RESEARCH
BUSINESSES 1
Reeb's Store
Right: This image shows a portion of an 1868 map of Darrtown. The full map is available at History/Maps.
The "M. Reeb Store" is designated at the southwest intersection of Main and Apple streets.
Webmaster Note: By the middle of the 20th century, the Reeb Store building would converted to a private residence and become known as the Alston / Menke home. An image of that structure appears below (see "Alston / Menke Home.")
Bufler's Store
RIGHT: This image shows the site of the "Frank Bufler store."
The desigination of the Frank Bufler store, in the northeast intersection of Main and Apple streets, is based on information that Betty Mae (Alston) Martin provided during a 2009 interview (see more below right).
Alston / Menke Home was former Reeb store
LEFT: This image shows the building that stands in the southwest corner of Main and Apple street. This structure was home to the families of Stanley Alston and Edward Menke in the mid-20th century. This building probably housed the Reeb store, which would date the structure back to, at least, 1868.
In 2009, during the interview with Betty Mae (Alston) Martin and her son, Rick Martin, Betty Mae shared the image that appears at the left.
Mrs. Martin recalled from her youth, that Frank Bufler operated a grocery store in the house seen in the photo. She explained that the house, which no longer exists, stood in the northeast corner of the Main and Apple streets intersection, in Darrtown.
Mrs. Martin said that the building faced Main Street - hence, the three people in the photo were facing west (toward Main Street) when the photo was taken. This structure no longer exists; however, there exists an extra wide sidewalk at that location, which may have served as an entrance to the store.
Betty Mae Alston was born in 1924; thus, it seems probable that Betty Mae's memory would have Frank Bufler's store operating in the 1930's.
More about the Frank Bufler store
The photo at the right shows the interior of Frank Bufler's grocery grocery, circa 1930's. The four individuals were identified by a hand-written note that was found on a copy of this photograph. They are identified as (left to right): Frank Bufler, Mary Bufler (who, through marriage, became Mary Dynes), Grandma Bufler, and Stella Bufler (who, through marriage, became Stella Aebi). Mary and Stella were two of Frank Bufler's six daughters.
This photograph was contributed by Frances Weiss, daughter of Paul Weiss, who was the son of Frances (Bufler) Weiss, who was also one of Frank Bufler's six daughters.
As suggested by the contributions below, the former Reeb store had a connection with the former Bufler store - or, vice versa.
During the 1950's, Rick Martin lived in house/store that was formerly known as the Reeb store. Later, Dane Menke also lived there. While conducting research about the building that is referred to (above) as the "Reeb Store," Rick and Dane sent email messages to the Darrtown webmaster that provided information about the two stores that were once located opposite each other, at the intersection of Main and Apple streets.
The stories of the two "catty-cornered" stores become entwined...
On 11/7/13 7:11 PM, Rick Martin wrote:
"I was told, by my mother, who was born there, that there was a Bufler store, catty-cornered to their house and it caught fire, so they brought candy counters and what all they could save, in a hurry, to this house. The Menke boys used the candy counters to put their model cars in, during the 1950s and 1960s. The north side of the building was made into a store. I hope this helps. I have lived in Darrtown since 1950."
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On 11/7/13 7:15 PM, Rick Martin wrote:
"I am not sure when that house was set up as a store. I know Grandpa Bufler lived there; maybe way before my Grandparents. My mother was born there, January 1, 1924."
On 11/8/13 3:14 PM, Dane Menke wrote:
"I checked with Charles, as he is the oldest, for information on our old home in Darrtown. We moved there in 1953, Mom and Dad having bought the house from Ben Bufler. Charles said he was a contractor of some sort at that time. I already knew that the section, on the end of the house, which we always referred to as the shop, with the big double doors, was, in fact, at one time, a store. He (Charles) also stated that, at that time, it was being used for storage and Dad always used it for a workshop and a place to store his paints."
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On 11/8/13 4:15 PM, Dane Menke wrote:
"I checked with Ken and he refreshed my memory a bit. I was going to mention it earlier but I wanted to confirm my thinking. In that store, on the north wall, was a mural - on the entire wall. I remember the old mill being on it, but that’s all that I can recall."
Another Bufler store?
The following image shows a document that Don Beckett found inside a wall of his store (Don's Carry-Out), during some renovation/repair. Don donated the image to this website, in the summer of 2013.
