Sandusky Downtown Street Fair 1960

 

In 1960, the downtown merchants of Sandusky hosted a street fair, which was held on July 28, 29 and 30. A committee of thirteen men planned the details for the event.

Four blocks of the downtown area were closed to auto traffic from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. each day. Merchants were encouraged to dress in old fashioned clothing, and the stores offered sale prices throughout the 3-day event. The W.S. Frankel Company provided 10,000 balloons for the children. Mr. William Barratt from Joseph’s clothing store arranged for special insurance coverage and early truck deliveries. Nicholas Carter from Kresge’s was in charge of giveaway promotional items. Entertainment was provided during each day of the street fair.

Cleveland television personality and performer at Cedar Point Jungle Larry appeared in person on Friday during the Street Fair.

On Friday night, Marilee and Joe Santoro, from the Arthur Murray Dance Studios, gave a dancing exhibition at the intersection of Columbus Avenue and Market Street.

Saturday’s entertainment included a performance by the Perkins High School Dance Band, strolling clowns, and a square dance in the street, called by Jerome Gravenhorst.

An article in the July 30, 1960 issue of the Sandusky Register reported that an estimated 10,000 people attended the Street Fair on Friday night, and several merchants stated that “the crowds were larger Thursday and Friday then for any event they could recall in the past.”

Sandusky held several street fairs through the years. Your parents or grandparents could probably tell you stories about their experiences in downtown Sandusky at the Street Fairs.

A View of the North Side of East Market Street in 1956

In the Sandusky Pictures Collection of the Sandusky Library Archives Research Center is a photograph of the north side of East Market Street in Sandusky which was taken in September of 1956. At the northeast corner of Columbus Avenue and East Market Street, Donald A. Smith operated the Smith Drug Company, which was affiliated with the Walgreen Agency. Prescriptions and health and beauty aids were sold here, along with light meals served at the luncheon counter. Baked goods were sold at Cassidy’s Fine Foods at 121 East Market Street. Moving east down East Market Street we find Jean Frock’s, the Neisner Brothers five and ten cent store, and the William S. Frankel store, which sold women’s apparel. Walter’s Shoe Store was located at 151 East Market Street, and the large Sears and Roebuck department store was at 161 East Market. Not pictured in this picture is the Joseph’s Store which was at the end of the block. Joseph’s sold women’s and children’s ready to wear clothing in the mid-1950s.  On the left side of the picture you can see the clock from the Citizens Banking Company which was in the Feick Building at that time, on the south side of East Market Street.  Visit the Sandusky Library to browse through decades of historical Sandusky City Directories. The earliest Sandusky City Directory in our collection dates back to 1855.