Brunswick History Commission Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9
Table of contents
Businesses

OCCUPATIONS

    Prior to Brunswick's incorporation, occupations here included farming canal connected work, owning and selling retail necessities of life, feed mill related work, a few railroad related workers, and probably one teacher at a time.

    The town's first century has seen many railroad employees; canal workers until the flood of 1924 and economic considerations forced the closing of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal; and one factory whose production over the years changed from umbrella to hosiery, sportswear, pajamas, and woodwork (not necessarily in that order). Otherwise, the basic grocery, clothing, jewellery, shoe sales and repair businesses, banking, the ministry, and teaching limited the possible careers of young people educated in this town. Most of them headed for the big cities.

    An indication of occupational change has been given by certain details of school field trips to Washington, D.C. One teacher observed that during the decade of World War II, when class field trips were being planned, about 87 percent of students had access to railroad passes. By 1964 the percentages had reversed, and buses were being used instead of trains for field trips.
The great influx of commuters has increased the population from about 3700 to 5000 in the past 15 years, with a commensurate increase in new housing.

    A rough glance at railroad employment at the local facility shows erosion in number. In 1990, railroad employees in the local yard would equal to not over one percent of the town's population of 5000. The rest work in the town or commute from 15 to 60 miles to work. Total railroad workers among all Brunswick citizens would amount to no more than two percent of the 5000 population. As a result, Brunswick has become a bedroom community, and occupational opportunities have not greatly increased from those of earlier years.

S - Herb Fox - Jean Greenfield

HISTORY OF BRUNSWICK 1896 + + + Directory Of 1896 Gives Bit Of History Of Town + + + Brunswick Then Had Five Doctors But No Cemetery; New Yorkers Gave New York Hill Its Name.     An old business directory issued sometime during the year 1896, which recently came to light at the office of J. P. Karn & Bro., local building supplies dealers, was devoted to a bit of historic information of Brunswick, some of which was never known to many residents and had, perhaps, been forgotten by others.

    The reference is rather brief, but is, however, quite interesting. Mr. Oscar P. Karn, a member of the firm, has furnished the Blade Times a copy of this old article, which is reprinted herewith. It follows:

    There was once a town of Berlin, and it was a nice, quaint old place, but in 1890 the B. & O. R. R. Co., finding itself crowded at Martinsburg, W. Va., for yard room, packed up its goods and chattels and moved twenty-five miles farther east to what was then Berlin. Here at once freight yards were established, with a capacity of 4,000 cars, large freight transfer sheds were also built, and before the world had time to think of it, the city of Brunswick had been added to Maryland's list of municipalities and was booming as was no other town in the State.

    In 1890 Berlin had a population of 300; today Brunswick has a population of more than ten fumes as large, and is constantly increasing. Berlin had a store, a merchant mill and a Methodist Church. Brunswick has four drug stores, five general stores, one wholesale hardware and agricultural implement store, a flour mill with a daily capacity of 75 barrels, two coal yards, three clothing stores, a half dozen churches, public and private schools and a bank - which is not such a slow showing for six years    and six months, even if there were no other improvements.

    Brunswick has a location which would have given cards and spades to Rome, and beaten the Eternal City clean off her seven hills, for Brunswick is all hills, and there are views of mountains, river and valley from the sidewalks in Brunswick which would make the fortune of plenty observation towers in this country. The lovely Potomac rolls at her feet, while to the north and the east and the south and the west the mountains and hills break the skyline into a thousand pieces. Baltimore is 75 miles away, Washington 52, Hagerstown 30, Frederick 16, Harpers Ferry 6.

    The city government is vested in a mayor and six councilmen and the mayor receives $100 a year. There is one policeman. The fire department consists of volunteers and a chemical engine which cost $1,600. There are no water works except in the B&O addition, where water is supplied to the New York Hill section. This part of town, occupying the eastern hills, was originally taken by New York people, who built 96 houses there and gave it the name. The streets are lighted with electricity. The city has been bonded for $10,000 for street improvements and $7,500 has been spent. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal is one of the features of transportation and does a good business, being indispensable to Brunswick.

    Brunswick has a fine brick Opera house, with brownstone front, which cost $18,000. It has a $60,000 bridge spanning the Potomac. There are no saloons. All the leading secret societies are represented. The tax rate of the city and county is $1.19. Brunswick has a weekly newspaper.

    The health of the town is good, with a fog now and then and a chill, perhaps, but there are only five doctors and as yet no city cemetery.

    Black bass abound in the Potomac and the sport is fine.
(This article was written at the time of Brunswick's 50th Anniversary in 1940.)
    BRUNSWICK IN 1960     The Frederick County Volunteer Firemen's Association's Annual Convention of July 14 and 15 was held in Brunswick and mirrors "who" and "what" of the town
      .
    Paul L. Tritapoe was president of the county organization. Seventeen hundred dollars worth of prizes indicated the drum and bugle corps, senior and junior bands, Firemen's marching units, ladies auxiliaries, trucks, floats, marching majorettes, veterans marching units, boy and girl scouts were all eligible for prizes, as well as the oldest pumper and the company coming the longest distance with equipment.

    Auxiliary officers that year were president, Myrde Walker; vice presidents, Mary Lucas and Lorraine Ferrell; secretary, Laura E. Walker; treasurer, Louise E. Cannon; chaplain, Ruby Nazelrod; marshal, Margaret Cannon, and guard, Bonnie Welty.

    These officers of the Brunswick company welcomed county firemen and friends: C. R. Virts, president; D. Floyd Strickler, vice president; Russell McMurry, secretary; Richard Snoots, financial secretary; Frank Miglio, treasurer; H. E. Cannon, chief; Clinton Harrison, captain; Richard Snoots, chaplain; W. S. Rice, engineer; and trustees D. Harwood Watson, Harry Nicholson, Sr., C. A. Grams, B. L. Harsh, and Richard Magalis.

    Jim E. Cummings was mayor, and the councilmen were W. F. Albert, Claude Orrison, A. H. Danner, James Schamel, Chester Phillips, and W. M. Hortman.

    Fran, Ivan, and Magalis advertised their beauty shops. Cage's auto and sporting supplies advertised, as did Gram's Auto Service. Shafer and Bowers General Insurance Company was still functioning, and Louise E. Mi'ls was running a confectionery store. Elva and Lee Feete sent their compliments. Both motel and restaurant (Hawaiian) were advertised. A. L. "Bootsie" Barger was a fuel oil and kerosene dealer; and "Teddy" Phillips owned City Meat Market. Fritz Powers had both tavern and taxi; and D. Lee Keller was building homes.

    Wrapping up this event was a seven day carnival, from July 11 through 16.
    SHELVES TOO HIGH TO REACH     Potomac Street stores in the 1920's and 1930's had shelves too high to be reached without help. "Help" was available in the form of ladders on wheels that rolled along the wall on strong metal tracks. Remember?

    Werntz' clothing store included a large selection of shoes filling shelves to the ceiling. While Mom was trying on a pair, Mr. Werntz patiently allowed the youngster to momentarily become king of all he surveyed from eight or ten feet above floor level. Whew! What a feeling!

    Kaplon's also had merchandise lined walls, as did Nathan Ephraim in his clothing store, and probably others.
Werntz' grocery, the A&P, and other stores used a long pole with a clamp or hook at the end. A squeeze at the handle end operated a long wire or metal strap that caused the clamp to close around and hold securely the can of food that was thus brought to arm level.
S - Dutch Burns
    THE BANK OF BRUNSWICK     On April 15, 1915, the Bank of Brunswick filed Articles of Incorporation in Circuit Court of Frederick County Maryland. Capital was set at $25,000 and was raised by the sale of 500 shares of stock with a par value of $50. The stock was to be sold at $60 per share with $50 going into Capital Stock and $10 into Surplus.

    The incorporators were W. B. Washington and J. D. Brown of Lovettsville, Va., Frank L. Spitzerand J. P. Karn of Brunswick, Md., and J. Lee Simmons of Adamstown, Md.

    On June 29, 1915, approval was received from the State Bank Commissioner to operate a state chartered commercial bank in Brunswick. The bank operated in the Red Men's Hall until 1920, when it purchased a two story brick structure that had been built in 1900 at North Maple Avenue and West Potomac Street to house the Brunswick Savings Bank, then defunct. There was a large room on the second floor that had been occupied by Brunswick Lodge No. 191, A.F. & A.M. since 1901. In 1922, a two-story addition was built on the rear of the building. Over the years several different businesses were housed on the first floor of that addition and the local telephone exchange was on the second floor.

    On March 6, 1933, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared a "banking holiday" to halt massive withdrawals and to allow time for passage of emergency bank legislation by Congress, the Bank of Brunswick was one of those allowed to reopen after that seven day holiday.

    Over the years, the bank continued to grow and by 1956 the Bank of Brunswick needed more space. The old building was demolished and a new building was constructed in two sections so that banking services could be continued during construction. Employees worked in the front section of the old building while the first section of the new building was being constructed in the rear; when that was completed, they moved into the new unit while the front was being completed. The formal opening of the new bank building was held on Saturday June 29, 1957.

    In 1965 the bank purchased a residential property adjacent to the side of the bank along Maple Avenue and also the "Brick" House (owner's name) dwelling and a two story family home on Petersville Road. These buildings were razed and the area was black topped for bank customer parking. In 1969 a small addition was made to the building and a drive-in window was installed. In 1985 the bank had once again outgrown its facility, and added a second floor to its building to accommodate a computer room, bookkeeping department, directors room, conference room and a storage area.