Through magnification, we have determined that the text of the document, which is seen in the image above, reads as follows:
The content printed vertically, at the left margin, reads as follows:
"Coupon for RETAIL LIQUOR DEALERS SPECIAL TAX for Dec. 1900"
"Coupon for RETAIL LIQUOR DEALERS SPECIAL TAX for Jan. 1901"
"Coupon for RETAIL LIQUOR DEALERS SPECIAL TAX for Feb. 1901"
"Coupon for RETAIL LIQUOR DEALERS SPECIAL TAX for March 1901"
"Coupon for RETAIL LIQUOR DEALERS SPECIAL TAX for April 1901"
"Coupon for RETAIL LIQUOR DEALERS SPECIAL TAX for May 1901"
"Coupon for RETAIL LIQUOR DEALERS SPECIAL TAX for June 1901"
The document appears to have had a $25 value, as that figure appears at the upper center of the image and again at that lower center of the image. The body of the document reads...
United…
Stamp for
Inte…
Received from Gus Buf...
TWENTY FIVE
on the Business of Retail Liq…
In the center of the image, a watermark displays the numerals "190." The fourth digit is missing. However, near the bottom-center, a handwritten date reads "July." The day of the month is indistinguishable; but, the year is printed as "1902."
Questions to be researched about this apparent Bufler store:
If this document was issued to Gus Bufler, then why did he need it?
Was Gus Bufler the proprietor of a business in which he sold liquor?
What was the purpose of this "Retail Liquor Dealers Special Tax" document?
The following quotation (from the November 24, 1923 Hamilton Ohio Daily News) refers to a Stevens grocery story in Darrtown: "The Red Cross campaign is now on in this vicinity. Information can be obtained at the Stevens grocery."
Stevens' Grocery Referenced and Confirmed
Two newspaper articles (reprinted below, left) provide information about the Frances Filling Station of Darrtown, Ohio. Extra info: The first article below includes a reference to the "old skating rink and band hall" - IN DARRTOWN!
Francis Filling Station
The following news item ("New Filling Station") appeared in the Hamilton Evening News, October 22, 1931. It was contributed to this website, by Rick Martin in September 2012. Rick cited Ginger Miller for finding and sharing the article with him.
The following news item appeared in the November 4, 1931 edition of the Hamilton Evening News and corroborates the existence of the the Francis filling station.
"New Filling Station
A new filling and service station has opened in the village. Jesse Francis has erected a modern building, opened the station, and is fully equipped to give satisfactory service. The new structure is on a part of the lot where the old skating rink and band hall stood. [1]
The hall was destroyed by fire several months ago. Mr. Francis had, at one time, occupied the building and operated the Darrtown Motor Inn. Mr. Francis owned the adjoining lot and recently purchased the site of the old hall, which gives him a fine, large lot for the station.
The building is placed in the middle of the lot, with large stone pillars, [2] electrically lighted, at either end of the drive. The enterprise is an addition to the businesses of the village and adds to the attractiveness of what had been rather unsightly, since the fire. Mr. Francis’ many friends wish him success in the undertaking."
"Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Francis have moved, from the Liebrich property, to the rooms in the new building at the filling station, which they recently opened."
Webmaster notes:
[1] In September 2012, Delores (Uhl) Wagonfield and Dale Bufler, both Darrtown natives, who lived in Darrtown during the 1930's, 40's, and 50's, confirmed that the Francis Filling Station was located on the east side of Main Street, between Oxford and Apple Streets. This property became known as the Dees' Grocery in the 1950's.
[2] In the second image below, notice the stone post/pillar, next to the Pop Kola sign, which is topped with a globe for an electric light. This stone post/pillar, located on the southwest corner of the Francis/Dees property, supports the belief that the "old skating rink and band hall" referenced in the article at the left, was in fact located at the site of the Francis Filling Station. This image was shot toward the southeast, from the corner of Glardon's Grocery, on the west side of Main street, toward the K of P Hall (in the background).
Downtown Darrtown - now and then
The map/image that appears at the right is based on info that appears above.
Looking toward the K of P Hall
Paul Weiss took this photo from the corner of the Wyckoff grocery.
Note the stone pillar with electric light, which is referenced in Webmaster Note [2] above.
This pillar sat on the southwest corner of the Jesse Phillips property.
Quest to confirm location of Francis filling station uncovers local trivia
Dale Bufler and Delores Wagonfield provide extra info regarding the "Look 'em Up Boys" and other nicknames from Darrtown's past
BELOW: This is a scanned image of a B. M. Wyckoff receipt, dated April 18. The year is not filled in; but, the printed form provides for a 1930's entry. Notice the three digit phone number! (191)
While confirming the location of the Francis filling station, which helped identify the location of the "old skating rink" in Darrtown (see the October 22, 1931 "New Filling Station" item above), Dale Bufler provided an anecdote about the property that is located immediately north of that site.
Dale recalled that his sister, Dorothy and her husband Donald Betz lived in the house, at the southeast corner of Main and Apple streets, for a few years and Dale remembers that someone operated a beer garden between the Betz residence and the Francis filling station. A small music group, known as the "Log Cabin Entertainers" played at the beer garden on several occasions. A few of the band members had severely drooping eyelids; which meant that, whenever these musicians were seated and wanted to look up at audience members, they had to tilt their heads backward. Hence, this group was nicknamed the "Look Em Up Boys."
