Here's a pic of the old wood stove that sits in the middle of our store. The date "1885" is cast into the back of the fire box. A stove historian said it was probably made on this date or a little after. He added that it is the only one of this model he has ever seen.
It has
been restored and sits on a raised floor. Old oak benches
(retired church pews) surround it so customers
can sit a spell if they'd like. The coffee pot is close by and as you
might imagine, on cold or wet days, a lot of "sawing" is done right
here.
From the photo, it is hard to tell, but this stove is taller than a man. Large ornate stoves like this are hard to find. Compared to stoves made for a home, these were only used in hotel lobbys, train stations, etc. We were told the stove was originally installed in a theater in Kansas City. If old stoves could talk, imagine the stories they've heard.
When this stove has a belly full of hot coals, it puts out heat. It also consumes a lot of wood!