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nov_15__1979.html
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NORTH MAIN BLOCK SHOWS CHANGES
THRU YEARS
PIX #1 - (right to left) Candyland, Apple-A-Day, Dave's Bicycle Shop, Star Glass & Supply, Elks. PIX #2 - Pure Food Bakery once in Franke Bros. Building PIX #3 - (right to left) Professional Bldg., Gase Insurance, Kinn & Theobald, apartment residences. PIX #4 - Methodist church PIX #5 - Franke Bros. Building and their Fostoria City Mills Many physical changes have taken place on North Main Street from the point where the now defunt LE & W Railroad crosses it, and north to Fremont Street. I have been around Fostoria nearly 75 years, and remember much of that area as it was in the past, and yet it is often difficult to recall exactly what building stood "here" or "there" and what businesses occupied those buildings. I often rely on others to help me with specific locations etc. and the old City Directories. Let's start on the east side of Main at Sandusky, where the railraod crossed. The accompanying modern photos show the street buildings as they are today. The other photos show some views in the past.. Where the Candyland Restaurant is now, is the same building that has occupied that site since the Franke brothers, August and Charles, had it built in 1900 one year after they took over the old mill, next door, and remodeled it to become Franke Bros. Fostoria City Mills. Their mill occupied all of the area from where the Candyland is now to, but not including what is now the Elks Club building. Another photo shows the Franke brothers building as it was when built; also the old mill. Another picture shows another view of the building, Franke Bros. when a bakery occupied one of the rooms. Clara Knipher, aunt of Jim Rowles is shown in photo. Several old frame buildings were demolished to make sites for the building now occupied by the Elks and for The Professional Building. One photo shows where Geo. M. Fink had his plumbing shop, the upstairs of which was also the location for the beginning of David and Newcomer Elevator Co. The photo of Fink's shop shows a reflection of the old frame building that was located opposite it, where William D. Dauterman, attorney, has just completed a new building for his offices. One of the very old buildings in that block is where the Virgil Gase Agency is now, north of The Professional Building. It was built by Laugher Malony as a residence and he lived there until his death in 1926. He was a brother to the father of Fostorians Jane Malony, Mrs. Louis Stagger, deceased, and Mrs. John Carter. Next to the old Malony home is the new building constructed by Kinn and Theobald for their offices. It is on the site where a two-story frame was locatef for many years, occupied by various businesses, the most recent being Dicken Tin Shop and Emporium Antique Shop. Besie Kinn and Theobald's offices is another Fostoria landmark residence built during the early days of the town. When I was a bot it was owned and inhabited by the Tunstill family. Mr. and Mrs. Jack Wainwright also resided there when they first came to town in 1919. The last photo shows a partial view of a residence which goes back to Fostoria's early history, at the corner of Main and Fremont (southeast corner). It was owned by many persons, including Charles Foster, since it was built at least 100 years ago. Most recent owners are Sam Dever and Mrs. Dora Pugh. Present owner is Clifton Barto, son-in-law of Mrs. Pugh. Lastly, for the east side of the street, the photo shows The Governor's Manor, which now stands where The Methodist Episcopal Church stood from 1883 when it was built, until 1967, when it was demolished and the site sold to the builder of The Governor's Manor. This story wouldn't be complete without the photo of the church. The following list will interest older readers who will remember the names of individuals and businesses on the east side of that Main Street Block: BACK IN 1915 (On East side of Main, from Sandusky to Fremont Street) 224 - W.S. Sutliff and Co. - Builders Supply and Coal
BY 1930 224 - Ed Rothacker - Grocery and Confectionary BY 1951 224 - Candyland had taken over property Obviously there were other businesses occupying various locations in the above listings during other years not sampled One of those was Kimball's Furniture Store, at 300 N Main, owned and operated by Emiel Kimball. His wife Lucille assisted him. |
