dating back to the 1850s. When the bank came under new management, they decided to expand and a new shell was simply built around the original building.
This structure was built originally as the Bank of Chillicothe, circa 1827. Since then it served as a private residence and is now the Elk's Hall.
The Poland House stands on the site of a large Greek Revival home that was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1852. The current house was constructed around 1855 and originally featured a second-floor balcony. However, Mrs. Poland, worried about her children's safety, had the balcony replaced with a bay window. The house is a fine example of Steamboat Gothic architecture. (Image © Christopher Riley)
This Foursquare structure, circa 1910, was once home to the Chillicothe Health Center and the City Health Department.
The homes from Walnut Street to High Street include a wide variety of architectural styles. Some homes date to the early 1800s.
