Historic Downtown Walking Tour

After the Civil War, Ashland’s business district developed around the intersection of England and Thompson streets and Railroad Avenue. The train station was on the east side of the tracks north of England Street, with a passenger shed on the west side along with the stationmaster’s home. Along Railroad Avenue south of England and Thompson streets was the greatest concentration of general stores and shops.

Early in the morning of July 26, 1893, a fire destroyed or heavily damaged most of the businesses on the west side of the tracks. The fire changed the makeup of the business community and the physical appearance of downtown. Owners who started over after the fire built new structures that were more fire resistant, built of brick with metal shutters at the windows. The block began to solidify between 1894 and 1913, and it looks much the same today. The fire didn’t damage the east side of the tracks. The only remaining building on the east side built before 1900 is at the northeast corner of S. Railroad Avenue and Robinson Street.