Fremont shops tried to battle highway, parking issues

Sixty years ago, the business community of Fremont was dealing with a variety of serious changes.

The Fremont bypass highway and the Ohio Turnpike were in the works and promising to change traffic greatly in the city. Some were opposed to the bypass project, and a group of local business people met regularly to express their fears about the economic impact the diversion of traffic would have on them.

Realistically, the group had no chance of heading off the project, though it favored consideration of some alternatives, including a new bridge connecting Hayes Avenue with the east side — something that became a reality years later.

Although that plan was rejected at the time, the business group did win approval of a plan to designate State Street as “Alternate 20,” providing encouragement for motorists to take the road through the city.

There were other changes. Among them was some progress on the constant battle to improve the parking situation for shoppers and workers.

Three local businessmen took the lead in providing some off-street parking on Arch Street between Garrison and Birchard.

On “opening day,” The Fremont News-Messenger had this to say:

“The new lot gives the city off-street parking space close to the central district of the town. There is room for 33 cars and the lot will be marked so that the stalls can be reached easily and safely.

“Meters of the lot operate on nickels and quarters only. Hour units can be paid for in nickels. Six hours can be paid for with a quarter, 12 hours for two quarters.

“Quarters and nickels can be used in combination; for instance one quarter and two nickels buy eight hours. No pennies and dimes can be used in the meters.”

“The program which resulted in the new lot was started by three Fremont businessmen, Herbert Tschumy, Louis Danziger and Ted Bintz. The group purchased the property and had two houses on it removed with the understanding that the debt eventually will be paid off though the revenues from the meters.”

The lot undoubtedly helped, but rightly or wrongly, city parking remained an issue for a long time.

It wasn’t the only change downtown.

The merchants association announced that, “in recognition of the modern trend to the longer week-end,” store hours would be altered. Stores would open late Friday night instead of Saturday night, closing at 9 p.m. Friday and 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

A few days after the announcement, this advertisement appeared in the newspaper:

“Business as usual Saturday Nights in Clyde — Clyde retail merchants.”

No surprise there, I guess.

Roy Wilhelm started a 40-year career at The News-Messenger in 1965, as a reporter. Now retired, he is writing about the history of some Sandusky County businesses.