Large Scale Central

The Burke - Devon's 2023 Mik

Yep. And it answers another question I had. In another view I can see the pole. But couldn’t tell if it was on the Burke or the building next door. But thats that. I need a barber pole.

And Floyd the barber

eBay, bit pricey but…

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Just think, you’ve got a spare false front for the next building already done.

There’s no way I’d let something like a new photo stop forward progress… :roll_eyes::stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye: (Please, please can I get another photo of the other building I need to make?)

Good luck and have fun.

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Was there no Sanborn Fire Insurance maps created for the area?

There is. I have used it to pin down its location and also tell me that it was a saloon billiards hall and lodging

Gotta. Figured as much. They are pretty basic in terms of detailed information.

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I think Lodging should be “lodging” with a saloon downstairs and the general area probably could also use the word “hospitality” and hourly room rates

I am sure the rooms upstairs could be used for female entertainment.

I have decided it is an absolute must to fix the first floor front of this building. I think the fastest and easiest way to tackle it is to make a 3D printed front. I can cut out the front area that I have already cut for windows and the door and make a solid insert to fit it. May have to make it in a couple panels depending on its size.

Is that a fire Hydrant out front?

Certainly looks like one, Dan. I assume you are talking about this:

Burke

Neat idea.

How are you planning to do that railing? :innocent:

So Thanks to the Sandborn maps and armed with your question about a hydrant and also the idea of when it appeared and disappeared, I think I have some better ideas of what happened than I did with just trying to piece together photos.

First trying to piece together when it was around; the first Sandborn map for the area is 1892 and it isn’t there but the stone building is. There is another smaller structure where the Burke ends up being. So must have torn that down and built the Burke or maybe just added on to create the Burke some time after 1892. By 1901 and 1905 ( the next Sandborn maps) it is there, clearly labeled “the Burke” and shows the left side as a saloon and the right side as a billiards hall with up stairs lodging. The two first floor buildings are still drawn as separate entities with not interior door. In 1909 and 1918 the Sandborn maps divide the right side front and back. The front half being . . .wait for it. . . a barber shop. The rear half remains a billiard room but now there is a door connecting it to what was once the saloon but now says “soft drinks and cigars”. So some minor remodels. But those are the last Sandborn maps available online. But knowing that in 1918 it was there and that there was a fire in 1923 that wiped out much of the town and for sure the UP Depot and Hecla burnt to the ground. So I think it is reasonable to assume that it met its demise in the 23 fire as Rick suggested and I suspected.

And yes that is a fire hydrant I am pretty sure. The abbreviation on the the Sandborn map lists it as D.H. which I can only assume means “Dry Hydrant” and likely was only fed water in the event of a fire. But this is a guess I honestly don’t know. Maybe the D stands for something else?

Anyway enough history. Armed with that picture my wife found I came up with what will be a much much better front to this building. I will have to print it in a minimum of 2 pieces. But no worries, this will give the building a lot more character.

I have it designed so I can just cut out a big opening in the existing front and glue this in.

Styrene strips. I will glue up some posts in styrene and extend them from the first floor board walk through the balcony which will be made from styrene and up to the railing height. I will cap that with a styrene rail. Then use small styrene square rod to form the parts under the rail and between the posts. The decking of the balcony and the first floor I am planning on using real wood planking.

Neat idea! Can’t wait to see it! (But, I guess I will have to. :innocent:)

Yes you will. That is a long ways down the road.

And I plan to use the idea Rooster gave me of using “mirrors” on the back sides of all of my windows to simulate a reflection. I had made a couple by using thin styrene and then sticking foil tape, the kind used for taping duct work but not duct tape, and then gluing that to the back of the window. I like this idea so that the whole thing is sealed and hornets and other things can’t get inside and since I have ZERO plan to model interiors it blocks the view inside.

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Hey Devon, From that pic your wife found it sure looks like there are 4 sets of double doors in view. Also 2 open transoms.

I think you are spot on Dan. I think so also. And I did simulate the doors. To my eye the doors are of the same design as the windows on either side. So I scribed in some lines to simulate the doors. But I can already see what you are thinking and I thought it looked a little to much like just a bank of windows. So I think what I will re work that so the doors look like doors. Maybe recess them slightly or something. What I don’t want is open doors or windows. So while some of the transom windows are open mine will remain closed. I would prefer to have the buildings seal because we tend to get wasps that like to make homes inside everything.

Neat idea! I ALWAYS modeled detailed interiors in HO AND you could see them. But I quickly discovered that I couldn’t see them outside…plus who wants to try to seal out all those bugs? :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes: