Jimmy Vancherie Shared A Story About the Havre de Grace Switchboard
(Apologies for the blurry photo – no matter what we did, we either got blur or reflection!)
Jimmy told George years ago that his mom was a switchboard operator and the service was located on the 2nd floor of the old Post Office Building (where JoRetro is located) on the corner of Franklin and Union.
Now you knew that Bahoukas Antique Mall would certainly have a unique line of antique and collectible phones to complete this piece of history. Check these out (and they work!):
This is a beautiful phone. It’s a Western Electric “Stowaway” – it’s in a most beautiful wooden case and has a retractable cord on the phone. It’s from the 70s and talk about ‘stylish’! WOW! This piece is beautiful. You have to stop in and see it.
Then check out this unique phone. It’s almost a piece of sculpture. It’s an Ericsson, made in Sweden. The dial pad is on the bottom.
The next phones are a Bell System 1940s dial phone (on the left) and a Princess Style Phone from the 70s on the right. The color of the Princess Phone is rare.
Of course, we can’t ignore the wonderful working reproduction of the Candlestick phone with dial pad. And we encourage you to “Phone Home” just like E.T.
Did you know about the switchboard operator that worked on the 2nd floor of the old Post Office building? Anyone in cyber-land have any stories to add? Stop in one day soon at Bahoukas and share your stories with George.
Yes, the Dead of Night Paranormal Investigators Are Returning
We had 18 guests join the Paranormal Investigators on March 25th. It was a long night, but we had several interesting interactions. Here’s the first of several audio clips. It’s important to note that some of what you hear is the equipment we use. These are unedited.
It was most certainly an interesting night. We have at least a dozen clips from the evening. Do you hear the name called out in this clip?
And yes, we’ve scheduled another evening. The last event filled up in days after our announcement. So if you’re planning to attend, give us a call ASAP! It should be an awesome night!
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.
“The Pink House” – Havre Iron Company
and The Havre Republican Newspaper
This bond was signed on January 1, 1879. The following are the signatures of A.P. McCombs, President, and the Secretary, E. Mortimer Bye.
These items can be seen at Bahoukas Antique Mall and Beer MuZeum.
A.P. McCombs built the grand Victorian Home located at 120 S. Union Avenue in Havre de Grace. This beautiful home is well-known in the area as “The Pink House.” You won’t miss it! Click the link below to read the pdf and learn more about this building from the Maryland Historic Trust document with photos.
In addition, A.P. McCombs built the building on the east side of N. Union Ave – corner of Union and Franklin – 467 Franklin, which at one time was used for the U.S. Post Office. JoRetrois now located there! Click the link to the JoRetro site to view photos of the building! (It’s also a wonderful shop to visit while you’re in town!)
From 1868-1881, A.P. McCombs & Son published a weekly newspaper, The Havre Republican. The clip below is from Pettengill’s Newspaper Directory and Advertisers’ Hand-Book for 1878:
Needless to say, A.P. McCombs left a legacy in Havre de Grace. Stop in and chat with George, he’s a wealth of information and the most interesting tidbits about Havre de Grace!
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.
We are starting an identification game and want to see how many people can guess what the item is. The item’s identity will be revealed every Monday and a new item will be put on.
We’ll be playing it on facebook and then we’ll post it here. Join us!
WhoZwhatsIts #1
First Clue:
approx 3 1/2 inches long and 3/4 inch wide; round also tapered on the ends Guess what it is!!!!!!!!
Next Clue:
All very good guesses but none of them are right – CLUE – North & South
We want to know what it is and what it’s used for!
Final Clue:
It’s magnetic
DID YOU FIGURE IT OUT? Here ya go….
It was a Magnet to put down a cow’s throat to make its way through to pickup any nails or metal the animal may have swallowed!!!!
George’s first story of ghosts in the store was from a visiting couple. It seems he was a paranormal and sensed a woman whom he said enjoyed the shop and was sitting in a particular chair.
Here’s George to tell us about “Mary.” Do you know who she might be?
NOTE: the photo is NOT the lady (sorry)
NOTE 2: The chair has since been sold. We’re not sure Mary stayed, but we’ve had no bad energies even though we sold her chair.
It’s truly amazing what bits of Havre de Grace History show up on the counter at Bahoukas Antique Mall and Beer MuZeum.
The US Battleship “Maine” is an American naval ship that sank in Havana Harbor during the Cuban revolt against Spain, an event that became a major political issue in the United States. The Spanish–American War began in April 1898, two months after the sinking. Advocates of the war used the rallying cry, “remember the Maine! To Hell with Spain!” ___from Wikipedia
This trade card offers the painting of the U.S. Battleship Maine sailing along the coastline, by Fetherston. On bottom right reads: Copyright 1898 by M.F. Tobin, U.S.V. Navy, New York. Measures framed 16 1/2″ high by 24 1/4″ wide by 1″ deep. Visual 8 3/4″ high by 16″ wide. It includes a small portrait of Capt. Charles Sigsbee (top right) and includes the artist’s signature (bottom left).
Below are close ups of Capt. Charles Sigsbee, the title, and the artist’s signature:
Here’s the LINK to the personal narrative of the sinking of the “Maine” from Capt. Sigsbee.
CLICK HERE for an excellent piece titled “The Painting on the Wall” by Dean James Stavridis, a retired Navy Admiral, regarding the US Battleship Maine. It’s a different artist’s painting, but the thoughts from a 2013 perspective are interesting.
What’s truly unique is the back of the piece is stamped with “Jones Bazaar” offering China, Glass, Queensware and so much more… right here in Havre de Grace. Listen to that audio for the story of how George received this amazing piece and what he learned of Jones Bazaar!
Stop in and chat with George … you’re sure to learn something unique and fun!
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.
Have you noticed the little boy ghost who has a favorite sailboat?
George shares a brief story of the little boy who got really upset when George moved the sailboat behind the counter. George was trying to keep it so it wouldn’t be sold, but the little boy was not entirely pleased. Listen to the audio:
Do you want to join the “Dead of Night” Paranormal Investigators and experience the not-so-visible folks who share the store at Bahoukas? A great evening is being scheduled. Don’t miss this event. If we’re lucky, we’ll have so many folks, we’ll need to schedule another night or two. These investigators have been here before and we had a great evening. Are you up to it? Ready to see, hear, or feel the quiet (or maybe not so quiet) inhabitants that hang around the shop? Here are the details. Call George ASAP to be included or to find out if he’ll have another date available.
This Icy Ball (which weighs nearly 40 pounds) was used for refrigeration in the 1920s. It was manufactured by the Crosley Radio Corporation. It was actually a pretty amazing piece of equipment. Listen to George explain how it was used.
In addition, we found this interesting post where Aberdeen Proving Ground did some testing on this concept as late as 1974! This particular Icy Ball was actually used by the Pitcock Brothers in this very building back in the day! Want to know more about how it works? Check out this photo!
