The mighty, and I do mean mighty, Pennsylvania Railroad rumbled through Pierceton many years ago. When a railroad line came through a town it used to mean increased business in more ways than one. For one example hotels were built to accommodate railroad passengers. This building in the 100 block of East Market Street in Pierceton was originally known as the Flat Iron Hotel according to the application for the National Register of Historic Places. It sits near the railroad tracks and also near the former depot, which is also still standing by the way. Passengers getting off the train only had a short walk to the hotel. According to that same application, the building was built in about 1880 in the Italianate architectural style very common of that era. The railroad tracks caused East Market Street to “defy” the north-south street grid and the hotel was built to accommodate the block. The two-story brick building is the oldest surviving commercial building in the Pierceton Historic District. The building later served as a commercial and office building and was temporarily used as a post office after a fire destroyed the previous one. It has also served as an apartment building for several years. I’m not sure of the current use of the building.
