this blog
Posts
Have you ever seen an old sign on a building that doesn't relate to what is in the building today, and wondered about the origin of the sign? There is a building like that on Washington Street with a story to tell.
The Overmyer-Zechman-Ball Company
opened its doors in Sandusky in January of 1926. The January 30, 1926 issue of
the Sandusky Star Journal reported
that the Overmyer-Zechman-Ball Company, along with Hilt and Auxter, were considered
“ultra modern” garages. The large brick garage buildings were located in the
700 block of West Washington Street, between Lawrence and Fulton. The
Overmyer-Zechman-Ball Company sold and serviced Dodge Brothers cars and Graham
Brothers trucks. Hilt and Auxter were the agents for Buick and Maron motor
cars. Both garages had large showrooms that faced Washington Street. The
buildings were designed and constructed under the direction of Sandusky
architects Millott and Parker, and the general contractor was Steinle and Wolf,
from Fremont. M.J. Callan and son did the excavating and cement work, and Klein
Structural Irons Works of Bellevue furnished the steel structural iron. Many
other local businesses had a part in the new building.
In 1931, Overmyer-Zechman-Ball Company displayed
automobiles at the Sandusky Auto Dealers eleventh annual automobile show, held
at 1014 Hancock Street on February 6 to 8.
According to Sandusky city directories, by 1932, the
Overmyer-Zechman-Ball Company had become the Overmyer Ball Company, and Smith
Motor Sales was in the building formerly occupied by Hilt and Auxter. In the
first half of the twentieth century, the automotive industry changed rapidly.
In the early 1950s, Overmyer-McCullough, Inc. was selling Dodge and Plymouth
vehicles at 709 W. Washington Street, and by 1960, there was no longer a
business in operation in Sandusky that included the Overmyer name. A variety of
different companies have been in business at 709 W. Washington Street through
the years.
Visit the Sandusky Library to learn about historic businesses in
Sandusky by browsing through several decades of Sandusky city directories.
2 comments:
I remember being the showroom, used car lot, and repair shop of the Smith Motors Buick dealership in the 1940's and early 50's. One of my classmates and neighborhood buddy, was Dave Link, whose Father, Frank Link, was manager of the dealership. Dave and I would sometimes walk from St. Mary's School down to Smith Motors for a ride home with Mr. Link. Mr. Link's wife Amelia was related to the Fisher family of Norwalk, of the Fisher Brothers branch of General Motors. Occasionally our neighborhood was treated to the sight of a chauffuered car driving up to the Link's home on Marlboro Street, for a visit by Mrs. link's Fisher cousins. David Link, in his adult life, become Dean of the Notre Dame Law School. After his wife Barbara died, David became an ordained Catholic priest, and he currently ministers to prisoners in the state prison in Gary Indiana.
As Ed Daniel said above, Rev. David Link was truly an amazing man; the holder of at least four, I think maybe five, doctorate degrees. We were childhood playmates and grew up on the same street in Sandusky. This wonderful man passed away just this past October. I cannot recommend highly enough the book about Rev. Link: "Camerado, I Give You My Hand", by Maura Poston Zagrans.
Post a Comment