The Terminal Inn, on the Downtown Waterfront

In May of 1903 the Terminal Inn opened in downtown Sandusky at the foot of Columbus Avenue, close to the passenger steamer docks and railroad tracks. The Inn featured a cigar store, café, and a large waiting area for visitors to Sandusky. The proprietors of the Terminal Inn were Adam Stoll and William Finley. You can see visitors peering over the balcony of the Terminal Inn in the close up view below.

In the early hours on the morning on June 21, 1904, a massive fire destroyed almost an entire block of Sandusky’s waterfront, north of Railroad Street (now Shoreline Drive) from the Jackson Street slip to the Columbus Avenue slip. Over $150,000 worth of property was destroyed (about $4 million in today's value), including the Terminal Inn, Booth Fish Company, and a building owned by the Gilcher and Schuck Lumber Company. Detailed accounts of the fire appeared in the Sandusky Register and the Sandusky Star, now available on microfilm at the Sandusky Library Archives Research Center. Though the Terminal Inn was in business in Sandusky for a short time, a plate depicting the Terminal Inn and Sandusky’s waterfront is now housed in the collections of the Follett House Museum. Mrs. Marjorie Owings, longtime staff member of Sandusky Library, donated the plate to the museum.

The Market Street Fire of 1939

On this date seventy-five years ago the most devastating fire Sandusky has known struck downtown, turning nearly an entire block into ruins. Commonly known as the Herb & Myers fire (or the Market Street fire) because it was believed to have started in the M.R. Herb department store on East Market Street, the fire quickly destroyed many business on the 100 block of East Market Street, and continued to smolder for days afterward. The cause of the fire was never determined, probably due to the intensity of the flames, which left little evidence to discover in the rubble.

Among the other businesses destroyed in the fire were the Sears & Roebuck store, the W.S. Frankel store, the McLellan Dollar store, all in the Graefe Building,  and E.B. Ackley's cigar store and office on Water Street.

The fire and the subsequent demolition and removal of the remaining rubble soon became a major tourist event, as can be seen in some of the photographic images. Reports claimed that as many as 10,000 spectators went downtown to see the fire and its aftereffects, although that might be an exaggeration.

The estimated financial cost of the fire was $2 million (about $33 million in today's dollars), with about 200 people put out of work.

The Dilgart & Bittner Company

Here is an advertisement created by Gerald Abele Signs for the Dilgart & Bittner Company. (Most records list Dilgart as the correct spelling of the first partner’s name, though the sign gives the spelling as Dilgert.) According to A Standard History of Erie County, by Hewson L. Peeke, Dilgart & Bittner was “a business which Sandusky people regard with special pride, and for many years its development and prosperity have reflected upon the thorough commercial enterprise and character of William H. Dilgart, senior proprietor.”

William H. Dilgart came to Sandusky in 1901, and opened a furniture store in the Odd Fellows building. On March 4, 1905 William H. Dilgart and William P. Bittner formed a partnership, and the company was incorporated in 1907. The business, located on East Market Street, was a retail establishment which sold furniture, floor coverings, stoves, and other household items. After a fire in 1906, the store relocated at Wayne and East Market Streets.

After another fire in 1916, the Dilgart & Bittner store moved to East Washington Row.

In the mid 1920’s, the partnership between Mr. Dilgart and Mr. Bittner was dissolved, but William H. Dilgart continued in the furniture business. William P. Bittner went on to become secretary of the Erie County Investment Company.

A View of East Washington Row in the summer of 1955

A snapshot taken by Helen Hansen on August 20, 1955 shows several buildings in downtown Sandusky on East Washington Row. At the corner of East Washington Row and Columbus Avenue is the Western Security Bank building, just across the street from the old LaSalle’s store. The 1955 Sandusky City Directory lists the occupants of the upper levels of the bank building, which included several insurance agents, a title company, and offices for lawyers George A. Beis and Robert W. Beamer. Doctors William F. Burger, Carle Koehler, Emerson Hoyer, and Homer C. Fout also had offices above the Western Security Bank. The Walter L. Crusey furniture store was located at 117 East Washington Row. A Kroger’s grocery store took up 135 to 145 East Washington Row. Parking for Kroger’s was beside Mary’s Diner. The Washington building takes up the rest of the block of East Washington Row. On the street level of the Washington building were: Rosino’s Shoes, Singer Sewing Machine Company, and the Ohio Fuel Gas Company. There were a number of offices on the upper levels of the Washington Building, including accountants, insurance agents, the Camp Fire Girls, Boy Scouts of America, Judson Civil Engineering, Dr. Sheldon R. Hoover, and William E. Didelius, Erie County Prosecuting Attorney.

