Entering the 20th century, Havre de Grace’s canning industry was thriving.
CLICK HERE for a brief highlight of canning in Harford County.
EXAMPLE of labels that can be seen in our shop at Bahoukas.
Shortly after 1878, Stephen J. Seneca opened a fruit-packing factory in the S. J. Seneca Warehouse with a tin can factory next to Havre de Grace Waterfront. Seneca made improvements to canning with his patents; 1889 Can-soldering machine[12] 1891 Can-soldering machine[13] By 1899, Seneca had become a canned goods broker. Since the original railroad had run down St. Clair Street (now Pennington Ave.) to the river the location of the factory was advantageous for both water and rail shipping. Up until the Second World War many farmers in Harford County brought their produce to the Seneca Factory later run as Stockhams Cannery. S.J. Seneca lived at 200 North Union Ave. was Mayor of Havre de Grace 1893-1894 and donated the Methodist Church.[14]
The Seneca cannery, which is currently in use as an antique shop, is a very good example of a late 19th century brick industrial building. with its severally classical facade and massive stone buttresses on the rear.
from Wikipedia
Here’s another photo of area labels of the once, very profitable canning industry in Havre de Grace and surrounding areas.
Many patents followed the opening of the S. J. Seneca Cannery. 1901 The Baling-press.[15] 1905 The Cooker[16] 1905 The Tomato-scalder.[17] 1917 Improved Tomato-scalder.[18] 1917 The Can-opener.[19] 1918 The Machine for peeling tomatoes.[20]
from Wikipedia
Spencer-Silver Mansion, now a B&B, located at 200 S. Union Avenue, is an example of the wealth in Havre de Grace in the early 20th century.
The house was built to reflect the wealth and position of its original owner John Spenser, who was in the fish packing business. Along with the Seneca Mansion (HA 815) and the Van Diver Mansion (HA 1124), all on Union Ave., the house represents a small concentration of considerable wealth in the town at the turn of the century. The house was bought at auction in 1917 by Charles B. Silver, a local canning magnate. source: Maryland Historical Trust
You may also want to visit the Steppingstone Museum located within the Susquehanna State Park, at 461 Quaker Bottom Road, Havre de Grace. They have excellent exhibits of our rural history, including a great deal about our canning industry. Be sure to stop in to Bahoukas for more history of Havre de Grace and they’ll eagerly give you directions to other locations in Havre de Grace to learn more.
Susquehanna Hose Company Auxiliary Police Department
The photo is the badge of the Fire Police, Havre de Grace.
This photo shows the members of the Susquehanna Hose Company being sworn in as Auxiliary Policemen by Mayor Walter McLhinney. We believe this photo is from around 1947-1949.
Members taking the oath from left to right are:
G. Robert Pennington, Sr., Fred Bernard, Phil Pascuzzi, UNKNOWN, Charles Gamatoria, Frank Perugino, Harold “Jake” Tollenger, Ed McComas, Alvaro Moretti, Dick Walker, Jack Lay and Chief of Police William Bullock.
Do you know anything about this organization. Share it with us on Facebook or visit George at the shop.
Yeah we have a winner Becky Fitzgerald is correct…..Mothball atomizer to attach to a vacuum cleaner
ANSWER: Mothball atomizer used to treat closets and storage areas for moth damage prevention. Attaches to vacuum exhaust end. Glass canister was filled with moth ball flakes and used to fumigate.
Skill, Art, Creativity, Re-purposing – what have you done with something you purchased at Bahoukas?
We are always meeting wonderful folks at Bahoukas. But sometimes we are really amazed at the incredible talent that shows up. This guy bought several old, tarnished portholes a while back. One day he came back to the shop to purposely show Betty what he does with them. Astounding.
Meet Oscar Sommer. He is 63, retired, and living here in Havre de Grace enjoying the art he loves – finding the perfect items to re-purpose. He also loves painting and photography.
Here’s the first item he brought in to show us:
The top shows what Oscar purchased. Below is the beautifully
cleaned, wire brushed or buffed piece.
He loves bringing the beautiful back into brass pieces.
But that’s not all. Here’s what he creates with some of them.
Here he creates a wall hanging, the porthole window opens… and there’s a love note to Popeye from Olive Oil!
In this beautifully finished piece to the left, he placed a mirror.
He has dozens of ideas or will make one to suit your needs.
Before talking with us, he hadn’t really thought about selling these. But we think they are too beautiful not to share.
Let us know if you’re interested, and we’ll be sure to put you in touch with Oscar.
Below is another unique piece, where he’s lovingly returned the beauty and utility to this old hand-cranked ice cream maker. which has all the internal parts working.
We know Casper was friendly (and yes, our little doll is for sale). But who knew that one of the dolls that has since been sold just loved to play tricks on Betty.
Listen to Betty’s short tale of a doll that just couldn’t keep his safety-pinned pants on.
What do you think?
(It makes me wonder what happened when the person who bought the doll took it home!)
I saw this and kept wondering how small the cannon must have been to use these cannon balls. hahahahaha Needless to say, one needs to read the entire description. These are Cannon Ball ‘folding-siding Garage Door Set Combinations’ – not cannon balls!!!
Sadler’s Hardware was located on the corner of Warren and Union (opposite from where the 7-Eleven is located). It’s now a parking lot. This box was from Sadler’s. I didn’t measure it, but it was about a foot square. Do you have info you wish to share with us about the Sadler Hardware? Please visit out FB page and share what you know.
Havre de Grace Distributing Company, a wholesale beer and wine distributor from 1944-1993
Kathryn Asher was well known in Havre de Grace as a woman managing a beer and wine distributorship in a time when women managers were still unusual – in the wine and beer industry, probably even more rare. But as the following paragraph states, she also was very active in the community.
She was born in Havre de Grace, MD to the late Arthur P.G. Asher and Ada May Keen on December 28, 1918. She graduated from Havre de Grace High School in 1935 and attended the Baltimore Business College and University of Baltimore. She was a devoted member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church where she taught Sunday school. She was a Charter member and Charter President of the Harford County/Havre de Grace Soroptimist Club. She managed the family owned business, Havre de Grace Distributing Company, a wholesale beer and wine distributor from 1944-1993. Kathryn J. Asher died on Sept. 11, 2005 at the age of 86. …from the Cecil Whig Newspaper Obituaries
Listen to George share a bit of knowledge and some items he acquired following her death and, more recently, the family’s efforts to sell the building.
The above picture is NOT for sale. It is a part of the collection in the Bahoukas Beer MuZeum as part of the city’s history.
But this great chalkboard (on the left) is available. It was a promotional piece used to write the day’s specials in a bar.
But this great chalkboard (on the left) is available. It was a promotional piece used to write the days specials in a bar.
Here’s the mural that was originally painted on the building. It has since been painted over.
George always gets excited when he finds any treasures representing Havre de Grace history!
This Wild West Bank c1950′s came from the Havre de Grace National Bank on St John Street. The building is now La Banque de Fleuve – a stunning, special events venue in historic downtown Havre de Grace. We’ll point you to their direction – just a block away – when you stop in for a visit.
