Note: There are 82 items in the following list. All of them do not fit on one page, so if you reach the bottom of the page without reaching item #82, you will need to click on "Older Posts" to see the remainder.
For returning readers, I've started keeping a list of updates as I continue to add new images — you can find it here.
And those of you who want to go straight to the old mill — click here.

(1) 706 E. Fourth Street

"This Tudor-type building, now the Hobart Historical Society Museum, was originally the Hobart Public Library, built in 1915 under a Carnegie grant through efforts of the Woman's Reading Club (now the Hobart Woman's Club). The women raised the money to buy the lot, razed the small residence on the property and supervised the establishment of the library. To spread the tax base it became a township library and was absorbed into the Lake County Public Library system. When a new library was built in 1968, the building was purchased by the Hobart Historical Society."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ An undated photo of Hobart's first library. This modest frame building stood on the same lot where the second library, now the Hobart Historical Society's museum, was built in 1915.
♦ A slideshow of photos of the library's construction, 1914-15.
♦ A slideshow of library images, outside and inside. These photos are not dated, but based on the fashions worn by the people in them I'm guessing they were taken not long after the library opened in 1915.
♦ A then-and-now view that includes a 1915 shot of the newly built library.
♦ A bird's-eye view of the library building from the old water tower on New Street, ca. 1915. (The original M.E. Church, which was replaced in 1916, can be seen to the west of it.)
♦ The library and the house that once stood behind it (now a parking lot), circa 1918.
♦ A little girl whose identity is unknown, the library and the new church building circa 1929.
♦ The library in 1967, nearing the end of its career as a library.

(2) 654 E. Fourth Street

"The First United Methodist Church congregation built a small brick church here in 1871. It was replaced in 1914 and many additions have since been made."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ The original church building (and parsonage) circa 1910 in a then-and-now view; and another circa-1910 view, from a different angle.
♦ The present church building, circa 1918, 1920, undated but probably circa 1920s, 1927-28 (those are the "Student Cops"), 1929 and 1945.
♦ Inside the present church building in the 1930s (and handwritten notes from the back of the photo identifying its subjects).
♦ The north side of the original parsonage circa 1918.

(3) 550 E. Fourth Street

"This two-story brick building was built by Dr. Andrew Willing in 1887 and was where he and his daughter, Dr. Mary Willing, practiced medicine. Dr. Andrew Willing moved his practice to Wheeler. Dr. Mary married W. Leonard Owen, son of W.B. Owen, who also became a doctor and they moved to South Bend. The building was bought by Mr. Bullock and used as a home and rental property. Sam Routes later owned the buildings and his son, John, had his dental office here. It is now occupied by Manis Transmission."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ Dr. Mary Willing circa 1898.
♦ In the right background of this 1953 photo, to the right of the house with the trellis on its porch (which is still standing), you can just make out the two-story brick building described above.

(4) Fourth St., south side, between Main and Center

"This was the first site of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church (511 Fourth St.). The building was moved to another site."

(5) Southwest corner of Fourth and Main Streets

"A Mrs. Ellis had a hat shop on this corner in the early 1900s. Later the home was used as a youth center, 'The Ho-Hive.' The building was razed and the space used as a city hall parking lot."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ In this undated parade scene (probably circa 1890), the photographer stood on the east side of Main Street pointing his camera southwest toward the intersection of Main and Fourth; just left of the trees you can see the buildings on the southwest corner of that intersection — two or more frame houses.
♦ The Ho-Hive, as pictured in the Hobart Herald of October 20, 1955.

(6) 454 E. Fourth Street

"Sherman Henderson, who became Hobart City's first mayor, built a home and ice cream factory here. Hobart bought the building for a city hall, jail and fire-fighters' office in 1925."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ This circa-1965 view shows the former Henderson ice-cream factory serving as the Hobart city hall.
♦ The new city hall has been built but the old city hall is still standing in this 1969 photo.

(7) West end of Fourth Street at the lake

"Hobart's first fire station was built here."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ A couple undated views of the fire station at the end of Fourth Street.
♦ Too bad we don't have a date for this photo — it's a wonderfully clear shot of the old fire station.
♦ The fire station and members of the fire department in 1941 (Fred Rose, Sr. is at center in the white outfit).
♦ The fire station later housed police operations too, as seen in this 1968 photo; from the same year, a photo of Officer Mike Bobele at work inside the station.

