F. J. McFadden, Lorain Architect

Listing from the 1936 Lorain Telephone Company directory
(Note the McFaddens were still living above the Pueblo at Stop 109)

Local historian and author Al Doane emailed me last week about F. J. McFadden, the Lorain architect who, along with his wife, conceived and built the Pueblo.

442 Oberlin Avenue today
still has a picket fence around it
(Photo Courtesy Lorain County Auditor)

Al wrote, “As a kid I remember that he and his wife lived on the northwest corner of Fifth Street and Oberlin Avenue. When each spring rolled around, his wife would paint the wooden picket fence that bordered the corner lot.”

This was very helpful to me, because it made me aware that while the McFaddens were not listed in the Lorain City Directories in the early 1930s (because they lived above the Pueblo restaurant which was outside city limits), they were still in the area. They were easier to find in the phone books later on the 1930s when they apparently sold the restaurant and moved back into town to 442 Oberlin Avenue.

I did a little Googling and discovered that F. J. McFadden enjoyed a fine and productive career as an architect, which is highlighted in this front page account of his passing which ran in the Lorain Journal on July 14, 1954 (below).

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McFadden Dies at 63

Heart Attack Fatal to Lorain Architect

A Lorain architect since 1918, F. J. McFadden, 63, 442 Oberlin, died at 10:30 p.m. Tuesday in his home. He was stricken with a heart attack.

A native of Titusville, Pa., Mr. McFadden graduated from Chamberlin Military Institute, N. Y. Valparaiso University and the University of Michigan.

Served in Two Wars

He served in both World War I and II. During the latter conflict he enlisted in the Army Engineers where he held a rank equivalent to colonel and supervised construction of war plants.

He is widely known for his architectural work here in designing and remodeling many buildings in the Lorain public school system. Currently four of his designs are under construction, Washington School, additions at Lakeview and Larkmoor Schools and remodeling of Garfield School.

Designed Two Atomic Plants

He was also architect for the original Larkmoor and Lakeview Schools, the high school arts building, Boone, Palm Avenue and new Fairhome Schools, the addition to Longfellow and Hawthorne Schools and remodeling of the high school auditorium and cafeteria.

Since the end of World War II he continued his association with the government, designing two atomic energy plants.

Mr. McFadden was a member of First Congregational Church, Lorain Masonic Lodge 552, Moose Lodge and American Institute of Architects. He was a past president of Lorain Rotary Club and an active member for 17 years.

Survivors are his wife, Mallie; one daughter, Mrs. Geraldine Kuhn, Marion, O.; his father, Jerome, and a sister, Miss Jessie McFadden, Hydetown, Pa.; four brothers, George and Byron, Lorain. Jerome, Cleveland, Sydney, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Friends may call at the Schwartz Home for Funerals this evening after 7. Masonic rites will be conducted Thursday evening at the funeral home.

Funeral services will be at 2 p. m. Friday in First Congregational Church with Rev. H. F. Loomis officiating. Burial will be in Ridge Hill Memorial Park Cemetery.

The family requests that memorial tribute be paid through donations to the Rotary Club for work with underprivileged children.

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The Marion Star also published a story about F. J. McFadden on July 14, 1954 since his only daughter resided in that city. It reported that he died “while watching one of his favorite television programs.” It noted he had been in excellent health and had “returned home from the annual All-Star baseball game in Cleveland only a few hours earlier. He ate a hearty supper and sat down to watch TV after his return home.”

The article also included a few facts about McFadden's life. His wife was the former Mallie Ridgeway of Hydetown, the city where they were married in 1913.

They had resided in Lorain 35 years.

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Incidentally, a small item in the October 1, 1919 edition of the American Architect mentioned that "H. O. Wurmster [sic], architect, of Loraine [sic], Ohio, has formed a partnership with F. J. McFadden and G. L. Slater. Both are graduates of the University of Michigan.

The Pueblo – Part 9

As I’ve noted before, the widening of U. S. Route 6 west of Lorain in the 1950s created fragments of bypassed highway both east and west of the undercut. But by the early 1960s, the businesses and residences located on these short road segments still had their West Lake Road addresses.

Apparently, the decision was made to give these access roads new names to avoid confusion with the main highway. Unlike similar road fragments west of Vermilion, however, they were not called ‘Old Lake Road.'

The short road on which the Pueblo had been located for decades was named Pueblo Drive as a tribute, first appearing in the 1963 edition of the Lorain City Directory. The old numerical addresses for the businesses and residences located there (such as 4015 for the Hialeah Tourist Court) were simply retained for their new Pueblo Drive designation.

