Wilhelm remembers downtown’s 1960s lineup

Last week, this column talked about the closing of Roser and Stahl’s store — The People’s Market — on North Arch Street as part of a changing downtown.

The demolition of the store and some of its “neighbors” was part of a move to increase off-street parking in Fremont.

Roser and Stahl’s had been a popular downtown market for decades, but it was only part of big changes on Arch Street.

In past columns, we have taken a quick look at the businesses that were along Front Street and State Street years ago. The Roser and Stahl’s column prompted me to glance at how Arch Street has changed since I first came to town in 1965.

The area from North Front Street to Birchard Avenue was quite different then.

Heading south from North Front Street, businesses included Perma Glaze and Perma Cement Distributors, Dr. R.N. Whitman (dentist), Perez Used Furniture and accountant H. E. Ferguson.

The Fremont Candy and Cigar Co. and Berger Block apartments were at 216.

Nearing State Street, according to the 1965 directory, Winters Hardware was at 209 N. Arch. The business had been the victim of a disastrous fire at its longtime State Street location.

The next block of North Arch included the side entrance to Spieldenner’s, Standard Sheet Metal, Thorson’s Permanent Wave Shop, Hench’s Pastry Shop, Engler Printing, Dr. T.L. Hilty, Rolf’s Watch Repair, Copperman’s Fruit Arcade, Hilty Office Supply, Butman Hanover Insurance, the Fremont Employment Service, Mazzocco Realty and the Church of Christ, all on the west side. Fremont Gun and Athletic Supply was on the east side of the street, just south of State.

The next block was my “working home” for more than a decade before we moved our offices to Cedar Street.

The News-Messenger was located at 107-111, next to the rear of the Fremont Savings Bank offices which faced Croghan. After The News-Messenger moved, the bank expanded onto that property.

Across the street from The News-Messenger was the old City Hall building, housing fire and police departments as well as the administration offices and council chambers. It was a handy location for newspaper reporters, but not so handy for fire trucks heading to emergencies.

Economy Plumbers had once been located at the northeast corner of Arch and Garrison, but by the time I moved to town, the corner was another parking lot.

Between Garrison and Birchard, the offices of Culbert, Hyzer and Culbert stood across from the Jackson Annex apartments. And, in the next block was the side of the Community Hospital Building, a facility that had a role in local history in and of itself. More about that next week.

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.