(8) 701 E. Third Street

"Jerry Killigrew's blacksmith's shop was on this lot in the 1880s. Roper Brothers built the building in the 1920s and were the agency for Chevrolet cars and later Ford cars. Paul Heuring was the next owner and sold Fords. When Heuring relocated, Express Auto opened."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ This circa-1928 image shows the newly built home of the Roper brothers' auto sales business.
♦ The Paul Heuring Ford dealership, probably circa 1968 (and here is the Heuring "Bargain Lot," exact location unknown).
♦ Outside Express Auto Supply in 1972; inside in 1975.

(8.1) 634 E. Third Street

This location was not included in the original 1979 article, but I have a little information on it. Apparently William and Amanda Scholler built a home here, more or less across the street from the Scholler blacksmith shop (see Item 10 below). Later the house was used as a business office by Ittel Realty, then by Walker Printing, after which it was demolished. A small restaurant was built on the site, housing, among other enterprises, Downtown Chuck's and now (2011) the Panda restaurant.

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ A set of photos showing Walker Printing in the Scholler house, circa 1970.
♦ Demolition of the Scholler house, date unknown.
♦ Downtown Chuck's in 1981.

(9) 626 E. Third Street

"This was the site of the Scholler warehouse for farm machinery and at the alley hung a fire bell that called volunteer firefighters when they were needed. Ittel Realty now operates here."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ Although this 1969 yearbook ad for Ittel Realty gives its address as 623 E. Third, the building matches the 626 E. Third building.

(10) 655 – 651 E. Third Street

"Site of Scholler's Blacksmith Shop, the last one operating in Hobart, and the Ballantyne wagon shop. Attorney Ray Kostbade remodeled the buildings in the 1950s as offices, now occupied by Kneifel and Behnke, Attorneys."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ Several views of the Scholler blacksmith shop.
♦ A then-and-now view of the southwest corner of Third and East Streets that includes the Scholler blacksmith shop and the Ballantyne repair shop.

(11) 619 E. Third Street

"The Alwin Wild building was erected in 1910. Here Mr. Wild had a funeral home and furniture store. It was once used as township trustee's offices and as a church by a Baptist congregation. Two apartments upstairs have been cut into smaller units. Epperson's Furniture Store does business here today."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ The Wild building is at left on this postcard, postmarked 1913.
♦ Epperson's Furniture in the Wild building (image undated; perhaps 1980s?).

(12) 618 E. Third Street

"Dr. L.M. Friedrich built the two-story brick building in 1910 and had his doctor's office and home here. A photographer was on the second floor as well. The first floor at different times housed a variety store (bread was 5 cents a loaf), a bakery, a fancy work shop, a book store, offices of the Hobart Gazette, and a beauty shop. The east half was rented for the Hobart Post Office from 1923 until 1937. A restaurant was once here, also township trustee's offices. Smith Insurance now has offices here."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ This image is not dated, but it appears to show the Friedrich block newly built.
♦ The Friedrich building, from a postcard postmarked 1913.
♦ Third Street including the Friedrich building around 1920, or a little earlier.
♦ The Smith-Schoon-Hampsten insurance office, 318 E. Third, in 1972.
♦ Inside the Smith Agency in 1975.

(13) 600 E. Third Street (northeast corner of Third and Center Streets)

"First a frame building was on this corner and housed an inn. A two-story brick replaced it as a hotel and tavern. It became a restaurant (the Green Café) and later a saloon before it was razed and brick store buildings built by Dr. A.G. Miller. Downstairs once was a bowling lanes, then an antique store, sport store and now a locksmith is here."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ Several views of the two-story brick building (no longer standing) that then housed the Amazon restaurant.
♦ Another view of the two-story building, undated (perhaps mid-1920s?).
♦ The demolition of the two-story building, January 14, 1951 (per the handwritten notes on the back of the original).
♦ A 1957 street scene showing Hobart Shoes in the present one-story building; the front of Hobart Shoes in 1964.

(14) 607 E. Third Street

"Scheddell and Reissig had a drug store here. After they closed, Otto Bray opened a meat market and later Marshall Parry operated a grocery store before he moved to Main Street. More recently the Hobart Gazette was published here. Now occupied by Coburn Ceramics."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ The interior of the Reissig drug store in an undated image.
♦ The office of the Hobart Gazette in 1966 and 1971; inside the office in 1972.

