On the morning of May 12, 1909, the major part of the business section of Kinderhook was destroyed by fire. This fire started in the second story of the building occupied by George Colgrove as a butcher shop. His family lived upstairs over the store where the fire presumably from a defective flue. Mr. Colgrove's loss was approximately $1800 with $600 insurance.

The wind was blowing from the southeast, and all of the buildings destroyed were located west of the butcher shop, with the exception of one which was a small frame building on the east which was occupied by George W. Burrough's as a tin shop.

The blacksmith shop of Sam Hill was burned with a total loss of $1700, there being no insurance on the building or contents.

Delford Clutch's barber shop and confectionery store was next to burn. The loss amounted to $1000 of which $550 was covered by insurance.

The large General store owned by R. T. Piper and his residence, which was the second story was with a loss on building and stock amounting to $5500. There was $3700 insurance.

Across the street to the west of Mr. Piper's store was a large two-story building owned by a Mr. Osgood of Quincy. The first floor was occupied by D. F. Liggett's general store while on the second floor was the Masonic Lodge and the Modern Woodmen. The loss on Mr. Liggett's stock amounted to $2500 with $1750 insurance while the loss of the Masons was $300 with $100 insurance.

The Globe Hotel, conducted by Mrs. Lydia Newman, was completely destroyed but the contents were practically all saved.

A dwelling house owned by F. A. Longnecker and occupied by Reuben Short burned with a $500 loss with $350 insurance carried on the house.

These buildings were replaced with concrete structures, the late Joseph Wells doing the masonry and H. C. Newman, the carpenter work.

Kinderhook around 1920