Prior to a massive fire in 1909, the Mahala Block took up a large portion of East Washington Row in Sandusky.

Through the Years at the Northeast Corner of West Market and Jackson Streets

The Majestic Theatre was located at the northeast corner of West Market and Jackson Streets in 1908. The theater was not damaged in the fire which broke out in the Andres and Frey furniture store and undertakers building on January 10, 1908. The Sandusky Star Journal reported that the stone wall construction of the Market Street buildings helped prevent more serious fire damage to the adjacent buildings.

In 1925, Eugene B. Ackley had a Billiard Academy at the northeast corner of West Market and Jackson Streets in downtown Sandusky. Mr. Ackley was also the director and manager of Ackley’s Band and Orchestra. E. B. Ackley was associated with area bands from the late 1890’s through the 1903’s.

In the 1955 photograph below, Hills Supply Company, Martin’s Restaurant, and the Ohio Theater can be seen on West Market Street.

Currently, a municipal parking lot is located at the site of these former Sandusky businesses. If you would like to learn more about the history of Sandusky and Erie County, visit the Archives Research Center of the Sandusky Library. Historical atlases, city directories, local history books and hundreds of historical photographs can help you learn more about the people and businesses that have contributed to the rich history of Erie County.

C. Weston Dash, Reporter and Photographer

C. Weston Dash was born in Cleveland, Ohio on June 7, 1914. Learning the printing business from his father as a young man, Mr. Dash was the editor and reporter for his high school and college newspaper. Later, while he was a correspondent with the International News Service, he covered the 1936 Republican National Cenvention in Cleveland.

He lived in Sandusky from June of 1937 through October 1940. While in Sandusky, Mr. Dash was a reporter and editor with the Sandusky Register and Star Journal. He also served as Sandusky School Superintendent of the Methodist Church, and worked on set construction for the Harlequins. He was the publicity chairman for the Ohio Grape Festival, 1939-1940.  In the summer of 1938, C. Weston Dash married Anne Elizabeth Chamberlain Warren, and they were wed for 62 years. Mr. and Mrs. Dash made lifelong friends with Sandusky residents during their years in Ohio.

In 1990, C. Weston Dash donated several negatives to the historical collections of the Sandusky Library. Below is a photograph from the 1940 Grape Festival held at Sandusky September 19-22, 1940.

During the March 31, 1939 fire in downtown Sandusky, Dash took photographs of the fire and fire fighting efforts for several hours.

C. Weston Dash passed away at the age of 89 in Maine on January 30, 2004. A quotation cited at the end of Mr. Dash's obituary gives us insight into his personality:

The most wasted of all days is one without laughter

 -- E. E. Cummings

The Mahala Block

From 1894 until 1909, the Mahala Block on Washington Row, was home to several businesses, organizations, and a business college. The four story Mahala Block building was located between Columbus Avenue and Wayne Street.
The Mahala Block was built by William T. West, who had also built and owned the West House hotel with his brother A. K. West. Mahala was the middle name of Mrs. William T. West, nee Lydia Mahala Todd.
Some of the businesses which were located at the Mahala Block included: Charles J. Krupp, undertaker; May Reynolds, artist; Herb and Myers; Mahala Steam Laundry; Neill Bros., hardware; and the Sandusky Business College. A search through historical Sandusky City Directories will pinpoint the various names and dates of the tenants throughout the years.

On November 18, 1909, a massive fire destroyed the Mahala Block. The loss was estimated at approximately $250,000. Destroyed in the Mahala Building were many businesses and apartments including: Carrie Freyensee, milliner; The Herb and Myers Co.; Yochem and Feick; the Mahala Laundry; Charles J. Krupp, undertaker and embalmer; The International Correspondence Schools; Neill Bros. and Co.; Miss Helen Powers studio; Dr. H.J. Dann; Sandusky Business College; and Mrs. J.S. Grandcolas, hairdressing and massage parlors.