(15) Southeast corner of Third and Center Streets

"Paul Newman and his son, Mickey, operated a hardware store in a long frame building on this corner. Later he converted the Third Street part to be a garage and car sales (Newman Motor and Hardware Sales, 601 E. Third St.). They sold Krit and Brisco cars. He also had agencies for Pontiac, Ford and Chevrolet. After Mickey Newman's death, American Tire Company used the building. Epperson's Furniture rented the building from Hobart Development Corporation at one time after it had been extensively remodeled. It is now occupied by Nature's Way. In the rear of the building is the Hobart Beauty College (315 Center St.). Dick Wheaton briefly had his appliance store in this room. Apartments are upstairs."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ The interior of Paul Newman's hardware store (undated, but probably circa 1907-1912).
♦ Directly behind the horse and carriage in this July 1947 photo, you can see the Newman store; note the vertical Chevrolet sign on the Third Street side of its façade.

(16) 538 – 534 E. Third Street

"The Guyer Building, built in 1897, had living quarters upstairs and downstairs housed a variety store and grocery. From 1910 until 1923 the Hobart Post Office was on the east side and Sauter and Mackeldy, then Brand and Fleck, and later Sothmans ran a grocery store on the west side. Peter Bates used the east side as a candy store before he moved to Main Street. Then W.B. Mitchell had a hardware store here before he moved to Illinois and Georgianna. Now Streight's T.V. and Appliances uses the entire first floor. A dentist office was on the second floor and a chiropractor had offices here."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ The Guyer Building was new when this photo was taken in 1897 or 1898. (That image was printed in May 1898 along with this biographical sketch of Mr. Guyer and his building.)
♦ A street view that includes the Guyer Building as post office. The image is undated, but the scarcity of autos on the street suggests it was taken closer to 1910 than 1923.
♦ The Brand & Fleck grocery store circa 1928.
♦ The Guyer Building as it appeared in an advertisement in 1962.
♦ A photo of the installation of new traffic lights downtown caught a nice view of the Guyer Building in July 1968.

(17) 530 E. Third Street

"Where Elinor's Shop is now located was once Hamman's livery and later Batterman's machine shop. There was a roller skating rink on the second floor. Later there was a dancing school upstairs as well as Phi Delt club rooms. Betz bought the building and after a fire in 1929 rebuilt it. In the 1940s the A&P rented the first floor and there was a bowling alley in the basement. Earlier Howard Rees had a furniture store here. Harvey's Dime Store was located in the building until in the 1950s a fire razed the building. It was rebuilt for Elinor's."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ According to handwritten notes on the original of this image, the M.W. Jory wagon shop stood on the site where Elinor's was eventually built (but see Item 18 below).
♦ Batterman's machine shop, exterior and interior, circa 1898.
♦ Harvey's Dime Store (undated).
♦ Views of Elinor's in 1957, 1965, and 1988; and Elinor Greener presiding over her shop, sometime in the 1960s.

(18) 524 E. Third Street

"A wagon shop was next to Batterman's machine shop in the late 1800s. Later a new building housed Dell Beach's jewelry shop. Beach sold to Rod Cubberley and moved to Valparaiso. Cubberly subsequently moved to Main Street and Dick Wheaton had an appliance store here until the Harvey Dime Store fire. Since then it has been a liquor store. On the alley was situated a motorcycle shop, then a saloon, later a barber shop before it became Dollstedt's meat market, then Maurer's Market."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ The M.W. Jory wagon shop may be the wagon shop referred to in this item; there seems to be some uncertainty about its precise location (see Item 17 above).
♦ Handwritten notes on the back of this photo identify it as the "Dell F. Beach jewelry store before 1920" but give no location; I'm placing it here for the moment.
♦ Inside Maurer's Meats in 1977.

(19) 510 E. Third Street

"In the rear of the Roper building (Third and Main) was once a Chinese laundry. Hobart's Post Office was in the building from 1889 until 1910. Here also has been Baumer's bakery, dental office, art supply store and barber shop. Partlow's law office, Pfeifer's barber shop, and the Oasis saloon are now here. Upstairs are Peddicord and Troutman law offices and Krulls surveyor offices with a residence over the Oasis. Different owners have had beauty parlors on the second floor. The Jewel Shop (237 Main St.) now occupies the corner rooms."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ Circa 1928, interior views of the offices of William J. Krull and Roscoe R. Peddicord (and no doubt you'll recognize Attorney Peddicord's house).