Today, Charles Akers Construction, Inc. sits at the western end of Pueblo Drive, approximately where the restaurant was located.

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Unlike many other iconic Lorain businesses (such as the Castle, or Heilman’s), apparently there are no postcards of the Pueblo that have turned up on Ebay. Matchbooks (such as those from Paula Shorf’s collection that I posted on Parts 4 & 5) have shown up from time to time.

A vintage Pueblo Barbecue menu (below) appeared on the Lorain, Ohio By Photos Facebook page in the last few years.

Al Doane’s archives at the Lorain Public Library included what appeared to be a later Pueblo menu (below).

Today, the Pueblo is remembered only by those Lorain Countians old enough to have enjoyed a fine meal or night out there. It remains a colorful piece of local lore that deserves to be remembered not only for the good times experienced there, but for the bold vision of F. J. McFadden in creating something so unique. It’s a shame that it met a fiery demise like so many other Lorain businesses through the years.

The Pueblo – Part 8

The headline above the masthead of the Lorain Journal on September 4, 1962 proclaimed the sad news: "Old Landmark Destroyed As Fire Levels Gypsy Fiddle Inn”

Here’s the tragic story as it appeared in the paper that day. Strangely, the Journal’s coverage didn’t mention that for thirty years the building had been home to the Pueblo.

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Gypsy Fiddle Inn Hit By Fire Early Monday
Damage $30,000 In Second Big Fire In 10 Days
By HARDY CRIST

A two-alarm blaze, Lorain’s second in 10 days, raced through the Gypsy Fiddle Inn early Monday, causing damage expected to reach into the $30,000 figures and sending seven firemen into the hospital.

Firemen battled the blazing structure for more than two hours, using three pumper trucks, plus an aerial ladder truck from three stations – No. 1, No. 2 and No. 8.

It was the second time within a year that firemen were called to the West Side restaurant. In 1961 they extinguished a blaze in the office and living quarters of the building.

A South Lorain apartment building was destroyed by fire Aug. 24. It was located at 2931 Pearl Ave.

Thirty-six off-duty firemen were called to man equipment and man empty stations shortly after the first alarm was sounded at 1:09 a.m. Monday.

Immediately after arriving at the restaurant, 4205 W. Erie Ave., a second alarm was sounded for additional equipment from the No. 2 and 8 stations.

While the investigation continues, no definite fire loss or cause has been determined yet. But it is believed that it may have been ignited in the kitchen, and damage to the $30,000 - valued structure may reach in excess of that figure.

Owner of the building is Olimpio Giannini.

When the fire broke out, the building was closed with no one reported to be inside.

The blaze, according to firemen, had a head-start on firefighting activities as although scores of spectators were lining W. Erie Ave. to watch it, no alarm was turned in until a passing motorist stopped at the police station with a report that he had seen a lot of smoke in the area.

Police immediately notified the fire department, but by the time they arrived the rear of the building was engulfed in flames.

A fire department official said the passing motorist was the only person to sound the alarm, and they have not determined how long the building might have been afire before they were notified.

The spectators, plus an inadequate water supply from the two nearest hydrants, added to the firemen’s woes as they attempted to extinguish the blaze.

Police, who were directing traffic on W. Erie Ave., had to arrest one Sheffield Lake man who shunned orders and drove his car onto an access road leading to the Gypsy Fiddle. Arrested was Tommy Bandagski, 28, of 762 W. Shore Blvd., who, according to police reports, entered the access road against police orders and drove his car across a fire hose that just had been laid.

Police said the man parked his car in such a manner that it was blocking a pumper truck that was in the process of laying hose, with that truck waiting for the car to be moved so additional hose could be laid. In addition, traffic was holding up an emergency vehicle trying to enter the access road. Bandagski was due for a Municipal Court appearance today.

Another hindrance was low water pressure from hydrants, which are fed through a “single-flow” pattern in that particular area instead of the usual “grid-type” feeding system. Fire Chief Alfred Nickley asked the Water Works to give increased pressure and provide an emergency tie-in for firefighting purposes.

Fire officials today said that most of the roof was destroyed, as well as considerable damage to the rear and west side of the two-story frame, stucco-covered restaurant and tavern. They said both the first and second floor remained intact, however.

Although accidents were not serious, seven firemen were sent to St. Joseph Hospital for treatment of injuries received while fighting the blaze. All released after treatment, the injured firemen were:

Daniel McNutt, 34, of 109 Waverly Pl., who suffered a cut of the left thumb.

Paul Linna, 32, of 1328 Maine Ave., who had a scratch of the right foot after stepping on a nail.

Ronald Stephanchick, 27, of 1709 W. 26th St., who had a muscle strain of the back.