    Late in 1989 the bank began remodelling the lobby in keeping with the restoration program of downtown Brunswick.
Bank of Brunswick purchased the old Jefferson Elementary School building in 1980 and on that site built a branch bank which opened in 1982. In 1989, Bank of Brunswick continued its expansion program and opened a second branch office in Point of Rocks.

S - W. Carlos Myers

THE PEOPLE'S NATIONAL BANK The People's National Bank of Brunswick was organized in the early part of 1906 by some of Brunswick's leading citizens. It opened for business in June of that year with the following persons composing its Board of Directors: Hamilton W. Shafer, G. H. Hogan, Christian Smith, Howard M. Jones, Thomas Fitzgerald, Peter S. Hemp, C. R. Gregory, L. E. McBride, John T. Martin, Samuel W. George, William F. Stonebraker and H. S. Hedges.

The bank prospered from the very beginning and all during the money panic that started in the fall of 1907 and continued for over a year. The bank not only held its own in meeting all demands of ready currency, but increased its business during that trying period. People's National Bank merged with Farmers and Mechanics Bank of Frederick, Maryland, in 1963, and has continued banking operations at 115 West Potomac Street in Brunswick. A branch office at North Maple Avenue and Souder Road was opened June 9, 1975, to accommodate the increased population and the housing developments that were expanding throughout the entire Wenner's Hill area.

W-BLC

THE SAVINGS BANK OF BRUNSWICK     The Savings Bank of Brunswick was incorporated under the General Laws of Maryland by Dr. Arlington G. Horine, George Swank, William Schnauffer, and Frank E. Alder.

    The Certificate of Incorporation was signed by John A. Lynch, Judge of Circuit Court of Frederick County, on December 6,1892, and the bank opened for business on the 15th day of December of that year.

    "The institution was founded to promote economy and the practice of saving money among the poor and laboring classes of the community, and to assist the citizens in the accumulation of property that they may possess the means of support during sickness and old age," according to a statement of that period.

    The officers of the original institution were: Dr. A. G. Horine, President; F. E. Alder, 1st Vice-President; William Schnauffer, 2nd Vice-President and Treasurer; John S. Newman, General Counsel.

    The bank that cashed millions of dollars of "pay day" checks for employees of the B&ORR without charging one cent for the service ultimately failed in 1915. Its building was sold to the Bank of Brunswick in 1920.

W - B L C

ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES     A few of today's families derive from Berliners of a hundred years ago, and many retain furniture and other mementos of that period. In the past generation the interest in antiques and old items has permeated a great part of our country's population.
Brunswick provides a good setting for merchandising this type of product. There has always been a dealer or two in town to meet this need.

    Medora Elgin Brady was an authority on antiques and a collector. She dealt in antiques, at one time having a shop at the crossroads of Routes 79 and (now) 180. She also dealt from her home. In addition her home was filled with 19th century
furniture.

    For about 25 years Mrs. Lula McMurry conducted a used furniture business that frequency uncovered some antiques and interesting old pieces. The street-level storerooms at 127 West Potomac Street and 425 East Potomac Street were the two locations of her store. Carl Margrabe was a partner in this business its last decade.

    Shortly after Bill and Leona Sauser moved to town, they maintained a furniture refinishing and antique shop in the former Karn's Lumber Co. main office, from the latter 1970's until the early 1980's.

    The one antique dealer currently within the town limits of Brunswick is Antiques N' Ole Stuff, 24 West Potomac Street. This business began in Georgetown, D.C., in 1972, and after relocating several times in the District, opened in Brunswick in March 1988. Owned by Bill and Edie Sims of Middletown, Antiques N' Ole Stuff also has locations in the former J. P. Karn buildings on South Maryland Avenue and the former Reformed Church building in the 100 block of West Potomac Street.

    To quote Mr. Sims: "We like Brunswick. We like the people. We want to see the town regain its former vigor and economic strength—and we want to be a part of this recovery."

    Gunther's International Art Gallery and Auction House is located in a renovated turn-of-the century warehouse along the B&O tracks on Virginia Avenue. In Brunswick since March 1985, he handles art, antiques, estates and other fine quality merchandise.

S - Shop owners
W - W H H -MMM

AUTOMOBILE DEALERS     According to a municipal directory dated 1923, Brunswick once had many automobile dealerships. John Stickley had an auto repair shop where later was the Pythian Building on Delaware Avenue. His father had bought him an automobile in Baltimore, one of the first cars in Brunswick. Mr. Stickley's interest in automobiles resulted in his business of auto repairs and selling second-hand cars.

    The Yourtee Auto Agency, offering Ford products, had an establishment on the northeast corner of West "C" Street and Petersville Road; the Feete Agency, offering Star, Overland, and Willys-Knight products, occupied the building across Petersville Road, presently the site of Big A Auto Parts.

    The location on West Potomac Street currently occupied by King Pizza was the site of the Albaugh Agency that sold Chevrolets and Oldsmobiles. Stull and Longbrake, in what became the Schnaffer garage, sold Hudsons in the 1920's.
In the next decade, Litten Brothers bought the Albaugh Agency, moving to the west end of Potomac Street. For a short while they had a branch at the present Moose Club. Subsequent owners of the Litten Agency were Haley, and later Amatucci and Sawaski, who moved the business location to North Maple Avenue.

    Bill Willard owned a Chrysler agency which was later bought by Garland Grams, who changed over to a Buick agency, which is now Nininger's Auto Center. Adjacent to Nininger's Auto Center is Ken's Auto Center, which is the building that originally was occupied by Nininger.

    Bradley T. "Dutch" Halley operated a motorcycle agency in a building on Petersville Road which is today occupied by NAPA Auto Parts.

    The first filling station mentioned in the minutes of the town council occurred on June 2, 1914, when A. I. Kaplon was granted permission to open a filling station on West Potomac Street, just west of the Kaplon building.

    There have been many filling/service stations through the years, most of which have disappeared from the scene; however, we came up with these: Grayson Koogle's on the site west of the Ambulance Building; Schnauffer's, Mulkey's, Cities Service, Shell, Cage's, Weil Brothers, Lee Keller, Bill Care, and at the present—Fast Eddie's, Gas and Go, and the Exxon Station on Souder Road.

    There have been various businesses related to automobile service in town such as Bud Harrison— Towing, Brunswick Mobil Service, and Brunswick Auto Parts.

S - Memory Lane Town Directory 1923
W - W H H

BAKERIES     Years ago, before commercial bakeries were so prevalent in and near small communities and hamlets, there were "locals" who baked breads, rolls, and other goodies for their friends and customers. Jim Schamel's father, Walt, had a bakery on Walnut Street between Virginia and Delaware Avenue. He sold buns, cinnamon rolls and pastries door to door, using a horse and buggy.

    Gregory's Bakery was located behind Hugh Cage's service station on East Potomac Street. The ovens were coal-fired and built into the walls of the building.

    It has also been stated by some of Brunswick's elders that a family that lived in the Wellen property in the 400 block of West Potomac Street baked bread in the basement.

    It has also been reported that Mr. Hudson had a bakery operation at 127 West Potomac Street. It is said that ovens were in the basement.

    During the 1920's and early 1930's there was a commercial bakery in Brunswick. This facility was Freeman's Bakery and the retail storeroom was located in the area where the Potomac Foundation Sidetrack Gift Shop is now located. The bakery ovens were downstairs in the room that are occupied by The Brunswick Citizen newspaper.

    In later years, some of the "locals" who baked for friends and special customers were Mrs. Lennie Barger who delivered her orders on Friday, and Willie Crum, who also baked breads and sold them at Ivan's Beauty Shop.

    The Nalley family of East "H" Street on Wenner's Hill was also a neighborhood baker who took personal orders and delivered on a certain day.

    But Brunswick's most colorful baker was BAKER (PIE) SMITH! His small bakery facility was located in a shed at the rear of his home in the first block of Petersville Road, and in that little shed he turned out the most succulent baked goodies that one could imagine. Baker Smith delivered his baked goods in a small contraption of a truck that had been created from a Model A Ford automobile. He rambled all over the hills of Brunswick making deliveries and whistling all the while. One of his most remembered specialties was small individual lemon or chocolate pies delivered every day to the Brunswick High School cafeteria for lunch.

    The above Brunswick BAKERY MEMORIES reach back to the turn of the century and span a period of approximately forty years—until the outbreak of the Second World War.

W - B L C

BARBERS OF BRUNSWICK     The barbers of Brunswick (old-timers, especially) were a colorful lot! One of the first we have record of was Elias Flynn. He had a shop between the railroad tracks, but later built a small building on the lower corner of property across from the westbound station. According to legend, when one of Mr. Flynn's customers offered him a "drink," he gladly accepted, but instead of drinking it at the time, he simply poured it into a small paper cup, saying he'd drink it later. But instead of drinking it he'd pour it into a bottle and store it in a room over the shop. When Mr. Flynn died, gallons and gallons of whiskey were found in that upstairs room.

    Cliff Porter was also one of Brunswick's colorful barbers who had a thriving business during the 1920's and 30's; however, when Cliff decided he needed time off, he just closed up shop.

    Richard Magalis barbered in a shop in the Funk home at 13 "A" Street in the 1930's and later expanded into a beauty parlor.

    Young George Merriman apprenticed under Cliff Porter and later operated the barber shop at the YMCA from the late 1940's until his death in the 1960's. The "shop talk" at George Merriman's barber shop was always BASEBALL.

