More than just a burned-out building

As the bricks continue to fall on the old Schanbacher building that was gutted by fire on Christmas Eve, I'm reminded of a visit I had with David Schan

bacher during the week after the fire.

In town for a visit with his mother, he spent time conducting family history research at the Hannibal Free Public Library. That's where I caught up with him. He's writing a book on his family heritage, including the old saloon that was once located in the building that burned.

Of interest is what he told me: On Christmas Eve 2015, he and his mother sat in the grocery store parking lot across Broadway and watched as firefighters fought the blaze.

David promised to let me know when his book is complete, and when it is, I will share the information in a story for the Hannibal Courier-Post and this website.

I can't wait to see what he has found on these German immigrants who settled in Hannibal, and lived above the saloon until the turn of the 20th century.