Morris Link was born in Baden, Germany, and emigrated
to the United States in 1851. After settling in Sandusky, he became
involved in the culture of grapes and manufacturing of wine. He also worked for
several years as a foreman in the Mad River Railroad warehouse.
In 1870, Morris
Link built the Link Block at the corner of McDonough and Washington Streets in Sandusky.
Dr. Ernst von Schulenburg wrote in Sandusky
Then and Now, that Link’s Block on Washington Street was a “monument to his [Mr. Link's] spirit of enterprise.” In the 1886 Sanborn map,
pictured below, you can see that Link’s Block had a drugstore, grocery and
saloon on the street levels of the building, with a public hall on the upper
level, and a dining hall in the rear of the structure.
Many social
events, political meetings, and dances were held at this site. On July 4,
1873, the Bay City Dancing Club held a Grand Ball at Link’s Hall, with musical
entertainment provided by the Great Western Band. Tickets were fifty
cents. According to the book Sandusky Then and Now, in 1885 the Sandusky Liederkranz (Sandusky Choral Society) was reorganized and held rehearsals at Link’s Hall. In 1904, a Mr. Rissman and Schaefer served lunch there. Turtle
soup was the special of the day on March 26, 1904. A roller skating rink was in
operation at Link’s Hall in 1905. In the 1940s and 1950s, several wrestling
matches were held there. Below is an advertisement from the October
18, 1952 issue of the Sandusky Register,
for a match between Bert Silverman and Frankie Taylor.
A number of businesses have been in
operation in Link’s block, including the Towne Tavern and Health Club in the
1960s and 1970s.
For a number of years, the State Liquor Store No. 181
was located in the 900 block of West Washington Street. When you pass by the
corner of West Washington and McDonough Street, take a moment to reflect on the
rich history of that location.
1 comment:
I have passed that location frequently, thank you for posting such interesting historical information about it. I will have those pictures in my mind now when I pass by there.
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