    Herb Price barbered in a small room in Hudson's Row (south side 200's West Potomac Street) during the Depression Years; also during those years, Wilbur Hinkins operated a shop in the small narrow room that is attached to what is now the Metropolitan Tavern. Frank Cover and Cliff Porter also rented that same little room from time to time for barbering. Walt Ambrose had several locations over the years. One was in a small room next to Werntz's grocery store; another was a shop next to Barker's store on New York Hill, and his last location was a room in a building that he bought which was across the street from the YMCA. This shop had two chairs and Walt hired other local barbers from time to time to work for him. Wilbur Hinkins worked for him at one time as did Frank Wenner, who eventually took over the shop location after Walt died. Frank later moved his shop into the Katie Barnard property.

    During the 1930's Lewis Baker operated a shop in the back of the basement at the Redmen's Hall; Bob LaRue had a shop in the room next to Horine's Drug Store. In Brunswick's Hall of Fame of Barbers we had Raymond Wigington, William Werking, John Cunningham, Edison Triplett, Norman Runkles, Frank Snoots, Frank Cover, Ray Compton, and Ike Brubaker—the last of whom also did tattooing!

    Charlie Porter was also one of Brunswick's flamboyant personalities in the barbering business. Charlie was the Clown Prince of Foolishness in Brunswick. He thoroughly enjoyed playing the part of TARZAN and appearing in a skimpy animal-skin (fig-leaf-type of covering) and being caged on a float in all of the parades and doing his Tarzan Call that sounded as if he had just escaped from a nearby mountain retreat. But when it came to barbering, Charlie was a good one and Bill Cage apprenticed under him. Bill eventually was a very successful, barber who operated his shop for many years in the basement of his home on West "B" Street

    Robert Derflinger and Ralph Moore were al Brunswick barbers who operated their business their homes.

    In the 1960's when Brunswick was celebrating the Diamond Jubilee, there were two barbers, John and Dana Vintamiglia—father and son—who c the whiskers of the contestants in the Brunswick Diamond Jubilee.

    During the 1930's Depression Years, a haircut, cost 25 cents and a shave was 15 cents. However Walt Ambrose, one of the town's leading barber for many years, was quoted as saying, "If you work for nothing, you have nothing!" (He charged 20 cents for a shave and 35 cents for a haircut!)

    Kenneth Harshman was the last, lone barber shop owner, and he brought in a licensed replacement before his retirement at the close of 1989; SHE assumed duties at the beginning of 1990 and was the first female barber in town that could be remembered by the book's resource people. Now she has a new barber working with her. Meet Miss Karen Poole and Mrs. Cheryl Jones.

    The era of the male barber shops has drifted —the ladies have taken over the business. More beauty salons today are unisex and they do haircuts for women AND men, as well as hair styling, hair coloring, and permanents for the gentlemen!

W -BLC

TONSORIAL CONSIDERATIONS from Bill Cage     Research has uncovered the names of ma' barbers in Brunswick from the 1920's to the present Bill Cage, a railroad policeman untl retirement 1978, had barbering as a second career.

    During the Depression decade, Bill at the age eleven began to cut hair in his home on West Street. His subjects were kids and even sever men. He used hand clippers from Sears and dusting brush, both of which he still possesses.

    Edison Triplett, a downtown barber, enlist Bill to work for him on Potomac Street in the Meadows building at 4 West Potomac Street. Bill work there after school and on Saturdays before going work for Charlie Porter.

    After graduation, Bill Cage worked in Gaither burg for a year before returning to Brunswick where he worked first at the YMCA with an old fellow named Albert Johnson and again with Mr. Porter. While working at the "Y" during the 1936 flood, he returned from lunch to find water across the tracks and in the basement of the building, forcing the barber shop to close.
After Bill joined the B&O Police Department, he furnished a barbershop in the basement of his home, cutting on Wednesdays and Thursdays by appointment.

    The cost of his services could make one wish for the good old days: 25 cents for a haircutand 15 cents for a shave. A barber working for an owner received about 70 per cent of receipts, with the owner collecting 32 per cent plus costof materials. A hired barber bought his own tools. If lucky, he earned $7 to $10 a week.

    The barbers were not without their recreation. At 11 PM Saturdays, when stores closed, shopkeepers came to the barber shops for shampoos, masssages - the works. What went on after that in the back room of the barber shop? Bill Cage said they didn't talk much about that. While Bill did not participate in the games, he indicated that sometimes the seven to ten dollars grew, and sometimes it shrank—and that process might go on through Saturday night and all day Sunday.

    At one time there were 13 barbershops in Brunswick, and while one could make a living, the competition was great. One really needed good Saturdays to make any money at all.

    If Bill Cage and Charlie Porter found themselves not busy and sitting around idle, they would bring in boys from the street and cut their hair. Some Sundays they went to hospitals to cut hair, and also made calls at the homes of the sick. Many remember that Charlie always had a window full of relics that attracted the attention of passersby.

    Even today, Bill Cage has an old barber chair in his summer residence in Mount Airy. He still has his original clippers and dust brush and cuts his son's and his grandson's hair.

S - Bill Cage
W -MMM

BEAUTICIANS     No evidence of beauticians in the town's first 30 years was found. Someone remembers a beautician named "Red" Davis, who operated a shop down town, but before that, presumably each woman took care of her own coiffure.

    When Mildred Zecher (later Dean) opened Cinderella Beauty Shop in 1936, the only two beauty shops in town were operated by Cora Mobley (later Gross), west of Kaplon's Store, and Richard Magalis. He first operated a barber shop that later developed into a beauty shop. This was in the Harry Funk house, now Deneen's, at 13 "A" Street. Magalis did not operate full time.

    Della Mae Humes operated a shop at 2 South Maryland Avenue, where Kitty Shaff worked and later bought the business. Frannie New joined Kitty and shortly took over the shop. After her marriage to Carl New, Frannie relocated at their home at 114 "A" Street, where she remained until her death in 1976.

    Margo Cannon Smith conducted her hair-coiffing business for ten years in the former Schnauffer Hospital Building.
Ivan Huffer worked for Frannie New long enough to qualify for managing his own shop, which he opened in the Meadows building in 1946, where he remained for over a year. Later he opened a shop in his home at 9 South Maryland Avenue where he operated for 21 years. Since 1969 he has had a shop in his lovely Victorian home at 102 "A" Street. Snookie Hagan operated in the first block of West Potomac Street until she returned to Lovettsville.

    Local beauty parlors today are Carol's Cut & Curl, Classic Hair Design, Donna's House of Hair, Hair Express, Ivan's, and Shear Reflections. These all offer men's and women's styling, not just hair cutting.

S - Mildred Dean - Ivan Huffer
W-MMM

BENCHMARK PRINTING, INC.     Ellis Burruss founded Benchmark Printing in 1980 and began operating at 310 Souder Road with one press. The company has thrived over the past eleven years by maintaining a basic business philosophy of providing reasonable quality at the lowest possible price. Rather than trying to sell costly extras that are not needed, the company has always tried to show the customer how a printing job can be done that will satisfy their needs and still keep costs down.

    Although the original intent was for the business to be a one-person operation, success made additional help necessary by 1986. The Brunswick Office Supply Store and Copy Outlet—BOSS & CO., was started in 1986 as an expansion for Bench-
mark Printing by providing a copy service to the public and an office supply retail store. BOSS & CO., was sold early in 1990 to allow Benchmark to concentrate on the printing end of the business.

    Recognizing the need to be involved in helping to deal with some of our society's problems Benchmark is promoting the use of recycled paper by encouraging printing buyers to use recycled papers and, by example, show other printers that it is a good idea
.
    Benchmark was named after a cat whose full name was Benchmark Papers on Ecology, and is now a part thereof.

S - Ellis Burruss
W -BRH

BERTHA'S CORNER     Horine's Drug Store, on the southeast corner of Potomac Street and Maple Avenue, became Bertha's Corner for about a year and a half in 1970-71. Irv Kolker and Nat Winter owned the building and backed the store.

    Because there was no place for an exhaust system, the Health Department would not permit a grill, so the menu was limited to cold sandwiches, although a hotdog roaster did add that item. We also sold pimento cheese and ham salad sandwiches, home-made soups, and most ice cream treats. Hot fudge sundaes were our specialty.

    We also sold a line of inexpensive costume jewelry, a few of Verna Ward's ceramics, and other gift items. Many young people came in after school to play the juke box and have a "coke."

    Pat Reynolds and Darlene Mossberger worked with me, and my daughter Rae helped out. Leroy Thompson kept the ceramic tile floor clean.

    I remember Mr. Compher came in every Monday morning for coffee and conversation after he had deposited his week-end profits at the Bank of Brunswick. He would usually bring one of his gold coins and every week told me he was about ready to sell his Cross Roads Inn; it is still going strong.

    Mr. Charles Gross came in everyday for a "coke" with just plain water and no ice. I got it right after two or three tries.
We stayed open all night twice, and sold hourly specials; cokes 5 cents all night; milk shakes and sundaes 10 cents at midnight, and banana splits 25 cents at 3:00 AM. The Brunswick police were kind enough to check on us throughout the night to insure our safety.

    I finally had to give up the store—no profits and 13-hour days were just too much for me, but I treasure all the fond memories and many friends I made at Bertha's Corner. And I learned one thing —you can't go back! I tried to make another Watson's Cut-Rate—give good service at low prices, but progress changes things. I just couldn't create the 40's and 50's again.

