Huron’s Main Street – Then & Now Part 2

I drove out to Huron again this weekend to grab a “now” shot of Main Street to go along with one of the vintage postcards I posted on Friday (above).

Imagine my surprise when I discovered that one building did indeed survive the massive demolition of the downtown that began back in late 1969.

In my “now view (below), the Firstmerit Bank office building at 357 Main Street is the same building shown on the vintage postcard.

The building was identified as Firelands Community Bank with the same address in the 1970 Vermilion-Huron City Directory.

An article in the Sunday, April 27, 1975 Lorain Journal about the winding up of Huron’s urban renewal project mentioned that the Firelands Community Bank had added a “drive-in facility.”

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When Huron began demolishing its downtown for its urban renewal project, the Lorain Journal offered its support in an editorial (below) that ran on December 2, 1969. It was probably an attempt to get the citizens of Lorain ready for what was beginning to unfold in their own city.

All Together for Huron

THE BUSINESS section of Huron is beginning to disappear. There’s no magic involved. The disappearing act is being performed by a bulldozer and crane which, as reported in a news article yesterday, “are ripping away at the core of Huron…and memories will soon be all that remains of this city’s downtown.

The demolition is the result of an urban renewal project over which many citizens of Huron are split into opposing camps.

Powerful arguments can be offered for and against urban renewal. This federal experiment in community renovation is cumbersome and costly. This doesn’t mean, however, that Huron will be hurt. It is much more likely that the city will be stirred up to a new era of progress.

As for the downtown section, it will remain more attractive in nostalgic memory than it is in reality.

Huron has not in the past lived up to its potential. Perhaps now it will do so.

These comments are not in defense of urban renewal, as such, nor in opposition to it. Rather, they lead up to a conclusion that if the project has reached the point of no return, then all citizens of Huron should unite to get the best possible results from it for the good of the community.

Huron’s Main Street – Then & Now Part 1

Since yesterday's post was about Wileswood Country Store in Huron, let's linger in that town today as well.

Above is the well-known postcard of Downtown Huron that was coincidentally sold at Wileswood Country Store. It's a reproduction, as you can tell by its caption on the back: "Looking North on Main Street, Huron, Ohio in the late 1950's…in the heart of Lake Erie Vacationland."

For an interesting comparison, here’s a postcard that was recently on Ebay (below). It shows a wider view of the same portion of Main Street at an undetermined later date.

As you can see, the Shoe Box took over the Huron Food Center location at 356 Main Street. A quick look online reveals that the Shoe Box was there as early as 1966, and was still listed in the city directory in 1970 (the only Huron directory available at the Lorain Public Library).

Here’s another vintage postcard of Downtown Huron (below). It shows Main Street from the other direction, looking south from the intersection with Cleveland Road West.

Here’s another vintage postcard of that same view looking south.

Today, Huron’s Main Street has a totally different look and alignment, thanks to urban renewal.

The same portion of Main Street covered in the two vintage photos has a zig zag in the middle of it (below).

Since that aerial photo was taken, Huron in 2015 has connected the the two disjointed segments of Main Street, creating once again a continuous route north of Cleveland Road (which you can read about here).

Next: My “now” Shot

Wileswood Country Store – Then & Now

What local Baby Boomer doesn’t remember taking a drive over to Huron to poke around inside Wileswood Country Store?

My family went there many times in the 1960s, mainly to buy old-fashioned candy. It was the only reason we ever went to Huron (unless we were driving through it to get to Cedar Point).

A 1988 article about the store in the Toledo Blade revealed that it had just observed its 25th year in business, which means that it would have opened around 1963. At the time of the 1988 article, Sue Wiles Cloak and her husband, Charles, owned and operated the old-fashioned store, which stocked more than 5,000 items. Addison Wiles was the founder of the store, according to the April 22, 2010 edition of Huron Hometown News.

There were also Wileswood Country Store outlets at airports in Cincinnati and Dayton.

