I hope this works finally. I told you about this business card maybe a year ago and promised to someday get it posted. I don't believe the Building is still there. I do't see the picture but hope it shows up.
The address would put it between Walnut and Watt Street.
There were several hotels on the East End that were located over street level stores and catered to men that worked in the mills.
None of the old East End buildings are still there as they were all torn down during Urban Renewal, but no loss as none had any real historic value.
From 1963 to 1965 I worked for Anchor Cigar a tobacco and candy wholesale co. The big 3 were Tod, Pick -Ohio and Youngstown hotel. There was at least 15 very small hotels located on Champion, West Front St. and E. Federal , They maybe had 10-15 rooms each. All were torn down with urban renewal in early 70's
John, (no offense intended) but are you old enough to remember when the Youngstown Hotel held dances in its ball room?
The Hotel's Grill also made the best Chili in town.
I'm certainly old enough, but I don't remember that. I do remember the ballroom at the Pick Ohio and the the Mural Room was a great place. the Mural Room was bought by the Vindicator who tore it down and built their new addition that is still standing today.
How were those old eastend "hotels" able to escape fire code regulations?
Need I say!
And the back of the card.
I took a look thru some of my map collection and the hotel was located on the north side of East Federal near Watt Street, and based on the telephone numbers, the card dates from the early 1900's when Youngstown had two telephone companies pre Ohio Bell.
I was wondering about the Ohio State number. but didn't even think about it being that old. Any suggestions for what I should do with it?
Two options:
Put it on Ebay for sale.
Donate it to the Mahoning Valley Historic Society.
Well I did give the Historical society a scrap book from the Southside of Youngstown dated in the 30's and 40's. Maybe I'll drop by there next week or so.
While you're there you might look up the Hotel in one of their city directories for 1907. There may be an ad there for the hotel.
Also you might also look up the telephone companies that were here at that same time.
There use to be a painted sign on the side of the First Educator Building that had two telephones listed.
Well I did donate the card to the MVHS today. And we did a little research.
The card matched up with the city directory with that proprietors name and both phone numbers in 1917. By 1920 there was a different proprietor. I didn't dig in any deeper.
It would be interesting to find out how the hotel got its name.
There was once a bar down in that area called the "Log Cabin" and the bar featured actual tree stumps with boards across them. And there was another saloon on the west end called "The Monkey's Nest" that featured a live monkey, and gave the area its name.