QR Tour #2 – South Side of the Common

The South side of the Common consists of many individual buildings, the first of which was built in 1795 at the site of what we refer to today as the Dyer block at the corner of Union Square and South Street.   This building was built by Jotham Shepard, brother of John Shepard, on land he purchased from William Crosby. He erected a 1-1/2 story building used as a general provision store At the time of the erection of the Town House (Eagle Hall) Shepard’s Mill, a blacksmith shop and this general store made up the Village area. James Wallace became the new owner of the general store in 1796 along with all the land to the west, up to Great Brook and this all became known as “The Wallace Block”

Block two was actually a driveway until a one story home was built in 1895 when a dry good business was started by Ebenezer Batchelder.

Block three was built around 1817 by James Wallace possibly as a tavern with a stable in the back. Eventually owned by his son William until 1852 when George and Abel Hutchinson were owners and then becoming the barbershop of David Newton when an annex was added in 1897 and has remained as a barbershop for 117 years.

Block four was built in 1817 by a Royal Wallace and changed hands many times in the Wallace family finally to be owned by Harriett E Wallace who married Frank Kaley (the Kaley Fund founder) who was the owner of the American Thread Company. By 1928 the building was sold to the Latchis family of Keene and Newport, NH who tore the house down in 1937 and built a movie theater called Latchis Theatre. Two stores were built on either side of the entrance for the First National Grocery Store and The Quality Shop. The theatre burned in 1965 and the theatre torn down. Today this is the home of the Pasta Loft restaurant.

Block five was built around 1851 by Charles Wallace, son of Royal Wallace. Charles died in 1871 and the property was sold at auction to Dr. Hutchinson who was an entomologist. Dr. Hutchinson sold the property in 1928 to Milford Properties, the house was torn down and a brick one story block was built in its place. This block housed the McClellen 5 & 10 cent store and Savage’s Clothing.