W - Bertha Best Haller

BLACKSMITHING An occupation the need for which has passed but was once represented in the local scene was blacksmithing. On the corner of Center Street and Petersville Road, John Thompson operated a blacksmith shop. Opposite the westbound station there was another shop run by a "Sally" Booth. Later Johnson moved his smithy to the west end of town behind the location of Litten Auto Sales at Florida Avenue and West Potomac Street.

During the 1930's the blacksmith shop on Center Street became a transient center for black transients, food being brought from the other transient center in the Hotel Potomac, across from the old YMCA, where caucasian transients were housed. The men ate their meals and played games on the first floor, and bunked upstairs.

S - Memory Lane
W - W H H

MRS. LUCAS' BOARDING HOUSE Mrs. Lucas' boarding house shows on Arthur Lutman's plats of the town on lot 86. This is the first lot south of the westbound tracks, east of Maple Avenue when it extended beyond the tracks. It would be directly across the tracks from the rear section of the back parking lot of the American Legion Home today. It faced Railroad Street, not Maple Avenue.

Levi Crummett wrote that "her (Mrs. Lucas') children were C;ertrude, who married John Fleetwood; May, who married a Kimes; Julia, who married John Crummett (Levi's parents)." Levi was born at the boarding house in 1905 and has been corresponding with the Brunswick History Commission. He still lives in northern Virginia.

W-MMM

THE BRUNSWICK BRICK YARD     Many people remember the steep climb up Brick Yard Hill from "D" Street and Second Avenue, often wondering how its name was derived. A brick yard operated near this point as early as 1802, according to Rev. H. Austin Cooper, but the closing date is obscure. The official records are not available, but the brickmaking did not continue to the end of the century.

    It was located on Second Avenue along the branch in the neighborhood of the Cooper home, at 209 Second Avenue. This is at the eastern end of "C" Street near Second Avenue.

    Clay for the bricks was dug from the banks of the branch at this end of "C" Street and explains the precipitous drop of terrain at this point. Clay was also removed from across the "D" Street area, on up "Brick Yard Hollow" (later called Wenner's Field), to below a barn in that field. Charles M. Wenner started the brick works on his farm which extended from "B" Street to what is now Souder Road. He removed clay with a two-mule scoop. When the clay was exhausted, the enterprise folded. "We had our rears spanked many times for sliding down the clay bank when I was young," Austin Cooper recalls.

    Two branches of water meet at the brick yard site near the Cooper house and provided water needed for the process. Brick burning took place at Point 1 on the drawing, east of the Wenner branch, which runs south under "D" Street, while the storing yard for the brick was on the west side of the branch at Point 2, below the barrier at "C" Street. Another branch runs from the spring in Frye's Field, which is in a valley east of and below Brick Yard Hill; it flows through a culvert under Second Avenue, then joins the Wenner branch a short distance downstream.

    Most of the bricks made in Brunswick were used to build chimneys for houses being built in Berlin, and only one house in town, the double house at 217/219 East Potomac Street, is known to be built of Brunswick brick. In earlier days Drs. Crum and Smith had offices there.

    After Mr. Wenner sold the brickyard, the first floor of the original four-room section of the house served as the office for the brick works, with the second floor being used as living quarters for the owners of the brick company. This was added to in 1878, and the other section was finished in 1890.

    According to Austin Cooper, who lived there many years, the north and east corner and the south and west corner of the basement of the west section of the house contain some Brunswick bricks. Three oak-tree girders rest on the bricks. The girders retain adz marks on the flattened side. The house has studding and split laths of hickory.

    The flood of 1936 caused the branch to back up and crumble some of the wall. The Cooper sons jacked the house up and put a fieldstone foundation across the Second Avenue end of the house. They installed a trap that prevented rats from entering and allowed excess water to flow out.

    Charles M. Wenner started the brickworks, which John L. Jordan later owned. Mr. Cooper acquired the house on January 17, 1914, from Veniah and Georgianna Funk, and it has remained in the immediate family of the Coopers ever since.

S - H. Austin Cooper
W -MMM

BUS LINES     Before the days of two cars in every garage, travelers used intercity bus lines. One in the county was Blue Ridge, with a station in downtown Frederick. Commuters between Brunswick and Frederick boarded a bus (not Blue Ridge) at that station for Brunswick. Horine's corner was the bus stop here with the bus continuing to Winchester. With the proliferation of automobiles, the small lines ceased operations.
    LOCAL BUS SERVICE IN BRUNSWICK     After their concrete products business closed, Bub and Ethel Lloyd operated a city bus service in Brunswick for about two years.

    The bus had seats along each side of the vehicle. It opera ted from New York Hill to downtown and back, and made regular stops. As with the New York subway. a rider could ride all day for his 25 cents fare, as long as he did not get off the bus.
    L AND L LINES     Brothers Bill and Russell Litten started their L and L bus service with two school busses during World War II. Harold Summers drove for five years, until Bill Litten died from an accident. Then Summers bought out Litten and operated as L and L Coach Lines. He continued a while after World War II and included charter trips in his service. His charter rights permitted him to go anywhere in the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii.

Summers owned the business for twenty years, and had from three to fourteen busses at various times. After his son Gene, who drove for him, was accidentally killed in 1972, Summers sold out within the year.

The L and L still runs, but it is now the L and L Tour Service.

S - Ethel Lloyd
- Harold Sumers
W -MMM

CANDY KITCHEN     On the corner of Second Avenue and East Potomac Street, George Magoulis, with his brother Billy's help, operated a candy kitchen for about eight years spanning the mid-1920's. Candy kitchens in those days made their own candy. The Malgoulises then returned to their homeland, Greece. When Austin and Virginia Cooper made a tour of the Mid-East in 1975, they toured Greece. Through conversation, Austin learned that a worker on the boat was Billy Magoulis. George had died by then.
    CONFECTIONERY STORES     Mannix Confectionery was located in the same location as the former candy kitchen—at the corner of Second Avenue and East Potomac Street. The Mannix Confectionery opened in the early 1920's and was operated by "Pickle" Manuel and Fred Nixon. It was a favorite spot of the high school students at the time.

    Mills Confectionery was located across from the Brunswick Fire Hall in what had been the Hovermale Pharmacy. Operated by Bets Mills, it was a favorite spot for the children to stop by on their way to the Imperial Theatre next door to get their candy, snowball, or popcorn before the movie started.

    Daris Confectionery was located at 5 East Potomac Street in a building originally constructed in 1903-04 for Amos Horine's Drug Store which operated there for about six years. In 1910, John Brady opened a soda confectionery there, and in 1913 Levi Lucas purchased the business and added a kitchen. In 1914, the Darr brothers—Edward and Luther—bought the business. That partnership dissolved soon after the First World War, when Luther took over and operated it as Daris Confectionery. In the early 30's, when Prohibition was repealed in the Franklin Roosevelt administration, a license to sell beer was obtained and the business became Daris Tavern. Luther Darr served the Brunswick public for 47 years until his retirement in 1961, and it is believedthat his confectionery store was the longest continuation of that type of business in the community.

W - B L C
    CANDY STORE     Two Flynn brothers moved from Funkstown to Brunswick in its early days and each provided a service to the community during the first third of the century.

    Ed Flynn operated a candy and confectionery store which was first located along the railroad tracks. He later moved into a small building at the foot of the First Baptist Church, near the location of the C&P Telephone exchange. He died in 1935.

W-MMM
    BUB LLOYD'S CEMENT WORKS     It is difficult to imagine Ernest "Bub" Lloyd not working in cement, but at one time he worked on the railroad. Even so, during those inescapable furloughs, "Bub" worked at M. J. Grove Lime Company. Maybe some cement entered his blood stream and remained there the rest of his life.

    "Bub" lost an arm at the age of forty, but had a lifetime ahead of him to provide for.

    In 1948 he married Ethel Douker and went into business for himself with extraordinary determination and a good supply of self-confidence.He manufactured building blocks and drain tile. The tiles were a baked product used to carry eMuent from the septic tanks and were baked in a steam room in the basement of his building. He installed septic tanks that he bought, then began manufacturing septic tanks to be installed.

    After eight years of blockmaking, he sold that enterprise. He expanded his business to include a septic tank cleaning service, a business he kept after he discontinued manufacturing blocks. His wife emphasizes that his entire business career involved the use of cement. He even built a row of cement apartments on Ninth Avenue; they have since been sold.

    At one time Bub employed 15 men, and his wife did the bookkeeping. "Bub" died in 1981, leaving a legacy that he could do just about anything he wanted to; he did just that.

S - Ethel D. Lloyd
W -MMM
    CLOTHING AND MEN'S FURNISHINGS     An 1896 directory lists the following in this category:
Victor Kaplon & Bro.
Charles R. Gregory, General Store William L. Gross, General Store
C. P. Herring, Gents Furnishings and Groceries Hewitt & Rockwell, General Store
Kaplons
John Martin & Co. General Store
J. D. Oglesby, General Store

    In the Maryland State Gazetteer for 1909-10-11, Brunswick is listed as having several haberdashers:
Victor Kaplon, "Clothier and Outfitter to Men and Women."

Jones and Robinson, "The Leading Store for Ladies' and Gents' Furnishings, Dry Goods, Shoes and Hats our Specialties.

It's the Talk of the Town—'Our Values' up to date in Style and Quality."

Nierenburg and Schulman, "Dealers in Clothing and Men's Furnishing Goods."

