The Ambridge Hotel

The Ambridge Hotel which once stood at the northwest corner of 8th and Merchant Streets was, in its day, one of Ambridge's landmark buildings, and one of its most photographed. The hotel, built in 1905, the year Ambridge was incorporated, was also one of Ambridge's oldest non-Harmonist buildings.

Ambridge Hotel,
1910-1920s era?
Original source unknown

The photo above came from Baltimore County History online. Unfortunately, I could not find the original source or date of the photo. Note the electric poles and wiring. It's hard to tell, but I think there are street car tracks on Merchant Street (the street with the car).

[Update, June 5, 2014: The snip below came from Ohio Architect and Builder, May 1904:

The text reads: AMBRIDGE, PA., April 5--Semple, Crawford & Gibson, 847 Linden avenue, Pittsburg, have been awarded the contract for brick work on the three-story brick hotel to be built for W. H. Reed, of Braddock, from plans drawn by C. E. Willoughby, Bank for Savings building, Pittsburg. General contract was awarded to Martsolf Bros. Cost. $12,000.]

Here are some postcards of the "Hotel Ambridge" from the same era for comparison.

"Hotel Ambridge" postcard
1910s

I cannot tell if the postcard above is a tinted photo or a drawing, but I know that it dates from the 1910s. Note no electrical poles or wiring.

"Hotel Ambridge" postcard
1910s

I also cannot tell if the above postcard is a tinted photo or a drawing. Note the streets look unpaved, but there are streetcar tracks on Merchant Street. The lot next door is clearly vacant, and you can see the houses on Maplewood Avenue.

"Hotel Ambridge" postcard
1910s

This postcard, also from the 1910s, does appear to be a photo. It shows the same poles and wiring as the first photo does, plus the backs of homes on Maplewood Avenue.

"Hotel Ambridge" postcard
1920s?

Now compare the postcard directly above with the previous photo and postcards: no electrical poles or wires, but a stop light. And a nice sign on the building not apparent in any other drawing or photo of the hotel that I've found. This postcard appears to be a drawing, not a photo, and I'm always wary of the accuracy of these kinds of postcard drawings which tend to "pretty up" scenes. I'm not sure of the date of the postcard. From the cars, maybe early 1920s?  The postcard also shows a good view of the back of 800 Maplewood Avenue which is now an Anglican Church office.

The Old Economy-Ambridge Sesqui-Centennial Historical Booklet says that the Ambridge Hotel was "formerly know as the Grand Hotel," but I have found nothing to confirm that, and I have my doubts.

There was a Grand Hotel in Ambridge, which I wrote about in my post "The Grand Hotel and the Moose," but it was on 13th and Merchant Streets, where Franzee's-Javy's currently is.

Every source I can find refers to the hotel on 8th and Merchant Streets as either the Ambridge Hotel or the Hotel Ambridge, including this mention of the building while it was still under construction in The Metal Worker, Plumber, and Steam Fitter, Volume 64. September - October 1905.

The note says, "Chandley Bros., Beaver Falls, Pa., were the successful bidders on the new Ambridge Hotel at Ambridge, Pa."

According to an article about Beaver County libraries on Beaver County History Online, on "August 6, 1920 the Ambridge Hotel became the new home of the Ambridge Free Library." Later, the library moved to the beautiful Laughlin Memorial Library on 11th Street.

The hotel was advertised in travel guides as a good place to stop while traveling on the Lincoln Highway, which at one time went through Merchant Street, at a time when roads and cars were slow, and drivers had to make overnight stops on a road trip of any length. For $1.25, why wouldn't you get a room with a bath? Or was a room with a bath the "up"? (h/t to my co-blogger Robert Giles)

Hotel Ambridge ad,
Automobile Blue Book 1920 Standard Road Guide of America

But the opening of the Pennsylvania Turnpike and other more direct routes surely must have made an impact on the hotel's business.

Here's an ad from 1956:

Ambridge Hotel ad,
The Daily Citizen Trade Area Directory
1956

The building already wasn't looking very appealing, and over the years, the interior of the hotel became dated and worn.

[Update May 5, 2014: The large sign on the second floor above the main entrance was that of the Sportsman's Bar and Grill. Update: January 27, 2016: Fats Domino appeared for a week at the Sportsman's in November 1953.]

Ambridge Hotel,
late '50s?
photo courtesy of Ambridge Laughlin Memorial Library archives

Tile City on ground floor of Ambridge Hotel,
Beaver County Times,
July 30, 1964

Tile City was the main tenant in 1964 when the decision was made to raze the aging hotel to make room for a much better business for the property--a Boron station. Yay? Looking at the above photo makes me think of an aging actor who, despite formerly having been a star, now takes wretched roles in tacky movies just to survive.

[Update January 27, 2016: Here's another photo of the hotel. While it's undated, I believe it may have been taken shortly before the hotel was razed. The Tile City signs are gone, but some of the "Moving" ads in the windows appear to be the same ones as in the Times photo above. Thanks to Jackie Vukovcan for allowing me to put this on the blog, and Maria Notarianni for borrowing and scanning the photo for me.]

Ambridge Hotel
1964
Louis Vukovcan collection
photo courtesy of Jackie Vukovcan
used with permission 

The building was razed beginning in August, 1964. In an article announcing the razing, the Beaver County Times said:

In the horse and buggy days, residents of the lower valley stopped at Ambridge Hotel overnight while traveling to Pittsburgh. It lost its reputation as one of the area's better hotels many years ago.

Here's a photo of the razing in progress:

The razing of the Ambridge Hotel,
September 1964
photo courtesy of Bob Mikush, used with permission

The Boron station was built, but also has since been razed, and the corner is now a gravel lot next to Mikush Maytag Home Appliance Center which is now at 811 Merchant Street, the former location of Jay's Floor Covering.

