2. The Tribune Printing Company

101 W. Briggs Ave, SW corner of N. Main St. (built 1914)

(This building (see photo below) unexpectedly collapsed in June 2014.)

History - June 12, 1847 marked the start of the Iowa Sentinel, one of the three oldest continuous businesses in Iowa (each started in 1847).

The Tribune Printing Company, a direct lineal descendant of the Iowa Sentinel, and in the Walker family since 1915, printed early catalogs for the Louden Machinery Company. At one time William Louden was president of Tribune Printing.

Fairfield's Grand Opera House was built on this property in 1890, but was destroyed by an electrical fire in 1909. Before 1980, when the Tribune Printing Company moved into this building, many other businesses were housed here, including car dealers, department stores food stores, and others.

Painted on the bricks, but covered by metal siding, were the words J. Franklin Produce Co., Cream, Eggs, and Poultry.

You can see newspaper coverage of the collapse and history of this building on the IAGenWeb Project web page (http://iagenweb.org/jefferson/TribBldg/Tribune.html).

The Tribune Printing building,  looking at the northwest corner, before the collapse in June 2014.