Westside in the 50's

Dayton Memories > Westside in the 50's

Westside in the 50's

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AJP8 1 post Sep 02, 2013 7:24 PM	Anybody remember Michael Chili Parlor on west 3rd St.
johnfader 33 posts Sep 02, 2013 10:59 PM	I remember it well.When I was about 10 or 12 years old, my dad would take me there and buy a sack full of coneys for $1 and we would go to the bowling alley farther east on 3rd St. to watch my uncle bowl. We would eat the coneys and I would drink a Pepsi. Of course Dad had a beer with his. When I was in high school, my cousin and I would go there in the evening and get coneys and beer. We weren't quite old enough, but they never checked I.D.'s.
joey m 92 posts Sep 03, 2013 11:01 AM	Went there in the 50's and 60's. Would eat about 4 or 5 coneys. They were great! I think the Chili King on Main St. was related to Mikes. They just closed it down about 2 years ago I sure do miss it.
jack1953 37 posts Sep 08, 2013 6:28 AM	My dad grew up on the West Side and went to Roosevelt High School. There was a high school hang out there on Third Street called the 'Teddy Bear'. My parents talked about it all the time. Anyone remember it? ---------- Forgiven, forgotten, set free!!
supersix 144 posts Sep 08, 2013 7:48 AM	I remember the Teddy Bear. Right next to the high school and the Peoples Theatre.
Tbone 26 posts Sep 09, 2013 1:40 PM	You Tube has 4 or 5 video's of West Side, from their neighborhoods to Main St, to Philly, etc. How could the City Council let it go so poorly. There has to be standards, codes, etc. brought forth by the Council for the people. Yikes! When I was a teenager, I was told that a gang named The Toro's ran the Westside...don't know how much truth is in that.
johnfader 34 posts Sep 09, 2013 9:18 PM	The Teddy Bear was my favorite hang out. I went there from about 1952 - 1956. Worked lunch hours for 3 years. Girls never went there until around 1955. It was owned by a fellow named Ralph Golden and his favorite thing was to come up behind you and flip you on the ear. It hurt like heck. We played the pin ball machines and sometimes guys would put their feet under the front legs, which would slow down the balls, making it easier to get a highr score and more free games.If Ralph saw someone doing this he would come over and slam his hands down on top of the machine, which would feel like your toes were cut off.For lunch, you could get a hamburger for a quarter , fries were 15 or 20 cents and a coke was 6 cents and peppsi was a dime. Cigarettes were 20 cents a pack and the pinball games cost 5 cents or 6 games for a quarter.I think phone calls were a nickel.The Sugar Bowl was at the corner of 3rd and Matheson St. and the girls hung out there. Of course the boys would go there when we left the Teddy Bear. I remember it like it was yesterday - DA hair cuts, Mr. B collars on our shirts, pegged pants and Rock and Roll on the juke box, also 5 cents and 6 for a quarter.
Riverdale Ghost 381 posts Sep 11, 2013 4:34 AM	Tbone, "Toro" is mostly lawn mower. Try Torok. ---------- Honest Communications Is The Foundation of Civilizations.
jack1953 38 posts Sep 11, 2013 6:00 PM	John Fader, you may have known my dad. Jack Brown? ---------- Forgiven, forgotten, set free!!
johnfader 35 posts Sep 12, 2013 9:33 AM	jack1953 I knew a Jack Brown aka "Bruno". He had a brother Jim and both hung out at the Teddy Bear. Could this be your dad?
