DURKEE & BEILFUSS SIDEWALKS - Historical Albion Michigan

A few weeks ago in this column we featured an article about sidewalks laid in 1901 by George E. Dean which still exist in the city. Recently I noticed another "stamp" from an early 20th century sidewalk contractor. On the northwest corner of S. Clinton and W. Oak Sts. on the Oak St. side by the residence of Robert Peckham is a sidewalk laid in 1915 by the firm of Durkee & Beilfuss. The imprint reads "DURKEE & BEILFUSS 1915."

Frank D. Durkee (1858-1950) was a local cement contractor who lived at 118 W. Erie St. with his wife Catherine. He later died in St. Petersburg, Florida. His 1915 partner was a young Harry E. Beilfuss (1896-1988) who would have been 19 years old at the time. Beilfuss later worked for the Schumacher Construction Company.

From our Historical Notebook this week we present a photograph of the Durkee & Beilfuss sidewalk stamp with still exists at the aforementioned location, and a photo of one of the partners, Harry E. Beilfuss. How many other sidewalks still exist in Albion that were laid by this firm?

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