(20) Southwest corner of Third and Center Streets to mid-block

"George Stocker built the Union Block so many remember as Stommel's store (529 E. Third St.). Residences were upstairs and for many years the offices of Dr. Clara Faulkner. The building was razed and the Hobart Federal Savings and Loan building (555 E. Third St.) is now here. Next to this site was Charles Borger's harness shop with a residence above (525 E. Third St.). The House of Fabrics (525 E. Third St.) is now here and also uses the next building which was Charlie Gruel's meat market. Other butchers were Paul Schulze (Superior Market, 521 E. Third St.), Dollstedt and Uremovich. A barber shop once used a small room which is now the office of Gearhart Realty (519 E. Third St.). In the rear a locker plant operated until home freezers became common. Residences are upstairs."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ The "general merchandise establishment" of Stommel & Scheidt, inside and out, circa 1898.
♦ In this view of Third Street, the Union Block is at left (undated, but probably from the first decade of the 20th century).
♦ Stommel's store in the Union Block building in 1925.
♦ The interior of Charles Borger's harness shop in 1895.
♦ An undated view of the exterior of Charles Borger's harness shop.
♦ Charles Borger at work in his harness shop.
♦ This photo taken during Hobart's centennial celebration in 1947 shows Stommel's store in the background; at right is Carl Krause, the store's manager. We also have a photo of Carl (or Karl) Krause inside Stommel's; the photo is undated but by the calendar in the background we can guess at 1958.
♦ Several more photos of Stommel's on July 4, 1947, during Hobart's centennial festivities.
♦ A back view of the east side of Stommel's on December 27, 1950.
♦ Someone was busy with a camera inside Stommel's in 1957, and I have the slideshow to prove it (25 images — for hardcore Stommel's fans only!).
♦ An exterior view of Stommel's store, undated but probably from the mid-1950s to early 1960s.
♦ Hobart Federal Savings, 555 E. Third, in 1962; inside HFS in 1972.
♦ The Hobart Locker & Meat Market, 521 E. Third, in 1967.

(21) 517 E. Third Street

"Hillman's saloon, The Hub, was at the alley and Third Street and was later operated by Henry Ittel. Bob Wheaton opened an electric shop here and then again it was a saloon and pool hall. A dancing school and nursery school used the building before Shorei Goju Karate. Living quarters are upstairs."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ A then-and-now view with two exterior shots of The Hub and one interior.
♦ Somewhere inside this building, Dick Wheaton operated a ham radio in 1937.

(22) 501 – 505 E. Third Street (southeast corner of Third and Main Streets)

"Scheidt and Keilman's Bee Hive Store had one entrance on Third Street. Remodeling, the building became part of the First State Bank offices. Again remodeled, and a small building added, Binder opened a jewelry shop in the small room which was later owned by Matt Seling. It is now an antique shop. In the former bank building on the Third Street side is now a Christian Science reading room (503 E. Third St.) and Prudential employment office."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ A then-and-now post that includes two exterior views of the Bee Hive.
♦ The interior of the Bee Hive circa 1919.
♦ A circa-1907 view of the intersection of Main and Third that prominently features 501 – 505 E. Third St.

(23) 449 E. Third Street (building no longer standing)

"This small building has housed a taxi stand, an antique shop, and is now used by Hobart Hardware."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ The Little Pioneer Studio, an antique store operated by Phillipa Dangremond, on August 2, 1968.

(24) 447 E. Third Street

"The Hobart Employment Agency was originally Dr. Lowell E. Dupes' office."

(25) 437 – 439 E. Third Street

"The two-story building next was built by Harry Livingston for the telephone company which used rooms upstairs. Livingston installed his hardware store downstairs. At various times the building has housed a barber shop, Red Cross quarters, restaurants, a craft shop, book store, party hall, and other short-lived ventures. Hobart Sports (437 E. Third St.) occupies the first floor, Walker's Printing in the basements (439 E. Third St., Lower Level) and offices upstairs."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ Ann's Lakeview Ice Cream Parlor, owned by Ann and Ted Menn, operated at 439 E. Third in 1968.
♦ Hobart Sports, at 437 E. Third, in 1973.
♦ In 1988 the building housed Walker & Son Quality Printing and an enterprise called, apparently, The Dugout.

