This is a circa 1910 postcard photo (#A139) of the C.B. Hatton Drug Store at the corner of Monument Square and North Main Street (40 Monument Square).

At this time Otway Cooper Saddlery Co. was located on the first floor of this building just west of Hatton’s (#1690) and a clothing store, a building currently under renovation, was immediately west of that.

The pharmacy was started in 1881 at 34 Monument Square by Frank Valentine who sold the business to Charles B. Hatton in 1897. The store was moved in 1907 to the location shown. This became known as “Hatton’s Corner.” Nearly a century before, Doolittle’s Tavern had stood on the same site and served as the headquarters of Gov. Return J. Meigs during the War of 1812.

In 1910 at the age of 13 John J. Enright began working for Hatton. Shortly after earning a pharmacy degree in 1918 at The Ohio State University, Enright became a partner with Hatton and the business became Hatton & Enright. In 1928 the store moved to 205 N. Main St. next to the Champaign National Bank (#2898). In 1940 upon the death of Charles B. Hatton, Enright became sole owner of the pharmacy. Also about this time John Enright purchased the Bunnel Monument Co. on E. Church St. which had been started in 1868. The name of the business was changed to Urbana Monument Co. which is still in business making it one of the longest continually-operated businesses in Urbana.

Thomas J. Crowley came to work at Hatton & Enright while in high school. He continued to work at the drug store and earned a pharmacy degree from the University of Cincinnati in 1951. The store moved to 108-112 N. Main St. in 1963. Crowley became Enright’s partner in 1977 and sole owner in 1985 and served several terms as Mayor of Urbana.

The Champaign County Historical Museum is a not-for-profit organization that depends upon donations and dues to preserve, protect, archive and display the artifacts that tell the Champaign County story. The free public museum located at 809 E. Lawn Ave., Urbana, is open to the public Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

This is a circa 1974 photo of the southwest corner of Monument Square in Urbana showing Ewing’s Restaurant and Cafeteria.

Ewing’s was not only well known in Champaign County but throughout west-central Ohio. The Pooler family operated the business which included a coffee shop and a bakery. Often on Sundays at noon patrons would be lined up from the entrance around the corner on Miami Street; once inside, they would often find Carl Pooler himself carving prime rib. At the end of the line uniformed waitresses would meet patrons at the cash register and carry each tray to a table.

Ewing’s served large family meals on special occasions, such during the Christmas holiday, on the second floor of this building.

In the mid-19th century, the third floor of this building served as a meeting space known as Union Hall. It was the site of theatrical performances as well as church bazaars and political speeches.

In 1863, the Ladies Aid Society of Urbana’s St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church in celebration of the Emancipation Proclamation arranged for Frederick Douglass, the great abolitionist, to speak at Union Hall. However, it is uncertain whether Douglass spoke there as there is no documented account of him having done so. In 1910 there was a motion picture theater in this building, presumably on the third floor.

An interesting note regarding the building is that embossed on a cast iron support column within is “Willcox & Gwynne.” Perhaps this came from a local foundry as the Gwynne family members were early prominent merchants in Urbana.

The Champaign County Historical Museum is a not-for-profit organization that depends upon donations and dues to preserve, protect, archive and display the artifacts that tell the Champaign County story. The free public museum located at 809 E. Lawn Ave., Urbana, is open to the public Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

At this time, persons imprisoned for debt were allowed to be in an area designated as the “prison bounds.” The “prison bounds” were probably High St. to the west, Ward St. to the north, Reynolds St. to the south and perhaps to the east edge of town, basically the city limits. During the year or so of his confinement Simon Kenton frequently walked this area with a long walking staff. It is said that even when his daughter Elizabeth died, he had to observe her burial in the Old Graveyard just north of Ward St. without crossing the street.

Some years later the Kentucky Legislature remitted the charges against Kenton. The original jail served until 1832 when a new jail was built near the current courthouse. On April 14, 1832, the original jail building was auctioned off to Matthew Magrew and John Owen for $390.

