Here is the 1964 Falcon.

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http://findlayhistory.com/Findlay1Halloween1950.jpg



Halloween Parade Pictures from Lois (Compton) Easley, circa 1950.

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Greeting Cards with Findlay connectionsThanks to Ellen Wheeler Humphrey (my sister) for most of these. Looks like most of them belonged to a Findlay postcard collector nearly 100 years ago.

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Interesting list of funerals held by Lantz Brothers in Shelbyville, 1900-1902. Includes some costs and details. Opens as a Microsoft Excel file.

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Thanks to Ben Dawdy for these tornado pictures he took. I'm impressed that he could hold the camera still!

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CLASS OF 1964 SLIDE SHOWThanks to Larry Johnson for these great pictures of the Class of 1964. THIS IS A SLIDE SHOW.

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Several pictures of Findlay people: including Stevens Spicer Olson Graven Wheeler Herron. Thanks to Eileen Wheeler (my mother) for these. _____________________________________________________________________


Issue of the High School Nooze from 1940 _____________________________________________________________________


Old mailbox from Findlay Post Office. Thanks to George Perry for giving me this great mailbox. See the history sheets for an explanation and information on the various post offices. (Trouble linking pictures, but you can see thumbnails for now.) _____________________________________________________________________


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Click here for an Excel spreadsheet with a list of Findlay residents. This is very preliminary and incomplete. If you would like to add a name or names, just email name and information about the person, especially years of residence and we will add that.LIST OF PEOPLE

Introduction
This website is to connect the people of Findlay, past and present, to each other and to their shared community. Anything you have to add will be appreciated. If you can email it in electronic form that will be even better and we can post it more quickly. Contact us below. Note that we do not usually seek permission to post photos, but will be happy to remove images of any person upon request from the person or near relative.

This site is viewed best with MS Internet Explorer; while viewable on Macs, some buttons will not work.

Guest Book
Sign our guest book and leave comments. You may also leave your email address but only if you would like for others to be able to contact you.

Sign Guestbook

View Guestbook

Contact us with questions or additional information on Findlay:

webmaster@findlayhistory.com

Why we have created this website

Note on terminology and content

New and developing items:

Mrs. Harriet Baker (Miss Overbeck) was kind enough on October 30, 2004, to let me ask her many questions about her childhood and about her teaching in Findlay. It is on videotape and I will post some clips when I get them processed. She also let me copy several nice old basketball team photos and class photos. The basketball photos are posted and can be seen one at a time by clicking here.

The class photos can be seen by clicking here.

If you haven't Miss O. for a while, is her picture, followed by a short excerpt from the interview:

Here is the first excerpt from the interview, about 3 minutes. Control with the buttons at the bottom of the screen.

Various Findlay Pictures
Marianne Minor Moore has sent us some great photos of students, street scenes and bridges. Later they will be sorted into apropriate categories.


Betty Perry's March to Washington
In 1987 Betty Perry joined a group of people who marched to Washington, D.C., for the purpose of drawing attention to the problem of POW's and MIA's. Betty has loaned us two very large albums. We have posted just a couple of pictures of Betty, but also the well wishes of Findlay residents young and old, a nice collection of Findlay signatures in 1987. The color is a bit off on these documents as we have pushed the contrast and brightness to make them more readable. This may load slowly so be patient.


Thanks to Aunt Ina Wheeler Gordon for these great pics. Some rural schools and many from Moweaqua. Check out the dolls for sure. Sorry the software did not include file names. Until I can revise these, just right click on the picture and then click properties to get the file name which will give you an idea of what we know about these pictures.





Lots of Wheelers and other Findlay residents.

Thanks to Marjorie Patterson of Richmond, Texas, for these two photos:
Harold Cruitt visiting The Mighty 8th Air Force Museum near Savannah, Georgia, a few years ago.
Courtesy of Hal Bilyeu, a 1936 ad from his family's grocery store--great prices!

