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This picture was taken in 1911 from
the steeple of St. Mary’s Catholic Church. St. Mary’s Parochial School is
visible on the right side of the photo, located at the corner of Decatur and
Jefferson Streets. Further to the east, at the intersection of Jefferson Street
and Columbus Avenue, the tops of three different churches can be seen. The
tallest church tower at this intersection is that of Sts. Peter and Paul
Catholic Church. Zion Lutheran Church is directly across the street, and the First Congregational Church
is at the northwest corner of Jefferson and Columbus.
It looks as though the weather is
cold, as you can see people scurrying down Decatur Street in this close up view
below.
In 1911 Fred Westerhold had a jewelry
and clock store in the 400 block of Decatur Street. He stated that his prices
were reasonable in this ad from the November 2, 1911 issue of the Sandusky Star Journal.
Gasper Anastas had opened a shoe repair shop in August
of 1911 at 426 Decatur Street. He
promised to bring first-class work and the best materials to his customers.
By looking at city directories from
the period in which a photograph was taken can help you understand what a
neighborhood was like in a specific era. Visit the Sandusky
Library to learn more about the historic businesses and residents of Sandusky
and Erie County.
5 comments:
What a great photo. It must have been taken on a late afternoon, as the top of the steeple casts a shadow due east, over Ernestberger's Tavern, the white building located on the NE corner of Jefferson and Decatur. That tavern was still in business when I attended St. Mary's grammer and high schools in 1942-54. Our family have been proud members of St. Mary's Parish since its founding in the 1850's. One of the larger church windows (ca 1873) near the base of the steeple bears the name of our great-great-grandfather Peter Daniel.
One slight correction to the article should be noted: First Congragational Church is located on the NW corner of Columbus and Jefferson, not Columbus and Jackson.
I have always been thankful that Sandusky's founding fathers named the first east-west streets (after Railroad, Water and Market streets) for our early presidents. Knowing the sequence of our first five presidents has made me a winner in several games of trivia over the years.
Thanks for catching the mistake. It's been fixed.
That’s an informative post. I love it. And your ending statement is true, but oh so funny! Thank you! Information that our area offers on early history is rare and amazing!
I was baptized, made my First Communion and Confirmed at St. Mary's Catholic Church. It will remain the most beautiful Church to me. My most memorable event was the Knights of Columbus processed throughout the church in full regalia. It was breathtaking. My father, Eugene August Buddelmeyer, was a Grand Knight for the Sandusky Ohio chapter.
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