Friday, July 02, 2021

Postcards of Downtown Sandusky in the 1950s

 

Above is a postcard from the Rich-Holt Company created in the 1950s. The view is looking north on Columbus Avenue towards Sandusky Bay.  At that time State Route 12 was routed to the city of Sandusky, but now the eastern terminus of State Route 12 is at State Route 53 in Sandusky County. You can see the signs for the Lasalle’s store, J.C. Penney and the Manhattan Clothing Co. The State Theatre is barely visible in the distance, on the 100 block of Columbus Avenue. Note the classic red and blue mailbox on the corner of Washington Row and Columbus Avenue, next to the Western Security Bank. 

In the Rich-Holt postcard below, the bodies of several vehicles are in shades of red and teal.

When shoppers went to downtown Sandusky in the 1950s, the ladies almost always wore skirts or dresses, and sometimes even hats and gloves. Do you have fond memories of shopping in downtown Sandusky?

Here is a George Canalos postcard with the view looking to the south:

 

The marquee of the State Theatre indicates that the featured films were “Never Steal Anything Small” with James Cagney and Shirley Jones, and a second movie entitled “Silent Enemy.”  

Visitors to Cedar Point could catch a ferry at the foot of Columbus Avenue at Shoreline Drive. For many years, the Boeckling building, on the left in the image, was used as an administration building for the Cedar Point company.


And we can't leave downtown Sandusky in the 1950s without checking out the flowers in Washington Park, next to the Boy with the Boot. 

5 comments:

arry Bloxham said...

Thanks for the memory

Amy said...

Looks like I remember it! Born in Sandusky Ohio 1953. Moved to Worthington Ohio in 1963.

Ed Daniel said...

Photos from the 50's. Bring 'em on!! I graduated from St. Mary's High in 1954. I, or friends and family, might have been driving or riding in some of those cars captured in those photos!!

Andrew Rickard said...

The first picture is at least from the 1960s. The closest car in the picture is a 1961-1963 Ford Thunderbird. The van pictured in the background also appears to be an early 1960s Ford Econoline.

Larry Brown said...

I remember riding my bike to the State Theatre (locking it at the bike stand in front) and paying 25 cents to watch cartoons and a matinee movie.