This photograph shows Congress Street, the main business section of Rumford, looking south from about 1893.

The white building on the right is F.O.Walker Hardware store, the first hardware store in town. The Walker Hardware store was founded in 1892 and incorporated on February 1st 1905. It is located at 109-111 Congress Street. The store dealt in hardware, tinware, plumber supplies, hot air and steam heating, agricultural goods and paint supplies. It later became Clough and Pillsbury Hardware store. As of 2013, the building is still standing although vacant.

F.O. Walker was born in Peru, a neighboring town, in 1863.