Odd Fellows Buidling Logansport, Indiana

 This building still stands on the southeast corner of Fifth and North Streets as of 2023.

Before the new building was built in 1908 The Independent Order of Odd Fellows, IOOF, met in a building located on the southwest corner of Pearl & Broadway. That building, was built by D. C. Elliott, wholesale grocer. The ground floor was occupied by Solimanos’s fruit and confection store. The second floor was used by professional men for offices and the third floor was used for meetings by the Odd Fellows. This would later become the Farmers & Merchants State Bank.

In April of 1908 local newspaper headlines read PLANS COMPLETE FOR CEREMONY with a sub headline CORNER STONE OF ODD FELLOWS BUILDING WILL BE LAID WITH APPROPRIATE SERVICES.

There was a parade led by the Elks band and speakers from all over and naturally several lodges from other areas attended.

The “classical revival” Odd Fellows Hall aka the Odd Fellows Building, was built by John E. Barnes on the southeast corner of 5th and North Streets. Apartments were available to rent within the building and some of the first tenants of the IOOF building apartments were Daniel Heron, RR signal man and wife Ada; Charles Spencer, co-owner of Spencer & Regan Billiards and Cigars and wife Augusta; and John Beroth, a blacksmith and his wife Theresa. Beroth’s relative, Frank Beroth was the IOOF secretary in those days. When John Beroth retired from blacksmith work, he became the building janitor.

December 4, 1907 clipping above.

August 18, 1908 

October 17, 1908 

  By 1930 the ground floor of the building housed a farm implement and hardware store doing business as Marburger Brothers Hardware.

  In 1935 Sears Agricultural Implement store moved in and the IOOF members used a side entrance to gain access to their meeting rooms on the floors above. Sears maintained a presence in the building until the construction of the new shopping mall east of Lognasport’s downtown in 1967-68. By 1969 Sears was located in the Mall.

  The Logansport city directories begin listing The Broken Spoke, a leather goods store in the building in 1971, with storage rooms on the upper floors for the Bickels’ bicycle, toys and hobby business. 

Sears in the Odd Fellows Building

1981 photo of Odd Fellows

Photos that I took while touring the top floor - the ballroom in the 2000's

Amelio's - A History and An Interview

Sitting near the railroad tracks at the southern foot of Fifth Street, Logansport, Indiana is a little bar and restaurant, which has been in existence since 1869 when it began as a "saloon and boarding house". The physical address is 431 S. Fifth Street.

At the time of this blog posting the place is doing business as "Amelio's by the River" - because beyond the railroad tracks the Wabash River flows within its banks. Hopefully. Because in years past the Wabash was notorious for inundating Logansport with floods.

From the 1920s until 2008 the place was known simply as "Amelio's", a great place for food, specializing in Italian dishes - especially their homemade meatballs, ice cold beer and cocktails. Throughout the years Amelio's has been a popular place for lunch and dinner, whether for pleasure or for business, and a great gathering place for large families and groups. Many a high school class reunion has been held there, for example.

431 S. Fifth Street on the corner of S. Fifth and E. Melbourne Avenue

I went on a research adventure beginning with Logansport’s City Directories. It was immediately evident that the building at 431 Fifth Street, originally 39 Canal Street, also sometimes referred to as "Railroad Street" (now South Fifth Street) has always housed a saloon, except for during the Prohibition years – 1919 to 1933; at that time, it housed a place for “soft drinks”. Insert a winking emoji here, if you like, because all of the former taverns became "soft drink parlors" during prohibition.

When he first took over, Nick Amelio called the business "Nick's Place", 

as indicated on the window on the left in this photo, circa 1920s.

Next door at right in this photo Perfects wholesale grocery conducted business. 

This building would eventually become part of Amelio's, minus the upper floors.

The business name Amelio’s appears in the 1926 Logansport city directory. In 1924 the address is listed as being owned by Joseph Koster. It was a “soft drink” establishment. He lived in the rooms adjoining the business. As a matter of fact, all of the owners before Nicholas Amelio lived in the rooms adjoining the business. The Cass County Historical Society is missing a few volumes of city directories, which explains the missing dates, but taking information from the directories, the owners and the years that they had the business and the type of business listing are as follows:

John Mitchell, 1869 – 1871, Saloon & Boarding House

Joseph F. Matt, 1871-1900, Saloon, “Matt’s”

Louis Sewnig, 1901-02, Saloon “Louis Sewnig & Son”

John T. Cain, 1903-04, Saloon

William B. Roose, 1905-06, Saloon

George Schubach, 1907 – 1908, Saloon

Andrew J. Sellers, 1911 – 1915 Saloon

William Blackburn, 1915 – 1919 Saloon “Blackburn’s Saloon”

Bert Powell, 1919-20, Soft Drinks

John Sinnot, 1921-22, Soft Drinks

Joseph Koster 1924 – 1925

Nicholas Amelio 1926 – 1958

Francis Amelio 1958- 1982

That was the last “Amelio” family member to own the tavern.