Thanks to Robert and Laurie Hilsabeck of Arizona for these pictures:

Left is Lorene Wall (mother of Robert Hilsabeck)and Ramona Wall Shanks (teacher in 1930s; married Don Shanks in Calif, who was also born in Findlay or Shelbyville.)on a 1979 visit back to Findlay. The Wall family lived in the parsonage next to the Church for many years in the 30's and maybe early 40's. Robert Hilsabeck considers himself part of Findlay as he was there so much in the thirties and early 40's and is a good friend of Jr. Lutz.

Basketball Team probably about 1918, Elmer Lutz, Sr. in center, second from left, is Melvin Wall, others unknown.

Jr. Lutz and Robert Hilsabeck circa 1942


Old School

1948 Findlay school girls. 1.Louise Hilliard 2. Ruth Stone 3.unknown 4. Joyce Hilliard 5.Marlene Massey 6.Willodean Massey. Can anyone tell us the name of the one girl?

For its size Findlay has had some unusual architecture. Certainly the Arches Building stands out as most unusual with its Southwest look. The fires of 1911 and 1929 resulted in replacement buildings so there were several buildings that most of us have never seen. The nearby Findlay railroad turnaround is something that put Findlay on the railroad map. Note that in this category are included places and structures as well as buildings. Many more buildings and structures will be added in the near future. We could use some help with good photos of bridges, country schools, and buildings no longer standing. In particular, building interiors would be helpful. Just a few other pictures we would like to add: old calaboose that stood near the water tower, Spit and Whittle Club, and early pictures of commercial and residential buildings. Please contact us if you have any of these that we could copy and post.

Arches Bldg Portico	Arches Bldg W. Facade	Arches Bldg Corner	Bus Barn
Bird's Eye View 1910	Downtown Looking East	DowntownLookingNorth	Downtown Looking South
Downtown Looking West	Former Johnson's IGA	House That Jack Built	Goat Tower. See Text below.

Goat Tower Information: FARMER David Johnson of Findlay, Illinois built this magnificent structure for his 11 Swiss mountain goats, who unfortunately didn’t have a peak worth climbing within hundreds of miles. The tower contains 5,000 handmade bricks, 276 concrete steps, a copper turret and is 31 feet tall. “There are only two goat towers in the world, and mine is the tallest,” Johnson says proudly.
Findlay Enterprise Building, Mr. and Mrs. Worley outside. _____________________________________________________________________
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Eck and Bill Thompson House earlier _____________________________________________________________________

Okaw Theater Cornice
Bank 2002
Elevator 2002
Elevator & Weigh Station 2002
Standard Station Gordon Wheeler Wagner
Filling Station Brooks
Filling Station Bait Liquor Fogleman
Old Hotel
Lumber Yard 2002
Masonic Lodge
Park 2002
Park 2002
Post Office 2002
Old Post Office 2002

Police Station & Former Telephone Exchange 2002
Water Tower
Findlay Bridge Looking West 2004
Lake at Findlay Bridge 2004A
Lake at Findlay Bridge 2004B
Lake at Findlay Bridge 2004C
Lake at Findlay Bridge 2004D
Lake at Findlay Bridge 2004E
Community Center
Village Hall
Gregory Hardware; Prior to that was a Garage
Post Office 100 Years Part 1
Post Office 100 Years Part 2
Post Office 100 Years Part 3
Post Office 100 Years Part 4
Post Office 100 Years Part 5
Post Office 100 Years Part 6
Post Office 100 Years Part 7
Post Office 100 Years Part 8
Resort being built where Eagle Creek Bridge once Stood
Old Band Stand


Findlay Historic Sites identified by State of Illinois in 1970's
On this page, scroll to bottom to click on various(11)identified sites.
Findlay Enterprise Building
Findlay High School (before the cover-up)

The old Findlay school(pictured below c. 1910) was completed in 1895. Of course the many rural schools predated that. We are in need of rural schools photos and of school photos showing people engaged in school activities. In particular, we would like to get some photos of the old Minstrel shows, later called Variety shows

Old School PC	Old School PC Back	Bus Barn	Reserved
Bud Ward School Marker	Grade School Bsmt	Bsmt Flr Detail Grade School	Grade School Cafeteria
HS 1st Fl Hall	High School Gym	High School Shop Area	HS Trees by Baseball Field

