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Vian’s Part 4
Nicholas Vian apparently believed in the power of advertising and promotion, as a second series of postcards were issued promoting his barbecue restaurant and cabin business. These are of a slightly...
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Vian’s Part 5
Ad from the January 18, 1950 Lorain JournalBy the early 1950s, Vian’s had been open for more than ten years. Ads for the restaurant were appearing regularly in the Lorain Journal.Ad from the August 5,...
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Vian’s Part 6
The 1957 Lorain Telephone Company directory was the first edition to carry an ad (shown above) for the new motel that was part of the Vian restaurant and cabin/cottage property.A lone black and white...
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Vian’s Part 7
During the 1960s, Nicholas Vian continued to regularly promote his restaurant and motel in the Journal and the Lorain Telephone Company directory.Here’s a selection of ads from that time period.July 3,...
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Vian’s Part 8
Throughout the 1970s, Vian's On the Lake Motel Plaza was still promoted in ads in the phone book as "the Commercial Man’s Haven in the Lorain Area."Beginning with the 1979 phone book, however, the...
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Vian’s Barbecue – Then & Now
Although I finished up my blog series on Vian’s yesterday, I realized that I forgot to give it the “then & now” treatment, even though I shot the “now” photo about a week ago in preparation for...
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Cabin Fever
Blogging about Vian’s motel and cabins the last two weeks reminded me of some other cabins that I’d been trying to research for some time now.About a year ago, I had to make a trip to Toledo. While...
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The House at 35955 Detroit Road in Avon
When I first found this January 1955 article (at right) about a landmark Avon home, I Googled its address (35955 Detroit Road) and saw that its location was smack dab in the middle of the modern...
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Sugar Crisp Ad – January 19, 1950
Breakfast cereal is one of my favorite topics on this blog. (I’ve written about Rice Krispies, Rice Krispies Marshmallow Treats, the Rice Krispies Song, General Mills Monster Cereals and Shreddies.)So...
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Farmers Demand a Bridge at E. 31st Street – January 1910
January 25, 1910 Lorain Daily NewsWhen you think of Lorain bridges over the Black River, it’s easy to focus on the Bascule Bridge and the 21st Street Bridge, and overlook the one out in South...
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Green Lantern Camp Ad – June 18, 1937
Even though I may have concluded a blog series on a particular topic, I often keep on researching it anyway in the interest of tying up loose ends. And that’s what I was doing on Saturday, looking for...
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Tonopah Tavern in Sheffield Lake
Yesterday I mentioned Ernie’s Place in Sheffield Lake; today, here’s another business that was located in that city (my city) long ago.Recently, I saw this vintage matchbook for Tonopah Tavern on Ebay...
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E. 31st Street Bridge Revisited Part 1
Shortly after my post last week on the E. 31st Street Bridge, regular reader and contributor Rick Kurish made me aware of the photo at left in Dr. Charles Herdendorf’s Arcadia Images of America...
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E. 31st Street Bridge Revisited Part 2
Looking at aerial views of the E. 31st Street Bridge today reveals many historical features of the area.In the above photo, the view is looking west (with the houses in South Lorain on the west side of...
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Hillcrest Motel – Then & Now
I saw this vintage postcard for Hillcrest Motel online recently. Noting its location – on State Route 18, 2 miles east of Wellington – I wondered if it was still there.I didn’t wonder for long, because...
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Signs of Change in Sheffield Lake
It looks like change is coming to Sheffield Lake, at least when it comes to some of the city's longtime businesses and commercial strips.As shown above, the city's lakefront high-rise luxury apartments...
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Niagara Falls May Not Be Falling Soon
The scene back in 1969(Courtesy news.nationalgeographic.com)From the Brady photo albumI read with interest this week the news that Niagara Falls (on the American side) may be briefly “turned off” again...
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Demolition of Original Brookside High School Begins
In case you missed it, the demolition of the former Sheffield Middle School/original Brookside High School began late last week. I drove over there on Saturday morning to grab a few photos of the...
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Grand Opening Ad for Shields Rest Clinic - Feb. 11, 1950
If you’re familiar with Lorain’s West Side, then you’re probably aware that for many decades, there has been a nursing home on Oberlin Avenue near the intersection with Tower Boulevard.Although today...
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1443 Colorado Avenue in the News
1443 Colorado Avenue this past weekendNo, you’re not experiencing déja vu.I did a post on the unique building at 1443 Colorado Avenue waaaay back in November 2011 (here) as a “What used to be in that...
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