Harley Hoffman’s Photographs of Sandusky High School in 1957

Harley Hoffman took this aerial picture of Sandusky High School from an airplane in 1957. Notes with the original picture state that the airplane was going 200 miles an hour at the time the picture was taken. The new Sandusky High School opened at 2130 Hayes Avenue in 1957. Prior to that time, Sandusky High Students attended school at what later became Adams Junior High School.  Large areas of farmland can be seen in this picture. Now the portion of Perkins Avenue opposite Sandusky High School is filled with restaurants and other businesses. The longer building to the east of Sandusky High School was Mark’s Market, later known as Mark’s Pick-n-Pay. The small building opposite the high school was the Stadium Dairy Bar, which was run by John J. Poggiali. 

Harley W. Hoffman had a photography business in nearby Castalia in the 1950s. Mr. Hoffman took several other photographs of Sandusky High School in 1957. A large crowd can be seen gathered in front of the school for the flag raising at the dedication of the new school building.

  

Industrial Arts students had a new large classroom, equipped with tools and workbenches:

Here is a view of the band room in 1957:

A brand new cafeteria awaited the incoming students:

Visit the Sandusky Library Archives Research Center to see hundreds of historic photographs of  the people and places of our local community. We appreciate the generosity of the many donors who bequeathed  the numerous historic documents, books and photographs now housed in our collection.

Postcards of the Third National Exchange Bank

The postcard above is from the historical postcard collection of the Sandusky Library Archives Research Center. Founded in 1872 as the Third National Bank, the Third National Exchange Bank was at 220 West Market Street from 1914 until the mid-1960s. Henry Millott was the architect, and G. William Doerzbach and Brother were the contractors for this building. According to the book, Treasure by the Bay, by Ellie Damm, the Third National Exchange Bank building was built in the Neoclassic style. The portico features Ionic style shafts, and double cornucopias are located above the entrance. The post card below, which pictures the interior of the Third National Exchange Bank, was created by the Alexander Manufacturing Company.

Local photographer Jay Hoehlein took this photograph at the bank in the summer of 1936:

In 1961 the bank’s name was listed as the Third National Bank of Sandusky, Ohio. By 1965 the Third National Bank of Sandusky, Ohio had its downtown office at 220 West Market Street, and a Perkins office at the corner of Columbus and Perkins Avenues. In 1969, there were three locations of the Third National Bank, but the bank was no longer in operation at 220 West Market Street. In 1993, the Third National Bank of Sandusky began operating under the "National City" name when it was consolidated with National City Bank in Cleveland. National City was acquired by PNC in 2008. The building at 220 West Market Street in downtown Sandusky is now home to the Bailey Legal Group.

J.D. McFall Men’s Clothing Store

In 1890 and 1891, Jasper Dean McFall operated a store in Sandusky at 121 Columbus Avenue. He sold clothing and gents’ furnishings.  The business was begun by J.D. McFall’s father, William H. McFall, Sr. In 1882 there were two men’s clothing stores operated by the elder Mr. McFall, one at 107 Columbus Avenue, and one at 708 Water Street. 

From about 1886 to 1888, the store was run by the McFall brothers, three sons of the elder Mr. McFall. J.D. McFall was the manager of the McFall Brothers store in 1888, and by 1890, he was the proprietor. This advertisement for J.D. McFall’s store appeared in the March 31, 1891 issue of the Sandusky Register. The surname McFall surrounds the advertisement which highlights spring suits and overcoats.

According to an article in the February 25, 1922 issue of the Sandusky Register, in 1897, J.D. McFall moved from Sandusky to Detroit, where he studied music.  He moved to Washington D.C. and later to the state of Oregon. While in Washington D.C., he was the director of music at the Sunnyside Methodist Church. He served in a similar position at the Arleta Baptist Church, until poor health forced him to retire.  At a memorial service for President William McKinley, held at Chase’s Theater on October 6, 1901, J.D. McFall was in charge of the music for the service.

J.D. McFall died at his home near Jennings Lodge, Oregon on February 5, 1922, at the age of 52. He was fondly remembered by Sandusky residents, who recalled his fine baritone voice.

