Saddle Inn Article – April 26, 1965

To close out the week (and April as well), here's another one of those advertisements masquerading as a news article that the Journal used to feature under the heading of "Lorain County Business and Industrial Review." It appeared in the Journal on April 26, 1965 and promotes the Saddle Inn, located in the shopping center in Avon Lake on Lake Road. (I've inserted a similar photo of the too-dark vintage one in my transcription below.)

It reads, "The story of the historic Saddle Inn, Avon Lake's famous restaurant and tavern, might well be captioned, "from carbarns to canapés."

"The handsome building of today was once the storage barn for the interurban streetcars that traveled between Cleveland and Toledo.

"The building, erected in 1893, has been, since 1939, the center of hospitality in the most pleasant of atmospheres for people from all over the world.

"The Saddle Inn offers more than a gourmet meal and accommodations to industry and business for conferences, luncheons, dinners and social occasions. Also available are motel accommodations which are not only comfortable but plush.

"The decor of the Saddle Inn's interior has changed little, despite the fire that struck the building in September, 1957. The building, as it is today, is the result of the modernization program that followed the fire. However, the Saddle Inn retained its charm and historic flavor, and today patrons may still sit in the saddles which form the bar stools, and gaze on the antiques which commands their attentions.

"These include the saber taken from a British officer at the Battle of Bunker Hill, and a more than 200-year-old scale model of the Santa Maria, flagship of Christopher Columbus' tiny fleet.

"Notables from all over the world stop at the Saddle Inn Motel. The motel registry reads like a map of the world, with far-off places like Japan, Australia, South Africa, Republic of Panama, Pakistan, Alaska and India appearing often.

"Host and Hostess of the Saddle Inn are Mr. and Mrs. Phil Tanner – known to almost everyone as Phil and Audre. Together, they create an atmosphere of congenial friendliness that is hard to match. Their long experience in the restaurant and tavern business assures all who stop at "The Saddle" of the best possible experience in dining out.

"The Saddle Inn, which will celebrate its 25th anniversary in May, today stands as the hub of a large shopping center, which includes a variety of shops and stores."

The former Saddle Inn building today

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The Saddle Inn has been the subject of numerous posts on this blog over the years.

To learn more about the Saddle's Inn's previous life as the Beach Park station of the Lake Shore Electric, click here to visit the Lake Shore Rail Maps website.

Saddle Inn 25th Anniversary – June 17, 1965

Beach Park Station circa 1898

Here’s a nice little history of how the old, abandoned interurban car barns in Avon Lake became the Saddle Inn. The story, celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Inn, was written by Doug Warren and ran in the Lorain Journal on June 17, 1965. 

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Saddle Inn Marks 25th Anniversary

By DOUG WARREN

AVON LAKE – There was a ponderous downfall of rain one Sunday afternoon. It very nearly obscured the bleak looking brick structure more than a hundred yards back from the road. The building, forlorn in its retirement from service, would probably look anything but interesting to less creative eyes, but one car which sloshed through the rain slowed, started up again and finally turned around and came back.

THE INTERESTED eyes in the rain drenched auto belonged to Ethel Frielingsdorf. She was the one who saw the lonely brick building and insisted that her husband William turn around and return for a closer look. What she saw was the Saddle Inn.

Actually the building was known then as the Interurban Car Barns. The area was known as Beach Park. The year was 1939.

The brick building was erected in 1893, and housed its last streetcar in 1938. Interurban service between Cleveland and Toledo ended when the streetcar lost its battle with the auto and the bus. The car barn was abandoned and up for sale.

Mrs. Frielingsdorf saw a new life for the discarded building; a new role. A future, which she and her husband would mold.

The restaurant dream was no lark with the Frielingsdorfs in 1939. They had been in it in Cleveland at 1W. 117th St. and Clifton, called Mother’s Pantry, and had no plans for starting another. That all changed when the creative eye of Mrs. Frielingsdorf caught sight of the car barns. They bought the Avon Lake property and the for sale sign has never been seen since.

A YEAR later the Saddle Inn was opened. Now it’s celebrating its 25th anniversary. The facade has changed dramatically over the years, and its acreage has been populated with a 22 unit shopping center. In addition to the Inn, which has grown from 9 to 30 units, the complex includes a theater, drug store and supermarket.

