Locals Remember Historic Landmark After Massive Fire
By: Marlisa Goldsmith
Updated: February 21, 2012
"I grew up here, I grew up in Abilene," says long time resident, Ed Hall.
Abilene is a city Hall is very proud to be a part of, especially the history behind it.
"I walked by here a million times I guess," Hall explains.
He remembers the former Matera Paper Company for many things.
Some may remember it for being home of Radford Grocers.
The executive director of Abilene Preservation League, William Minter says, "Radford Grocery company was a really big operation. One of the biggest wholesale operations west of the Mississippi they said."
Minter explains how that building expanded and later housed a succession of paper companies for sales and warehouse.
The building had been vacant for a while so whenever Hall passed by it on his daily bus ride he did not pay too much attention to it.
"Around 1:00 I guess, I was walking east on it and it just looked normal to me," says Hall.
Little did he know, that would be the last time he would see that building standing.
Hall continues, "It wasn't until I watched the news last night until I heard about it and I recognized that place."
So he came back today to reminisce, "I hate to see it happen," he says.
Preservationists are hoping there will be something that can be saved to remember this historic landmark.
"Something that's that attractive of a building with it's ornamentation in tact would have been great to be able to preserve," says Minter.
Abilene is a city Hall is very proud to be a part of, especially the history behind it.
"I walked by here a million times I guess," Hall explains.
He remembers the former Matera Paper Company for many things.
Some may remember it for being home of Radford Grocers.
The executive director of Abilene Preservation League, William Minter says, "Radford Grocery company was a really big operation. One of the biggest wholesale operations west of the Mississippi they said."
Minter explains how that building expanded and later housed a succession of paper companies for sales and warehouse.
The building had been vacant for a while so whenever Hall passed by it on his daily bus ride he did not pay too much attention to it.
"Around 1:00 I guess, I was walking east on it and it just looked normal to me," says Hall.
Little did he know, that would be the last time he would see that building standing.
Hall continues, "It wasn't until I watched the news last night until I heard about it and I recognized that place."
So he came back today to reminisce, "I hate to see it happen," he says.
Preservationists are hoping there will be something that can be saved to remember this historic landmark.
"Something that's that attractive of a building with it's ornamentation in tact would have been great to be able to preserve," says Minter.