Henry Pierce, 49, of 2815 Brookview Dr., who had a puncture wound of the right foot after stepping on a nail.

Bruno Rositano, 31, of 3009 Brookview Dr., who had a bruise of the head and back after being hit by fallling plaster.

Stanley Yourkivitch, 30, of 322 Seventh St., who had a first degree burn of the face and second degree burn of the fingers on his left hand.

Thomas Bickle, 30, of 1302 W. 38th St., who suffered a bruise of the neck when someone apparently fell on him.

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The fire was also covered in the Cleveland Plain Dealer and Elyria Chronicle-Telegram. Both newspapers found it amusing that the upstairs dining room at the Gypsy Fiddle Inn was called the Flame Room.

Here are the photos and captions that accompanied their coverage.

From the Plain Dealer of Sept. 4, 1962

From the Chronicle-Telegram of Sept. 4, 1962

Both papers noted in their articles that the inn was formerly known as the Pueblo, and that the current owner Olympio Giannini was in the process of selling it on land contract to the operator of the tavern, Paul Czubak.

Next: the Wrap-up

The Pueblo – Part 7

Photo from the July 11, 1958 Lorain Journal of the new cloverleaf looking west; the red arrow points to the Pueblo

With the roadwork done, and Lake Road traffic moving in both directions through the immediate area, 1958 would appear to be the year that things went back to normal for the Pueblo.

But as the year unfolded, change was the name of the game.

A huge ad (below) ran in the April 19, 1958 Lorain Journal announcing the Grand Opening of the “beautiful, new" El Pueblo under the new management of Florian Kovacs. Rudy Ziga and his Hungarian Gypsy Orchestra were to provide the musical entertainment.

About a week later on Friday, April 25, 1958 another ad in the Journal announced that Rudy Ziga and his orchestra were now appearing nitely. Hungarian Style Home-Cooked dinners were now the specialty.

A May 2, 1958 ad (below) reinforced the fact that the restaurant had evolved from its original American Southwest Pueblo theme to that of Hungarian cooking and gypsy entertainment.

Perhaps it’s not surprising that by early July of 1958, the restaurant had a new name: Gypsy Fiddle Inn. 

Here are a few ads from the Grand Opening.

Chronicle-Telegram ad of July 11, 1958

And here are a few ads from later in the year (below).

Ad from November 1958 Lorain Journal

Gypsy Fiddle Inn ads were fairly commonplace on the nightclub pages of the local newspapers in the late 1950s. Here are a few samples from 1959.

April 10, 1959 Chronicle-Telegram ad

May 22, 1959 Lorain Journal ad

Here's a June 10, 1960 ad announcing the opening of the Flame Bar and Dining Room.

June 10, 1960 Lorain Journal ad

As the 1960s began, a different kind of music began to edge out the gypsy violins, according to these newspaper ads from 1961 (below). Buddy Tingler’s Rock ’N Billy Band were featured regulars at the Gypsy Fiddle.

September 1, 1961 ad from the Lorain Journal

Next: Disaster

The Pueblo – Part 6

In 1955, El Pueblo Bar & Restaurant had a ringside seat for US Highway 6 construction.

It was all explained in an article on the front page of the Lorain Journal on January 31, 1955 under the heading, "Four Lane 52 Foot Highway.” The article stated, "Three hundred parcels of land will be sliced this year and many buildings moved when the state highway department widens Lake Rd., extending 8.9 miles between Lorain and Vermilion.

"The extensive slicing of properties, including some buildings, became known today when state highway officials revealed the highway will be widened from the existing 30 feet to 52 feet.

"The 52 feet will include four 12-foot lanes. There will be a four foot divider between the four lanes said Raymond Stull, design engineer at the state highway division headquarters in Ashland.

"One section of the job extends 7.7 miles from Vermilion east to the Nickel Plate railroad underpass. Cost is estimated at $2 million.

"The second section includes the underpass improvement and road widening from 30 to 52 feet from the underpass east to Lorain, 1.2 miles at an estimated cost of $2.2 million."

It didn't take long for there to be a reaction to the state highway department's announcement. Even John Giannini, El Pueblo's owner, had a comment to make in the article below, which appeared on the front page of the Lorain Journal the very next day on February 1, 1955.

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Road Job Opposition Flares Up
Lake Rd. Land Owners Upset

A poll of Lake road property owners affected by proposed widening of the Lorain-Vermilion highway today, showed reactions from mild approval to violent opposition. In some cases, impressions gained by property owners from state appraisers and surveyors are in direct contrast to official state announcements made yesterday.