CLICK BELOW FOR MORE SCHOOL INFORMATION

CITY SCHOOLS
Boy's Old Band Uniform
Girl's Old Band Uniform
High School Baseball Diamond
Trees by HS Baseball Field
High School Cafeteria 2002
High School Ag Classroom 2002
High School Ag Workshop 2002


High School Stairs to Jr. High
HS 1st Floor Hall
HS 1st Floor Lockers
HS Gym 2002
HS Hall to Gym 2002
HS Stage 1
HS Stage 2
View Out HS Gym
Jr. High Hallway
High School Outbuilding
High School Science Room
HS Shop Area 2002
HS Shop Area 2002
HS Hall to Ag Area 2002
HS Trophies for Sale 2002
HS Trees by Baseball Field
Findlay Enterprise Article on Cladding of High School Part 1
Findlay Enterpirse Article on Cladding of High School Part 2
HS Graduation Program 1967A
HS Graduation Program 1967B
HS Graduation Program 1967C
HS Graduation Program 1967D
Father Knows Best Playbill 1966


Grade School Basement Inclined Hallway 2002--Did you ever slide down this?
Grade School Basement 2002
Grade School Concrete Detail at Bottom of Stairs 2002
Grade School Concrete "Diamonds" at bottom of stairs
Grade School Boiler Room
Grade School Cafeteria 2002A
Grade School Cafeteria 2002B
Grade School Cafeteria 2002C
Grade School East Play Area 2002
Grade School South Entrance 2002
Grade School South Elevation 2002 Showing Joining of New Addition
Grade School View Out Fifth Grade Curved Window 2002
Grade School Fifth Grade Classroom 2002
Grade School Fourth Grade Classroom 2002

Grade School Looking South from South Entrance 2002
Grade School Hall at Main Entrance 2002
GradeSchool Stairs from Main Entrance 2002
Grade School from Northwest Side 2002
Grade School Outbuilding 2002
Grade School 1937 Dedication Plaque 2002
Grade School Main Playground 2002
Grade School Stairs to Basement
Grade School Second Grade Classroom 2002
Grade School Second Grade Classroom
Grade School View from Basement Window 2002
8th Grade Graduation 1963, Bill Wheeler Speaking
Bill Page (from Lawrence Welk Show) appeared in Findlay at least twice. Here is an internet posting by a fan:
outafocus Champion Author San Antonio Posts: 3153 Points: 250,205 Joined: May 2004 Message Posted: 10/23/2004 10:16:42 PM --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Aside from Arthur, JoAnn, Myron, and Big Tiny Little, I REALLY liked Bob Lido, who was a violinist, and singer on the show. He always sang upbeat songs, and could play the classics, or have a "fiddlin" hoe down, and everything in between with his violin. The best musician in the band was a woodwinds player named Bill Page. He played saxophone, clarinet, flute, piccolo, bassoon and oboe. I once saw him play "Bye Bye Blues" on two clarinets at the same time! He once played "London Bridge" on eleven different instruments, one for each stanza! He once played ""Saxophobia" on the curved soprano sax, the alto sax, and the bass sax, using one for each stanza. Musicians loved or hated playing on the Welk show. They loved it, because it was the steadiest job a musician could have. The ones that hated it did so because they were made to play strictly by arrangements, and personal jazzy styles were not tolerated. Lawrence Welk knew what the people wanted, and he gave it to them for 27 seasons on national television. When the Welk show debuted in 1955, the critics panned the show. Look Magazine did an article on Lawrence Welk, and it was titled: Lawrence Welk. Nobody likes him...but the public!


Kids at Grade School 1956: Ricky Rambo, Charles McLane, Kenny Sloan, and Tommy Griffin
Kids at Grad School 1956: Barbara Wheeler, Sharon Godwin, and Linda Watson

RURAL SCHOOLS
Mahoney School--Recollections from the 1930's and List of Neighbors by Eileen Stevens Wheeler
Shelby County Teachers 1906
Shelby County Teachers 1906 closeup left side.
Shelby County Teachers 1906 closeup right side.

