The Milton Realty Block Through The Decades

When this new building was constructed at the corner of South Front Street & Broadway, the newspapers referred to it as "Milton's Corner".  

Here's how that corner has looked over the years - 

After the 1880 Fire - The Corner Stands Empty

The Krauser Building is the brick building that is still standing.

In 1906. Galbraith's news stand is on the corner. 
In 1909, that moved up Broadway.

Originally this corner was owned by Bethuel Vincent.  Vincent was at the battle of Fort Freeland, taken prisoner, and marched to Quebec.  After his release, he came to Milton and opened a hotel.  He was also the postmaster, and the post office is just to the right in this photo - directly across from Galbraiths store in the photo above.  In 1845 Seth Caldawallader purchased the corner lot, and erected the Callawallader Building, which you can see in the next photo - 

Same year, 1906, same corner, but now we are looking up Broadway.  Galbraiths store is on the right, with the Cadawallader Building behind it.

In 1907, The Milton Realty Company was formed.  In 1909, Galbraith's lot rent was increased from $25 to $35.  Rather than pay the increase, he moved his entire store up the street..  The Milton Realty Company "came possessed" of a 30 year lease on this block of land in February, and Galbraith moved his store in March.  In April, the Milton Realty Company was denied permission to build a temporary structure here, by a vote of 12-3.

In 1910 they began construction of the new three story brick building that stands there today.  The newspapers referred to this as "Miltons New Corner"

This would be around 1910 or 1911

The new Milton Realty building is completed and you can just see part of it on the very right of the postcard, before the Calawallader Building.

Milton's New Corner

F. M Kirby Store  - Between 1910 and 1912

Fred Morgan Kirby of Wilkes Barre started as a $2 a week clerk in a Watertown Ny store, where the 5 and 10 idea was originated by Frank W. Woolworth.  Kirby  later had acquired 96 of his own stored before merging them with the Woolworth System in 1912.

F.M. Kirby 5 & 10

Between 1910 and 1912

F.M. Woolworths 5 & 10

In 1912, the F. M. Kirby Stores were Merged with the Woolworth Stores.

F. M. Woolworths 5 & 10

Sometime after the trolley tracks were removed - early 1930s?

The Daylight Store opened in the Milton Realty building in February of 1911.

It was owned by Spots & Kelly.

The Daylight Store in the Milton Realty Building, ? , Milton National Bank, Hotel Haag,  Schreyer Department Store, Lewisson Building, Dreiffus Clothiers,  Milton Trust & Safe Deposit Company.

I can't read the sign  over the window - but the hanging sign reads  "R&D Cut Rate"

I've found mention of Rea & Dericks taking over the Andy's Cut Rate store, but I am unsure if the Cut Rate Store was in the Milton Realty building, or in the Krauser building next door, which would later be Newberrys.

Rea & Derrick first came to Milton in 1931, opening in the Hotel Haag building.

In 1935 it moved to the Krauser building on South Front Street, then to the Milton Realty Building in 1939.

The Rea & Dericks in this building closed on March 30 1991

 I'm unsure of the dates, but in the late 1990s/early 2000's, Keystone Physical Therapy was in this building

Today, in 2020, the building stands empty

 

In 2019, it was rumored that the building was being renovated with plans for several smaller storefronts inside. I am unsure of the status of this project.

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Find More History & Stories Of Milton Here

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2020/04/milton-pa.html

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Timeline For The Milton Realty Building Block - 

1845 - This land was purchased by Seth Caldwallader from the estate of Bethuel Vincent.  The original Caldawallder building ran with the front along Broadway, and the side of the building faced front street.  You can see that here.

(Note to self  - Bethuel Vincent was at the battle of Fort Freeland.  He was captured, marched to Quebec, and when he was released he went to Milton and built a "big hotel" there.  Find out what happened to that hotB.  Bethuel was postmaster in Milton too.)

1880 - The Great Fire In Milton.  

March 1907 - William N. Watson, M.L. Watson and Frank M Reber applied to form the Milton Realty Corporation

February 1909 - The Milton Realty Company "came possessed of the Cadwallader Corner"- Front & Broadway - through a thirty year lease.  

March  1909- Galbraith moved his entire store from this corner,  up the street (where it stood until 2017) after the rent on the Cadawallader block was increased from $25 to $35.

April 1909 - A resolution to allow the Milton Realty Co to erect a temporary frame building on the corner vacated by Bertram Galbraith lost by a vote of 12-3

April 1910 - "Milton's New Corner" -   Construction began on the three story Milton Realty Building

March 1910 - A resolution granted the Milton Realty Co permission to fill up Lincoln Park with earth from the cellar of the proposed new building and from the Murray estate to the right.

July 1910 - Milton Realty Building was up to two stories, Milton Nation Bank building was almost complete.  New High School and Limestone Bridge at Filbert Street were progressing, Power plant on South front street and the trolley barn were nearing completion.  Improvements ad the gas plant, and new home of the Davis Printing Company are under way.  Remodeling of the Opera House block and other private buildings underway.

Oct 1910  - Pavement began on the Cadawaller block of Broadway, along the new Milton Realty Co Building.  The awnings on Broadway were also to be removed, and the Milton Nation bank was paving the alley beside their magnificent new building.

1910-1912 F.M. Kirby Store

1912 Kirby Stores Merged With Woolworth Stores

April 1912 - Charles Miller, janitor of the Milton Realty Building, was arrested for robbing the Daylight store. He was also implicated in the recent holdup of the W.E. Krick of Sunbury.

May 1912 - Ex Burgess A. Cadwallader, owner of the Miton Realty Building, died.  The details of his will were published in his obituary on May 9 1912 in the Miltonian.

In 1928 Fehr & Kronberg Women's Wearing Apparel signed a 5 year lease at $150 a month, with an additional  option for a second 5 years at $200 a month.

Overnight, Mr Reer changed his mind and decided he did not want the Sunbury Firm as tenants "even though their reputation as businessmen was first class" A small legal battle ensued.   When Milton Realty was ordered by the court to remove the padlock, they installed a new padlock immediately after removing the first one.  

1939 - Rea & Derick Moved into the Milton Realty Building

1991 - Rea & Derick left the Milton Realty Building