Recently, one of my neighbors made an interesting discovery. While insulating the pipes in his residence, he discovered the pipes were wrapped with economy insulation — old newspapers from 1956. He thought our readers would like to recall some of the “good old days” from the newspaper.

One article especially piqued my interest. Remember the old Newhard Rexall drugstore on lower Main Street and Laubach Avenue in Northampton? The old flat iron building was constructed by Dr. and Mrs. Charles Meixsell in 1917. The doctor was both a physician and pharmacist.

He sold the business to Mr. Newhard in the 1940s but continued to operate another drugstore on upper Main Street at the current site of Main Street Restaurant.

This writer witnessed an inferno that occurred in May 1956. The store was busy not only preparing prescriptions but dispensing soda and ice cream at a pleasing soda fountain. At 2:45 p.m., the structure was filled with flames and smoke. Our courageous firemen fought the fire but lacked the modern equipment possessed by our present fire company.

Some of my neighbors were overcome fighting the blaze. Chief Allen Wunder was taken to another landmark — the Haff Hospital. Mr. Wunder had been a fireman while serving in the U.S. Navy. Other neighbors injured were Elwood Reimer and Bill Raub, whose daughter Ruth Miller later owned the Miller Insurance Agency on Main Street. Another man injured was George Cole Jr.

The drug store also contained the home of the Newhard’s that had been remodeled the previous year. The fire may have started in the basement, which contained stocks of chemicals. The intense smoke and fumes hindered the firemen, who did not have the air pack and breathing equipment we have today.

The fire gutted the interior, and the structure was declared a total loss. The loss was estimated at $60,000. Doesn’t sound like very much today, but remember, this was 70 years ago!

In 1956, Northampton had three fire companies. Alliance Third Ward, Central Second Ward and Northampton Fire Company First Ward all responded to the fire. The Coplay Fire Company came across the bridge to help when Chief Wunder was overcome. Chief Butz of the Allentown Fire Company also responded.

The building was insured, but the owner didn’t expect to cover all the losses. The fire was discovered by George Williams. Williams ran out of the pharmacy and pulled the box fire alarm.

Do our readers recall the red alarm boxes anchored to polls on various streets in our neighborhood? Today, calling 911 gets the message to the authorities in seconds — a great improvement in public safety.

The store filled with smoke and fumes so rapidly that the clerks were forced out the door in minutes. The basement was filled with four feet of water and had to be pumped out so Fire Marshall Michael Vargo could investigate the cause of the fire.

Police Chief Peter Stoudt and our police department controlled traffic on Laubach Avenue. The Rose Croix Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star provided coffee and sandwiches to the weary firemen.

The drug store moved across the street to temporary headquarters at 1216 Main St. Later, Newhard sold the store to Peter Stahl and John Pavis. They would construct a new pharmacy on the former Northampton and Bath Railroad office site a block away.

The new home of the drug store retained the Newhard name. The building was constructed in 1975. The old drug store, where this writer obtained prescriptions for his parents, was never rebuilt.

Fortunately, the Miller family brought back life and energy to the landmark corner when a shiny new diner was placed on the location; today, it is known as the Northampton Diner.

As years passed, the memory of the Meixsell, later Rexall Drug Store, became a faded page in our community’s history.

In two weeks, a former major league baseball star pitches on Wolf Field.