During most of the 1950's and 60's Findlay had 4 churches: Church of Christ, Methodist, Christian, and Baptist. Before and since there have been several others. We will list them all here along with pictures and information. We will also list rural churches, several of which are still active or at least the building is still standing. We would also like to list all ministers and their years of service in Findlay, but will need some help on this. Finally, we would love to list any stories of church activities, social outreach, etc.

Methodist Church PC	Church of Christ	Christian Church	Baptist Church
Methodist Church South Facade	Methodist Church West Facade	DowntownLookingNorth	Reserved
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CLICK BELOW FOR MORE CHURCH INFORMATION


Christian Church 2004
Christian Church Sign 2004
Methodist Choir about 1947.
Methodist Choir names
Christian Church Doorway 2004
Christian Church 2004
Baptist Church 2004

A list of all the Methodist Ministers

Methodist Church Interior 2004
Methodist Church Interior 2004
Methodist Church Interior 2004
Methodist Church Window Jesus Walks on Water 2004
Methodist Church Window 2004
Methodist Church Plain Window 2004
Methodist Church Interior 2004
Old Methodist Church

The People and Stories categories naturally overlap, but in some cases we have a picture and little or no story and vice versa. The first person I have shown is unlikely to be known by any living person. Virgil L. Courtright lived in Findlay in 1902, working as an apprentice carpenter for his uncle. In 1903 he attended the World's Fair in St. Louis. An excerpt from his diary can be read here and you will see a picture of him in 1956.

Link here for diary excerpt.
Virgil Courtright 1902	Bob Chilcott & Crew	Postcard 1908 Main Street	Geo Dixon & Bill Rhea
Merle Minor 1972	Reserved	Reserved	Reserved
Reserved	Reserved	Reserved	Reserved

CLICK BELOW FOR MORE PICTURES OF PEOPLE
Merle Minor and Huckster Wagon, Trulock Foods
Martsie Stevens Funeral Card1

Photo of Joe Lucas.
Article on Joe Lucas upon his death.
Martsie Stevens Funeral Card2
Letterhead Gays Buggy Dealer
Coventry Meats 1926: Cratous Benner, Carrie Meachum Bennett, and Mary Coventry
Maurice Melcher as a baby on father's adverising envelope, courtesy of Kent Melcher


George Perry Honored for 35 Years at Post Office Part 1
George Perry Honored for 35 Years at Post Office Part 2

Five Cousins about 1954 Billy Wheeler, Linda Watson (Yeakel), Barbara Wheeler (Bathe), Cheryl Wheeler, and Wayne Watson

Here we will post stories, history, and explanations about Findlay and its history.

ER James Reminisces	Virgil Courtright Lived in Findlay 1903-4; you will need to scroll down.	Court G. Creath RR Conductor living in Findlay
Reminiscences of Findlay	Virgil Courtright	Court G. Creath	RESERVED
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CLICK BELOW FOR MORE STORIES AND HISTORY

Account of the 1930 Birth of Eileen Stevens Wheeler, by Juanita Stevens Graven
A Poetic Tale of Truck Trading in the Early 1980's. Based on a true story about some complicated truck trading involving Bill Wheeler and his son Bill, Bud (Ben) Wheeler, and Bub Young (of Mattoon), author Eileen Wheeler.
Findlay as described in 1901
History of Midfield
Early History of Findlay

We only have a small number of movies and will post small excerpts as we digitize them. One will include post-tornado shots. Others will really be more in the story category as they will be shot specifically for this site and will be oral and personal histories. We would love to post a part of your home movies, maybe a high school play, or grade school operetta, or Sunday School program. Contact us and we can arrange for the conversion so that your movie can be posted. Movies are large in terms of computer space so we will probably post only a few short excerpts.

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Miss Overbeck Part 1	RESERVED	RESERVED	RESERVED
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CLICK HERE FOR MORE MOVIES

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We would like to post all yearbooks available, but space and time will be a problem. We will soon post excerpts from a few yearbooks, probably Senior Pictures in particular.