(26) 431 – 435 E. Third Street

"The one-story building at the bridge and Third was built for Joy Cleaners (435 E. Third St.). Kenneth Halsted had a barber shop (431 E. Third St.) for many years in one room where Beverly's Dress Shop is now. A third room is vacant."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ Ads placed by Joy Cleaners in Hobart High School yearbooks in 1958, 1960, 1963 and 1964.
♦ By 1975 this building was occupied by Myrna's Bridal Boutique (431 E. Third) and The Trunk (435 E. Third).

(27) 109 – 111 E. Third Street

"This large building was once a street car barn built in 1912, with a residence on the second floor. It is now owned and used by Boyd Construction Co. (109 E. Third St.) The Hobart License Bureau has a room in front (111 E. Third St.)."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ A then-and-now post with an undated photo of the streetcar barn.
♦ Inside Boyd Construction in 1969.

(28) 101 E. Third Street

"The next building was the last site of an A&P store in Hobart. Colley Optical was once here, then Creative Interiors."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ The A&P store on the evening of June 19, 1968.
♦ A 1980 ad for Creative Interiors.

(29) 150 E. Third Street

"Hobart's last large ice storage building (built by Barnes) was here. It burned in the 1920s and a filling station (Tower Mobilgas Service) was erected. This has been remodeled into rooms for the present Costume Shop."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ Outside the Tower Mobilgas service station in June 1948: John Hagerty, Don Nocarotta and Frank Vedopi, and Frank Vedopi's 1938 Ford.
♦ In this snapshot of the Deep River nearly swamping the Third Street bridge (taken October 11, 1954), you can see the Tower Mobilgas behind the trees at left. Another flood photo includes a dim view of the gas station in the background at left. (That may be the same flood, although someone has written "approx. 1953" on the back of the original.)

(30) 447 Center Street

"The Spencer family, retired circus and theater people, lived here. They operated a small grocery store for many years. Some of the family were school teachers and they also organized an orchestra and played for many functions. Across the street was the Nickel Plate Railroad depot."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ The second photo down in this post is the Nickel Plate depot (date unknown).
♦ The Nickel Plate depot — undated, but I'm guessing circa 1920 (and here she is again.)
♦ I'm not entirely sure of the ID, but this may be the Spencer house circa 1968.

(31) 426 Center Street

"The first Trinity Lutheran Church was built here about 1876. A parsonage was added and when the new church was built on Main Street the buildings were used for a Lutheran Day School. The Unitarian Church bought the property when a new school was built on Linda Street. Later the Wooddale Baptist church owned the property, building a Sunday School building. Today, Denny's Radio & T.V. (426 Center St.) is in the church building, Rose Lee's Beauty Shop (426½ Center St.), Creative Interiors and March of Dimes office are in the Sunday School building."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ The original church and parsonage in an undated photo from a booklet printed to commemorate the church's 75th anniversary.
♦ A then-and-now post showing the first Trinity Lutheran Church building, at a time when it was probably serving as a school.
♦ An undated photo showing the Trinity Lutheran school's students and teachers posing in front of the original church building.

(32) 223 – 225 Center Street

"Dr. A.G. Miller built the large apartment house with his offices and clinic downstairs in 1929. Since his death the offices have been a dental office, beauty shops and now a realty office. Luigi's Pizza Parlor (225 Center St.) is in the south room."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ A slideshow of yearbook ads for Luigi's Pizza, 1961-1965 (apparently in the north room); and Luigi's in the south room in 1988.
♦ The Brickie Photo Center in the north room in 1981 and 1982.

(33) 219 Center Street

"Hobart's first school, built by the townspeople in 1845, was on the site of the Masonic Temple. Lake County Old Settlers' records relate one oak was cut down and made into enough lumber to build the entire school and all the furniture in it. It was moved in 1925 to Water Street."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ A then-and-now post with two early-20th-century views of the schoolhouse.
♦ The newly built Masonic temple (circa 1925).
♦ If you scroll down through this rather lengthy post, you will find an early (circa 1925) interior view of the Masonic temple.

(34) 201 Center Street

"Dr. Edwin Gordon, local doctor who was also County Coroner, built this large house with a ball room on the third floor. Dr. Brink later lived here as well as Mayor Owen Roper and his family. Dr. Charles Bradley bought the home and before St. Bridget Church owned it, it was rental property."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ The Second Street side of the house in February 1968.