Jacob M. and Nathan Ephraim, 24 and 8 West Potomac Street.

Schulman and Deders

Stream, Brady and Co.

    The advertisement in this same directory for Myer Sachs, Tailor, is interesting:

"There is more truth than poetry in the saying that the cut of a man's clothes is a guide to his calibre. Sachs' clothes have calibre stitched into them. They are priced in reason and absolutely made by ME alone. Myer Sachs, Merchant Tailor, Brunswick, Md."

Others who offered men's clothes for sale were Abie Ellin on East Potomac Street and H. N. Werntz, the former in the 1920's and 30's, and the latter until his death in 1961.
(See articles on The Lace Store and The V. Kaplon Co.)

W-WHH

SAM CINCOTTA'S PRODUCE     Sam Cincotta started his business in a makes temporary awning-covered fruit and produce st' on West Potomac Street on the Leonard Ho property, which was located on the North sic. the first block of West Potomac Street. He ha truck and went to Baltimore market regularly produce. He wholesaled to various grocery stc in Brunswick. Sam built his business over the y and became a very prestigious businessman
property owner.

W - B L C
    COAL DEALERS AND HAULERS     Today it's oil or electricity, but in the heyda, the railroad in Brunswick, homes were heated coal. Three coal dealers are remembered by older generation of Brunswickians: The Mill, Brunswick Cooperative, and Harry Y. George.

    The Mill was located behind the site of the n. razed eastbound station, just west of it, along C&O Canal. Brunswick Cooperative's early hc began at the foot of Fifth Avenue, midway of road just south of Potomac Street. Dutch Bu remembers it there around 1919. Pete Chane, private dealer in coal, states that the Brunswick "Co-op" had a chute and siding at the bottom Fifth Avenue near the tracks.

    Harry Y. George, hardware dealer, used a railroad siding on B&O property when he was a partner of Wenner, Swank, and George. Their business was located south of the westbound track on the west side of Virginia Avenue. By the time both Wenner and Swank bowed out of the business, George had moved to the southwest corner of Delaware Avenue and West Potomac Street, where Brunswick Hardware now operates.

    At this time, Mr. George rented a coal bin from the B&O at the alley across the tracks behind earlier store. A spur track accommodated them, coal was unloaded with a shovel.

    After this, George's coal yard was located near the canning factory behind Litten's, on the south side of West Potomac Street at the intersection of Florida Avenue. The railroad extended a sidetrack to these coalyard bins also. Both the dealers and railroad benefited, as the freight trains brought coal to the dealer’s doors, so to speak. All Harry George or the Mill manager had to do was pick up phone, call the mine, and place an order. Upon arrival, the coal ordered went right to the truck delivery; what was left went directly into the bin.

    Much of the soft coal came from George's Creek in Maryland, some from West Virginia. Anthracite (hard) coal was obtained from Stone Hill, Indian Town Gap, and other Pennsylvania origins. Runof-mine (soft) coal came from Western Maryland and West Virginia, and some from Pennsylvania above Greencastle.

    In addition to railroad cars, coal was also hauled by trucks. Many individuals handled coal, especially during the depression. Once laid off from the railroad, men had to find another source of income, a way to survive. And survive these admirable men (and sometimes women) did.

    Pete Chaney hauled from 1933 to 1939. He picked up "soft coal" from George's Creek mines, west of Keyser, in the Allegany Mountain. "It was hard going sometimes," recalls Chaney, "because of the long hours and bad weather."
Earl "Buck" Harper used to travel with Chaney "in case either of us needed help," Buck explained. Buck lived with his father at 114 West "B" Street when he began hauling coal. Maryland Avenue had not yet been cut through, and there was a hill between his house and Maryland Avenue. He stored his leftover coal there until sold. There was nothing built in that area except a couple garages and Mrs. Shafer's stable, behind the houses on Virginia Avenue.

    Since hauling was a stopgap measure for Buck, he quit the coal business around 1941 and went to railroading. It was hard to get ahead in coal; you had to carry an overload to make money, but sooner or later this caused a tire to blow. And that was expensive, Buck explained; leaving coal, he then railroaded 32 years.

    Pete Chaney explained the process of loading trucks through chutes at the point of origin. Canvas carrierbaskets werefilled, heaved to the man's back with a practiced movement and held by a padded handle.

    In good weather the trip would take five hours; in bad, it would take seven to eight hours. If necessary, the drivers would stay overnight.

    Charles M. Dinterman, with his wife, Rachael Lowery Dinterman, and their son Dutch hauled coal from the "W. W. Coal Mine" in Lonaconing, MD., to Brunswick to sell during World War II.

    Bill Nalley and Haze, Charley, and Dutch Halley also hauled coal, as did Henry Beard, Jr. Beard handled both coal and wood around 1934. Charles King helped him haul in addition to working on the railroad. He brought in Pocahontas coal from Pennsylvania, where all his coal came from.

    Henry sawed wood on the premises where trees were felled; he worked along with the young people, providing work for young black men.

    Ernest "Bub" Lloyd hauled coal before he began his cement business. Others in this business included Millard Leopold, Dick Anderson, and Roy "Cook" Cannon. Mr. Clarence Hardy hauled for Harry George, dealer. Kermit Runkles drove a while for Ernest Greene.

    The Taylors bought out the business along the tracks across from the Moose building on East Potomac Street from Millard Lapole. The flood of 1936 destroyed the building. While some of the coal dealers also handled wood, the Taylors dealt also in ice and other products; this is discussed in another article.

    Another source of coal was the local railroad coal cars. These cars had to be cleaned, and at one time Charlie Bowers' job carried this responsibility. His contract gave him the privilege of salvaging whatever remained after cars were unloaded. The coal cars yielded considerable fuel to be sold locally along with other salable materials.

W-MMM
    DAIRIES     Some of our readers may remember daily delivery of milk in glass bottles, especially when the delivered milk froze in the winter months, raising the pasteboard caps. The Springdale Dairy, owned and operated by John N. Souder, and established in 1907, was the first company to deliver milk in glass bottles in Brunswick. The yellow horse-drawn milk wagon was a familiar sight in town.

    Other dairy farmers in the area also supplied milk to various areas of town, among these suppliers being George Chick, Patrick J. Allen, Edgar C. Virts, and a Mr. Baer. The requirement that milk be pasteurized came into effect in 1928 and suppliers had to have the proper equipment for processing raw milk. Pasteurizing equipment was installed at the Souder's Springdale Dairy and the Titus Dairy, and George Chick went into partnership with Mr. Titus. When Mr. Titus retired from the business in the mid-1940's, Mr. Chick went into partnership with Souder, this firm continuing until 1959.

    The residents' dairy needs were next served by the Brunswick Dairy, Inc., until 1966. The dairy building on West Brunswick Street, later Brunswick Police Headquarters, was built under the direcltion of John Funk, then City Engineer. After 1966, Brunswick residents have had to fill their dairy needs at local grocery stores and supermarkets.

S - Kay Souder Cooper
W - W H H
    DRY CLEANERS     When Charles "Brother" Barger advertised in the town directory in 1924, he used as his motto, "We Dye to Live," advertising his cleaning and dyeing business on the site of the present People's Home Furnishers.

    Previous to this, Mr. A. I. Ellin had offered dry cleaning and pressing with his tailoring business, the dry cleaning later taken over by Jimmy Jones, his establishment known as Brunswick Cleaners. In 1937 this was owned and operated by Harry C. Lawson.

    Other dry cleaners were Ideal Cleaners, owned by Charles and Gladys Utterback, and managed by Oswald (Buddy) Utterback; Royal Blue Cleaners, managed by Wendell Stewart at 201 West Potomac Street; a dry cleaning business managed by Donald Strailman on East "D" Street; and Shelley's Cleaners, managed by Donald Dawson on Petersville Road. Shelly offered 24-hour service in 1947 when he opened his shop. He charged 50 cents for a pair of trousers, $1.00 for a suit, dress, or coat. This included delivery. His business was located where Big A Auto Parts is now located. Troy Laundry regularly sent a truck to town, as did Eddie's Cleaners and also Rockwell Cleaners.
    BRUNSWICK LAUNDROMAT     The Brunswick Laundromat was begun around 1963, when it was sold from the Ada Kirk estate to Picket Properties of Hagerstown. Its present owners are James M. Campbell and Bill Riley of Frederick (Camrilco, Inc.). Virginia M. Lloyd manages the business.

    The second floor is the last remaining bunkhouse in Brunswick and is managed by The Engineers' Club.

S - Sherman Lowry - June S. Jones - B. L. Cavalier
W -WH H -MMM
    ELECTRICITY     Electricity came to Brunswick early in the 1900's and to some private homes by 1909. The first electricity was furnished by the B&O RR, which used a coal-powered generator to produce its own supply. When a railroader bought his house through the B&O Relief Department, he had the privilege of buying electricity from the railroad company. Men that bought into this plan were Jim Chambers, Lawrence Nelson, a Barker, and a Musgrove, among other families living near the railroad. The Gletner's Hotel, which began in 1894, became the first hotel in town to have electric lights, according to family tradition.

    The first company offering the town electric service was the Harpers Ferry Power and Light Company.

    Ordinance No.99, dated May 13,1914, granted Harpers Ferry Power and Light Company the right to erect poles, string wires, and maintain a power station in the town of Brunswick. Harpers Ferry paid the town $200 a year plus 1-1/2 percent of gross receipts derived from their business in Brunswick.