The Frielingsdorf's had plans drawn up for an 80-acre extension of their empire, which would give Avon Lake the largest shopping center between Cleveland and Lorain, but their plans were altered by fate.

In 1957, a $200,000 fire started in the adjacent theater and crept into the inn to destroy much of the refinements of 17 years. The insurance failed to cover the loss.

A new start was demanded of the Frielingsdorf's and they were worthy of the challenge. The inn was restored and improved upon. Now, again the industrious family is studying plans for extending the shopping center. Frielingsdorf has been approached often during the last months by potential renters and he feels the development of the 80-acre addition is nearing time of fruition. He sees 400,000 square feet of store space going up for business occupancy.

MRS. FRIELINGSDORF’S son, Phil Tanner, and his wife, Audie, are the cordial host and hostess of the restaurant. Phil attributes the family success to his mother’s driving force and her good cooking. Not even a devastating fire could dampen her enthusiasm. With an extended illness slowing her physical pace she remains at the helm from her upstairs apartment. Phil’s step-father, Williams Frielingsdorf, supervises the kitchen every day.

Over the years, William Frielingsdorf has made a hobby of collecting bric-a-brac antiques for the restaurant. There is a 200-year-old replica of the Santa Maria in prominent display over the bar. There are chandeliers imported from Italy. exquisite wrought iron grill work, and even a saber which survived the battle of Bunker Hill.

Frielingsdorf is constantly searching for artifacts to add character to the rooms which have been so much a part of his life over the years.

Mrs. Frielingsdorf came to the United States in 1907 from Poland. When she was 16 she served as court interpreter for the city of New York, having command of nine languages. William was born in Dusseldorf, Germany.

THEY MOVED to Cleveland in 1924 and conducted grocery and delicatessen businesses before venturing into the restaurant world.

The Frielingsdorfs regard the launching of the Saddle Inn as their real beginning, however, because the half of their lives spent in Avon Lake has seemed the most like home.

Recently Phil and Audre Tanner acted as hosts of the inn’s 25th anniversary party and entertained more than 50 long-time friends of the family. Among their guests were Mr. and Mrs. Robert Gould, the George Timmermans, the Carl Fjelstadts, Mr. and Mrs. H. G. Scoggin, the Bob Mittendorfs Amon the others.

The Tanners served cocktails, dinner, and afterward, treated their guests to a performance of “The Perfect Setup” the last play of the winter season of the Huntington Touring Players.

Detail from a 1959 newspaper ad

Tanner announced that in conjunction with the 25th anniversary celebration, the Inn would begin serving daily European dishes which his mother made famous over the years. Sauerbrten, bratwurst, wienerschnitzel, potato pancakes and German potato salad are some of the items to be featured. Mrs. Frielingsdorf’s secret recipes will be followed in the preparation of the authentic old world dishes.

THE TANNERS, his step-father and mother, all live in upstairs apartments at the Inn. Phil and Audre, married in 1941, have two children. Their son, Tom, 23, is doing post-graduate work at Ohio University. Michael, 8, is at home.

The lives of all the group have centered around the Inn. Phil admits having been dishwasher, waiter, bartender and finally host of the family business. He even met his wife there.

The Saddle Inn has been a temporary residence for celebrities from all over the world. To the Frielingsdorfs and the Tanners, the Saddle Inn and Avon Lake is home. It has been for the last 25 years and their friends hope they will be calling it home after the next 25 years.

New Year’s Eve Ads 1959 & 1969

Well, it’s New Year’s Eve – a good time to look back on the past year, and years gone by.

This New Year’s Eve is unique in that it's the eve of a new decade. I still remember as a kid how futuristic 1970 seemed at the time. But I don’t recall feeling that way about subsequent new decades.

At least the catchy-sounding 2020 will be easier to remember than the odd-numbered 2019, which I never really got used to writing on my checks (yes, I still write checks for almost all my bills).

Anyway, to wrap up the year here on the blog, here’s a small assortment of ads with an appropriate seasonal theme.

If it was New Year’s Eve 1959, you might have considered a night out at the Saddle Inn in Avon Lake. Above is an ad that ran in the Journal on December 26, 1959.