(35) 139 Center Street

"This is the Rifenburg home, the first house in Hobart to have central heating and a full bathroom. Dr. Richard Mackey owned the house after Rifenburg, and it is now cut into apartments and owned by Sothmans. The home has been featured as one of the Historic Homes of the Midwest in a series in the Chicago Tribune."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ A couple interior views circa 1898.
♦ The house was probably occupied by the family of Dr. Richard and Ruth Mackey when the second photo in this post was taken.
♦ The trees almost hide the house, at right, in this undated image (I'm guessing, very roughly, circa 1915).
♦ This post includes a photograph of Dr. Richard C. Mackey.
♦ An article from the Hobart Gazette of September 30, 1954, about the house and its various inhabitants.
♦ The building in the background of the photograph illustrating this post may be the "two story tile barn" referred to in the 1954 article linked above.
♦ An article from the Chicago Tribune of June 11, 1967, primarily concerning William Rifenburg.

(36) 130 Center Street

"'The Caring Place' was built as a convent for St. Bridget Church and was rented to small businesses when the convent was moved. It was once the site of the Stocker, later the Jake Kramer, Jr. (130 Center St.), home."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ The Stocker home in the background as a parade moves down Center Street, circa 1905.
♦ The Stocker home from the air, circa 1954-1963.
♦ The St. Bridget convent under construction in August 1967, with the Stocker home on its north side.
♦ A photographer aiming at something else caught the Stocker home through the trees in February 1968.
♦ The demolition of the Stocker home, May 27, 1968.

(37) Southwest corner, Center and Front Streets

"This corner once boasted a small store or trading post. When George Earle came to the locality to establish the town of Hobart he bought all the land nearby, built a log house and, with Henry Sylvester Smith, a sawmill. In 1847, he built a grist mill on the site now occupied by Gary National Bank (66 Main St.). Another Earle building was Earle's Art Gallery, built in 1858. St. Bridget's purchased this for their first church in 1874. This area, block 35 and 36 on the town plat, was called 'Earle's Reserve.'"

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ The Catholic parsonage, previously the home of the Augustus Wood family, stood on this corner before the present St. Bridget Church (image undated, but probably circa 1907-1912).

(38) 55 Center Street

"Kip Humes had a garage on the corner where Isakson's is now, and before Isakson's expanded our Chief of Police Williams Woods once lived in a frame house just north of the garage."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ Kenneth "Kip" Humes circa 1944.
♦ The Isakson dealership in 1966 and 1967, and an interior shot from 1970.

(39) Northwest corner, Center and Front Streets

"The home of the American Legion was at this location. They bought Pletcher garage in 1936. The Lions Club and other organizations met here. A Pentecostal Church was organized and met in the building. It is now a laundromat."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ The small block building at center in the background of this photo is the former Pletcher garage, later used by the American Legion, Lions Club etc.
♦ Outside the Norge Village laundromat in August 1967; inside in 1980.

(40) Intersection of Center and Main Streets

"The filling stations, Verplank's and Art Behrend's, were built at Center and Main Streets, Verplank's with living quarter upstairs. Harry Grey operated the Home Service Station ("Main Street at the bridge") and later Frank and Dennis Lindborg (40 Main St.). William Walker continued Verplank's. Verplank's has been remodeled and Trustee Bill J. Rosser had offices here as well as Langbehn. City Judge Cefali and his son (17 Main St.) now have offices in the building."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ Harry Grey outside the Home Service Station in 1960, a 1961 view of the service station building, and a matchbook cover from Harry Grey's tenure; a collection of photographs and newspaper clippings spanning the Lindborg years, 1963 to 1979.
♦ Verplank's service station had become insurance offices at 15 Main by 1971, and had a change of agents by 1972.