The state highway department announced the highway would be widened from its present width of 30 feet to 52 feet for the 8.9 miles, with four 12-foot lanes and a four foot divider.

Kelly Sees Loss
Frank Kelly, owner and manager of Kelly's Trailer Court, one wile west of Lorain, feels he will lose money no matter how much compensation he receives from the state for his property. He said:

"The plan of taking 11 feet from my side of the highway will cut into my trailer camp just enough so I will lose at least three trailer sites. At my present rate of income I will lose more than $100 per month.

"I can't make a living unless I can fill this area with 40 trailers and I don't have that many now. When the state takes away three spaces worth about $35 per month, is it going to compensate me for that loss in income?"

Cheerful Comments
A more cheerful point of view is that of John Giannini, manager of the Pueblo Inn. He feels he can't lose no matter what the state does. "But it is my understanding," he said, "that I won't be affected at all. They aren't supposed to take anything from my side."

Giannini, whose inn is on the left going to Vermilion, received the impression from state men the highway would be expanded on the opposite side and none of his property would be needed.

Sees More Business
"If they change their minds," said Giannini, "and move to my side, the highway would cut across the front of my building. I would have to remodel, but it would give me a better building and I would be compensated by the state. So I can't lose either way. Besides, the new highway will bring me more business."

He set the cost of remodeling at a minimum of $30,000.

John Clotz, manager of the Texaco Station, also on the left side of the highway, said, "I don't believe we will be hurt at all. When we built this station we checked to make sure we would be all right if the highway were widened in the future and we were assured everything was in order. Of course, we won't know anything until the state tells us definitely."

Can't Determine State's Plan
Gordon Wheeler, manager of the Cities Service Station on the right side of the highway, said, "If they take too much of the front of my property I'm out of business. The state men tell me very little will be needed from the rest of my place and that most will come from the other side of the road. I have just enough space to handle cars on either side of my pumps and if I have to move them closer to my building I will lost hundreds of customers. I can't find out what the state is going to do, so I don't know what I'm going to do."

Robert Burke, owner of the Sohio Service Station, Vermilion-on-the-Lake, is both worried and puzzled at the various stories he had received from state officials. He said"

"The state men told me they would need a distance from the highway that would cut at least eight feet from my present building.

I read this is to be a four lane highway, but they told me the highway will have six lanes through this area. If they need only 11 feet, why come clear into my building, over 40 feet from the present highway? I can't figure it out and I can't decide whether to rebuild or what do do until they make up their minds."

Gloomy Outlook
A. B. Zeigman, owner of Zeigman's Garage, in Brownhelm Township on the outskirts of Vermilion, said:

“I might as well go out of business if the state does what I’ve heard they are going to do. Even if they move me back only 11 feet, I will have to remodel or rebuild and then I run into a local ordinance which says I have to be 75 feet back from the highway. And what good is a garage back that distance from the road?”

Also affected by the Brownhelm Township ordinance, in addition to worrying over the state’s plans are Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Sobiech, owners of the Elberta Grocery, next to Zeigman’s.

“We’ve heard so many different rumors and stories that we are completely up in the air and, frankly, sick about the whole thing,” said Mrs. Sobiech.

No Room For Parking
“As we understand the plans, our grocery will be only nine feet away from the new highway. That is much too close and leaves no room for parking. Nobody seems to know where the new highway is going to go, least of all the state men we have talked to and we just don’t know what plans to make.

“We can’t move our store back any more as our house is right behind it. But I can tell you one thing. We will protest darn loud if they stick to the plans that only leave us nine feet in front.”

The calmest reaction of all the persons interviewed was that of George W. Hess, manager of Elberta Inn, also of the right side of the highway and near Vermilion. Said Hess:

“If they come 11 feet our way we will have only one foot in front of our building. We may have to remodel but I can make no definite statement until we know exactly what the State highway department is going to do. The men we have talked to tell us they don’t know any more than we do, we will just have to wait and see.”

Visited By Appraisers
All of the property owners interviewed reported they had not as yet been contacted as to actual purchase of their lands and buildings, but had been visited by appraisers or surveyors.

The state announced the project will be divided into two parts, costing a total of $4.2 million. The first section extends from Vermilion east to Nickel Plate Railroad underpass for a distance of 7.7 miles. The second section will include an underpass improvement and widening of the road from the underpass 1.2 miles east to Lorain.

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Work on the highway project began in March 1956.

Here’s a great construction photo (below) that ran in the Lorain Journal in August 1956.

The view is looking east; beyond the railroad undercut, the approximate location of the Pueblo is indicated by the red arrow. At the very bottom of the photo is the Ed Blahay Transportation Company property.

