The Changing Scenes of Jefferson

The Jefferson downtown business district has seen many establishments come and go. Often business would locate from East and West Jefferson Streets to North or South Chestnut Streets. Perhaps a better rent came along, or someone thought it was more visible at one location than another or the ownership had what they thought was a better idea!
Whatever the reason, through the photography of the Gazette Newspapers, we have a historical record of many of those businesses and offices. The very first town hall was a two-story structure located on the south side of East Jefferson Street. The Town Hall you see today on the north side of East Jefferson Street was originally built circa 1877-1878 at a cost of $12,000. It was destroyed by fire on Thursday, Nov. 10, 1927. The fire started in the southwest corner of the attic and spread throughout the two-story building when water pressure failed.
At the time it was destroyed, the building had a waterworks office, council room, general purpose room and a workshop for the waterworks all on the first floor. But the grandeur of the building was truly displayed on the second floor where an auditorium and balcony seating 700 persons was located. Jefferson Educational Institute and high school used it for graduation and concerts.
Then-Mayor E.D. Frayer immediately ordered the building abandoned, and the Ashtabula Fire Department was called in to assist the blaze from spreading and possible destroying the water tower in the back of the building. The walls were saved as well as the water tower. The bricks were saved, cleaned, repaired and stuccoed to become the town hall you see today.
The First National Bank of Jefferson was established in 1864 and located on south side of West Jefferson Street. It stood on West Jefferson Street until about 1904, when it was moved to the east side of South Chestnut Street. The actual photograph of the bank board members was given to me by John Miller, formerly of Miller Funeral Home. Standing in front of the new First National Bank is Fred Woodbury, N. E French, president, and Dwight Crosby.
From that institution came the Jefferson Banking Company started in 1902 by former employee of the First National, John Hurlburt. About 25 years later, the Jefferson Banking Company purchased the old bank, moving to the South Chestnut Street address from offices in the Northeast Ohio Insurance Group, Inc. business site. Today the old site of the First National Bank then the Jefferson Banking Company is home to the Chinese restaurant, Hau Po.
The businesses on the east side of South Chestnut have run the gamut of any type of goods that were popular at the time of their presence. In the photo before 1899, you can see running down the middle of the street are the tracks of the old Jefferson-Ashtabula trolley line.
Note the white area on the large tree on the right apparently caused by horses gnawing the wood like the one tied up beside it in the picture, according to former editor, Chet Lampson’s observations. L. W. Burr’s Harness Shop, open during the early 1900s, became the site of the Jefferson Savings and Loan Company.
Heading north from the horse in the picture, you can see the sign for the Ashtabula Sentinel owned by J.A. Howells & Sons and purchased and consolidated with the Jefferson Gazette in 1909. For many years, the Post office was located in this building until 1959. It became the site of the Jefferson Laundromat.
Moving north from the Sentinel building was the Sweet Shop, followed by the W.P. Young Shoe and Barber Shop. The next store with a man in an apron out front was the Wallpaper and Notion Store in 1904 which became Samuel’s Meat Market.
In the 1904 view, looking north along South Chestnut Street, the business to the far left was the A.R. Beckwith Department Store which became the Jefferson Banking location. About two years later, following the fire of June 1, 1906, Jones Pharmacy was located in the right half of the building. The building in front of the next block was occupied in the 1960s by Marie’s Hat and Dress Shop and White’s Bakery. My mother-in-law, Wilma Kubicek, was the donut froster at the bakery! She used to love to demonstrate how she was taught to frost the donuts with her fingers because it was faster – hopefully wearing gloves!
Baldwin’s Store was located in the center building and owned by Fred Baldwin. In the same 1906 photo, the building at the right was greatly altered after a fire in the upper story in an apartment occupied by E. D. Frayer about 1918. The top floor was altered to make it one and a half stories.
From a meat market to a wallpaper and notion store to a shoe store, the businesses came and went to suit the market. Next door to these businesses was the State Liquor Store in 1961 run by Richard Reushling. Wilstead’s Confectionary was also in this row of businesses in 1961.
I have former editor, Chet Lampson, to thank for the 1961 descriptions of former businesses. Readers supplied the old photos and post cards while Lampson provided the descriptions in his very popular column, “The Changing Scene,” written for many years in the Gazette.