    After the lights were installed on streets, the first street lights on Virginia were turned on and off each evening and morning by Mrs. Eva Shafer, who contacted each neighbor for their 50 cents a month fee.

    When individuals were able to tap into the supply of electricity they could choose to use a flat rate or a meter rate. The first 14 kilowatt hours cost ten cents. The charge dropped to 2-1/2 cents per kilowatt hour if use rose to between 3000 and 5000 kw; as an alternative, one could choose a flat rate.

    Potomac Edison became a mammoth producer of electricity. At one point, Harpers Ferry P. and L. Offered to sell its business to Brunswick. The town turned down the offer. P.E. eventually bought HFP&L on February 5,1934, and sold their product; however, that source came to be used as a back-up before the company was terminated.

    Around 1916 or 1917 the first electric lamp arrived in town in Tom Rockwell's store next to the Horine Building on South Maple Avenue. Rockwell called Harry A. Burns into his shop to see the lamp that had just arrived. Burns bought the lamp immediately, the first house lamp in town. The lamp remains in the Burns family to this day, and was just in time, as the Burns' house had just had electricity installed in it.

    The first decade to be really electrified was the 1920's. Appliances of all kinds were going into peoples homes: stoves, washing machines, irons— everyone wanted the labor-saving devices.

    Electricians were trained to keep the electricity coming and to keep the appliances working. In the memory of this book's staff there have been Doug Wetnight, T&W Electric Jake Trice and Donald Wilson), Mike Trice, Ricky Heffner, Kermit Runkles, Reuben Harrison, and George Albert. Potomac Edison became important for supplying the needed services.

S - Town Ordinance - Directories
W -MMM
    THE FACTORY 5th Avenue and "D" Street     1938-39 Brown's Hosiery (A Philadelphia business). Beulah Hoffman was office worker and Evelyn Wright George, Elizabeth F. Myers and Essie Frye worked at the machines. The factory closed in 1940 because the employees were interested in joining a union, but the owner said "NO!"

    There is no further information on the factory until 1946 when an umbrella factory opened under the auspices of Polan Katz. There is a possibility that Mr. H. N. Werntz might have had some influence in bringing thatbusiness to Brunswick because he told all prospective employees to go see Leo, who was manager of Polan Katz Umbrella Factory.

    1952-54 The Price Electric Company occupied the building for making car radio transistors.

    1955-71 Curtis Holding Company made terry cloth children's pajamas in pink, yellow and pale blue. The seamstresses used home-like sewing machines. Toward the end of the business operation in Brunswick they made tank tops and turtleneck shirts.

    1971 In December of that year, H. L. Hartz bought the factory and they finished coats and vests that were cut in Frederick. These pieces were finished for different department stores and that store's label was sewn into each article of clothing.

    1985 The business closed in April of that year; the town owned the building and rented it to Charles Carlson for a cabinet and woodworking business in 1988.

    During the 1938-39 era of Brown's Hosiery Factory, some nylon hosiery that was being made was shipped in to this factory for shaping, labeling, and boxing. The boxes were assembled at the plant.

S - Helen Cooper Carter - Evelyn Wright George
W -BLC
    FEETE—FACTORY AND FUNERAL HOME     From 1890 until 1980, C. H. Feete and Brother, furniture maker and undertaker, was a family business. The various owners have been Charlie Feete, Lee Feete, Elva Brubaker Feete, and Leigh Raine Feete.

    Furniture manufacture usually accompanied funeral establishments, which constructed their own caskets and coffins. At this factory all kinds of furniture were made. Only one extantitem from the Feete business is known, a buffet owned by Mrs. Kitty Trundle Powell of Walkersville, a former Brunswick resident.

    The Feete furniture factory was built of wood with corrugated metal covering, and it filled the corner lot where the present apartment is located. (The apartment was built of material from the furniture factory.) The builders raised the furniture on a rope-pulled elevator and moved it diagonally across the street on an overhead track to the finishing factory, which filled in the area where Chesapeake and Potomac building now stands. In that building, another hand-operated elevator moved furniture among three floors as needed. Another building, on a knoll on the north side of Petersville Road, could be entered from either side. Here two horse-drawn hearses were stored. The brass lantern trimmings were always highly polished.

    Up "B" Street (past the late Patty Wenner's house) was located the coffin factory. This long building was of bank-barn construction, having a different-level entrance on each end.

    The viewing room was beside the Feete's dwelling, at one time in a separate building. The preparation of bodies was done in a room connected to the viewing room.

    The foundation so visible at the bottom of "C" Street and Petersville Road was once part of a long, two-story building that housed the white horses that pulled the hearse. The upper floor was used for storage of coffins, caskets, and other items.

    This business became the John T. Williams Funeral Home when it was bought in 1980. Since Mr. Williams' death in 1982, his widow Barbara, has conducted the business.

W -MMM
    FLORISTS     Donald Darr and Doris Bennett pioneered the florist business in Brunswick. They first started their business in the basement of Donald's grandfather, T. A. Sigafoose, on East "A" Street in 1946.

    In 1948, Doris Bennett bowed out of the business and Louise Porter went into partnership with Donald; they opened a shop on Potomac Street at the upper end of Meadows row, adjacent to the Cincotta building which housed the American Store. The Brunswick Florist progressed and they needed more space which necessitated a move to a storeroom between Kaplon's Store and the Reformed Church.

    Donald owned a double garage across the street from his grandfather's house and he eventually converted one of the garages for his florist shop location. Donald and Louise remained in that location until the 1960's when they moved the shop to 25 West Potomac Street and they continued there until they sold the business to Ann Oden Marshall in the early 1980's. Ann continued in that location until she needed more room and then moved to a large building on Petersville Road across from Feete Funeral Home. Ann closed her business approximately in 1987 when Patricia's Florists opened in the Brunswick Shopping Center.

W-BLC
    BRUNSWICK GAS AND GO / L and S FUEL COMPANY     Brunswick Gas and Go, on the 100 block of East Potomac Street, occupies five lots that once held three businesses: Potomac Hotel (the two west lots), Foster's Taxi Service (next), then Howard Marin Jones' real estate and insurance business, and finally a vacant lot before the recently burned Cage's Garage.

    The hotel was first named the Yardley. Walt Ambrose had bought lots 7 and 8 in April of 1921. He owned and managed the hotel, including his own barber shop. An article in the Frederick NEWSPOST of February 18, 1924, states that $15,975 was paid for the building at public sale.

    Howard Marvin Jones bought the property with the intention of making it into a fine hotel with a quality dining room. He renamed it the Potomac Hotel. These plans did not materialize as expected. Next the building was used as a "transient camp" during the Depression. Finally, it was transformed into a Post Office, which served until the present one opened on Brunswick Street in 1957. It always had apartments above the Post Office.

    John Foster's Taxi stand offered other service than taxis. Sometimes called the Wiener Joint- for the limited food service it offered—it was also pool parlor.

    In a small one-story building on lot 10, Mr. Jones conducted his insurance and real estate business.

    All these buildings were transferred to W Brothers in January 1961 by members of the Howard Marvin Jones family. The five lots became filling station and service center. In August 1978 Weil conveyed the property to Phoenix, from whom L. S. Inc. acquired it in 1986
.
W-MMM
    GOOD WILL     Good Will offers a much-needed service with their recycling of men's, women's, and children clothing. Their stock also includes knick-knack cooking utensils, pictures, jewelry, books, purses, shoes—anything except furniture.

    This enterprise opened in Brunswick around 1977, and Catherine Cooper of Knoxville has been with the organization since it opened here. The business has operated at the following locations: Hovermale building in the 200 block of West Potomac Street; 111 West Potomac Street; Kaplon basement; and its present location at 17 West Potomac Street.

S - Catherine Cooper
W -MMM
    GRAMS' GARAGE
    Grams' Auto Service, whose founder and life long proprietor was Garland Grams, was located at 302 Petersville Road. This auto repair business began about 1947. In addition, Garland was a Buick dealer and, for a brief time, also sold Opels, a car imported from Germany. The Grams operation expanded when the owner acquired the property next door at 218 Petersville Road from Mr. Bill Willard. Mr. Willard had conducted a Chrysler Plymouth dealership at this site before moving to the west end of town.

    At Garland's death in 1960, his brother William (Bill) continued the business at 302 until 1972, when Rene Grossnickle took over after Bill’s health force him to withdraw. Glenn Nininger became the next proprietor in 1977. Today he sells used cars along with the general auto repair business.

    At this time, the 218 property was leased to the Economy Oil Company of Frederick, MD. (Richard R. Kline, Pres.) It was subleased to Paul Stroup who operated it as Brunswick Mobil. Today a body shop and car lot occupy this site which was recently purchased by Robert Huffer.

    Both buildings suffered devastating fires in the 1960's within months; 302 was completely demolished, and half of 218 was saved. After being rebuilt, 302 is still in business, as is the building at 218 Petersville Road, which is now about half of its original size.

S - Connie T. Grams - Bill Grams
W - Connie T. Grams
-MMM
GROSS BROTHERS
    Mr. William Lynch Gross was a pioneer in settling Brunswick. He came here in 1877 from a farm at the intersection of Route 464 and Lander Road. He started a small grocery store on Virginia Avenue south of the westbound tracks. The flood of 1889 washed him out, but he reopened in a house (since torn down) on Virginia Avenue, north of the tracks. About 1893, he built the present Gross building, at a time when the westbound yards were being built in the east end of town. (A description of the store was included in Chapter 3 (Community) headed "The Gross Store").

