Hotel Strong on lower Main Street was built during the 1850s by Jeremy W. Porter (1820-1904). This building was acquired along with Porter's Mill, by Charles Forster who first used it as a boarding house for executives visiting his new business, Forster's Toothpick Company. Soon Hotel Strong was in business, operated by the company.
Dr. Charles W. Bell used a portion of the hotel as a 16-bed hospital from 1910-1937.