(41) Northwest corner of Main and Front Streets

"This is known as the Hobart Mill site. Here George Earle, who had come from England to the Liverpool area, built a grist mill, damming Deep River to form Lake George. He moved his interests to the Hobart locale including the federal post office. Liverpool is in the western part of Hobart and part of it north in Hobart Township. The mill passed through a number of ownerships. In the 1880s William Ballantyne owned it and other owners were Roper and Brown, Frank Brown, and Lake County Co-op. After the mill burned in 1953, the Gary National Bank (66 Main St.) bought the property and built a branch office. A plaque memorializes the site."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ The old mill on a postcard postmarked 1908.
♦ Cows grazing near the old mill in 1909.
♦ A set of undated images of the old mill, ranging (as best I can judge) from near the turn of the century to perhaps the early 1950s.
♦ A then-and-now post with a circa-1939 view of the old mill.
♦ The mill circa 1940 and 1945.
♦ The mill and its associated buildings circa 1947, when it was owned by the Lake County Farm Bureau Co-op; and here you will find a few details about the mill buildings, by someone who worked there in the 1940s.
♦ This picture of the "old mill" ran in a newspaper shortly before the opening of Hobart's centennial festivities in 1947.
♦ In this view of the dam from Lake George (postcard postmarked 1949), the mill building is at the right edge of the picture, partially cut off.
♦ The still-smoldering ruins of the old mill in February 1953, and a commemorative postcard printed the same year.
♦ Two photos of the construction of the Gary National Bank at 66 Main circa 1954: looking north from Front Street and looking east toward Main Street.
♦ The Gary National Bank in 1965; inside the bank in 1975.

(42) 100 – 128 Main Street

"Lot #1 of Hobart's plat was the site of Lew Hammond's tavern, a stage coach stop. In 1886 it was run by Mrs. David Young as Young's Hotel. John Gordon came from Pennsylvania that year to visit his brother, Dr. Pliny Gordon. He walked from the Pennsylvania Railroad station down Front Street and inquired at the hotel where he could locate his brother. He was told he was upstairs at a dance. John Gordon bought a ticket for $2.50 and was handed a slip of paper. This, he was told, was a deed to a lot in the new cemetery on Front Street and the dance was being given to raise money to build a fence around the cemetery to keep the pigs and cows from grazing there. Mr. Gordon relates the hotel later burned down. At least four homes were built in this block, Henry Sylvester Smith's being one. All but one have been razed or moved. In the 1930s a beach was developed with a block house built on the shore of Lake George. When the beach was closed, the little building was used as school rooms for Lake Shore School for the Retarded. When classes outgrew the building, they were moved to the West Hobart School building and the Chamber of Commerce used the building. The Lake County Public Library (100 Main St.) chose this site to build a new library for Hobart in 1968. In the middle of the block Harrigan Real Estate (124 Main St.) has built an office building. One residence, originally built by Henry Sylvester Smith, still stands (128 Main St.)."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ In this then-and-now post, we see the block building, which originally served bathers at the beach, converted to the Chamber of Commerce office.
♦ Speaking of the Lake George beach, here we see what a lively place it was around 1933, and again around 1940; and on July 4, 1931, it was packed to the limit.
♦ The new library under construction in 1968; this construction photo was taken August 2, 1968.
♦ The newly built library in 1969.
♦ Harrigan Real Estate at 124 Main in 1979.

(43) 134 Main Street

"The second Trinity Lutheran Church was built on the corner in 1900. When the congregation built a third church on Linda Street, the old church was razed and the Lakeview Apartments (134 Main St.) built."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ Trinity Lutheran Church as it appeared on a postcard postmarked 1909, and then-and-now set showing the church circa 1910.
♦ The church's interior (image undated, but probably circa 1907-1912).
♦ Trinity Lutheran Church in an undated photo (possibly circa 1920s) and again in 1939.
♦ The church and its congregation on August 1, 1948.

(44) 100 block of Main Street, east side

"The Jarvis Roper home was built here in 1892. Just before St. Bridget Church bought the house for a convent, there was a beauty shop there. There were a number of small homes in this block. In one was a jewelry store and probably the post office (1881-1885). One home was used as a club house. The block is now covered by St. Bridget School (107 Main St.) with a filling station on the southeast corner."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ The first St. Bridget Church, a frame building that opened onto Main Street some distance south of Front. (The postcard is postmarked 1908.)
♦ From May 30, 1909, three street scenes that include the old St. Bridget Church (the white building in the near background, behind the trees).
♦ The interior of St. Bridget Church; notes on the back of the original suggest this was the first St. Bridget. This photo is undated, but since August Haase was the photographer, it probably dates to circa 1902-1913.
♦ Scroll down a bit in this post for a view of the second St. Bridget's Church, with the Jarvis Roper home partially visible at left.
♦ The "filling station on the southeast corner" was Balash's Standard Service in 1968; by 1972 it was Zobel's Standard.