The Champaign County Historical Museum is a not-for-profit organization that depends upon donations and dues to preserve, protect, archive and display the artifacts that tell the Champaign County story. The free public museum located at 809 E. Lawn Ave., Urbana, is open to the public Tues. - Fri. 10-4 and Sat. 10-2.

Now – The Ohio Caverns entrance now is remarkably similar to that in 1941, except the arch has been replaced. The stone posts are the same, but another slab of concrete was added to the top of each to increase the entrance clearance. 

The Champaign County Historical Museum is a not-for-profit organization that depends upon donations and dues to preserve, protect, archive and display the artifacts that tell the Champaign County story. The free public museum, 809 East Lawn Ave., Urbana, is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays; and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays.

Given that this year is the 75th anniversary of the end of WW II, this is a look back at Champaign County involvement. Joseph W. Walter, long-time Urbana funeral director, enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1943 and became a navigator, pilot with multiple ratings, and an officer (Lt. jg). A photo of Walter is shown here. His unit, VPB-119, included the first heavy bombers to return to the Philippines once most of the Japanese had been driven out. The accompanying photo, taken by Walter, shows their PB4Y-2’s in formation March 1, 1945, on approach to Clark Field. Each bomber had a crew of 12. Of the 30 crews, only 15 returned from combat. Lt. jg Walter was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and three air medals now on display in the Champaign County Historical Museum, which submitted these photos and information.

The not-for-profit museum depends upon donations and dues to preserve, protect, archive and display the artifacts that tell the Champaign County story. The free public museum, 809 East Lawn Ave., Urbana, is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday.

The “Now” photo of Grimes Field was taken looking east toward North U.S. Route 68 during a recent “Fly In” event. The Champaign County Historical Society expressed appreciation to Elton Cultice, airport manager, for sharing this aerial photo.

The Champaign County Historical Museum is a not-for-profit organization that depends upon donations and dues to preserve, protect, archive and display the artifacts that tell the Champaign County story. The free public museum, 809 East Lawn Ave., Urbana, is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays; and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays.

The circa 1920 “Then” postcard image of the northwest gateway of Oak Dale Cemetery on Patrick Avenue shows the driveway along the north border of the cemetery. The first meeting of cemetery trustees occurred on Oct. 23, 1855, with Lemuel Weaver as president and W. F. Mosgrove as secretary. On May 28, 1856, the name of the cemetery was changed from Greenwood Cemetery to Oak Dale Cemetery.

The cemetery was dedicated on July 19, 1856. The following is an extract from the address by Rev. Jas. F. Chalfaut at that dedication:

“There is a natural sentiment in the bosom of man, as a general rule, strong in proportion to his cultivation and refinement, that, after life’s silver chord has been loosed, his resting place may be in some quiet sequestered retreat, removed at a proper distance from the bustle and conflicts of active life, when he may not be jostled in his narrow house; but where emblems of truth and divinity may surround him, in all their native simplicity and grandeur. Where God breathes through the leaves of the undisturbed forest trees and smiles in the blooming flower! Such a place may this be!”

Once the new cemetery was established many, but not all, of those buried in the Old Graveyard at Ward and Kenton streets were disinterred then re-interred in Oak Dale.

The 2020 “Now” photo of the same driveway shows that it now is an exit. Note how little has changed in the past 100 years. It appears that the stone posts and iron fence are the same. Given the nature of a cemetery as so eloquently stated above, so should it be a constant in an ever-changing world.

Source: A Brief History, Rules and Regulations of the Oak Dale Cemetery, Urbana, Ohio 1907.

The Champaign County Historical Museum, a not-for-profit organization that depends upon donations and dues to preserve, protect, archive and display the artifacts that tell the Champaign County story. The free public museum, 809 East. Lawn Ave., Urbana, is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays; and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays.