Canal Street - Old Chesapeake City

Photos of Old Chesapeake City, Pt 23

Canal Street houses, L to R: Toy property, Krastel apartments (Birdy Battersby was born in the right side), Schrader property, Wharton’s, Reynolds’ – circa 1964. Photo courtesy of Lee Collins.

Another view of Canal Street from a painting – L to R: Toy house, Krastel’s, Schrader’s, Wharton’s, Reynold’s.

East End of Canal Street – L to R: Thornton house, Double house (Getchow, Dixon and Au tKate Lloyd), Snyder apartments, Birdy Battersby’s family house. Looking East, circa 1945. Photo courtesy of Lewis Collins, Sr.

Photos of Old Chesapeake City, Pt 21

Photos of Old Chesapeake City, Pt 21

Taggard apartments and Archie Crawford’s Texaco service station in the background - Biddle Street, circa 1960.

Archie Crawford’s service station – note firemen in parade uniforms and the 1924 American La France fire truck, circa 1955. (courtesy of Lewis Collins, Jr.)

Fire at Taggard’s Apartments – note Archie’s Texaco Station at right, circa 1977.

Photos of North Chesapeake City, part 20

Historic Photos of North Chesapeake City, part 20

  

Lift Bridge tender, Edgar Rhoades, circa 1932 – note required uniform. He’s holding daughter, Fay Rhoades. Photo from his son, Freddy. 

Our wonderful teacher, Helen Titter, on the Lift Bridge, circa 1939. She taught me in 6^th grade in the Chesapeake City Elementary School. At that time (1948) the high school was on the 2^nd floor of the same building. She played the piano for us and had us sing along, but I hated those Friday spelling tests! Of coarse, I did learn to spell corectly because of them!

The Girls’ Basketball team, 1948 - Chesapeake City High School, Jeanette Sheridan with ball, Gertrude Sykes at far left and Janet Krastel at far right. Can you name any of the other girls?

Historic Photos of North Chesapeake City, part 19

Historic Photos of North Chesapeake City, part 19

Inside the old American Store, once located in what is now Pell Gardens, on the corner across from Hole-in-the-Wall. Note cost of items in 1926. Pictured here: Mark Alcorn & Lewis Collins, Sr. Photo was taken in 1926, courtesy of Lewis Collins, Jr.

The Trinity Methodist Church, at its present site – built in 1889. Raymond Whiteoak, Sr. told me this anecdote about the construction of the Methodist Church: “My grandfather hauled building materials with a team of horses and a wagon. He hauled all of the materials used for building the Methodist Church in Chesapeake City, the one on Bohemia Avenue and Third Street. Well, he would drop off the materials to the workers. Then he’d go get liquor and get them all drunk. Not many people know that their church was built by workers drinking my grandfather’s whiskey.” The members I recognize in the photo are Thomas Foard, Roy Foard, and Lewis Collins, Sr. Let me know if you recognize any others?

 

Ralph Oil Company truck with Bobby Vaught, driver. Bobby was always very friendly and helpful. Photo is from his daughter, Betty.

Historic Photos of North Chesapeake City, part 18

Historic Photos of North Chesapeake City, part 18

George “Reds” Gorman outside of his general store and service station, on Biddle Street, across from Collins’ store, circa 1951.

Another view of Gorman’s store and station. He sold wonderful hand-dipped ice cream. Eleanor Benson Northrup told me her husband, Ralph, helped Mr. Gorman in his store the day the Chesapeake City lift bridge was hit by the freighter, Franz Klassen. She said that he came home that night with sore wrists from dipping so much ice cream for the many visitors who came to see the bridge destruction.

Collins’ Market at the 400 Block of Biddle Street in circa 1970 – Miriam Carlton Ohrel worked for Mr. Lewis Collins, Sr. for years. Note town’s first ambulance. Photo courtesy of Lewis Collins, Jr.

Historic Photos of North Chesapeake City, part 17

Historic Photos of North Chesapeake City, part 17

The ladies auxiliary parading down Lock Street during a firemen’s carnival. Do you know any of these ladies? The first girl with the flag could be Janet Krastel Collins, circa 1954.

A poster for the firemen’s carnival, circa 1950. I used to walk across our overhead bridge to attend these terrific carnivals.

Harold Reynolds on the merry-go-round he made. Mr. Reynolds made all of the many carnival rides in those days.

Historic Photos of North Chesapeake City, part 16

Historic Photos of North Chesapeake City, part 16

  

The catch of the day, with Wilson Reynolds, Frank Bristow, and John Schaefer. These rock fish would make great dinners in the old Schaefer’s Restaurant, circa 1959.

Hatties Inn, now the site of Harold Reynolds’ property – Biddle Street Extension. Hatties Inn had one of the first TV sets on the North Side. My girlfriend, Dolores Carlton, still talks about watching Arthur Godfrey while eating lunch there with her mom and dad. Note members of the Van den Heuvel family posing in the foreground, circa 1948.

Nola’s Bar, north of the firehouse on the east side of Lock Street, with Nola Knotts posing. Nola’s husband, George Knotts, worked for the Corps of Engineers and operated the lift bridges on the canal in the 1930s. I think the building still stands. I’ve never tasted Arrow beer; have you? The bar was very popular in the 1940s, photo circa 1941.