Every once in a while I go on Ebay to see if there are any interesting Lorain postcards. This one (above) is on there right now.
It's a vintage photo of someone's house in Lorain, that was mailed as a postcard and postmarked July 25, 1907. In this case, a woman named Elsie Kratt sent it to a friend in Findlay, Ohio. She wrote, "Had this taken the other day, do you think it looks any better than it did when you were here?" She also identified the boy on the porch as Oscar.
It only took a couple of minutes in the library to find Elsie Kratt (a music teacher) in the 1912 city directory, living at 1054 Ninth Street. And it only took a few more minutes to drive up Ninth Street to grab this shot on sunny Saturday (below).
It's still a stately house, although there have been a lot of architectural changes since Oscar posed for the photographer more than a hundred years ago.
Dan, If you want another project to go along with the Arvays potato chip company, Here's one
ReplyDeleteThe Grapette Botteling Company. It was located in the vicinty of where the Lormet Credit Union building on E. 28th st. in south Lorain. I remember Grapette pop they were small pony size bottles. We enjoy your web site keep up the good work.
Glad you enjoy the website! I'll bet that company was the same as the Franklin Bottling Company, which bottled Grapette and was at 1845 E. 28th Street, which was right next door to the credit union!
ReplyDeleteThere's some Grapette stuff here:
http://danielebrady.blogspot.com/2012/02/lorain-bottle-collection-part-1.html
Dan,
ReplyDeleteMy grandparents lived right across the street from this house and my great-grandparents lived next door to the east of this house.....
Hoy hoy, Jeff Rash
Hi Jeff!
ReplyDeleteMaybe your great-grandparents knew Oscar! He might have been their Times-Herald paper boy!
Elsie Kratt was my grandfather's sister. She was one of 8 children. Her father was George Kratt I. He owned the Kratt Lumber and building Company that stood on 13th street and Washington Ave. I believe he is the one who built the house in 1904.
ReplyDeleteLiked both photos. I have to assume the boy "Oscar" is Oscar H. Arndt born 29 Aug 1898 in Elyria, lived in Lorain all his life and died in Lorain 8 Feb 1981. This Oscar H's. mother is Elise (Holl) Arndt. Does anyone know who in Findlay received the post card?
ReplyDeleteI assume The Oscar in the photo is Elsie Kratt's younger brother. He was born in 1890 and died in 1910. Oscar was the son of George Kratt and Catherine Sick Kratt. Elsie Kratt never married.
ReplyDeleteYou are right! This most likely is the brother Oscar. I like the pictures anyway!!!!!
ReplyDelete