Fountain at the Foot of Columbus Avenue

A public fountain was at the foot of Columbus Avenue in downtown Sandusky in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, not far from the waterfront.  In the picture above, the Post, Lewis and Radcliffe building, which dates back to 1866, can be seen just to the east of the fountain. Ellie Damm wrote in her book Treasure by the Bay, (Bucknell University Press, 1989), that the square where the fountain was located was often filled with activity as people gathered to meet the trains and boats as they arrived in Sandusky.  

The photograph below was taken sometime before 1903. The steamer "Arrow" is at dock; the "R.B. Hayes" is approaching (or leaving) the dock; another unidentified steamship is visible in the background, heading out into the bay. A fruit stand is at the lower right of the image; a newsstand/cigar shop is next to the dock; the Sandusky Fish Co. is slightly visible at the extreme left of the image.

  

We know that this photograph was taken in either 1903 or 1904:

Just past the railroad tracks, to the northwest of the fountain, the building with the large balcony was the Terminal Inn. This business opened in 1903 and was destroyed by a massive fire on June 21, 1904. Today a modern fountain at the Schade-Mylander Plaza welcomes visitors to historic downtown Sandusky.

Judge William Howard Taft’s Visit to Sandusky in 1908

Early in September of 1908, William Howard Taft gave a speech in Sandusky in 1908 that was generally regarded as the first speech of his active campaign for the U.S. presidency as the Republican candidate in 1908.  On September 7, after arriving in Sandusky aboard the Lake Shore Electric Railway from Fremont, Judge William Howard Taft, General J. Warren Kiefer, General Henry Corbin, along with Mrs. Taft and young Charlie Taft, were driven from the Lake Shore Electric station to the residence of Edward H. Marsh, where the visitors would spend the night.  A representative from the Sandusky Register met Judge Taft at the station, where he was greeted with the well known “Taft smile.” The party had dinner at the Marsh home at 6 p.m. Sandusky photographer W.A. Bishop took this picture of William Howard Taft, General Kiefer, Edward Marsh and Edward Lea Marsh, during Taft’s visit to Sandusky.

On the morning of September 8, 1908, Judge Taft, General Kiefer, and General Corbin, went to the Ohio Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home, where they gave addresses of a non-political nature.

Judge and Mrs. Taft visited several of the residents of the Home who were too frail to leave their rooms to hear Taft’s speech in person. At noon, Judge Taft addressed a large audience at the Opera House in Sandusky. The theater was filled, with only a few seats left vacant.  Judge Taft spoke for thirty minutes, having his speech interrupted with applause several times. According to a lengthy article in the September 9, 1908 issue of the Sandusky Register, Taft stated that if elected “he would spend his time suggesting to Congress means by which the Rooseveltian policies might be clinched” After his speech, Judge Taft shook hands with several ladies and gentlemen who gathered around him on stage at the Opera House. Judge Taft departed from the Big Four station on the 1:40 p.m. train, on his way to make more speeches in the Cincinnati area. Pictured below is William Howard Taft in his top hat, surrounded by several people as he got ready to leave Sandusky.

Of course, William Howard Taft did go on to win the election in November of 1908, defeating William Jennings Bryan. To read more details about William Howard Taft’s visit to Sandusky, see the September 8 and September 9, 1908 issues of the Sandusky Register, available on microfilm at the Sandusky Library Archives Research Center. The text of the speech presented by William Howard Taft in Sandusky was reprinted in the book Political Issues and Outlooks: Speeches Delivered Between August, 1908 and February, 1909, by William Howard Taft (Doubleday, Page and Co., 1909.)

Judge E.B. King

Edmund Burritt King was born on a farm in July 4, 1850 in Medina County, Ohio to Cyrus and Harriet (Bennett) King. After attending the Oberlin Academy and Baldwin-Wallace University, Edmund studied law. He was admitted to the Ohio Bar in 1873, and in 1875 he moved to Sandusky, where he practiced law for twenty years. He was associated with several attorneys at various times in Sandusky, including W.W. Bowen, S.F. Taylor, E.M. Culver, and Lynn Hull. From 1894 to 1899, Mr. King was Judge of the circuit court for the Sixth Judicial Circuit of Ohio. Judge King is pictured below with fellow circuit judges Robert S. Parker and George S. Haynes.