The Huron store has been closed for quite a while now, but the iconic emporium lives on in memory and through its many appearances on vintage postcards. Most of them have this inscription or something similar: "WILESWOOD COUNTRY STORE, Huron, Ohio. Known as “Ohio’s Most Unusual Store,” this old-fashioned store recreates the general store of the 1890’s and early 1900’s. Featured are penny candies, Farm Made foods, calico, pewter, glassware, soaps and candles, Early American Reproductions, Sarsaparillas, and a famous 5 cent bag of Hot Popcorn. Open all year 'round.”

Here’s my “now” shot (below) from last Sunday morning. 

It’s almost unrecognizable, with the modifications to the building, the street sign clutter and the addition of a light pole. 

Kinda sad not seeing the large cutouts of Raggedy Ann and Andy waving out front.

Today, the building is home to Eastwood Environmental, as well as the Huron Chamber of Commerce, which maintains offices there.

Downtown Vermilion – Then & Now

It’s summertime – and for many, that means it’s time to head out to Vacationland for some fun in the sun. It’s also a good time for me to post a bunch of vintage postcards and articles from out that way.

Our first stop is Vermilion, the subject of the great vintage postcard above that I recently saw on Ebay. The view is looking west down Liberty Street (U. S. 6) at the intersection with State Route 60.

It was fairly easy to head over to Vermilion early on Sunday morning so that I could stand in the middle of the street and get my “now” shot  – with a green light yet!

Unfortunately, I don’t know much about the buildings in the photo. All I know is that the building on the right (that’s the same in both photos) used to be Hart’s Drug Store (below). Today it’s the home of Main Street Soda Grill.

Courtesy Vermilion Pinterest page

If you’re interested in learning about Vermilion’s history, be sure to visit Rich Tarrant’s Vermilion Views website. He regularly publishes online “issues" that are loaded with rare and wonderful vintage photos and interesting information that you won’t find anywhere else (unless someone swipes it). The website has a search engine that you can utilize to pull up issues that include items and photos of specific Vermilion subjects.

Scotty’s Nut Shop

You can see Scotty’s store in this photo that appeared in the Lorain Images of America book

Back in the middle of March (here), a reader posted a very good suggestion for a blog topic: “Why not do an article about Scotty, the man who sold taffy by the Palace?”

I responded that I until I knew a little more about the man, it would be difficult for me to compile a post.

Fortunately, regular contributor and local historian Rick Kurish sprang into action and provided me with his obituary that ran in the Chronicle-Telegram, as well as some other great research. Using this information, I was able to find some more information in the Lorain Public Library.

Scotty’s name was actually Sidney Sultzbaugh. He was born December 24, 1988 in Fremont. His family was still living in Fremont in 1900, but by 1907 had moved to Cleveland.

Rick discovered how Scotty learned to make such delicious taffy.

"Before he came to Lorain he was working for a company who ran concessions at Euclid Beach Park in Cleveland. In the 1907 and 1910 Cleveland City Directories, he was listed as living with his father, Fred, and was listed as a candy maker. 

"When Sidney filled out his draft registration card in 1917, he listed himself as an employee of Euclid Beach Park in Cleveland, and was employed by the Humphrey Company. 

"The Humphrey Company has a long history in the Cleveland area, and got its start selling popcorn around 1900. The company had the concession to sell popcorn balls, taffy, candy kisses, etc. at Euclid Beach Park, and eventually bought and ran the park until it closed in 1969. Interestingly, even though the park closed, the Humphrey Company continues to manufacture popcorn balls and taffy in Warrensville Heights.”

The earliest appearance of Scotty’s store that I could find was in the 1929 Lorain City Directory. At that time, “Scotty’s Stand” was listed as being located in the New Lorain Hotel. 

By 1931, he had moved over to 623 Broadway and a couple years later was at 619 Broadway.”

Scotty’s listing in the city directory was usually was Scott’s Nut Shop, although it did vary from year to year sometimes.

Like many Lorainites, my mother remembers Scott’s Nut Shop well – particularly the taffy.

“He sat in between two buildings,” remembered Mom. "His little section was right where the Palace ended. He would sit there in a chair. He had white and brown taffy.

“When you were lined up at the Palace to buy a ticket, there were so many people that the line would go by Scotty’s place. You would just find yourself looking at his taffy.”