1956 Falcon	RESERVED	RESERVED	RESERVED
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CLICK BELOW FOR MORE YEARBOOKS


1956 FALCON EXCERPTS:

Cover
Title Page
Dedication
Administration
FacultyStaff2
FacultyStaff3
FacultyStaff4
FacultStaff5
HighSchool1
HighSchool2
HighSchool3
HighSchool4
HighSchool5
HighSchool6
HighSchool7
HighSchool8
HighSchool9
HighSchoolProphecy
HighSchoolWill
HighSchoolWill2
HighSchoolSeniorHistory
HighSchool9e
HighSchool9f
HighSchool9g
HighSchool9h
HighSchool9i
HighSchool9j
HighSchool9l
JuniorHigh2
JuniorHigh3
juniorHigh4
JuniorHigh5
GradeSchool2
GradeSchool3
GradeSchool4
GradeSchool5
GradeSchool6
GradeSchool7
GradeSchool8
Thanks to Don Butler for loaning his 1956 Falcon.




Courtesy of Dean Wheeler, here is the 1946 Falcon. This is a prototype and we will be re-posting this and other yearbooks when we improve the readability. This is Findlay's first yearbook and is a bit hard to read in the original. We are not sure why Findlay came to the yearbook so late (Windsor had yearbooks in the 1920s), so if anyone knows, please share that information. CLICK HERE FOR 1946 FALCON.

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We have several dozen newspapers ranging from 1911-1986. The Illinois State Historical Library has holdings from 1897-1986, consisting of 21 microfilm reels. These holdings span 89 years; 18 partial years; 53 complete years; estimated to total 11,000 pages, so about 520 pages per reel These are available for purchase and we will explore purchasing some and posting them here, but expense and reproduction quality are both issues.

Big Fire 1911 Sheet 1	Big Fire 1911 Sheet 2	Big Fire 1911 Sheet 3	Big Fire 1911 Sheet 4
Bird's Eye View 1910	Downtown Looking East	DowntownLookingNorth	Downtown Looking South
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CLICK BELOW FOR MORE NEWSPAPERS

The Miscellaneous section is intended to contain everything that does not have its own category. We have or will have images of advertising tokens, advertisements, key chains, and other promotional items with a Findlay connection, along with anything else that does not fit elsewhere.

Art Melcher Plate1902	Art Melcher Plate Back	Spicer Token 1	Spicer Token 2
Kelly's Bakery Token 1	Kelly's Bakery Token 2	Livergood Rain Gauge	Reserved
Promotional Cloth Gordon's Standard	Gordon's Standard Promotional Cloth	Reserved	Reserved

CLICK BELOW FOR ADDITIONAL MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
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1992 Centennial bowtie. _____________________________________________________________________
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DATA:
Findlay, Illinois
Incorporated: 1892
Zip: 62534
Location: 39°31'21"N 88°45'13"W
30 miles south of Decatur
11 miles north of Shelbyville
Population, 2000: 723; 1990: 787
344 housing units
1.05 square miles, 673 acres

Bilyeu's Grocery Store Plate Face
Bilyeu's Grocery Store Plate Back
Centennial Celebration Program 1992

