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Noll Buildings
Ten Club Park in Waterford was once the
site of one of Waterford's grandest build-
ings, a general store and grocery owned
by Louis Noll, His brother, Charles, owned
the furniture store and undertaking parlor
across the street. An equally grand build-
ing, one floor was living quarters, and it
seems they even had dances on another.
As related today, it seems the fire of 1898
which destroyed most of downtown
Waterford was started on a weekend by a
mistake like Mrs. O'Leary's cow. Someone
decided to go to the basement to have a
cigar. Somehow, a spark dropped onto
flammable material and in a matter of
moments a blaze was started. A strong
west wind spread the flames quickly, even
across the streets; the furniture store caught
fire and with It the entire block, Including
the hotel, and then to buildings across Main
Street, Only a few buildings made of brick
escaped total destruction.
Though the Nolls lost everything, new build-
ings soon went up. The Park Apartments
took the place of the furniture store, and
Ten Club Park was the site of the general
grocery store.
Louis Noll was an unofficial banker, giving
real estate and other loans, but he lacked
a state charter. After the fire, the state
insisted he get a charter. The Louis Noll
Company was formed and a new general
store was built on 2nd Street, with a bank
on the north end of the building.
The mercantile business in 1907 consisted of
dry goods, notions, crockery, men's furnish-
ings, hardware, paints, shoes and gro-
ceries.
                   as told by Charles Noll