Above is a vintage postcard of Broad Street in Elyria, looking east. Right in the middle of the postcard is the intersection with Washington Avenue. The building with the Ohio Public Service Sign on the roof is the Robinson Building.
Here's another vintage view of the Robinson Building. Note that the Ohio Public Service sign has been replaced with one bearing the utility's new name: Ohio Edison. Hey, if you look closely, there's a big Reddy Kilowatt on the sign! And next door is Muir's Cut Rate Drug Store.
Today, the Robinson Building is still on that corner. But it was dramatically remodeled in the early 1960s, as noted in these two photos that appeared in the Lorain Journal on Feb. 5, 1966. The actual remodeling had been done about five years before.
I remember my days delivering furniture for Reidy-Scanlan that Washington Avenue in Elyria had some quite stately homes. Not like Washington Ave in Lorain where I lived. Ha-ha Todd
ReplyDeleteAww, the Loomis Camera sign is gone!
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the original building facade still exists behind the panels. Not that I think it should be restored - the 1870s were not a great period for architectural detail.
ReplyDeleteY'know... As somebody who didn't grow up in these here parts, I'm always sort of amazed at the changes which have taken place over the decades. These cities must've really been something in their day. I've had lots of locals tell me the Midway Mall killed downtown Elyria. Do you folks think that's true?
ReplyDeleteYes, Don, and downtown Lorain, too. That solitary bypass between Routes 57 & 58 to Midway Mall didn’t help these downtown merchants, either.
DeleteIn an attempt to be “modern,” we took the “art” out of architecture. (But it’s still in there under that bland facade.)
ReplyDelete