09/01/2026
Our historic Main Street Town of Forest City suffered an incredible loss yesterday. Fire consumed and destroyed one of the oldest buildings on Main Street, the former Farmers Hardware store, located at 110 West Main Street. The building had been vacant for several years.
Thankfully, employees at neighboring storefronts were able to get to safety, and there are no reported injuries.
We are incredibly grateful to Forest City Fire Rescue who responded quickly and, with assistance from neighboring fire departments, was able to contain the fire to just the one building. Forest City Police Department and local traffic organizations assisted with closing roads, detouring traffic, and keeping onlookers at a safe distance.
The mayor, town council members, town manager and town employees were on site, lending assistance wherever needed. Our Main Street merchants rallied around one another, offering support and compassion to those affected.
Most of all, we want to express our deepest gratitude to our “small town, deep roots” community. Thank you for the prayers, love, encouragement, and support you showed us yesterday and continue to show us as we navigate this difficult situation together.
While we mourn the loss of a piece of our town’s history, we are reminded of what makes Forest City so special — our people, our resilience, and the way we come together when our community needs us most.
Thank you, Town of Forest City. ❤️