jack1953 41 posts Sep 12, 2013 2:30 PM	Yes John, that's my dad! He was kind of a fighter! lol He passed away in a tragic pedestrian accident in 1997 down here in Florida. His brother Jimmie passed away from lung cancer within a few years of Dad! My mother's maiden name was Diane Purdon. She said she was only in the Teddy Bear a couple of times but remembers Ralph very well!! My mom and dad were married in 1953 and had 3 boys, all 3 years apart. I was the oldest Jack (Skip) Brown, Gary, and Scott! Small world!! ---------- Forgiven, forgotten, set free!! Last Edited by jack1953 on Sep 12, 2013 2:33 PM
johnfader 36 posts Sep 12, 2013 4:15 PM	jack1953 Hey Skip, I always heard your dad was a heck of a street fighter, although I never witnessed it. Didn't mention it before, because I diodn't want to hurt someone's feelings I may have seen your mom once, but I didn't know her. Sorry to hear about your dad and uncle passing. They always treated me o.k. and if I remember right, Jim was more mild mannered than your dad. At one time your dad and several others started a club and they met in the back of the Teddy Bear. I remember a fellow by the name of Bobby Johnson was one of them. I never joined, but would see them in the back on club night. Another name that comes to mind is Bob Buehl. Did your dad mention any of the other guys?
jack1953 42 posts Sep 12, 2013 4:42 PM	John, my mother has a fantastic memory and I will run these names by her. She lived in North Dayton in the Colonel White HS district. This is so heart warming to run across someone who knew my dad and to share memories. Did you remember either of the Terry brothers? Carl or Bruce? Dad hung out with them some and played a lot of softball together. The cool thing was Carl had 2 sons close to my age and myself and the 2 sons also hung out and also played softball together! I will get with mom and get back. ---------- Forgiven, forgotten, set free!! Last Edited by jack1953 on Sep 12, 2013 6:13 PM
jack1953 44 posts Sep 12, 2013 6:25 PM	I talked to my mom John, and she said 3 of dad's friends that she remembers, were, Don Leach, Jimmy Lowe, and Sam Whittick. ---------- Forgiven, forgotten, set free!!
johnfader 37 posts Sep 12, 2013 7:33 PM	jack1953 Don Leach and Sam Whittick ring a bell. Some of the other BA's(bad a--es)around town that showed up at the Teddy Bear were Gene(Tex) Howard, Mike and Joe Farraro and , of course, Bill Stepp. I had met all of them and would run into them around town from time to time but was not a good friend of any of them. Some of them had such a reputation for trouble that I wasn't comfortable in their company. I always thought that bullets didn't have eyes and if they started flying, I didn't want to be there. If the Don Leach is the one I'm thinkng of, he had a problem with one of his arms.I don't remember much about Sammy, but I don' think he was very tall.
johnfader 38 posts Sep 12, 2013 7:42 PM	jack1953 I just read your previous post and the Terry brothers does ring a bell, but I don't remember them, other than the name.
jack1953 45 posts Sep 12, 2013 8:12 PM	John here is my email: jackthejesusfreak@comcast.net Would really like to talk more. What year did the Teddy Bear close? ---------- Forgiven, forgotten, set free!!
joey m 103 posts Sep 13, 2013 8:14 AM	jack1953 I knew Bruce and Carl very well. Played softball with Bruce for about three years, he was a pitcher and was very good. We played in the A division and did pretty well except for a team called A-1 trophy. Bruce was a good friend at the time and was really funny!
joey m 104 posts Sep 13, 2013 8:18 AM	Tbone the toros was a black motorcycle club in the west side.
Tbone 31 posts Sep 13, 2013 8:42 AM	Thanks Joey. Their still a motorcycle club, only bigger these days. I googled them. http://torosmc.com/ Their probably the BEST thing the west side has....and probably helps make it a safer place. Last Edited by Tbone on Sep 13, 2013 8:47 AM
Riverdale Ghost 384 posts Sep 13, 2013 10:11 AM	I stand corrected. Torok, however, is a name. ---------- Honest Communications Is The Foundation of Civilizations.
jack1953 46 posts Sep 13, 2013 5:43 PM	Wow Joey! My dad played with McCalls and was a stellar shortstop! He played some ball with Bruce and Carl too. Did you a Ronnie Puhl? (Not sure if the spelling is right. It's pronounced Pool) Some say one of the best outfielders to ever play! ---------- Forgiven, forgotten, set free!!
