I have spent some time looking at this picture trying to figure out the date it was taken.
The street had been curbed and some of the new type cement sidewalks, but the street was not paved until 1917 and you can see here it is not paved yet.
The light poles and telephone poles came about 1900. The car on the left is an early Ford of 1900’s. It is a nice day and all men are in white shirts.
Down in the right corner it says “Photo by Sheets of Fort Wayne” Well, Mr. Ehrhart started his business in 1907. So all clues lead to some between 1900 and 1910, and Ohio didn’t need car license until 1907. If you notice, all the ravines have been filled in. The streets have been leveled and the town moved from down by the canal, to up by the railroad.
See ya!
OLD ANTWERP
By: Stan Jordan
This fine old picture is from Ehrhart’s book, it was from a little 4×4 print that the boss here at West Bend News blew up to 8X10 and that makes everything more clear.
Here at your right, is a nice little brick building, probably an office, but all the other buildings are wood, because trees are all over the area and probably dirt cheap. There must be a sawmill in the area, but I never heard where one was situated.
That third store on the right is probably a saloon or something other than manufacturing, notice the tall, false front. Whoever took this photo was not familiar with Antwerp because I think this picture is pointed east instead of west.
This can’t be west because that little cabin of Dr. Lincoln would be here on the right, his was the 2nd & 3rd lots on the north of Canal Street.
I don’t remember ever reading about factories on the north side of the canal, except east of Antwerp on past the Cinder Road or what is now called Krous Drive. There were a couple factories and the Antwerp Furnace was on that north side. Plus a short canal and a tramway leading back to the furnace or smelter. Also, I don’t see any tow path and it was on the north side of the canal from Toledo to Fort Wayne.
Now up at the end of Maddison on the south side of West Canal Street between the canal and the street was the biggest stave mill in the area. It covered about 3 acres and this little office building for it was still around back in the 1930’s.
Anyhow, I am always glad to get these historic pictures.
See ya!