 Ken Renkenberger - 1982

Thomas L. & Loretta Keplar  -1983, they continued to operate as “Amelio’s”.

In 2008 the building and business sold, once again. This time the buyer is Logansport life-long resident, Larry Isaacs. He renamed the business "Amelio's & Ike's"

In 2015 Isaacs sold the business to Paul Ulerick. Paul renamed it "Amelio's on the River", the name by which the business continues.

NOTE: It has been said that Nicholas Amelio began operating the business in 1924 and called it “Nick’s” and that he purchased the business in 1939.

Shirley A. Amelio Appollonio Peter

1935-2017

(Family Photo Provided)

Before she passed away, I had the pleasure of interviewing Shirley (born Amelio) Peter. Pictured above, she was a beautiful young lady, proud of her Italian ancestry.

THE INTERVIEW

Shirley Amelio Peter spoke with me on September 9, 2008. According to her the correct name was “Nick’s Place” and her father bought the business in 1938. That is when the Nicholas Amelio family, Nicholas “Nick” and Naureen and their children Mildred (Wolf), Helena (Pfaff), Francis, Teresa (Harvey) and 3year-old Shirley (Peter) moved from their 12^th Street address to the six-room apartment above the business. 

 

Nick came to America straight from Italy. His wife, Naureen, was German and, in those days, Shirley said, "an Italian married to a German was (frowned upon)" so Naureen learned quickly to speak, read and cook Italian. They made a home at 1412 Twelfth Street in Logansport. Nick worked on the Railroad but wasn’t happy with the job. So, when the opportunity came to work at the well-known, well-patronized establishment on 5^th & Melbourne Ave, he took it. He began as a “clerk” according to the Logansport city directory listings, when it was owned by Joseph Koster and the business was listed among all of the “Soft Drink” establishments.

 

When WWII began and Shirley’s brother, Francis went off to war, her older sister, Mildred helped run the business.

 

The apartment above the business had one full bath, a walk-in closet/pantry and a room that was called “the liquor room”, which was always locked.

 

In 1938 Nick bought the tavern and it became an enjoyable place to be with friends. Nick was a good singer. He loved to sing and his patrons enjoyed listening to him. His repertoire included “God Bless America”, which, as a new American citizen, was his favorite song and with which he’d always begin. Then he’d sing a couple of Italian songs plus two “novelty” songs. One titled “Horsey Keep Your Tail Up”, the other “Cheatin’ On Your Baby”. Jukebox business owners Ted Igmire and Robert Johnson kept the jukebox in Amelio’s filled with the type of background music that Nick needed for his singing and his patrons wanted. It was a popular place to relax and socialize at first. After the Amelio family moved above the business, folks started inquiring about the heavenly aroma wafting down – Naureen would be cooking dinner. Soon meatball sandwiches were sold and, later on spaghetti was offered along with Pasta Fagioli (a bean soup that was quite popular with the local crowd). People would drive over to Logansport from Peru and Rochester just to spend an evening at Amelio's. Business hours were from 9 a.m. to midnight. There was never any trouble. Shirley laughed and said that the only fights were between her brother and his friends. The local police would sometimes stop and eat a quick meal in a small dining area near the rear entrance. 

When asked about her childhood, living above the business, Shirley reminded me that, in those days, Logansport was filled with people and activity in the downtown. She had a girlfriend, a member of the Parkevich family, who lived on the corner near her home. On Saturdays there would be shopping downtown all day, then black and white movies at the theaters in the evening. She attended St. Joseph Catholic School on Second Street and E. Market. She walked west on E. Market, four blocks to school in the morning, walked back home for lunch, walked back to school and then walked home after school, each day. 

In 1958 Francis Amelio, Nicholas’ son, assumed ownership. In 1982 he sold the business to Ken Renkenberger and the following year (1983) it was sold to Thomas L. & Loretta Keplar, which they continued to operate as “Amelio’s”.

Shirley Amelio Appollonio Peter in later years.  I remember her as

a sweet lady with a sense of humor and a pleasure to be around.

(Family Photo Provided)

The building with the arched doorways was built in 1876 and was the German Hall.

The overhead garage door was installed in 1949 by Mrs. Adam Graf.

Standing on E. Market looking south down 5th Street toward E. Melbourne Avenue and 

the railroad tracks. Amelio's is the last building in the distance.

