Monday, May 5, 2014

Merchant Street: 800 block, circa 1948 - 1955. Plus the WRYO mystery

Merchant Street near intersection with 8th Street,
northwest corner,
circa 1949-1955
photo courtesy of Bob Mikush, used with permission

I really like this photo of the northwest corner of the intersection of Merchant and 8th Streets, even though I don't know the year or the occasion. But who doesn't like a parade?

I didn't realize until recently just how many parades Ambridge once had every year. There were parades for the big occasions like Veterans Day or Labor Day, local events like the soap box derby or Nationality Days, and to draw attention to causes like buying bonds or supporting the United Fund.

Now that I understand how much planning and effort goes into planning a single parade every year, I am amazed at Ambridge's managing to host a parade, some of them huge, several times a year.

But there is another reason I like this photo so much: it's just packed with bits of old Ambridge:
  • The Ambridge Hotel on the corner of 8th and Merchant Streets (now an empty lot) with a good view of the large black sign for "Sportsman's Bar and Grill" above the main entrance;
  • Martin Braun Quality Cleaner and Tailor, 813 Merchant Street (now DeWalt Health Food);
  • Fritz Jahn's store at 811 Merchant Street (now Mikush Maytag). Mr. Jahn, who died in 1975, was a long-time Ambridge florist and greenhouse owner. I believe the awning above his store says "Gift Baskets." [Update February 17, 2016: there indeed was a business called "The Gift Basket" at 811 Merchant.] On the "Fritz Jahn" sign it also says "Florist" and "Dress Goods - Patterns"; 
  • The Texaco sign from the station that once stood on the southwest corner (now a Subway);
  • Streetcar tracks on Merchant Street;
  • Vintage bus #419, not sure what company;
  • Billboards advertising: Morton Chevrolet (once at 1900 Duss Avenue); Tom Tucker "Southern Style" Ginger Ale (still sold) and below, Model Restaurant (763 Merchant Street); and Krauss Jewelers (at 546 Merchant at the time of this photo, later at 610 Merchant); 
  • The second story porch on the back of the building at 765 Merchant Street (currently Groomit Pet Boutique).

But, as far as I'm concerned, a most intriguing and puzzling item in the photo is the sign for "RADIO STATION WRYO 1050 ON YOUR DIAL" on the Fritz Jahn building. WRYO was an 250 Watts AM Rochester station which existed from 1948-1955 (which helps date the photo). Why was WRYO in an Ambridge building? Was it a studio? An office? Does anyone know?

Update May 26, 2015: Note the comment below dated September 18, 2014, which solves the WRYO mystery:
From "A History of Rochester in Words and Pictures, 1849-1999" ;
RADIO. STATION. W.R.Y.O.. 1949. Rochester, for a time, had a Radio Station. It began in 1949, with its transmitter tower located at Cleveland Avenue, North Rochester. It also maintained studios in Ambridge and Aliquippa.

Update February 17, 2016: Here are two 1949 WRYO ads listing an Ambridge studio:

WRYO ad
Beaver Valley Times
May 26, 1949

WRYO ad
Beaver Valley Times
October 27, 1949

11 comments:

  1. Maybe WRYO was the forerunner of WMBA Radio, which was also located in one of the buildings on Merchant Street. Can't remember exactly if it was the corner of Merchant and 7th or Merchant & 8th.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No, WRYO was not the forerunner of WMBA which began broadcasting in 1957. WRYO stopped broadcasting in 1955 and became WBUT.

      WMBA started at 309 Duss Avenue above the tire store. While I don't remember it being anywhere else before I moved away, online information about the station says it was at 291 Fourteenth Street before it moved to 761 Merchant.

      So the WRYO mystery continues.

      Delete
    2. lived at 293 14th no radio sta. there from 1940 thru 1954

      Delete
    3. See the 1949 WRYO ads above listing an Ambridge studio.

      Delete
  2. From "A History of Rochester in Words and Pictures, 1849-1999" ;

    RADIO. STATION. W.R.Y.O.. 1949. Rochester, for a time, had a Radio Station. It began in 1949, with its transmitter tower located at Cleveland Avenue, North Rochester. It also maintained studios in Ambridge and Aliquippa.

    ReplyDelete
  3. bus should be ambridge area bus, other bus line was aliquippa to pittsburgh, came from aliquippa on 11th up to duss then to 8th & down to merchant on east to pitt. cost 15c to go to osborne from ambridge, mom worked osborne many years. i caddied at country club 4 yrs or so & caddied in a lpga womens tournament 1954, then left for chicago area. i lived next to the ambridge hotel 1930s late. had many friends 7 family brecks, otrahalics durbins etc, anyone know me or family??????????????

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    Replies
    1. jd aka john domansky

      above note was written by me. our family lived in this big building for a few years, in back 1st floor was a cold water flat, w/a backyard on an alley behind ambridge hotel, behind us was a dr. office in a home, name ??? have some pics of family in 1930s early 40. across alley towards 7th st was a shoe maker shop an italian family, near that balcony you talk about lived the mihalik family, twin boys i went to ahs with grad in 1950, look in yearbook. across that building was a flrist w/a flying shoe logo ftd i think, next door towards 9th was a tavern, a restaurant down or up more, other side was a heating air store that had journeymen plumbers that taught me a lot, towards my fitter welder & mechanic career. ended up a 6G welder SS pipe. bowling alley further down (up) my 1st job w/a soc card 12 yrs old. I had contact w/walt wacht for many years until 2015 & we emailed & talked many times, a great guy & jet pilot.

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    2. jd aka domansky

      the mihalik twins were the mihaleow twins grad 1950 AHS, I was buddies w/3 sets of boy twins in ambridge.

      the 6g ss welder means stainless steel, & 6 positions, thats like making hot steel stick to a ceiling, it can be done, always thought of weldind as an art, smoky at times but good to look at when it was done.

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  4. The owners of the radio station bought 761 Merchant Street from my grandmother in 1945. We lived in the rear building and were evicted. If you look through the upstairs porch of the Gift Basket building you can see our former home. The new owners were not very nice people. They forced us to move into our uncompleted new house with no heat, water, or plumbing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The owners of what radio station bought 761 Merchant Street in 1945? According to all the information I have, WRYO didn't exist until 1949.

      There's no porch on the Gift Basket building, 811 Merchant St. What building are you referring to? The one with all the ads on the end of the 700 block?

      Delete
  5. Does anyone have pictures of the building at 815 Merchant St. I have been working on renovating it over the last year.

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