And also from 1959 is the full-page New Year’s Eve ad reminding Journal readers not to drink and drive. The ad doesn’t feature the Grim Reaper, but the clown is still a little creepy.

Moving up to 1969...

One of the few banks still around today with its original Lorain County-themed name is First Federal Savings of Lorain. Here’s its New Year’s themed ad that ran in the Journal on December 31, 1969.

Baby New Year 1960 is rather chubby, so he would fit right in with today’s kids.

And here’s the full-page New Year’s Eve 1969 ad from the Journal featuring the one, the only... Grim Reaper. He’s looking quite festive with his jaunty party hat.

Lastly, here’s a grim bonus: a mini-ad by the Lorain Safety Council that ran a few days before the full-page one. This ad stresses safe driving in general, and appeared in the paper on December 27, 1969. It has a clever theme (“Don’t Wreck Your Holiday’) and a grinning skull.

Anyway, have a safe New Year’s Eve!

July 4, 1969 Storm – Lorain Journal Coverage

Tomorrow is the big 50th Anniversary of the July 4, 1969 storm. Are you old enough to remember it?

Although it was not on the same scale as the 1924 Lorain Tornado, the terrible flooding that occurred as a result of that storm is still fresh in the memory of many Northeast Ohio residents – especially Vermilionites.

I remember that my family headed down to our basement as we did whenever a storm seemed particularly threatening. But I remember more how we took a drive over to Vermilion a day or so later to check out the flooding by Mill Hollow.

My parents saved the Journal from the next day. That's it as the top of this post. (Gee, the paper sure was a lot wider back then. And I still think the Morning Journal should bring back 'Today's Chuckle.')

Here's the bottom half.

And here are some of the photos and news reports from that awful event. Avon Lake seems to have been hit particularly hard.

Anyway, I’m sure the 50th Anniversary will attract more media attention than the 40th.

Tomorrow: The aftermath of the storm in Vermilion

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UPDATE (July 8, 2019)
Here's the article about the four boys who were checking out the flooding at the Lorain Country Club and accidentally got stranded in two trees before eventually being rescued. The article ran in the Journal on July 6, 1969.

I have to admit that the comment by the mother of one of the rescued boys is hilarious!

Avon Lake Sesquicentennial – June 1969

Although Avon Lake’s Bicentennial celebration has been a year-long event (concluding with a Jubilee Fireworks show this July 4th) its Sesquicentennial back in 1969 was a weeklong affair.

Above is a special two-page advertising spread that ran in the Lorain Journal on June 14, 1969. It’s pleasant to be reminded of some of the great local businesses that were around back then, including Saddle Inn and Ilg Radio & Television, as well as chains such as Ben Franklin.

The Journal covered the city’s celebration with the article below, which appeared in the paper on June 8, 1969.

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Avon Lake Plans Big Week
To Celebrate 150th Birthday
By BONNIE LAMP
Staff Writer

A TOWN is only 150 years old once, and Avon Lake is going all out to celebrate this milestone during the week of June 13 to 22.

Citizens of Avon Lake have been caught up in a whirlwind of preparations which began in October of last year. Since then General Chairman Ed Mitchell, seven committee heads, city officials, civic clubs, industries and businesses have been hard at work, smoothing out the wrinkles and polishing up their exhibitions for the community-wide affair.

Already there are beards sported on every corner, and mini-skirts are going out of style for a while. Many women will soon be donning 19th Century floor-length dresses and municipal offices will wear red, white and blue bunting, proclaiming the town’s 150-year birthday.

CLEAN-SHAVEN RESIDENTS are warned to watch out for the “Keystone Cops,” who will be out this weekend to enforce their “beard ordinance.”

Shaving permits are being issued to persons not wishing to encourage a stubble growth, and any man who is caught clean shaven and without permit will be put in the pokey, an authentic, 100-year-old jail on wheels, said Mitchell.

A Historical Dress Ball at the Aquamarine will kick off the week-long festivities Friday, with men in derbies and frock coats and the women dressed in everything from 1819 style ball gowns to old-time bathing suits. At the ball the Queen of the Sesquicentennial will be chosen and there will be preliminary judging of the beards.

