THE WALL
We are still digging into the history of this unusual place. Here is what we have so far.
The west side of the wall itself is unremarkable. There are several bricked-in windows, but since the buildings were close together, there is no reason for windows to be there, unless they looked onto an alley at one time. The jagged section at the top is what makes this wall so unusual. Just take a look at the other side. “The Wall” was a public arts project that was done in 1980 through a partnership with the Sandusky City Schools. It was built by an artist named John Spofford, from Athens, Ohio. The abstract brick design was installed on the sidewall of the Brehm Building ten years before the building was demolished.
When the building was taken down in 1999, that small section of the supporting wall was saved thanks to donations totaling $30,000. Repairs were needed again in 2002, and Bob Waldock of the Old House Guild of Sandusky signed a contract with a masonry company to renovate the west side (the Brehm building side) of the wall. The project was funded by private donations including a donation from the George Mylander Foundation.
The Wall has become quite famous locally and is very impressive when viewed up close.
Most people approach The Wall from Peddler’s Alley, which has an entrance on Columbus Ave. To find out more about Peddler’s Alley CLICK HERE.
That short, light colored building half way down the block is the Brehm Building. It was demolished in 1999. That and the buildings on the left in that picture were all taken down and the area is now a parking lot.