Public Comfort Station, Indianapolis, Indiana
c1910 postcard view of a Public Comfort Station in Indianapolis, Indiana. The station was constructed in 1910. It was located in the middle of Kentucky Avenue southwest of the intersection at Washington and Illinois Streets. The facilities were located below the street. This view was looking southwest along Kentucky Avenue.
“It is estimated that nearly 2,000 persons made an inspection of the Indianapolis public comfort station on the opening day, July 19…. The station, completed, cost approximately $17,000. Stilwell & Co., of Lafayette, contractors, had the contract. An appropriation of $20 000 was made for the completion of the work. The station will be in the charge of two men and two women from 7:30 o’clock in the morning until 11:30 o’clock at night.”¹
Several business signs were visible in the background. The GEILE sign near the left edge of the postcard advertised Frederick J. Geile’s tailoring business. The 1909 R. L. Polk Indianapolis directory listed the business at 11 Kentucky Avenue. The 1914/1915 Sanborn™ map set for Indianapolis showed the Geile shop next to the foyer (13-15 Kentucky Avenue) of the Family Theatre. Both the map set and the 1909 directory gave the theatre’s address as 17 Kentucky Avenue instead of the foyer address where the marquee was located. The HAT SHOP sign was located on the side of the theatre building. The 1909 directory listed the John H. DeLury HAT SHOP at 13 Kentucky Avenue. Maybe the shop was in the theatre foyer. The Family Theatre opened in 1908 and advertised VAUDEVILLE. This later became the Rialto Theater.
Next door to the theatre, the map set shows a restaurant (21 Kentucky Avenue) and a saloon (23 Kentucky Avenue). City directories for 1905 and 1909 listed Fred W. Kolb at 21 Kentucky Avenue under the “SALOONS” category. Both directories list the Dewald & Wahl plumbing business at 23 Kentucky Avenue.
The church spires above the theatre belonged St. John’s Roman Catholic Church at 127 South Capitol Avenue.
The billboard near the upper right-hand corner advertised E-C OATS. This was a product of the Battle Creek Breakfast Food Company (of Quincy, Illinois) until 1910 when the corporate name changed to United Cereal Mills, Ltd.
The 1914/1915 map set showed five saloons on the northwest side of the first block of Kentucky Avenue. One of them in this scene advertised BEER on the awning and had the name JOHN ______ SALOON painted on the side of the building (20 Kentucky Avenue). John Wellacher was listed in the 1905 and 1909 directories as the owner of a saloon at that address. Across the alley to the north was a BAR sign. This bar extended from this location up to Washington Street and had two addresses, 12 Kentucky Avenue and 115 West Washington Street. The 2 X 4 BAR was next door at 8 Kentucky Avenue. Neither of these two bars was listed in either directory.
1. ”Sewage and Reuse,” Municipal Engineering Index, July-December, 1910, volume XXXIX (Indianapolis and New York: Municipal Engineering Company, 1911), page 134. Available online at archive.org/stream/watersewageworks39chic#page/n5/mode/2up.
From the collection of Tom Hohman.
Selected close-up sections of this postcard can be seen here, from left to right in the image.
www.flickr.com/photos/hoosier_recollections/5741780846/in...
www.flickr.com/photos/hoosier_recollections/5741780722/in...
Copyright 2008-2014 by Hoosier Recollections. All rights reserved. This image is part of a creative package that includes the associated text, geodata and/or other information. Neither this package in its entirety nor any of the individual components may be downloaded, transmitted or reproduced without the prior written permission of Hoosier Recollections.
Public Comfort Station, Indianapolis, Indiana
c1910 postcard view of a Public Comfort Station in Indianapolis, Indiana. The station was constructed in 1910. It was located in the middle of Kentucky Avenue southwest of the intersection at Washington and Illinois Streets. The facilities were located below the street. This view was looking southwest along Kentucky Avenue.
“It is estimated that nearly 2,000 persons made an inspection of the Indianapolis public comfort station on the opening day, July 19…. The station, completed, cost approximately $17,000. Stilwell & Co., of Lafayette, contractors, had the contract. An appropriation of $20 000 was made for the completion of the work. The station will be in the charge of two men and two women from 7:30 o’clock in the morning until 11:30 o’clock at night.”¹
Several business signs were visible in the background. The GEILE sign near the left edge of the postcard advertised Frederick J. Geile’s tailoring business. The 1909 R. L. Polk Indianapolis directory listed the business at 11 Kentucky Avenue. The 1914/1915 Sanborn™ map set for Indianapolis showed the Geile shop next to the foyer (13-15 Kentucky Avenue) of the Family Theatre. Both the map set and the 1909 directory gave the theatre’s address as 17 Kentucky Avenue instead of the foyer address where the marquee was located. The HAT SHOP sign was located on the side of the theatre building. The 1909 directory listed the John H. DeLury HAT SHOP at 13 Kentucky Avenue. Maybe the shop was in the theatre foyer. The Family Theatre opened in 1908 and advertised VAUDEVILLE. This later became the Rialto Theater.
Next door to the theatre, the map set shows a restaurant (21 Kentucky Avenue) and a saloon (23 Kentucky Avenue). City directories for 1905 and 1909 listed Fred W. Kolb at 21 Kentucky Avenue under the “SALOONS” category. Both directories list the Dewald & Wahl plumbing business at 23 Kentucky Avenue.
The church spires above the theatre belonged St. John’s Roman Catholic Church at 127 South Capitol Avenue.
The billboard near the upper right-hand corner advertised E-C OATS. This was a product of the Battle Creek Breakfast Food Company (of Quincy, Illinois) until 1910 when the corporate name changed to United Cereal Mills, Ltd.
The 1914/1915 map set showed five saloons on the northwest side of the first block of Kentucky Avenue. One of them in this scene advertised BEER on the awning and had the name JOHN ______ SALOON painted on the side of the building (20 Kentucky Avenue). John Wellacher was listed in the 1905 and 1909 directories as the owner of a saloon at that address. Across the alley to the north was a BAR sign. This bar extended from this location up to Washington Street and had two addresses, 12 Kentucky Avenue and 115 West Washington Street. The 2 X 4 BAR was next door at 8 Kentucky Avenue. Neither of these two bars was listed in either directory.
1. ”Sewage and Reuse,” Municipal Engineering Index, July-December, 1910, volume XXXIX (Indianapolis and New York: Municipal Engineering Company, 1911), page 134. Available online at archive.org/stream/watersewageworks39chic#page/n5/mode/2up.
From the collection of Tom Hohman.
Selected close-up sections of this postcard can be seen here, from left to right in the image.
www.flickr.com/photos/hoosier_recollections/5741780846/in...
www.flickr.com/photos/hoosier_recollections/5741780722/in...
Copyright 2008-2014 by Hoosier Recollections. All rights reserved. This image is part of a creative package that includes the associated text, geodata and/or other information. Neither this package in its entirety nor any of the individual components may be downloaded, transmitted or reproduced without the prior written permission of Hoosier Recollections.