    There was a second building to the rear of the store, torn down in 1934 to make way for a doubledecker garage with a ten-car capacity.

    General store business techniques then differed from today's. Ladies corsets were a popular item. Gross stocked boxes of them. He would "size the woman up" at a glance, unfold a likely garment, hold it around her, then conclude the sale. The large attic was a "catch-all," which was indispensible for storing off-season equipment.

    The basement was vital as a cool storage area before refrigerators were mandated for perishables. Butter, molasses, fish, pickles, potatoes, and cheese were among the items stored there.

    Gross would buy about 50 wheels of rat-trap cheese to season or age there. The cheese was made in Ohio and upper New York, and the large quantity gave a better price. Lynch and William Gross, sons of the owner, had to go down and turn the cheese every 30 days. The cheese slicer was like a turntable with a latch to raise the cheese to vary the amount by weight to be cut off with a large blade that went up and down like a paper cutter.

    Suspenders were a big item, as were Ball Brand Boots and Buster Brown Shoes.

    One Christmas as the family ate dinner, Ed Shafer, the mayor wanted a pair of suspenders. The business man accommodated his customer, then returned to the table and family.

    The flood of 1924 visited Brunswick and dealt a striking blow to the economy of the town and the store.
Around 1925 the drug store moved from the Gross building, so the owner used that room for overalls, glassware, and dishes. The dentist left about the same time.

    When the founder of the store died in 1930, son Charles, who had been working with the bottled gas and radio part of the business, and Lynch, who was handling the grocery business, were knowledgeable enough to continue.

    The death knell tolled for both the general merchandising and grocery business. By 1933, merchandising in general was in a nationwide depression; people were unable to pay even for what they needed. Chain stores, specifically the A&P, came to town, hurting all local independent groceries. Business had left the Berlin location, moving to Potomac Street away from the dirt and noise. During the Depression, the loss of LCL (Less than Carload Lots) was another blow to Brunswick. This took many men from the town to a new place of operation in Washington.

    Although the William L. Gross enterprise died, Charles continued selling and servicing radios, and selling bottled gas. In 1934 young William B. Gross left teaching and joined Charles, adding appliances, plumbing and heating. The Phoenix rose from the ashes.

    Gross Brothers (Charles and Bill) joined the exodus from the Berlin business area. Around 1934 they opened shop in Abie Ellin's building at 19 East Potomac Street (now Dr. Rojewski's). When Ellin sold his building to Dr. Edmunds, Gross Brothers moved to the storeroom behind the old Bank of Brunswick. All this time the original home of the Gross Store was used as a warehouse but was otherwise deserted.

    When the Bank of Brunswick area was torn down in 1956, the Gross business came full cycle to its place of origin on South Maryland Avenue.

    Several long-time employees of the Gross business should be recalled. Miss Anna Care began working for Grosses in 1902, continuing almost to death, missing only about a week over the entire period . . . for hospitalization. Turner Conner began working in 1904, then joined Karns Lumber to complete his career. Harry Pennell, of Jefferson, left a mark on the memories of the Gross family.

S - William B. Gross
W -MMM
HAHN'S CAFE
    Hahn's Cafe building, located at the corner of West "B" Street and Petersville Road, was constructed of lumber from houses which had been located between the tracks. Because it was in the path of the approach to the new bridge that was to be constructed over the Potomac River, it was razed in 1950. Bessie and Harry Hahn operated their Cafe for over twenty years and they were open every day of the year. They were known for their seafood, soup, oysters, hardshell crabs, french fries, and steamed shrimp.

    Although Brunswick was in dire need of a modern up-to-date bridge, it was a sad day when Hahn's Cafe disappeared from the scene to accommodate the new bridge.

S - Bessie Hahn
W -BLC
H & R BLOCK
    The idea of opening an H & R Block in Brunswick originated at a 4th of July picnic at Oneida Heffner's home in Rosemont. Long time friends Sam and Vivian Hughes spoke of an ad in the Brunswick Blade Times advertising an H & R Block franchise.

    Oneida had been an employee of Block and had been manager of the Charles Town, W.Va., office and had worked at the 223 North Market Street office in Frederick. She had previously been introduced to Joe Dunn, who owned the Frederick franchise, when she and her husband sold their home on Brunswick Street. Since she could find no reference to this type of sale in any tax publication, Attorney William Wenner referred her to Joe Dunn, who invited her to take the H & R Block course and work for him.

    The Brunswick office opened in January 1972 at 9 West Potomac Street in a small office with a two man desk. During that first tax season Myer Kaplon, who for many years prepared the tax returns of Brunswick citizens, died and the influx of clients began. Business has been good since that time. The main clientele used to be B&O employees, but with the change in railroading in Brunswick, that is no longer true. However, many railroad retirees are clients.

    The tax season of 1990 was Heffner's 18th year in Brunswick and many memorable experiences could be related. However, one of the best is about an elderly gentleman, who at an early age had immigrated to the U. S. He was told that he did not need to file or pay taxes; he was quite upset. He felt that it was very important that he pay taxes to his beloved country. Needless to say, not everyone feels that way about paying taxes.

    During these years Oneida Heffner has attended many seminars, and training is an annual process. It has meant long hours - sometimes as many as 20 a day. Without the support of her husband, Lawrence, this business could not have been the success it is, states Mrs. Heffner.

    In 1976 the business moved to larger quarters at 25 West Potomac Street. They like the downtown Brunswick area and plan to remain there.

    In 1990 they entered the field of electronic filing. IRS expects that many tax returns will be filed this way in the future, saving the IRS an enormous amount of paper work.

    Employees Linda Lucas (now working at Brunswick High School), Sandra Tucker and Mary Axline have been a maintay of the business. In 1982, on the first Monday of February, always the busiest day of the year, Mary came just to answer phones for the day and she's still with the firm. Over the years all of the Heffner children, Larry, LaVonne, Karen, and Arthur, have worked in the office. Presently daughter Lauren Lipps is taking a close look at the administrative end of the business.

    The years on Potomac Street have been interesting, intriguing and oftimes tiring. Oneida Heffner's years with H & R Block have been good.

W - Oneida Heffner
HARDWARE STORES
    1893 Wenner, Swank and Co., Lot 6, south of the tracks, west side of Virginia Avenue.

    1902 Swank and George. Lots 5 and 6. A lot was added to the original store. Wenner sold out to his partners.

    1907 S. W. George and Co., moved to the southwest corner of Potomac Street and Delaware Avenue after buying out Swank.

    c1910 Swank opened a store on West Potomac Street in the Swank Building.

    Early 1940's PeoplesHomeandAutoStorein the Swank Building had a sechon devoted to hardware; subsequently relocated to new quarters on East Potomac Street.

    1954 Swank building razed to make room for new bridge.

    1973 Brunswick Hardware. Leroy Strawsburg and Melvin Taylor bought the S. W. George building.

    1978 Brunswick Hardware remodeled basement and added sporting goods store.

    1988 Ace Hardware opened new store in Brunswick Shopping Center.

W - M M M
THE HARRINGTON SHOE REPAIR SHOPS
    Shoe repairing was a family vocation in the Harrington family. George Washington Harrington is said to have had cobblers in his ancestry, and he possibly began the family business in Brunswick in the area between the tracks. Later the business moved north of the tracks. At some fume, the business was located in a building on the alley between East Potomac and "A" Streets now known as Mooseheart Drive.

    George Washington Harrington's son George Wesley, operated a shoe repair shop in the first block of West Potomac Street next to what is now Anhques N' Ole Stuff. George Wesley's sons, Bill and Donald, began their apprenUceship in their father's shop, and Bill later took over the business. Donald married and moved to Berkeley Springs where he opened his own shop.

    Bill Harrington moved the shop to the Swank & Son building, which was then located next to the present F&M Bank on West Potomac Street; he later moved to the Hovermale building a block farther west, across from the Fire Hall.

    On Bill Harrington's death in l9C4, his brother Donald returned to Brunswick and took over the business. When fire destroyed the Hovermale building, Donald reopened the business at 107 East Potomac Street, next to the site of the former H. N. Werntz building at First Avenue and East Potomac Street.

    In all of the locations, the "Shoe Shop" was a place where a group of men, mostly railroad retirees, would gather daily to "shoot the breeze," exchange gossip, and keep up with all the news.

    Locahons of Harrington Shoe Shops:
1. Between the tracks.
2. Possibly on South Virginia Avenue near the tracks.
3. West Potomac Street, next to Anhques N' Ole Stuff.
4. West Potomac Street - Swank Building (now razed), next to F&M Bank.
5. West Potomac Street - Hovermale building (now razed).
6. East Potomac Street - next to Werntz building.

    An 1895 Business Directory lists Jonas E. Haudt and Peter L. Peters, as Brunswick shoemakers, and the 1909-10-11 Maryland State Gazetteer contains an entry for Jacob Kramer as a Brunswick shoemaker, along with George W. Harrington, Jr. Scharfs History of Western Maryland (1882) lists Joseph Shilling as a shoe repairman in Berlin. A 1928 Blade Times announced on page one that "Messrs. Roccisano and Arena, proprietors of a shoe repair shop on West Potomac Street, have recently opened another shop in Middletown."

W - W H H
HAULING
    As long time residents of Brunswick will remember, inhabitants of the town did not always enjoy the convenience of weekly garbage collection or the convenience of having material hauled where needed.