(45) Southeast corner of Main and Second Streets

"The George Pedersen building was on the corner of Main and Second. An apartment upstairs was his home. He operated a wagon shop on the first floor, and in the rear Ernest Niksch had a blacksmith shop. Niksch also had a blacksmith shop on Main Street on the lake (114 Main St.). Dr. Storer, Dr. Markle, and Dr. Pruitt had offices in the building after Pedersen left. Northern Indiana Public Service Company offices were here before they built across the street. At one time the Hobart License Bureau also was here. A new building on the site is Edward's Store for Men (201 Main St.)."


Images (links open in a new window):
♦ The Pedersen building on November 29, 1913.
♦ A then-and-now post showing the Pedersen building.
♦ The Harrigan real estate and insurance office in the Pedersen building in 1966; and a nice photo of the whole building in September 1968.
♦ By 1973 Edward's menswear store had relocated from the Strattan building to this corner.
♦ By 1983 Edward's had become Greener's.

(46) Middle of 200 block of Main Street, east side (northerly part)

"A tinsmith and plumbing shop occupied a building at the rear of the next lot. Walker's Print Shop once rented rooms here. The next land on the east side of the 200 block of Main Street was Killigrew and Black property. The Joseph Black brick building was built in 1858. Here he operated a trading post and for 8 years (1861-1869) the Hobart post office. Black's son, Fred, continued the store and old timers recall, as boys, seining minnows and selling them to Black for his bait supply. The business was closed in the 1920s. Later a grocery store was located in this area. The Black building was razed in 1935 and the Hobart Post Office (221 Main St.) was built in 1937 on the Black and Killigrew property. (Leon Killigrew was Joseph Black's grandson.)"

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ This circa-1935 view takes in much of the 200 block of Main Street, including where the post office is now located.
♦ The future site of the Hobart post office on September 18, 1935. The photographer stood in the alley behind the post office site and pointed his camera west toward Main Street.
♦ Sometime in 1960 the Hobart Herald printed this article about the removal of the Killigrew house from 205 Main.
♦ This 1969 yearbook ad gives the address for Walker Printing as 205 Main.

(47) Middle of 200 block of Main Street, east side (southerly part)

"A billiard parlor, a plumbing shop and the Hoover Motorcycle Shop were businesses along the street. When the buildings were razed, Vernon Traeger built a sheet metal shop on the alley."

(48) 231 – 235 Main Street

"Lawrence Traeger's building was the next structure. He lived upstairs above his saloon. These rooms have always been used as a saloon. A small building north of the saloon has always been a lunch room. Some of the owners have been Mrs. Mitchell and her son, Harry, Rufle Lautzenhizer, Kenny and Emma Keilman and Elmer Kittredge. Eva Theodoras now runs G&E Lunch (231 Main St.)."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ At left in this image we can see the saloon building described here. (The image is undated, and I know only enough to date it between 1890 and 1926)
♦ The sign marking the G&E Restaurant and Lounge, circa 1977.
♦ A 1982 ad for Rich's Lounge at 235 Main.
♦ A bad night at 235 Main (image undated).

(49) 237 Main Street

"The large brick building on the corner was built by James Roper. There Rob Randhan had a meat market in the downstairs rooms. This was later Roper's Market and then Carstensen's market. Remodeled, it became the American Trust and Savings Bank. When banks closed during the Depression, Peter Bates opened a saloon and candy store. Into these rooms the Hobart Federal Savings and Loan moved from space in the 300 block of Main Street. Now Matt Seling's Jewel Shop is here."

Images (links open in a new window):
♦ Views of the building and its interior as well as a portrait of James Roper, Jr., all circa 1898.
♦ This image is undated, but must be prior to 1926 (when the building was remodeled with its current Neoclassical façade).
♦ A 1971 newspaper article that talks about the soda-bottling works operated in the basement of the Roper building by Hugo Zobject (or Zobjeck) between 1904 and 1908. (I do not have the photograph that accompanied the article.)
♦ Photographed outside the Bates restaurant and candy store, this float took second prize in the Labor Day parade of 1931 (according to notes on the back of the original).
♦ A bank on the main floor, the Peddicord law offices upstairs, in 1964 and 1965.
♦ A 1973 street view that includes The Jewel Shop at 237 Main; an interior view of The Jewel Shop in 1971.