Logansport Indiana City Building

 

Before the building on the southeast corner of 6th Street and E. Broadway was built, beginning in 1924, the business of city government for Logansport was conducted inside a building on 3rd Street. The police station was located there as well.

In 1919 according to articles in the Logansport Pharos Reporter and the Logansport Daily Tribune there was some debate as to whether the city should build or buy the Kreuszberger building. The Kreuzberger building stood on the southwest corner of 3rd and E. Market. It was razed many years ago.

The city already owned a lot - the southeast corner of 6th and E. Broadway - that the city had purchased in 1889. So, in 1924 construction began.

Logansport Morning Press, March 30, 1924, page 5

June 18, 1925

Two big days of celebration were planned for the dedication of new buildings in Logansport.

Day one was dedication for the new city building and the new pavilion building at Riverside Park. Events included picnics, band concerts, visits to historical points, flag presentations and a speaker.

At the city building, Judge David C. Arthur spoke from a platform, which was erected on the east side of the new building. The crowd stood on the lot, purchased by the city, where the Dunn garage once stood.

For the noon hour a picnic lunch took place at Riverside. The crowd, including a large number of out-of-town guests, was invited to bring their picnic baskets.

At 2 o’clock there was a parade down E. Broadway.

And at 4:00 an estimated crowd of 10,000 people listened to the featured speaker - United States Senator James E. Watson – dedicate the Riverside Park pavilion.

Day two the same schedule took place, but with different speakers and the new buildings being dedicated that day were the central fire station and the Cass County hospital

Above: This is the Logansport IN city building decorated by an Evansville company.

August 28, 1952 Logansport Press, page 1

October 16, 1952 Logansport Press, page 1

The building got a new roof in 1952 and some much-needed repairs. Today the majority of the local citizens feel that it was unfortunate that the "repair" included removal of "all terra cotta decoration around the edge of the roof". But the news reports of the day explained that it was necessary because of "deterioration" and "chunks already falling to the ground".

Crew working on roof of city building in 1952.

1950s picture postcard image.

Inside the skylight (photo credit Jim Grey) is a work of art. The stained-glass piece is original to the building, installed during construction in 1924. In 1978 a major rehab project saw new leading for the piece as well as the addition of a clear dome over the glass to make it more weatherproof. 

The Mayor office is located on the 2nd floor. It was remodeled and updated during 

Mayor Michael Fincher's administration (2003-2011)

The city seal is painted on the underside of the staircase. Jim Grey photo

Third floor meeting rooms 2021. Photo credit Jim Grey.

Downtown Logansport 315 S. 6th Street

 This has to be the last, if not the only, building in downtown Logansport, Indiana to have had an advertisement for Mail Pouch tobacco painted on an exterior wall. The block for this address is between E. Broadway and E. Market. The Logansport City Building stands across the street at the present time, on the corner of E. Broadway and S. Sixth Street.

In the above photo 315 S. Sixth Street is the dark building in the center. At left the Gossard factory (gone now) and the old Post Office, which faces E. Market (still there). 

The building at the right of the parking lot was the former Pharos Tribune building, which was replaced with a new building which it occupies still - and this current building covers the entire parking lot pictured here.

Built around 1907 the building housed an electrical business. Mr. N. Costenborder, electrician advertised in the local newspapers. He was an "expert" at "refinishing chandeliers".  

In 1912 George Dial and Ora Goble opened a tire repair shop in the building. At the time the property directly across from them was a livery stable and offered "parking" for horse and wagon when rural folks came to town. 

1933 Ad (opened in 1930):

Owned by Fred and Mildred Llewellyn.

By 1938 the structure was shared by Byon Grelle, who offered household goods.

Above: Foundation at time of demolition.

This photo was taken on S. 6th Street looking west. 315 S. Sixth is at the left. The former building which housed the Logansport Pharos-Tribune and parking lot can be seen and the former Gourmet Cafeteria and David's at right would be facing E. Broadway (at right).

I confess that I searched for a demolition date but did not find one included in the materials at hand. I do believe that these are the last photos taken of the structure, so I'm guessing it was torn down in the 1970s.

Southwest Corner 5th and North

 Focusing on a corner in Logansport, Indiana, which was at one time a bank along the Wabash & Erie Canal.

The canal was dried up in 1875.

In 1922 a large automobile service station was built on this corner. It was said to be the largest of its kind in the area.

North Street would be at the right in this photo. The building across the street - North Street - still stands. It was the Elk Lodge.

August 17, 1922 Logansport Pharos Tribune clipping:

In August of 1934 Frank H. Sibley held a Grand Opening for his business, which opened here.

Above: The Elks building on North Street at Fifth and the historical marker for the Wabash & Erie Canal, which stands on the empty lot that once was Sibley's service station.