In 1899 Judge King returned to private practice with W.E. Guerin, and later, in a law partnership with Russell K. Ramsey. From 1880 to 1898, he was a member of the Ohio National Guard, attaining the rank of major. Judge King was a presidential elector in 1888 and was a delegate to the fourth constitutional convention of the state of Ohio in 1912. In 1916 Judge King served as president of the Ohio State Bar Association. An article in volume 62 of the Ohio Law Bulletin stated that at the thirty-eighth annual meeting of the Ohio State Bar Association, which met at Cedar Point, “Hon. E.B. King further distinguished himself as the presiding genius of the several sessions of the meeting, gracefully controlling and firmly pressing the business in hand to prompt conclusions.” 

Late in 1933, Judge King began suffering from heart problems. He passed away from heart disease on December 30, 1934. Judge King was survived by his wife, the former Edith E. Hackett, daughter Cora King Graves, and son Clifford King. Funeral services for Judge E.B. King were held at the Masonic Temple under the auspices of the Thirty-third Degree Scottish Rite Masons, as well as at the Presbyterian Church with the Rev. A.J. Funnell officiating. Burial was at Oakland Cemetery. Shortly after Judge King’s death, Judge Roy Williams stated that “it will be a long time before Erie County again has a citizen of the outstanding principles of Judge King. His predominating character was his unselfishness. There was not a movement in the community that he was not to the fore in. Sandusky has lost one of its finest friends.” You can read Judge King’s history of the early years of the Erie County Bar Association in chapter 25 of Hewson Peeke’s book  A Standard History of Erie County, Ohio (1916).

Program Announcement: A Day for Genealogists

“A Day for Genealogists” will be featured at the Sandusky Library on Saturday, September 20. From 10:30 to noon, learn how to get started in researching your family tree. From 1 to 5 p.m., the Sandusky Library will host a “Lock In” for genealogists. The library will open only to those registered for the Genealogy Lock In. Computers will be available, and you may search through the library’s holdings of local and family history books and microfilms. Call 419-625-3834 to register for all or part of the Day for Genealogist.

Wallace C. Glenwright, Teacher, Coach, and Administrator

Wallace Glenwright’s long career with Sandusky City Schools covered over thirty years. He arrived in Sandusky shortly after his graduation from Mount Union College. He served as assistant to Sandusky High School’s head football coach Bob Whittaker from 1930 to 1940. Later he became the head coach in football, basketball and golf, and assisted in coaching track. For two years, Mr. Glenwright was the athletic director. He became assistant principal of Sandusky High School in 1946, and was named principal in 1948. In 1957, Mr. Glenwright served as assistant superintendent, and from 1958 to 1968, he served as superintendent of Sandusky City Schools. He is pictured below in about 1960.

When the Supplementary Education Center was opened at the high school in the late 1960s, Mr. Glenwright presided at the dedication ceremony.

Besides his many roles as an educator, he was active in numerous civic organizations. The picture below was taken at a Lions Club meeting about 1950. Wallace Glenwright is the man on the far right.

In 1991 Wallace C. Glenwright was inducted into the Sandusky High School Athletic Hall of Fame. Charles Wagner wrote in an article in the May 2, 1991 issue of the Sandusky Register that Mr. Glenwright was “a gentleman’s gentleman.” 

Wallace Glenwright died on September 4, 1997 at Firelands Community Hospital. A lengthy obituary honoring Mr. Glenwright appeared in the September 6, 1997 issue of the Sandusky Register. The article read in part, “Friends say his qualities overshadowed his honors. Honest, caring, genuine, and gracious were just a few of the words friends and family used to describe him.” To read more about Wallace Glenwright, and other local educators and coaches, visit the Sandusky Library Archives Research Center, to view historical school yearbooks and Sandusky newspapers on microfilm.

At Work in Sandusky and Erie County

The warm weather in the summer months in northern Ohio allows for workers in a variety of occupations to get work done that is not easily accomplished in the cold months of the winter season. Sandusky photographer W.A. Bishop took the photograph above on July 25, 1908. Employees of the Erie County Courthouse can be seen looking out at Case equipment used to improve roads in Erie County. About 1920, Joe Staffler, Henry Scheid, and Fred Staffler were working on an outside project with a wheelbarrow and shovels.

In the picture below, taken in the early part of the twentieth century, a group of six men are working on a handcart along the Lake Shore Electric Railway in Milan, Ohio.

In this undated postcard, several men can be seen alongside an engine of the New York Central Railroad.

Visit the Sandusky Library Archives Research Center to view these and thousands of other historic photographs from Sandusky and Erie County, Ohio.