joey m 107 posts Sep 14, 2013 9:23 AM	jack1953 I never played with Ronnie but your right he was one of the best players in his time. I played with Bruce for the Fireside Lounge team. We finished second in the state that year. Bruce was a good friend and a great person. We ended up playing in a regional world qualifier in Greensberg Pa. Great times and great memories. OH! I thought I would mention a player we had who was one of the legends of softball from this town. His name was Don Griever we called him "DOC".
jack1953 48 posts Sep 14, 2013 7:04 PM	Joey, my mother just told me that one year Ronnie Pole was named best outfielder of the city of Dayton and my dad was named best infielder. Carl Terry's oldest son Jeff played on a team in the 80s that won a class 'D' national tourney. That was when all dingers were counted as outs. Jeff was the only one to ever win a tourney MVP at the position of catcher. My dad also played with Don Griever. I remember his name being mentioned many times in my house. ---------- Forgiven, forgotten, set free!! Last Edited by jack1953 on Sep 14, 2013 7:06 PM
huszti44 1 post Sep 15, 2013 10:23 PM	MY FAMILY IMMIGRATED FROM HUNGARY TO OHIO IN 1907. THEY LIVED ON THE WEST SIDE. I REMEMBER THE TEDDY BOWL AND SUGAR BOWL BECAUSE MY BIG BROTHER WENT TO ROOSEVELT. HE WAS 8 YEARS OLDER THAN MYSELF, BUT I DEARLY LOVED HIM AND WAS ALWAYS TRYING TO FIND HIM. OUR GRANDPARENTS LIVED IN THE HUNGARIAN NEIGHBORHOOD, W. SECOND ST. ALL THE HUNGARIANS HAD THEIR HOMES SO VERY PRETTY. BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS. VEGETABLE GARDENS. ALSO BEHIND MY GRANDPARENTS HOME, STREET NAME I HAVE FORGOTTEN, WAS PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR HOME. I SPENT A LOT OF TIME THERE AS THE NICE LADY OVERSEEING IT WOULD ALLOW ME IN ALL THE TIME. FOR MANY YEARS NOW THE AREA HAS BEEN DESTROYED. BOARDED UP WINDOWS. SO HEARTBREAKING.
huszti44 2 posts Sep 15, 2013 10:25 PM	does anyone remember the all Hungarian football team?
Riverdale Ghost 387 posts Sep 15, 2013 11:26 PM	huszti44, Summit Street? ---------- Honest Communications Is The Foundation of Civilizations.
johnfader 39 posts Sep 16, 2013 4:10 PM	huszti44 I think the team you refer to is the Dakota Athletic Club. My dad played center for them for 9 years. Last Edited by johnfader on Jan 27, 2014 10:53 PM
Keugene48 253 posts Sep 17, 2013 12:06 PM	I have not seen a mention of it here in any post - I remember a neighborhood store on Hoover called Estridges. We didn't go there all the time but the main thing I remember is they would "plug" watermelons for you - cut out a little section to make sure it was ripe.
taz66 4 posts Jan 20, 2014 9:46 PM	Does anyone have knowledge of Western Ave in the '50s? Would it be considered a part of the "Westside". I lived with my grandparents on S. Western Ave in the 400 block and left Dayton just after starting school. I am trying the connect my memories of the area, neighbors, businesses, ext. Any information or leads will be appreciated. Thanks.
johnfader 42 posts Jan 27, 2014 10:50 PM	taz66 S. Western Ave. was part of the Westside. At the SE corner of 3rd & Western,was a Gallagher Drug Store and east of it was a 5 and dime store. On the west side was a Lincoln Federal S&L and there was a theater along there named Park's. On the NE corner was a Liberal Market and east of that was The Keg bar. On the west side was another bar, but I can't think of the name, and next to it was a hardware store. Behind Liberal's on N.Western Ave. was a small barber shop owned by a fellow named Bob Judy.I worked there shining shoes from 1949-1955, when I graduated from Roosevelt H.S. The only thing I remember about S. Western Ave. was the trolley co. barn. Hope that brings back some memories.