West Lake Road west from Leavitt Road to the underpass was closed to through traffic on October 4, 1956. However, the road was still open to El Pueblo.

The restaurant placed a special ad (below) thanking their customers for their patronage during the year in the December 24, 1956 Lorain Journal.

An ad (below) that ran in the Journal on February 1, 1957 reminded the public that the highway was indeed open to the Pueblo.

On October 3, 1957, West Lake Road was opened to through traffic again for the first time in almost a year. And with construction completed, El Pueblo was now sitting at the end of a short, bypassed and unnamed section of the highway known as Pueblo Drive today.

Next: More changes for the Pueblo

The Pueblo – Part 5

May 2, 1953 Lorain Journal ad

Although the Pueblo was not to be found in the city directories of the late 1940s and early 1950s, it continued to appear in the phone book with the same 63-596 phone number it had for years.

But a Lorain Journal ad for the Pueblo from Friday, May 2, 1953 (above), shows that changes were taking place. Rather than emphasizing fine dining and elegant surroundings, the Pueblo ad focused on the acts that were appearing: Jerri Kaye (TV Singing Star), Mickey Collis (Tap Dancing Star) and Margie Lee (Exotic Dancer). Red McClellen and his Famous Music Makers provided music for dancing.

The Pueblo continued to evolve.

 As the matchbook below shows, the restaurant’s name was changed slightly to El Pueblo.

Courtesy Paula Shorf

This ad (below) that ran in the ‘Restaurants’ listings in the back of the November 1953 Lorain Telephone Company directory confirmed that the name was now El Pueblo. The restaurant also had a brand new 56-517 phone number.

The ad seems to indicate an attempt to return to the emphasis on fine dining and the catering of special events such as parties, weddings and banquets.

The name of a new owner – John Giannini – was revealed in a Lorain Sunday News ad from July 1954 (below).

Here’s a copy of El Pueblo’s listing in the 1954 Lorain Country Farm & Rural Directory.

It’s unclear whether the new marketing strategy of stressing fine cuisine was successful. But by 1955, ads were once again promoting the Pueblo mainly as a nightclub. A February 26, 1955 Journal ad (below) announced an appearance by The Hillbilly Band.

Another ad that ran in the Lorain Journal on March 5, 1955 (below) promoted the “Way Down Yonder Music” of Jimmie Armstrong and His Western Ramblers. 

Meanwhile, something else was about to have an effect on El Pueblo’s fortunes: the widening of U.S. Route 6 (Lake Road).

Next: Road Work

The Pueblo – Part 4

For a while, the Pueblo even had a small nine hole golf course
as advertised in this newspaper ad that ran on May 29, 1931

It’s a little difficult compiling a history of the Pueblo. It was outside the Lorain City Limits, so it didn’t appear in the city directories with any regularity until the 1940s. The Lorain Public Library’s collection of directories is incomplete as well, making it even harder.

But the books that are available provide some information about the management and ownership of the restaurant. And advertisements for the Pueblo in the directories themselves, as well as local newspapers, also help to add to the story.

The 1931 edition has no listing of the Pueblo, but does list F. J. McFadden, the Pueblo’s owner, living at Stop 109, the address for the restaurant. McFadden continued to be listed as living at Stop 109 until the 1938 edition, when the McFaddens’ address was 442 Oberlin Avenue.

The 1937 City Directory includes an entry for the Pueblo with William Ceresa listed as the manager and also residing at Stop 109.

Here's an ad that ran in the Lorain Journal on June 4, 1937.

Here's the ad for the Pueblo that ran in the 1938 Lorain Telephone Company directory (below).

In the 1939-40 directory, Edward Moresi was the name associated with the restaurant. The listings by location shows that the Pueblo was the very last one for W. Erie Avenue heading west out of Lorain.

Although the 1940 directory had no listing for the Pueblo, newspaper ads show that it was still in business. Here’s a cute April 1941 newspaper ad (below).

In the 1942 City Directory, Edward Moresi was still listed with the Pueblo, although he did not live there (a family member did). The restaurant listing boasted, “Dine and Dance, Chicken, Steak, Fish, Frog Leg and Italian Spaghetti Dinners, Complete Bar and Table Service, We Cater to Weddings and Private Parties.”

Curiously, the 1945 listing for the Pueblo again had W. Ceresa’s name listed.

Here’s the ad that ran in the in that 1945 edition. Note how the Pueblo had come a long way from being a mere "barbecue sandwich shoppe."

Although the Pueblo was not listed in the rest of the 1940s city directories, it continued to be listed in the Lorain Telephone Company book with the same phone number.

Courtesy Paula Shorf

Next: the 1950s and change