Throughout the week, the Huber Museum on Lake Road, the oldest house in Avon Lake, will be open for tours. The house has been cleaned and furnished entirely with antiques by the Lake Shore Women’s Club.

Avon Lake High School will accommodate the main fair grounds, with a 14-ride Carnival and a Fair Share Tent with booths by some 25 industries, businesses and clubs.

On Monday, June 16th, Houlihan and Big Chuck All-Stars of Cleveland will battle Avon Lake police and firemen, with the local rock group, “Sounds of Now,” providing background music to keep the All-Stars on their toes.

“The Avon Lake Brothers of the Brush also will be on hand to supply the police and firemen with oxygen during the baseball game,” Mitchell said.

A SKYDIVING exhibition and a show by Lorain’s “Up With People” sing-out group will be presented during the week.

And on Sunday, June 22, residents will give a final salute to another era with the Sesquicentennial Parade. The parade will include a covered wagon train with 22 wagons, four buggies, and 50 costumed horsemen, a procession of some 200 antique cars, and several bands, military units and floats.

But to make sure the event will not soon be forgotten, the entire week’s activities will be filmed to preserve a part of the history of Avon Lake today and as it seemed 150 years ago, when the first settlers arrived here on Lake Erie shores.

Golden Crescent Guide to Dining: Saddle Inn

Here’s another one of those old “Golden Crescent Guide to Dining and Dancing” advertising features that used to run regularly in the Journal. This one, which ran on March 14, 1969, shines the spotlight on the Saddle Inn in Avon Lake. (I’ve already posted ones profiling Elberta Inn, Presti’s, Amber Oaks and L’Auberge du Port.)

The article calls out Mrs. Leona as the “woman of the hour” at the Saddle Inn when it came to wedding planning, as well as ‘charming hostess’ Ruth Smith and chef Eddie Reed. Art Brown, a “gentleman’s gentleman,” is said to hold court at the bar, and Bernice Heston, a 75-year-old Amherst resident, is mentioned as playing the piano every Friday and Saturday.

Since St. Patrick’s Day is this Sunday, there’s an ad for McGarvey’s with that theme with the others shown above.

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I’ve posted a few other ads for the Saddle Inn over the years, including these two (below).

1958

1959

I also did a “Then & Now” photo study of the former Saddle Inn here, and posted a Journal photo of the Inn, post-July 4, 1969 storm here.

Avon Lake Shopping Center Ad – 1956

Since yesterday’s post dealt with the Beach Park Station shopping center in Avon Lake, it’s a good time to post this ad.

It’s the top part of a full-page ad for the same shopping center – then known as the Avon Lake Shopping Center – that ran in the August 30, 1956 Lake Erie Times. The issue (which is available online as a PDF) focused on the growth spurt taking place in Avon and Avon Lake at that time.

As you can see, the shopping center still had the ‘Stop 65’ designation (left over from Lake Shore Electric Railway days, as well as the later bus era) used to identify its location.

Here’s a look at the full-page ad (below). If you look closely, you can see small advertisements for the Saddle Inn, the Ben Franklin store, Food Center, Berghoff’s, Avon Lake/Avon Drugs, Don’s Barber Shop, and Esquire Cleaners.

The recent restoration of the ‘Stop 65’ name to the shopping center’s signage is not just a nice homage to the past; it keeps part of Avon Lake history alive for future generations.

Easter Parade of Vintage Ads

Easter is this Sunday, so here's a few vintage Easter-themed ads from the pages of the Lorain Journal.

First up is a big ad (above) from March 27, 1947 for a chain drugstore that I'd never heard of before: Peoples Service Drug Store. Although it sounds like something that should be located on Red Square in Moscow, it was located at 430 Broadway from around 1930 to the late 1940s.

Peoples Service Drug Store was part of the Peoples Drug chain. It was a very old chain, dating back to 1905. It eventually became part of CVS. You can read about the history of Peoples Drug here.

Looking at the Peoples Service Drug Store ad, I think a few of the plush dolls look like genetic experiments that went awry.

Next are a couple of ads for iconic local restaurants promoting their 1959 Easter Dinners.

The Hoop Drive-in on Henderson Drive offered a full course dinner for $1.50. You had your choice of fried chicken, broiled steak or baked ham.

