Last week we discussed the first half of Leesa Shady’s walking tour of Bridgeville’s historic commercial district, sponsored by the Bridgeville Area Historical Society, and my attempt to recreate it as it existed seventy-five years ago. This week we pick up the tour in front of DaBlaze Grill, walking south on the west side of Washington Avenue.
Isaly’s occupied the first store front on the southwestern corner of the Station Street/Washington Avenue intersection in the mid 1940s. Earlier that site had been a grocery store, either Butler’s or A & P. According to old maps there were five distinct buildings between the corner and Sarasnick’s. The Historical Society has photographs of that block earlier and much later, but none in the 1940s.
My consultants advise me that one of these storefronts was occupied by the White Front Lunch restaurant, operated by Tom Thomas (“the Greek”). I think another was the site of a beauty shop (maybe Florence Lough), one a bakery (Cellone?), and one by a shoemaker’s shop. That block was destroyed by a fire in 1961; the rebuilt Sarasnick store is twice as wide as the one that was burned.
Our tour then crossed the remnant of the old bridge over the B & M (Bridgeville and McDonald) branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad. In the 1940s the first building beyond it was the location of the Central Restaurant. Then comes a tiny building that puzzles me. Someone thinks it was Pete Conroy’s barber shop; I want him to be across the street in the first store front south of the bridge.
Weise’s News Stand, at 528 Washington, was the unofficial capitol of “downtown”. Originally Goehring’s Bakery and Confectionery, it was acquired by Louis and Ralph Weise. After Louis’ death in 1934, Ralph operated it for many years, with special help from Theresa and Angelo Pennetti (three more vivid ghosts).
Next door to Weise’s was Izzy Miller’s Wallpaper and Paint Store, followed by Bard’s Dairy Store, and Dr. George Rittenhouse’s office. Bern-Hart Dodge/Plymouth was somewhere in that block; Williard’s Pontiac was on the corner of Hickman Street and Washington Avenue, in a building originally occupied by E A Motor.
At this point our tour crossed Washington Avenue to the northeast corner of the intersection with James Street. I remembered that corner as the site of Louie’s Market. We knew Louie Dernosek as “the huckster”. He regularly drove around town in a truck dispensing fresh fruits and vegetables. I remember his stopping at the corner of Lafayette and Elizabeth Streets, and all the neighborhood house-wives coming out to sample his wares.
The large building currently housing La Bella Bean and other businesses was the location of L & R Bowling Alleys, Ross’ Bar and Grill, and Al Ross’ pool room in the 1940s. Here the ghost is bipolar, unable to make up its mind whether it is Louis Russo or (aka George Ross).
In the 1940s the next block was the location of Dr. McGarvey’s residence and office; it too was demolished to provide space for a parking lot. In the twentieth century Bridgeville was obsessed with tearing down all of its oldest buildings; we are fortunate that “the Murray house” and the History Center have survived. We are also fortunate that, today, the most popular of the Public Art Bridgeville outdoor sculptures, Seward Johnson’s “Inner World, Outer World”, is seated on a bench along the sidewalk in front of the lot.
North of Bank Street Extension was the Wallace Building, the Rankin Theater, the Harmuth Building, and an unnamed building with one tiny store front. I remember an auto parts store in the Wallace Building in the 1940s as well as Bonnetts’ Restaurant. Along with the Rankin Theater, it was destroyed by fire in 1985.
Charlie Harmuth built the Harmuth Building in the 1920s and operated a meat market and (Mrs. Harmuth) a ladies clothing store there. Ms. Shady reminded us that Mr. Harmuth was a state legislator who managed to balance his political and commercial lives successfully. Another bipolar ghost?
Despite powerful disagreement by my consultants, I continue to believe that Pete Conroy’s barber shop was in the only store front of the wedge-shaped building south of the bridge over the B & M Branch. I am probably wrong, but that’s where Pete’s ghost showed up.
North of the bridge is the “C P Mayer Building”. Ms. Shady reported that the location had originally been occupied by the Fryer/Collins building supply company. In the late 1890s Amos Fryer constructed the current building with store fronts along both Washington Avenue and Station Street. C. P. Mayer eventually purchased it, and had his residence on the second floor.
By the 1940s Joseph Lutz was operating the building supply company and had an office in the first storefront. Next door was Pete Strasser’s Jewelry Store. I can’t recall what was in the next storefront; Wilson’s Drug Store was at the corner of Washington and Station. Our tour then turned right and walked down Station Street. I remember Sam Lee’s Laundry being about halfway down the hill and Sherp’s Barber Shop at the bottom.
Suddenly it was 1947 again; the ghosts returned. I was walking on Station Street, between the railroad crossings with “Poad” Rothermund when a black 1940 Ford pulled over. My mother rolled down the window and asked, “Would you boys like a lift?”
My response, “No, we’re going to stop at Hines’ for milkshakes. Probably see Bobby (Baldwin) and Leonard (Styche) there.” I was looking forward to loafing there and listening to the juke box.
Safely back at the History Center, all the tour participants sincerely thanked Ms. Shady for her efforts and vowed to do what they could to increase the body of information the Society has on the history of all these institutions. I think she has provided the foundation for an excellent collection of historical data on Bridgeville’s commercial district.