Washington underground
Posted by Backroadsnews on Mar 23, 2010 in Uncategorized |
This was brought up in a different post and I also took pictures for the 365-150 project, so I thought we could talk about it on here.
What sorts of memories do you have about the businesses that used to be located below street level on C Street in downtown. I know there were businesses below the United Bank & Trust building. I’ve also heard of a bowling alley below Mayberry’s. There was also access at one time below the hotel where First National Bank is now located.
Any other memories?
Steps on the south side of United Bank & Trust lead to a below street-level walkway where three doors formerly led to businesses.
Mr. Thompson had a barber shop down there for many years. His main competition topside was Wilbur Knedlik. A great debate raged in the fifties as to which one cut the best “flat-top”. Further south, the old Stigge Clothing Store had a large basement where the Stigge family made their home. The last time I was down there, it was an antique shop.
on your topic of the underground world of washington: my parents owned hotel washington, the location for this was were the 1st national bank is. the basement was under the whole hotel. there were several rooms with dirt floors except for one large room that had cement floor that is where my mom would hang sheets in the winter. to the east side of the basement was opened area and it led to under the sidewalk and under the street. stories of circus animals being housed there to that was the way they got the coal down to the heater.
ok posted this on the right one know.
I believe Harry Pebbles was in the barber shop before Mr. Thompson and Erple Graff had a shoe repair shop next door. My husband still has a horsehair shoe brush he bought from Mr. Graff for five dollars. At that time this was a lot of money.
I remember one time there was a restaurant in the hotel.
At one time I worked for Marilyn Barley Brungardt and her mother Dorothy Barley at their Ben Franklin store (which is now part of Mayberry’s). Dorothy use to regale me with stories of the different businesses on the square that were then long gone. She had told me there was a resturant run by a man named Red Ryder that was in the basement of the old Ben Franklin store (aka middle building of Mayberry’s). Marilyn can verify his name. Now I look around and see the changes that have taken place in our city since we moved here in 1966 and I am totally amazed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaPIFmE7lV0