Window to the Past
Old Buildings in the Main and First Streets Area
By BOB HOLDGREVE
The Church Women United's Delphos Thrift Shop was located at 102 to 108 North Main St., and was torn down in September 2003 to make room for a new, larger Thrift Shop building. Located at 110 W. Main St. is the office of Jauman Insurance Agency. Between there and the alley to the north is Lehmann's storerooms at 112 to 116 W. Main St.
A fire insurance map shows 102 to 108 as frame buildings, while 110 is brick, and 112-114 is stone with brick front, and 116 is brick. It is thought that the frame buildings date back to before the Black Friday fire in May 1872.
To the north of the 102-108 frame buildings, the fire might have destroyed the wooden buildings. (The Phelan Hotel, now Lehmann's store, was built in 1880.)
102 North Main Street:
1915 - ???
1931 - The Delphos Dairy (Milk Depot in rear)
1941 - White Mountain Creamery
1957 - Delphos Poultry (started here in 1946 by Leon (Lee)
Schimmoller, and moved in 1979.)
104 North Main Street:
1915 - Newt Wagner Barber Shop
1931 - ???
1941 - Yockum Barber Shop
1957 - Vacant
Later - Delphos Cab Co. - Gene Calvelage
106 North Main Street:
1915 - Up to Date Dry Cleaning Co.
1931 - ???
1941 - Kindley Jewelry
1957 - Kindley Jewelry (at least from 1927 to 1968)
Later - The Point Restaurant
108 North Main Street:
1915 - Peter Goehring - Real Estate
1931 - ???
1941 - Rita's Beauty Shop
1957 - Quality Cleaners - Percy Lehmkuhle
110 North Main Street:
1915 - National Express Office
1931 - ???
1941 - Chuckles Bros. - Shoe Shop
1957 - Chuckles - Shoe Shop
112 North Main Street:
1915 - Jos. Wrigglesworth - Cigars & Tobacco
1931 - Gerdeman & Swick - Auto dealer
1941 - Gerdeman & Swick - Auto dealer
1957 - Art Davey's Garage
114 North Main Street:
1915 - Harry Dunlap - Barber Shop
1931 - Gerdeman & Swick - Auto dealer
1941 - Gerdeman & Swick - Auto dealer
1957 - Chuck's Radio Shop
116 North Main Street:
1915 - Delphos Gas Co. Office
1931 - Home Printing
1941 - Home Printing
1957 - Launder the White Way
In the early 1980s, the Thrift Shop started as a small store to help migrant workers in the area. Later on, it started to serve everyone in the area, gradually expanding from 102-104 to include 106-108 North Main Street.
In 1915, on the southeast corner of First and Main streets was Sheeter's Second Hand Store. On the southwest corner was a livery stable. On the northwest corner was John Luma's Hay and Straw, which later moved to just south of the Pennsylvania Railroad on the east side of Main Street.
Information received from Tom Schimmoller, Helen Ardner and old Delphos City Directories.
Compiled by Robert Holdgreve
Delphos Historical Society
September 27, 2003 Delphos Herald Newspaper
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