This story about the "Look 'em Up Boys" was also shared by Jack and Pat Wiley during the September 26, 2009 Darrtown Gathering. During that same event, Delores (Uhl) Wagonfield reported that, when she was growing up in Darrtown during the 1940's and '50's, many people were assigned nicknames. The "Look 'em Up Boys" were among the several nicknames listed in the report of that 9/26/2009 Darrtown Gathering.
The Wyckoff family lived in the rear quarters and the second floor of the Wyckoff Grocery. When Vic Wyckoff quit the grocery business, he rented the store space to Ellis and Ethel Glardon. For a period of time, the Wyckoff family continued to live in the family portion of the store building, while the Glardons operated the grocery business.
Participants in the April 18, 2009 "Darrtown Gathering" confirmed the following chronology of store ownership, at this site: Winnie Francis operated this store in the 1930's. Then, "Wimpy" Browning ran this business (the Browning family lived in the house just north of the store - in the southeast corner of the corner of Main and Apple streets). Clarence Dees and his family took over after the Brownings. Then, Stanley Ferguson operated the store.
RIGHT: This is an image of the Dees Grocery Store, which operated on the east side of Main Street in the middle of Darrtown during the late 1940's and early 1950's.
Notice that the structure lacks the one-story addition that appears in a later photo (below).
The Coca-Cola sign above the doorway reads "Dees Grocery" on the left and "Service Sta." on the right.
LEFT: Clarence Dees operated the Dees' Grocery and Service Station, which sat on the east side of Main Street in the middle of town. This view of Dees' Grocery is looking east, across Main Street (Rt. 177).
(The photograph at the left - contributed by Bill Weiss - was taken by his father, Paul Weiss, in September, 1954. The car belonged to Jim Brown of South Carolina, brother of Mrs. Paul Weiss.)
In the late 1940's and early 1950’s, Darrtown had two grocery stores; the Dees Grocery shown here (and above) and the Glardon's Grocery (shown below).
Glardon's Grocery
RIGHT:
During the mid- 1950's, Glardon’s Grocery business was owned and operated by Ellis “Dugan” Glardon and his wife, Ethel.
This view of Glardon's Grocery shows Main Street (Rt. 177) looking south.
The photograph was taken by Paul Weiss, in June 1955.
LEFT:
Marvin Russell contributed these images in 2011.
This object is a combination coin-holder and ice scraper (circa 1950's) that Ellis "Dugan" Glardon gave to his customers to promote the Glardon Grocery store. Note the five-digit telephone number.
In 1959, Don Beckett, grandson of Ellis and Ethel Glardon, purchased the Wyckoff property, which housed Glardon's Grocery, and began operating Darrtown's only grocery store.
Five and a half decades later, Don Beckett continues to provide grocery services to the Darrtown community.
(Photo by Fred Lindley - 2008)
UPDATE as of January 2020: Don's Carry-Out continues to serve the public, under the management of owner/operator Jeff Beckett - son of Don Beckett.
Just visiting
LEFT: (L-R) Walter "Smokey" Alston, Don Beckett, and Bill Glardon.
This picture was taken in front of Don's Carry-Out, in the center of Darrtown.
"Smokey" Alston spent many hours on many benches in many major league baseball parks managing the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers. Nonetheless, during the off-season, when he was home in Darrtown, he was happy to spend time on this bench, in front of Don's store, just visiting with locals.
This photo, donated by Don Beckett, was undated; however, as noted by the sign in the window, it was taken when ham was 99 cents per pound.
Gasoline sold at Wyckoff store - See image of gasoline advertisement.
Build your own sandwich at Wyckoff's - See: Roger recalls.
Wyckoff's Grocery
Dee's Grocery
Don's Carry-Out and Eric's Pizza
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BUSINESSES 1. Reeb's store; Bufler's grocery, another Bufler store; Stevens' grocery, Francis' gas station, Wyckoff's grocery; Dees grocery and gas station; Glardon's grocery; and Don's Carry-Out.
BUSINESSES 2. The Hitching Post (plus, links to Darrtown/Milford township tavern history).
RIGHT: This image shows (from left to right): Vera Wyckoff and her parents, Vic and Clara Wyckoff (circa 1950's).
The receipt (above) shows that someone from the Wiley family paid a total of $0.24 for household supplies. The original receipt is the property of Dr. Ronald Wiley, son of Raymond and Matilene Wiley.
School books sold at Wyckoff's - A 1933 newspaper item reported that high school and grade school books were available at Wyckoff's store, in Darrtown.
Who required it and why?
Who issued this document?
Does the word "United" refer to the United States?
Click the following link to see a 1922 news item that confirms the existence of a Stevens grocery store in Darrtown.
