Page 11 - A Flood of Memories

PIQUA
9
Piqua:
Fort Piqua Plaza
TODAY
Left: During the 1913 ood, the Fort Piqua Hotel, facing the public square, quickly became a refugee camp for those forced from their homes by rising water or lack of heat. The restaurant facility was on the fourth oor of the hotel, so guests didn’t suffer the deprivations other ood survivors endured. This area recorded only a foot or 2 of water because it was on higher ground. Residential areas three blocks east recorded 21 to 24 feet of water. The three-story city hall toward the left side of the photo has been torn down and the street realigned.
Right: In 2008, the Piqua community renovated this 1891 Richardsonian Romanesque landmark, which is now known as the Fort Piqua Plaza. It features shops, the public library and a stunning banquet hall – the site of many wedding receptions.
In 2009, Heritage Ohio – the state’s partner of the National Trust for Historic Preservation – awarded The City of Piqua Downtown Redevelopment Project LP with “Best Public Improvement” award for the rehabilitation of the Fort Piqua Hotel.