And lastly, the Saddle Inn in Avon Lake was advertising its own delicious full course dinner, although the menu was not revealed.

I don't think I've ever eaten Easter Dinner out (I'm not counting Easter Brunches), although it crossed my mind this year. But in the end, the HoneyBaked Ham won out. Plus, you can make soup out of the bone.

Happy Thanksgiving!

If you were heading down the aisle of your favorite Lorain County Food Fair back in November 1967, these are some of the Thanksgiving bargains that you'd find! (Give it a click so you can read it!)

I think it's interesting that the newspaper ad states that "Your Food Fair Store will have a large variety of selected FRESH POULTRY for your Thanksgiving... CAPONS, ROASTING CHICKENS, GEESE, DUCKS, and TOM or HEN TURKEYS..."

For years my mom fixed two birds for our family: a duck and a capon – rarely a turkey. When I mention this to people now, they inevitably ask, "What's a capon?" If you don't know, click here.

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For those of you who like to go out on Thanksgiving, back in 1955 you could saddle up and head to the Saddle Inn on Lake Road in Avon Lake for a great dinner!

Since I'm a Sheffield Laker, back in 1955 I probably would have headed over to Vian's Barbecue for my Thanksgiving feast! It would have been only a mile from where I live now.

And of course after a delicious dinner either at home or at a fine restaurant, what could be better in 1955 than going dancing on Thanksgiving – especially to the music of Lorain's future Mayor Joe Zahorec?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Lake Shore Electric Railway Then and Now Part 3

Here's another photo that I scanned from the Lake Shore Electric Railway book. The book's caption reads, "This photograph, taken in 1898 at the Beach Park station, shows an L&C car heading west to Lorain. In 1898, this was an L&C property." (The L&C that the book refers to is the Lorain and Cleveland Electric Railway.)

The book also points out that the L&C built a car barn, a powerhouse and a resort area at Beach Park.

Of course, you and I recognize the above structure, as it later became the old Saddle Inn at the Avon Lake shopping center on Lake Road, and housed the much-missed Avon Lake Theater.

The building is now part of the Avon Lake Artstown plaza complex, also housing the Casita Del Lago restaurant as well as the Tailgators Sports Bar. Here is a recent view (click on it for that "you are there' feeling).

(I have a special feeling for the far right portion of the building that is now the sports bar. In the 70's, it was the Chef Henri Party Center, and I played at several weddings there as part of a local dance/polka band called the Four Links!)

40th Anniversary of July 4 Storm Passes Peacefully

Over the past July 4 weekend, an anniversary occurred that received little, if any, notice. It was the 40th anniversary of one of the worst storms to hit the area – the infamous July 4, 1969 storm. Those of us that were alive when it occurred will never forget it.

   According to newspaper accounts at the time, it was a real "killer storm" that smashed Northern Ohio with a total of 11 tornadoes, as well as thunderstorms and winds of up to 100 miles per hour. When it was over, nine people were dead and many were missing.  

   Now that's a storm. Vermilion seemed to be one of the hardest cities hit, with the Lagoons flooded and house trailers floating downstream towards Lake Erie. (See above photo courtesy of the Journal.)  

    Lorain experienced probably its worst storm since the 1924 tornado. The east side was the hardest hit, with huge trees down.

   The front page of the Journal on Saturday, July 5 summarized the storm damage. In Avon Lake, the Saddle Inn's porch roof had been lifted and dropped (see above photo courtesy of the Journal.) Avon Lake Drug had smashed windows and actually experienced some minor looting. In Avon, power was still out in half the city and basements were flooded.

   According to Ohio Edison, Sheffield Lake was the hardest hit city in their service area, with Lake Road closed in spots due to tree limbs and downed telephone lines blocking the road.

   Elyria's Cascade Park was flooded, with much concern there for the bears, who managed to ride out the storm in their cages.

   The main thing I remember about the storm is my family heading down to the basement when it got bad, and that it was truly terrifying. (I don't think I've been down in a basement during a storm since then.) I also remember that we drove over to Vermilion a few days later to check out all the flooding in Mill Hollow and over by McGarvey's.

   In an age when local TV meteorologists make a big deal out of every cloudburst, it's funny to think back about a real storm that instilled real fear.