Riverdale Ghost 444 posts Jan 28, 2014 6:19 AM	Technically, according to old maps, the "West Side" was north of Third and east of Western avenue. South of Third was Edgemont. West of Western avenue and north of Third was Westwood. "West Side" was a name on a map for that specific area. ---------- Honest Communications Is The Foundation of Civilizations. Last Edited by Riverdale Ghost on Jan 28, 2014 6:20 AM
johnfader 43 posts Jan 28, 2014 9:49 PM	When I was a kid, anything west of the river was Westside until you got up past Gramont Ave. Then you were in Westwood. May not have been technically correct, but as kids, we knew what we meant.
Riverdale Ghost 445 posts Jan 29, 2014 6:45 AM	Aww.... Come on, John. It was a real place, not just a whispy directional thing. And, back in time it meant a rather doubtful and mysterious place full of foreigners -- like your family and mine -- with an incomprehensible language and strange customs and ideas. Only the brave went there unless they were somehow "one of 'them'." And, years later it was the same idea only in a different color. ---------- Honest Communications Is The Foundation of Civilizations. Last Edited by Riverdale Ghost on Jan 29, 2014 6:47 AM
hunt69 490 posts Jan 29, 2014 7:04 AM	As a young child, I lived on Edgewood Ave., Merideth, Superior Ave. and Negly or Negley. I was quite young,but I remember going to Jefferson School and Longfellow. We attened Daytonview church of the Nazarene on Holt St. Much later in life I heard this area referred to as "Daytoview." This would have been '50s and early '60s Last Edited by hunt69 on Jan 29, 2014 7:14 AM
Riverdale Ghost 446 posts Jan 29, 2014 9:13 AM	Hunt 69, That is/was Dayton View. North of Wolf creek and sloshing across Salem avenue to about midway between Main and Salem. Eventually there was a distinction between Upper and Lower Dayton View. Lower Dayton View is postal zip code even today of 45406; along Main it's 45405 and the area is Riverdale and south of Wolf Creek I think it was 45407 but now it's part of the downtown delivery area. Without looking it up, I think "Negley" is correct -- Negley place? And, FYI: Dayton View was high class. ---------- Honest Communications Is The Foundation of Civilizations. Last Edited by Riverdale Ghost on Jan 29, 2014 9:17 AM
hunt69 491 posts Jan 29, 2014 11:04 AM	Riverdale Ghost...Thank you.I recall the houses were really beautiful.Very ornate banisters by the stairs,nice fireplaces,upstairs and down.The lights had been converted from gas to electric. Are the nice two story homes still standing in the area? I hope it hasn't been a casualty of Dayton's new "urbanization."
Riverdale Ghost 447 posts Jan 29, 2014 1:42 PM	Hunt 69, I don't know a lot about Dayton View (or even "The West Side" for that matter). When I went to high school in the 1950's we traveled through the area, but never stopped anywhere. It was likewise in the 1970's when I worked for a time at St. Agnes school. However, in the 70's I had a friend very involved in the FROC Priority board so became familiar with things like "neighborhoods." I think a lot of those houses are similar to ones found in other parts of Dayton AND Oakwood. The thing was, the area was built up after the 1913 flood because a lot of people wanted to live on higher ground; and, only those that could afford to move did so. ---------- Honest Communications Is The Foundation of Civilizations. Last Edited by Riverdale Ghost on Jan 29, 2014 1:43 PM
hunt69 492 posts Jan 29, 2014 3:55 PM	Riverdale Ghost... Thank you very much for your time and information. You are part of what makes this site so special.
historybuff 52 posts Jan 29, 2014 10:39 PM	Hunt69, some other interesting facts about Dayton View, a lot of the merchants and wealthier people actually lived downtown on Water St. which is now Monument Ave., also on First and Second St. as this was before the automobile became popular and you could walk to work. Interestingly enough, Boss Kett, Edward Deeds and the majority of the Barn Gang lived within a few blocks of each other as did the Wright Brothers, who lived on Hawthorne. Of course, many of their shops were on West Third Street around Williams Street. Edward Deeds and the “Deeds Barn” were at 319 Central Avenue one block from West Third St. Ironically, my first residence in Dayton was at 319 Central Avenue which by then had become an apartment building. History is strange at times…...
