WASHINGTON ROW
WEST WASHINGTON ROW AT COLUMBUS AVE.
Now look back towards the lake. You are at the corner of West Washington Row and Columbus Ave. In front of you is the Erie County Office building which was the…
ORIGINAL SITE OF ELEUTHEROS COOKE HOUSE – Eleutheros Cooke came to this area in 1818, settling in Bloomingville before moving to Sandusky in 1821. This house was moved, stone by stone further south on Columbus in 1878. It is hard to imagine that this was once a residential area. READ MORE
The next building on this corner was the SLOANE HOUSE HOTEL – After relocating the Cooke home, Rush R. Sloane broke ground for a hotel on this corner called the Sloane House, which opened to the public on November 17, 1881. READ MORE
Then came LASALLE’S DEPARTMENT STORE – Plans to demolish the Sloane House Hotel moved forward and in February of 1948, Toledo-based Lasalle & Koch Co., announced plans to build a department store on this corner. READ MORE
THE BEECHER HOUSE – 215
W. Washington Row
This stone house was once a stop on the Underground Railroad.
You should recognize the name, Harriet Beecher Stowe as the author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin!
Read more about this house HERE. This house and more are on our Underground Railroad Tour.
And a little farther down, that brick building is THE INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS BUILDING – 231-237 W. Washington Row – This brick building was built in 1889 by members of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. It is also known as the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Temple and Ogontz Lodge No. 66. There were shops on the first floor. READ MORE
These sites and more are included in the Washington Park walking Tour – HERE.
EAST WASHINGTON ROW
Now look to your right, that large building on the corner was the ….
KINGSBURY BUILDING AND COMMERCIAL BANKING AND TRUST COMPANY – William T. W. and Abel Kingsbury West were brothers and business partners who built the West House Hotel. This building still stands, but it looks much different today. This will be the new home for several County offices. READ MORE
THE MAHALA BLOCK
This building was located just to the east of the Kingsbury building.
In 1894, William West built this four-story commercial structure on East Washington Row between Columbus Ave. and Wayne Street called it the Mahala Building.
It was destroyed by fire in 1909. READ MORE