You may have read in some previous “Remember When” articles that this writer did not arrive in Fairfield County until 1976, which means a lot of “local history learning” in the past 50 years to catch up. I have read history books, visited museums, interviewed long-time residents and read “years” of newspapers. It may surprise you to learn that reading ads in the newspapers has sometimes been the most fun.
A former recurring almost annual Eagle-Gazette feature called the “Pictorial Review” reminded me of the fun I had learning to know the history of 100+ businesses. The introduction to one of those features recently re-discovered (28 January 1969) stated: “…Some go back many years into the city’s history—and are a guide to the wise shoppers seeking integrity and honesty in their buying. Many of the firms started operations when Lancaster was just a small rural community, before the turn of the 20th century.”
It is important to note that only businesses that paid for their ad to appear were included. However, those that are included are great fun to read.
Ten of the oldest Lancaster businesses that began operation between 1874 and 1906, and were still in operation in 1969, were: Bininger’s, West Side Lumber, Fairfield Federal, Mattox, Equitable Federal, Crumley/Trimmer Insurance, Hickle’s, Raedel Hardware, and Wendel’s Jewelers. If you do the math and subtract 2026-1906, Wendel’s, for example, is celebrating its 120th anniversary this year.
The Eagle-Gazette “Pictorial Review” for 1977 (29 January) included businesses for Baltimore, Bremen, Carroll and Millersport. Baltimore listed Weaver Hardware that had been established in 1895 by J. M. Weaver in Thurston and then moved to Baltimore in 1897, and was located at 100 S. Basil St. in 1977. Bremen listed Bremen Hardware that had been at its original location (107 Marietta St.) since 1900, and was owned by Robert L. Borah.
“The Millersport Bank Co.…handled its first bank transaction 70 years ago at the original location south of the Ohio Canal.” They erected a building and moved to the new location in 1926. Their 1977 location was12101 Lancaster St. NE, Millersport.
As you walk about downtown Lancaster and other business districts around Fairfield County, look for cornerstones on the buildings and the dates they were built. It is a fun way to learn more local history.
Readers may contact Harvey at joycelancastereg@gmail.com
This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: Old ads reveal long standing history of Fairfield County businesses
Reporting by Joyce Harvey, Special to the Eagle-Gazette / Lancaster Eagle-Gazette
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Joyce Harvey, Special to the Eagle-Gazette | USA TODAY Network