1917 Map 1930 Map Part 1/3 1930 Map Part 2/3 1930 Map Part 3/3 1999 Aerial Map--Click to enlarge. CLICK BELOW FOR AREA LINKS AND FOR AREA INFORMATION AREA LINKS Click here for photos on Lantz Brothers, of Shelbyville. History of Moultrie and Shelby Counties--Mostly "Pre-Findlay," but has lots of township information. Well organized and implemented Windsor--Great site with lots of pictures and information on Windsor and its history History of Herrick--Nice local history site Shelby County--Good information and links to county towns Shelby County Historical and Genealogical Society--Good source for publications and reprints Tower Hill--Nice history site, lots of pictures Shelby County Court Records--Shelby County Circuit Court Case Files Index 1828–1871 AREA INFORMATION Lantz Brothers Card Lantz Brothers Card other sideSta-Rite Blue Box1 Sta-Rite Blue Box2 Sta-Rite Blue Box3 William Spillman Letterhead Gays Buggy Dealer Shelbyville Roller Mills Receipt to Dr. Penwell 1896 Shelbyville Roller Mills Receipt to Dr. Penwell 1896 Shelbyville Roller Mills Receipt to Dr. Penwell 1896 Windsor Odd Fellows Envelope Shelbyville Roller Mills Receipt to Dr. Penwell 1896 Some Shelbyville items, including Sta Rite Bobby Pins Why we have created this website This website has been created by Bill Wheeler and Flannery Wheeler. We are both new to HTML and website work, so bear with us. Bill: I grew up in Findlay, attending school there K through 12. My parents, Bill and Eileen, live in rural Findlay near Eagle Creek Resort; my sister, Ellen Humphrey lives in Mattoon. Having lived away from Findlay since 1967 it has always been difficult to keep track of events there, especially since the Findlay Enterprise ceased publication in 1986. It is easy to assume that it would not be difficult to keep track of a small town of 700 or so people, but when you consider the turnover as people move away and move in and when you spread this over the years, there are really more likely to be several thousand people with Findlay connections, living and dead. They are scattered around the country and if they are like me they have not lost interest in Findlay, they just have had no convenient method of following events there. It is hoped that this website will to some extent fill this need and help people connect with each other and to understand the history of this small town. I am always amazed at how friendly Findlay residents are when I have an opportunity to visit, despite the fact that I have only seen most a few times in the last 40 years. It is a good feeling and I hope that this website can return that feeling in a small way. Flannery: I have always heard Findlay stories from my dad and from my grandparents. I will help my dad with scanning, interviewing, photography, movie-making, HTML, and posting the pictures and stories on the Internet. Note on terminology: Many of the references will be to owner or occupant of a building at the time most familiar to me--the 1960's. I realize much of this will be woefully out of date since then and incomplete prior to then. Ideally I would like to identify a store as the Smith/Thomas/Jones/Edwards grocery store, showing various owners. Please contact us if you can help complete some of these references. With respect to women, we try to add the maiden name when known, whether or not the person uses that, for the purpose of everyone knowing about whom we are talking. Thanks Thanks to all who have helped so far. Without your pictures and stories, we would have very little to add. At the risk of missing someone (please tell us if we have missed you), here are the people who have helped us: Elaine & Lance Beery--For help on the history of the Arches Building and for agreeing to share a number of items we have yet to place on line. Denny Benner--For agreeing to a videotaping session, some of which we will post. Don Butler--1956 Falcon and some great photos including the one of the Spit and Whittle Club. And thanks to Don's mother for keeping the photographs and marking them with names and dates. Don's dad was Grade School Principal prior to Mr. Ikemire. The Butler photos have given us the best "activity" shots with hayrides, snowfalls, Halloween bus boarding with Mrs. Davis, etc. Merle Minor--For the picture of him and his "Huckster Wagon." Kent Melcher--For the great old photo of his father as a baby Lori Parish Niemi--For the pictures of her grandfather Bill Christman and his barbershop. Also for the photo of the Military Band. Lori has several other photos she is willing to share. Eileen Wheeler--For sharing photos and stories and for reminding us who various people are and were in Findlay. Click here for early photos of Findlay furnished by Alan Thompson. ********************************************************** Findlay History Book by Lois Cruitt and Betty Coventry Lois Cruitt has granted permission to post the excellent Centennial History published by her and Betty Coventry. Their book is perhaps the best source on Findlay history as they were not content to simply accept the stories that had been told and re-told, but went to the contemporary sources such as Village Board meeting minutes, ordinances, etc. I believe this is still for sale by the Shelby County Historical and Genealogical Society. The scans here are a bit hard to read but you will get a sense of what is in