Riverdale Ghost 448 posts Jan 30, 2014 12:33 AM	historybuff, I don't mean to be a know it all here as I sure don't know it all, but Central Avenue runs off of West Riverview, not West Third. If you follow Riverview west for several blocks, around the bend of the river, you get to Third (or go across the river to downtown). ---------- Honest Communications Is The Foundation of Civilizations.
historybuff 53 posts Jan 30, 2014 5:35 AM	TNX RG, Having read many, many of your posts, I know that you are quite knowledgeable about Dayton in general and the West Side in particular. My being an avid student of Boss Kett and Edward Deeds and the “Barn Gang” and that area of Dayton View, you are quite right that Central Avenue runs off of West Riverview as does Grafton Avenue and Belmont Park Drive, Both of which I lived on for a number of years, so I know that area like the “back of my hand” as the saying goes. Maybe I could have been clearer in my previous post as to what I meant was that Central Avenue was one block, I guess, North of West Third Street. I thought that the West Third identifier would have been clearer for some than West Riverview. Oh well, advancing age sometimes makes one a little less “clear” in a lot of things. BTW, RG, 319 Central was right behind the Liberal market on West Third, within walking distance. I shopped there many times.
historybuff 54 posts Jan 30, 2014 7:38 AM	RG I think I’m going to have to stop posting so early in the morning. I am terribly, terribly embarrassed, and before everyone jumps on my previous post, just substitute everywhere I used W. Third with Salem Avenue. In my defense it has been quite a few years. It was in early years quite a prestigious area with many fine homes and luxury apartment buildings and for some time, the place to live. It all comes back to me now and a lot clearer.
joey m 174 posts Jan 30, 2014 10:26 AM	johnfader I totally agree with you why do we have to be so technical about the geography of Dayton any body with common sense knows when they are in the West side or the East side. The neighborhoods had their given names. For instance I lived in Edgemont and that was the west side I had friends who lived in Westwood and we considered that the Westside.
Riverdale Ghost 449 posts Jan 30, 2014 3:08 PM	joey m, We have to be technical with that because 1. The Wright Brothers lived in Edgemont but the 1903 bicycle shop was in the West Side and all those Bohunks around Holy Name church thought that was really something special. And, yes, you can generalize Edgemont into "the West Side" but as soon as you start doing that people expand the distance until now, for some people, it probably includes Eaton. 2. It no longer means just a part of Dayton, it means where everyone is black. ---------- Honest Communications Is The Foundation of Civilizations. Last Edited by Riverdale Ghost on Jan 30, 2014 3:10 PM
Riverdale Ghost 450 posts Feb 01, 2014 10:10 AM	This doesn't exactly belong in here, but I can't get a new topic connection at the moment, and if I don't post it somewhere, I'll forget it. There was a nun that was murdered at the St. Agnes convent in the early '70s. Her name was Sr. Donna -- she taught 8th grade math if I remember correctly -- and I can't remember the last name but it was something like Blauh. It's very hard to find any reference to this nun "martyred" in Dayton. ---------- Honest Communications Is The Foundation of Civilizations.
joey m 176 posts Feb 03, 2014 11:00 AM	O.K. ?
taz66 7 posts Feb 24, 2014 12:15 AM	Thank you johnfader for your post of 1/28/14 giving me information on S. Western Ave. It was indeed helpful. Subsequent post referring to the "West Side" were confusing since I am unfamiliar with the geographical area. I was very young when I left Dayton and have not had the opportunity to return. Am I to assume that during that era (the'50s), the neighborhood was made up of immigrants or Blacks? My quest continues--

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