Here's the latest Google street view of 8th and Merchant Streets where the Ambridge Hotel once stood:

8th and Merchant Streets, northwest corner
Ambridge
Google street view

Eighth and Merchant Streets, 1922

8th and Merchant Sts, Ambridge
1922
Source unknown
Courtesy of Laughlin Memorial Library archives
used with permission

The above photo shows the intersection of 8th and Merchant Sts. in 1922, looking south towards the 700 block of Merchant. The photo was probably taken from the old Ambridge Hotel which at the time was across 8th St. from the bottling works mentioned in the photo's caption:

EIGHTH AND MERCHANT STS. as the intersection looked in 1922. On the right old timers will recall the bottling plant which was destroyed by fire.

In 1922, the large building on the left side of the photo was the Martsolf Furniture Company. Later, it was the site of Caplan Wholesale Grocery Company. The building was razed and is now part of the 8th St. CVS parking lot.

I do not know when the Ambridge Bottling Works, identified by the painted sign, on the right side of the photo was destroyed by the fire mentioned in the caption.

Note the streetcar tracks.

I do not know the original source of the photo. The caption would indicate that this is a post-1922 newspaper clipping. The newspaper and date of publication were not identified in the library archives.

What came first: the chicken or the feed?

20 Baby Chicks Free,
Wall's ad,
The Daily Citizen, May 1, 1959

On May 2, 1959, Wall's feed and seed store at 507 Eighth Street gave the first 75 purchasers of 25 pounds of Larro Surechick, a chick starter feed, 20 free chicks. But "bring your own container."

So, even if you didn't already own chicks, Wall's would give you 20, and as you raised them, you'd return to Wall's (hopefully) to buy more chicken feed. Clever marketing.

It wasn't that uncommon back then for Ambridge area folks to raise a few chickens on their property.

I still remember the sharp smell of what I supposed was fertilizer in the Wall's building.

The Wall's business has closed, but the building remains. I don't know what the building is currently being used for or what's planned for its future.

Former Wall's feed and seed store building,
507 Eighth Street,
June 23, 2013

The Anderson's Candy store

I have been a chocoholic for as long as I can remember, and for that, at least in part, I blame the Anderson's Candy store.

Anderson Candy ad,
The Daily Citizen Trade Area Directory,
1956

As a child growing up in Ambridge, I always thought the Easter-time windows at the Anderson Candy store at 529 Merchant Street had the most wondrous displays.

The windows were filled from front to back with homemade chocolate Easter candy: bunnies from small to enormous, eggs filled with a variety of goodness, chicks, and ducks. And for those who were more religiously-minded, but yet didn't think eating a chocolate cross was disrespectful, Anderson's had those too. Milk chocolate, white chocolate, and I seem to recall "pink chocolate"--not sure what that was. Was there usually a huge popcorn bunny too? I think there was.

Anderson's Homemade Candies ad,
Beaver Valley Times,
March 11, 1954

I always looked forward to finding some Anderson's candy in my Easter basket. Well, in truth, I looked forward to some Anderson's candy anywhere at anytime. Still do.

Eating Anderson's Easter candy was how I learned what fine chocolate tasted like, and it wasn't like that less-expensive, waxy, chocolate-flavored Easter candy from other stores. 

According to the Anderson's Candy website, the Ambridge store dates back to 1915 when Harry and Mary Anderson and their children worked not only making and selling candy, but also serving ice cream and fountain drinks. 

When Harry died in 1962, one of his sons, Harold, took over the business. Harold's widow, Goldie, has continued operating the business with her daughters and grandchildren. 

At one time, you could stop in and watch the candy-making at the Merchant Street store.

And back in 1953, Anderson's offered to mail candy "any place in the world." While you can still mail-order candy, the Anderson's shipping area now seems to be limited to the continental U.S.  Sorry, Alaska and Hawaii, my sympathies. And, look, currently, orders of $100 or more ships free! I know I wouldn't have any problem putting together a $100 order.

"The Home of Sweets"
Anderson's Candy ad,
Beaver Valley Times, October 3, 1953

The ad above also gives store locations on Franklin Avenue in Aliquippa and in Sewickley. I don't know when the Aliquippa and Sewickley stores closed, but in January, 1969*, Anderson's announced the opening of its second location--Anderson's Candyland--in Baden at 1010 State Street, not far from the Northern Lights Shopping Center. The Baden store became Anderson's main retail store. And, at the same time, most of the candymaking operations were moved to Baden.

"Now with 2 convenient locations"
Anderson's Candyland ad
Beaver County Times, January 31, 1969

Many of us who grew up in the area remember selling Anderson's chocolate bars as fundraisers for school groups, sports teams, and other organizations we belonged to. Selling Anderson's candy was easier than selling almost any other product.

Anderson's Home Made Candy store,
Merchant Street, Ambridge
March 30, 2014

I was delighted to see the Anderson's Candy store was still on Merchant Street when I visited Ambridge. Right now, the store is "closed for vacation." Since no formal announcement of the store's closing has been made, I am hoping that the closure is truly temporary and that the store will be reopened before my next visit. Anderson's Candy was one of the few long-time businesses left on Merchant Street, and if it closes permanently, I'll miss it. Going to the Baden store doesn't evoke the same memories that the Ambridge store does.
_____

* The Anderson's website says the Baden store was opened in 1964. I don't know why.

WMBA big bunny ad

WMBA ad,
Win a Big 6' Easter Bunny,
Beaver County Times,
March 31, 1965

In 1965, WMBA radio--1460 on your dial--held a contest for a "Big 6'" Easter Bunny. Could a six foot bunny not be "big"?