Take an historical walk through the streets of Pickford to gain a feeling for the community, its activities and inhabitants from the turn of the century to present day.

Taylor Building or “Red Block”

This three story, wood frame building was built in 1890 by Frank H. Taylor.

The first floor was a General Merchandise store; selling groceries, meat, dry goods, and shoes.  The back portion was the home of the Pickford Clarion newspaper.  The second floor consisted of Dr. Fox’s office and apartments.

The third floor was used as a Town Hall and Auditorium.  Many school plays were given there, also a traveling show including a ventriloquist, who had a show every year for many years.  The east side of the third floor was used as a lodge room for the Modern Woodmen of the World.  It was also a meeting place for one of the first Boy Scout Troops in America, organized by the Presbyterian minister in 1912.

Frank H. Taylor sold the building to E. S. Taylor in 1902.  E. S. Taylor sold it to the Hossack Brothers in 1908.  He then sold it to H. M. (Ham) Hamilton and James Watson in 1923.  They owned the building when it burned in 1928.

The present building standing at the corner of Main Street and Pleasant Avenue is owned by Robert Smith.  It houses the Pickford Dry Goods Store and Watson’s Shoe Store.

The Grand Central Hotel

Located at the corner of  Main Street and Pleasant Avenue, the hotel was built in 1889 by Frank H. Taylor.  Herbert Taylor was born in the hotel in 1893.

Numerous families ran the hotel through the years.  Among them were the Hugh Blair’s, the Crawford’s, and the Dan Smith’s.

The hotel served as a Community Center and also a place to hold ‘going away’ parties for local citizens.  A row of captain’s chairs lines the front entrance; where local citizens used to sit and watch the people go by.

The Grand Central, in the horse and buggy days, was a halfway stop between Cedarville, Detour and the Soo.  It was divided up and moved in 1928 after serving as a hotel for almost 40 years.

Pickford General Store

The first store in Pickford was built by C. W. Pickford.  The building burned in 1885 and was rebuilt by F. H. Taylor in 1886 and operated as a General Store until 1890.  Later the same building became Steven’s Blacksmith Shop.

Hotels and Boarding Houses

William Hannah built the first boarding house in Pickford.  About 1903 he sold it to Jack Stanley.  Jack Stanley was in the boarding house until about 1911.  The structure burned in 1912 and was rebuilt by V. L. Lipsett, who started Lipsett’s Garage in the same year.

The Pickford Fair

The first Pickford Agricultural Fair was held in 1893.  it was located west of the Methodist Church near the place where John Wise now lives.  Between 1900 and 1905 the fair was moved to the site at the northeast side of town.  The fairs were held there until 1949.  At present, the Pickford Township Park stands at the same site.

Pickford Telephone Company

F. H. Taylor started the telephone company in 1894.  After visiting the World Fair in Chicago in 1893, and observing the telephone in use, Mr. Taylor returned to Pickford and brought with him some of these new machines.  He then strung wire from the store in Pickford to his store in Rudyard and so the Pickford Telephone Company was born.  Mr. Taylor operated the company out of his home, but later moved to the John Kay Building, which was located next to the Smith (Walz) Grist Mill.

John Kay Building

This building was first used as a general store owned by Jim O’Neil.  Later Fred Taylor operated a hardware store in the same building.  After the hardware store a man named Harry Best ran a grocery store while at the same time Bill Blair operated a butcher shop located in the west side of the building.

In 1932 this building along with Smith’s Grist Mill was destroyed by fire.  The telephone company was the only business occupying the building at the time of the fire.

The Pickford Medical Center, Apothecary Shop, and the office of Dr. Dennis Taylor, D.D.S., now stands on the former site of the John Kay Building.

Sault Savings Bank Site

On the site of the present Saul Savings Bank was a frame building, which in the early days housed the Beacom and Sterling General Store and later Fred Green’s General Store.  Still later a garage was operated by George Thorne and John Thompson.  At this time the building was moved and the original bank building was erected in the late 1920’s.

M-G Café Site

On the site of the present M-G Café, a man named Alfred Roe operated a barber shop and watch repair.  Later, around the late 1920’s, Mrs. Peter Libby put an addition on the building and opened a restaurant.  Although the building had several owners, it continued to be a restaurant until 1957 when it was destroyed by fire.  Glen and Mildred Gough built the present building in 1965.

Pickford Ambulance Garage Site

On the site of the present ambulance garage, A. W. Taylor built the first Post Office, which also served as his living quarters and a shoe store.  This building was later moved to another location.   Another building was constructed on the same site serving as a drug store.  It was owned and operated by Robert Harrison.

Pickford Creamery

This first creamery was built about 1900 by F. H. Taylor.  Milk was bought and processed to be sold in Pickford and Cedarville.  It was also a collection station for cream that was sold to the Rudyard Creamery.

Pickford Shoe Shop

In the year 1880 John Crawford opened a shoe repair shop in Sault Ste. Marie and later moved to Detour.  He next relocated in Pickford at the site where Skinner’s Garage is presently located.  He repaired shoes, made boots to order and advertised with a large black book over the shop door.  John Crawford was the grandfather of Pickford’s Centennial Belle, Mrs. Janet Slater.