Rick Kurish also has fond memories of Scotty’s.

“I remember buying nuts at the shop and walking down Broadway while eating them – when there was some reason for walking Broadway,” he joked.

Sidney “Scotty” Sultzbaugh passed away on November 29, 1962. Here is his obituary, which ran in the Journal later that day.

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Owned, Operated Nut Shop 35 Years
Familiar Broadway Face,
‘Scotty’ Sultzbaugh, Dies

One of Broadway’s most familiar faces for the last 35 years, Sidney (Scotty) Sultzbaugh, is dead.

At the age of 73, Mr. Sultzbaugh suffered a heart attack Wednesday night at his residence, 223 W. 18th St. He was admitted to St. Joseph Hospital at 9:35 p.m. and died at 3 a.m. today.

He was owner and operator of Scott’s Nut Shop, 619 Broadway. Located near the Palace and Tivoli theaters, the shop was frequented by movie-goers and the face and smile of “Scotty” with his “quips and capers” were widely known.

Shortly after moving here in 1927, he started his business in the small store, making candy, roasting nuts and preparing popcorn.

Mr. Sultzbaugh, born Dec. 24, 1888, at Fremont, was a resident here 35 years. He was a member of Church of Redeemer.

In 1957 The Journal carried a feature story on Mr. Sultzbaugh, noting 30 years of service to the community, and the fact that the same light bulb he purchased in 1927 to light the outside of his store had never been replaced.

Survivors are his widow, Inez; a son, Sidney M. of Lorain; three grandchildren and a brother, Scott Sultzbaugh of Painesville. He was preceded in death by a sister, Mrs. Helen Mullen.

Friends may call after 7 p.m. today at Schwartz-Spence Home for Funerals, 1124 Fifth St.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home.

Rev. Frederick Hicks, rector of Church of Redeemer will officiate. Burial will be in Ridge Hill Memorial Park Cemetery.

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After Scotty passed away, his store continued to appear in the city directory for a few more years. Its listing finally disappeared in the 1965 edition.

Although the small building that housed the store is gone as well, I’m sure Scotty and his nuts and taffy will continue to be a part of many Lorainites’ collective memories.

Be sure to post your memories of Scotty’s Nut Shop in the comments section of this post.

Special thanks to Rick Kurish for his help with this post.

Happy Fourth of July!

From the July 3, 1967 Journal

Here's hoping you have a safe and happy July 4th!

In keeping with tradition here on the Brady Blog, here's yet another grisly Grim Reaper cartoon, this time from the 1967 July 4th holiday. It was drawn by Doug Borgstedt (1911-2001) who had a long and successful career as a political cartoonist for King Features, with his cartoons appearing in more than 90 newspapers. His work also appeared in several well-known magazines, including New Yorker, Look, Colliers and Esquire.

I love looking at these classic political cartoons. Look how carefully the cartoon is composed; the use of perspective, shadows, figure/ground relationships, etc. It takes a true artist to layout a cartoon so that it looks perfect.

The thought, composition and pure craftsmanship that artists like Borgstedt put into their work will unfortunately never be matched by today's mediocre political cartoonists, who only aim for a cheap laugh.

Passing Scene – July 15, 1967

Well, it’s another Filler Friday! That is, I don’t want to get into anything new as it's the end of the week, and Monday is July 4th to boot.

So here’s yet another classic "Passing Scene" comic by Gene Patrick, which appeared in the Journal back on July 15, 1967 – right after the first Lorain International Festival. You might remember that one of the articles I posted last Sunday mentioned that Governor Jim Rhodes spoke at the Mayor’s Breakfast. He had suggested that Lorain promote itself aggressively, suggesting that the city hold “an international swim across Lake Erie.”

That kind of rang a bell in my memory about another of the Governor’s proposals for Lake Erie, and Gene Patrick must have thought the same thing. Consequently, Mr. Patrick good-naturedly teases the Governor in one of his cartoons.

Other panels include a humorous reference to longtime Journal Woman’s Editor, reporter and columnist Lou Kepler (whose articles I have posted many times), as well as a novel way for the Ohio Turnpike to make sure nobody gets away with not paying their toll.