the book. I am posting only part of the pages at a time to save space and to encourage everyone to get a nice old fashioned printed copy. CLICK HERE TO SEE A PORTION OF THIS BOOK ************************************************************* We were recently lucky enough to buy a 1940 Findlay phone book and have included pictures below. Many of you will be able to remember some of the numbers. CLICK HERE TO SEE THIS PHONE BOOK ************************************************************* **************************************************************** Thanks to Lori Parish Niemi for the following pictures of her grandfather, Bill Christman. As many of you will remember Bill was a barber for many years. Can someone tell us who is in the barber chair in the one photo? As to another barber I remember, does anyone know how to spell Hacker? Mr. Hacker had his shop for many years in the Arches Building. When I was getting haircuts there in about 1958, they cost 50 cents. Bill Christman 1961 Bill Christman working on customer. Lori has just sent the following great picture of the Findlay Military Band (I didn't know there was one!). She also provided most of the names. Date is not known, but I'm guessing 1875-1910. Please help if you know any more names or better date. Oliver Dawdy (Lori's and Lance Beery's maternal great-grandfather), was a founder of the band. Their Grandma Lela Dawdy Christman had written the names of most of the band members on the back of the photo: Left to Right 1st Row: Thomas Kiem, Newton Davis 2nd Row: Nicholas (Knick) Kiem, Hap Mahoney, Harry Barber, DON'T KNOW, George Perryman, Chester Pogue (Jimmy?) DON'T KNOW, Omar Earp 3rd Row:Dad (Oliver Dawdy, Rufus Dawdy, Elmer Earp, Robert Howe, Willis Cochran, Milton Kelly, Jim Williamson Some new pictures courtesy of Don Butler. Others will be added soon, with related information: Spit and Whittle Club 1952 Day After Halloween Old Gym at Grade School about 1952 Christian Church After Fire 1952 Boarding Bus After Halloween Parade about 1952 Downtown After November 6 and 7 Snows 1951 Band in Parade Downtown 1 Band in Parade Downtown 2 Off the School Bus 1946: Don Butler, Gary Williamson, Rodney Williamson and Normalu Mitchell (Hamilton) Mr. Butler (Grade School Principal) and Mr. Rhea (Janitor) about 1952 Arches Building September 1950, Dr. Kauder left door, Hacker Barbershop 3d arch... Downtown after November 6, 1951 snowfall Hayride about 1952 CURRENT QUESTION What memories do you have of the Arches Building? Everyone knows of the Arches Building or the Melcher Building, but we are looking for your specific memories or experiences there. Of course the building is an antique mall now and has been for several years, but what do you remember about its previous functions? I believe it has been a department store, hardware store, restaurant, and has had small portions devoted to apartments, barber shop, etc. Email your recollections of the building and we will collect them all for posting. Send your recollections to: webmaster@findlayhistory.com Some Arches memories submitted: Lois (Compton) Easton: My grandparents, Jay and Carrie Nuttall, ran a restaurant for a time in the Arches. That would have been about 1945-1946. They lived in the "apartment" rooms behind the restaurant. I remember staying with them. A few years after that time, my grandfather worked in the hardware store, first for Mr. Lovell and then for Mr. Atteberry. The time frame on that was probably, 1947-1948. Ellen (Wheeler) Humphrey: My first memory of the Arches building was when it was a hardware store. I think it was Atteberrys? I also remember when Cheryl, Bud Wheeler's daughter, our cousin's Grandma Parks lived in one of the apartments. I'm pretty sure I spent the night there a few times. Also I think one of our relatives who used to also be a phone operator may have lived there. (Mary Wheeler). Often times when I dream of Findlay that building is included somehow. Bill White: On Friday September 13, 1974, my Mom and I and Brett Cummins (son of Chuck and Judy Cummins) ate supper at the Arches. It was then a steak house run by Oliver Brooks and family if I recall correctly. I recall the date because Brett and I missed the beginning of the very first episode of the Planet of the Apes TV series thanks to our dinner at the Arches. Joe Lucas had an accounting/tax office in the north end of the Arches; my friend Dan Largent (s. of Glenn and Joyce Largent) and I used to use his copier. This was around 1989-1990. Michael Wright: The Arches Building (corner portion) was a hardware store in the early 1960's when the Atteberry (may be misspelled) family operated it as a hardware store and the base for the Skellgas (bottled LP gas) operation they had. Mr. Atteberry died suddenly and the family closed both businesses. That portion of the building was vacant when I departed Findlay in 1964. Bill Wheeler: My earliest memories of the building are getting a haircut for fifty cents from the barber, Mr. Hacker. I also remember visiting my dad's cousins who lived in a small apartment there. I do remember the Atteberry hardware store, but I don't think I went there much as the Gregory Hardware store was even closer to my house. My clearest memory is of going to the closing sale and buying a large roll of doorbell wire for Randy Rhea and me to use in making radio antennas.