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Sohio Road Map Ad – May 1930
So when was the last time you drove somewhere and used a road map from a gas station to guide you?If you're like me, it's probably been a while – about two cars ago. I remember having to buy a map at a...
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Judge Findley Announces His Retirement – May 29, 1950
Seventy-five years ago today on May 29, 1950, Common Pleas Judge Guy B. Findley announced his retirement effective October 15th. Below is the Lorain Journal front page from that day with the story, as...
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"Win a Corvette" Januzzi's Shoes Ad – May 1954
We'll close out the week and the month here on the blog with a vintage Januzzi's Shoe ad that ran in the Lorain Journal on May 7, 1954.There's a lot going on in the ad. It's from that time period when...
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Return to Ruggles Beach – Part 1
Ruggles Beach is only a short drive away on U. S. 6 from Vermilion (where I live) so I paid a visit to this Vacationland neighborhood over the holiday weekend. Why? Because I wanted to post the...
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Return to Ruggles Beach – Part 2
While out at Ruggles Beach, I decided to stop at the Berlin Township Oak Bluff Cemetery and pay a visit to Almon Ruggles' grave. But first I grabbed a shot of the Ohio Historical Marker (above)...
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Lester Allen Pelton - Ohio
I've passed this Ohio Historical Marker honoring Lester Allan Pelton that overlooks a small cemetery at Risden Road many times over the years without stopping. But on my way home from my visit to...
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Smokey Bear Billboard – US Route 6
On the way back from Ruggles Beach, I noticed this Smokey Bear billboard on the south side of US Route 6, just a little east of Risden Road. I was happy to see it, because you don't really see a lot of...
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Old Lake Road Alignment – W. of Ruggles Beach
Right next door to the west of the Berlin Township Oak Bluff Cemetery where Almon Ruggles' grave is located is this old alignment of US 6 Lake Road, trailing off towards the lake. It seems to be a...
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Adios, Sugarfoot: Will Hutchins 1930 – 2025
Promotional card (D. Brady collection)As a big fan of TV Westerns, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the passing of Sugarfoot himself, Will Hutchins, who passed away on April 21st at the age...
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Holiday Inn Elyria Opens – March 1964
I saw this postcard for the Holiday Inn in Elyria on eBay the other day. It's a nice architectural rendering of the now-shuttered motel. It sure looks a lot like Lorain City Hall. And I had forgotten...
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The Bridge on the River Black – June 1925
Remember the great movie The Bridge on the River Kwai? Quite simply, it was all about a mission to blow up an important bridge. In the end, the bridge was destroyed.Well, Lorain almost had its own...
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Grand Opening of Smedley's Sohio – June 1954
For many years, it seems like there was a service station associated with one of the major oil companies on the corner of every busy major intersection in Lorain and the surrounding areas. You could...
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Reddy for Air Conditioning?
We'll wrap up the week here on the blog with a nice, calming, non-controversial visit from our old pal Reddy Kilowatt singing the praises of air conditioning. Maybe our favorite electrical sprite can...
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Father's Day Ads – 1955
Happy Father's Day to all of you dads out there! As I usually point out, it's the one day a year that I'm jealous of my two brothers, who both have nice families and great kids. But then again, they...
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Blue Hole in the News Over the Years
Did your family ever make the drive out to Castalia to see the Blue Hole? I'm guessing every Baby Boomer and their family saw it at least once in their lives, before it closed in 1990. Since then, a...
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Otto Graham at Cedar Point – June 17, 1955
Remember when famous professional athletes from your favorite local team used to make personal appearances at shopping centers and fast food drive-ins? You actually had a chance to meet them and get an...
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Sandy's Grand Opening – June 18, 1965
, seeSixty years ago today, Sandy's Hamburgers celebrated the Grand Opening of the Meister Road restaurant that was part of the Lorain Plaza shopping center. Above is the large ad that ran in the...
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On Area Screens – June 19, 1975
Regular readers of this blog know that from time to time, I like to do posts showing what movies were being shown locally (especially when I don't have any other topic prepared).Above you see the movie...
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Li'l Abner Comes to the Journal – June 1953
Cartoonist Al Capp's popular Li'l Abner comic strip has been the subject of numerous posts on my blog over the years. It was my favorite comic in the Lorain Journal, and for years I looked forward to...
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Dog N Suds Featured in June issue of "Leisure Living"
If you're a fan of Ilene's Dog N Suds, then you won't want to miss this month's Leisure Living magazine. The beloved coney dog and root beer drive-in is the subject of a feature article in the magazine...
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Dog N Suds in the Journal Over the Years
I'll keep the suds flowing one more day with a selection of clippings about Dog N Suds that I've accumulated over the past few years.As I've noted many times, the official Grand Opening of Ilene's Dog...
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Trans-Canada Highway Article – June 22, 1963
1960s brochureCanada has been a regular topic on this blog since I launched it back in 2009.Why? Because I have a strong affection for the Great White North. I spent a lot of time in Canada over a...
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Myers Motel – Then & Now
Mom and pop motels are still an area of interest for me, especially when they show up on a vintage postcard like Myers Motel above. The motel was located on U. S. 20 (Center Ridge Road), three miles...
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"Foods for the Fourth" Fisher Foods Ad – June 28, 1945
The Fourth of July is coming up fast –can you believe it? For many of us, that means a cookout or perhaps even a picnic (or pic-a-nic, if you're a Yogi Bear fan). If you're in the latter camp, then the...
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Right Turn on Red Begins July 1, 1975
One of Lorain's old-style traffic lights in 2011Traffic lights are the bane of our existence.They seem to sense when we're in a hurry, such as being late for work or picking up someone up at a...
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