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Viaduct Linking the South Side to Downtown Niles

Viaduct Linking the South Side to Downtown

A Walk Through Downtown Niles (1)

By David Dull


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David Dull is a member of the 1943 Graduating Class of Niles McKinley High School.. He wrote the following account for the Class of 1943 News Letter and he volunteered to share it with us. “Niles was a safe City and a great place to grow up in during the 30’s and 40’s. As long as nostalgia has come over me, come let us walk through downtown Niles, circa early 1940’s. It will probably be a little strange for most of you because we are coming from south side of town, over the viaduct. When I told my children that I had to walk to school, uphill, both ways, it wasn’t a lie. Everyone had to go up over the viaduct no matter which way you were going –north or south.
In any event, we have crossed the bridge and traversed W. State Street. The first store we encounter is the “Style Shop”. We don’t want to buy anything but if we look in the window, we might see Lois, Alice, Pat, Mary or any of the other young ladies looking for that special blouse or skirt, or perhaps, a dress for the next dance. Moving on, there is the Kroger Grocery Store. I worked there for four or five weekends, must have decided I did not want to be a grocer, nor do we want any groceries today. Our steps now bring us to “Montgomery Drug Store” We don’t want any drugs but we might see young Don Montgomery learning the business from his father. Ah, the Butler Theater where Saturday night, with a little luck, we will be sitting in the balcony with our friend. Not seeing the movie – well maybe a little of the movie between necking and petting. After all we have to be able to tell our parents a little something about the show.		Downtown Niles circa 1950 Click to view larger image
At the Butler Soda Grill, we wander in the door to the closing bars of Glenn Miller’s “Moonlite Serenade” and may see Bob, Polly, Marilyn, Bill and Norma discussing the latest knotty problems of student council. As we leave, some one has put a nickel in the machine and the glorious trumpet of Harry James playing “It’s Been A Long, Long time” reaches our ears.
We now pass the “Arden Furniture Co.”, but since it is too early for us to buy furniture we a re not interested. Nor do we show any interest in “Mears Real Estate Agency”, because we are not yet interested in a home. Then the McKinley Savings & Loan Association where we see Don Walton dreaming of the day he will be sitting in the chair now held by Mr. Evans, President of the institution. Saving money is not our forte so we pass right by because we’re on our way to the “Woolworth 5 & 10 cent Store”.
After all, we have our allowances in our pocket and it must be spent on some unnecessary merchandise. There doesn’t seem to be anything you can’t find at Woolworth’s. In addition, you may see a number of your classmates and friends. You will probably see Tom Stofac who always said he met his “Million Dollar Baby” (Marion) in the 5 and 10 cent store. If we go out the back door we may meet Mike Popp, Chris Tabor and others who were part of Matt McGowan’s boxing team on their way to the gym over the Police Department. But we are touring Main Street so we go out the front door and turn left.
The City Loan & Savings Co. wants our money but they can’t have it because next door is a great den of inequity, i.e. Krieger’s Sport Shop. That was a great place to learn all about hunting and fishing equipment, how to read a ticker tape, how to gamble and place a bet and, of course, shoot pool. Nick Zamarelli, the barber, made more money on the 9 ball table than he did cutting hair. Somehow I made a little also, but not until after I learned who was better than I. In Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, they stood and watched the girls go by. In Niles we stood in front of Krieger's to watch the girls go by, and of course to comment thereon. Krieger’s was a great learning emporium for a young lad with no father or older brother. Max Reisman had a men’s store next to Krieger’s where a gentleman might purchase a new suit for prom and graduation or maybe just a sport shirt or a lowly pair of socks to replace the ones that had been darned one time too often.	The great den of inequity, i.e. Krieger’s Sport Shop.

We now stand in front of the Niles Bank Co, with its seven floors, including the Penthouse where P.J. Alfonso would be taking your graduation picture. There would be no occasion to enter the bank building unless you wanted to see a dentist, insurance man, attorney, physician or wanted to have your hair fixed by Tricomi at Vits’s Beauty Shop on the sixth floor.” Now we will leave David Dull as he strolls down Main Street and memory lane. Next time he’ll cross Park Avenue and continue on to Calvin’s Drug Store. Thanks for the guided tour so far, David.	P.J. Alfonso would be taking your graduation picture in the penthouse of the Niles Bank Building.
Below are additional photographs from that same time period
Photo of 1943 Niles Red Dragon Football team Click to view larger image
1944 Senior Class Officers Bill Niblock Jim Delassandro Peggy Titus Jim Benedict John Hallock Click to view larger image
1944 Clarinet Quartet Click to view larger image

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