    Among the first were the men running livery stables in Berlin between the railroad tracks. Mr. Will Conner is representative of this group. He not only hauled, but also rented teams and wagon, horse and buggy and horse and saddle. He was active in the early 1900's. The coming of the motor car terminated his services. Gladys (Sis) Dean, his 89-year old daughter is the last living member of her immediate family.

    "Duck" Hathaway provided hauling services with his horse and wagon in the early 1920's.

    In the 1920's and 30's, Richard L. Anderson operated a business that included hauling, excavation, plowing, moving, and laying concrete. His company subcontracted the excavation for the building of People's Home Furnishers recently vacated at 21 East Potomac Street. He also poured the concrete flooring for the social room at Bethany Lutheran Church.

    In the late 1920's and 30's, Mervin Joy, drayman for the Railway Express Agency here, also delivered freight around town. He started with horse and wagon, but many today still remember him and his little pickup truck. The Railway Express Agency was an independent carrier developed to expedite package shipments which were handled in express cars on passenger trains. B&O handled such shipments which Railway Express originated and terminated locally.

    Pat Barger of Wenner's Hill also did some truck hauling related mostly to agricultural and construction work. Sometimes hauling was done by owners of teams of horses, a Mr. Chew and a John Mills being men in that endeavor.

    Some of the people who hauled coal, discussed elsewhere in this chapter, also did general hauling and even moved household furniture.

    An endless list of haulers could be made, because in harder times, anyone who could drive and who owned or could borrow a truck did a bit of hauling at one time or another. Such was the need to scramble to make a living during the Depression
. GARBAGE DISPOSAL
    As with general hauling, various trucks were available for removing garbage and trash. In the early 1930's, Rex Woernle could be contracted for that purpose. The disposal of waste was an individual homeowner's responsibility, the operation sometimes being carried out by a neighbor boy with a small wagon and tub. The dump sites were numerous too, one being at the top of Delaware Avenue, one off East "B" Street, and one off "D" Street and Third Avenue—where a natural depression existed for filling.

    On Wenner's bottom land farm between the canal and the river, trash haulers, as well as individuals, disposed of their trash, even the "honey dippers." Every year, when the high waters came, they would wash away part of the debris down river, and the "dumpers" would continue dumping.

    Roy "Cook" Cannon once provided a home pickup trash service before the town assumed responsibility for garbage collection, and his service was the first contracted by the town. That business was later purchased from "Cook" by his brother "Sonny."

    A landfill was set up and used behind Radio WTRI. It was finally terminated, and now the city pays the county for permission to haul Brunswick waste to the county landfill.

S - Louise Cannon
- Dutch Burns
W - W H H
-MMM
HOTELS (From the Maryland Directory 1890's - 1925)
    VIRGINIA HOTEL - Along the tracks (Gazett' 1909-10-11)

    YARDLEY HOTEL - (Name later changed to P tomac Hotel). Located on East Potomac Str' across from YMCA. Became a transient resider center during 1930's Depression.

    FOUT HOUSE - (Brur sunck Herald 3/6/1891, G ner of Potomac and Market Street, one square fr B&O.

    CITY HOTEL - (1895) on plat of New Town 17, Potterfield owner; faced Second or Middle Stre Lot No. 38.

    JORDAN'S BOARDING HOUSE, 1895

    LUCAS BOARDING HOUSE, 1899

    McDONALD'S BOARDING HOUSE, 1895

    MRS. MORTIMER'S BOARDING HOUSE, 1895

    CRUMMETT BOARDING HOUSE

    HOTEL ELGIN - (Directory 1896) Lot 29, Bri Street, now Virginia Avenue. (From an ad in Brunswick Maryland Business Directory of 1E "HOTEL ELGIN, J. L. Elgin, Pro'r, Cor. Bridg' Railroad Sts., Brunswick, Md. A brand new first class hotel. Headquarters for commercial travel tourists, fishermen, wheelmen, &c. In the immediate vicinity of the finest fishing grounds of Potomac. Rates reasonable. Livery attached."

    AMERICAN HOTEL - (Directory 1896) South of Water Street. (From an ad in the Bruns Maryland Business Directory of 1896: “AMI CAN HOTEL, JAS. D. GLETNER, PROPRIET RAILROAD ST. Rates $1.00 per day. Special rates by the week and month. Airy, comfortable roc First-class fare. All home comforts.

W -BLC
HOVERMALE PHARMACY
    Howard Hovermale was born in Brunswick and first lived on New York Hill on Park Avenue, next to the church. Married, he lived on the southeast corner of Florida Avenue and Brunswick Street while waiting for his house at 406 West Potomac Street.

    Mr. Hoverrnale received a degree in pharmacy in the early 1900's and operated his business across from the present firehall in the west room of a two story, two-apartment building. Louise Mills Funk recalls delivering his lunch in a small basket every day for a while, when she was a small girl; for each trip he paid her a nickel.

    The business was leased to Paul Harrison and Raymond Kelly after Mr. Hovermale's death in 1930. The new renters hired a pharmacist from Baltimore, Md., Dr. Roddick. The business did not survive. The store was offered to Bets Mills, who at the time owned a confectionery store at 300 West Potomac Street, where the Ambulance Building now stands.

    At this time, Bill Wenner bought Bets' corner store, so Bets took over Mrs. Hovermale's business. For a short time he operated both stores.

    The Hovermale building was adjacent to the Imperial Theatre. Bets did a lot of business with the children who attended the movies. Penny candy, snowballs, ice cream cones, etc., were the main items during those Depression years."Beese" had been helping Bets—even at his first store. Bets, who umpired baseball games, was struck in the head by a foul ball, which caused him trouble ten or twelve years later. The pressure that built up could not be relieved, so he eventually gave up the business. Beese bought the store and ran it.

    Next, Julia and Bootsie Barger assumed management of the store for a short time, after which Leroy Brubaker, of "B" Street, took over. In more recent years, Good Will was housed in the same storeroom when the fire occurred that destroyed the entire building.

    The first floor housed the Roelke and Dixon Grocery Store on the east side. After this store moved, that room was occupied by Harrington's Shoe Repair Shop and the Nicodemus/Porter newspaper distributors until the explosive fire that started in the basement from paint products.

S - Louise "Beese" Mills Funk
W - B L C
-MMM
ICE—MANUFACTURING AND DELIVERY
    Having ice was not always as easy as pouring water into an ice cube tray.

    In the early 1900's ice was made at the Hygeia Ice Plant, which was behind Litten Chevrolet, slightly west, close to the railroad. This seems to be the only place ice was made in town. A Mr. Flicker (or Fleager) managed the plant. Pat Werking remembers it to be still in business in 1942. The well is reported to still be there.

    Other ice was brought in for sale from Frederick and Charles Town. This required delivery, and several firms were in the ice delivery business. Taylor was one. (See following article.) Tommy and Pete Tucker sold ice manufactured at Hygeia.

    Mr. Will "Fritz" Barker delivered ice, first with horse and wagon, later with truck. His headquarters was on h inth Avenue near the New York Hill Market.

    Howard Crowl reports that he too ran an ice truck and used an old-time street car bell.

    John Mills, father of Russell and Hillery, delivered ice. He is said to have had an ice house and milk store across from Winebrenner's.

    Mr. Huffman, also John Derflinger, delivered ice. Bill Gisrael delivered ice to businesses.

    As with vegetable and other trucks, people say that horses pulling the ice wagons would walk on down to the next stop while their driver was tending to the business at hand.
ICE AND MR. BEAMS
    Below the coffin factory, which was of rusted metal, as Gretchen Rollison remembers it, and was located at the intersection of Maryland Avenue and Petersville Road where an apartment now stands, Mr. Beams stowed chunks of ice. They were stored in straw. If anyone came requesting 10,15, or 10 pounds of ice, he would go right back there and sell it to him. Kids would buy a ten-cent block, take it home and shave snowballs to sell to the neighborhood for a penny. Mother would prepare the flavoring.

Mr. Beams also sold ice cream over town. He lived in the double house next to the coffin factory, at 21-23 Petersville Road.

S - Gretchen Rollison
W -MMM

TAYLOR ENTERPRISES: The Work Ethic at Work ICE - COAL - SCHOOL BUSSES     Sociologists today lament the death of the work ethic in modern America; it was alive and well when George W. Taylor came to Brunswick, and he continued the trend with his family. His primary career was the railroad, but he purposely branched out into other businesses as an example for his family and to keep them occupied and out of trouble. Having eight children is a real incentive to set an example of energy, ambition, and enthusiasm, and it all led to an uncommon success story.

    George was a railroader on the B&O before coming to Brunswick, but was not satisfied with just one job. The town existed south of the westbound tracks, and he first branched out with a livery stable that he bought from a Mr. Hoffmaster.

    Next he started the ice delivery business with a horse and wagon. He bought ice from Mr. Flicker, who manufactured it in a building to the rear of Litten's. Flicker's office was atone end; Taylor built an office at the other end. Flicker made ice in blocks of different weight and supplied the Taylors until T. S. Michael of Frederick became their source.

    Three of the sons had trucks and their own routes to serve; Ellsworth ("Beany') for instance, supplied Rohrersville and other areas of Washington County. Both "Beany" and Palmer worked on the railroad in addition to their other jobs.
After Flicker left, Taylors moved to the long one-story commercial building on Petersville road. Storage was at the left, machinery and rest rooms in the middle, office at the right end, and loading platform in front. A filling station completed this business.

    Coal was the other season's product. Their storage house for this was at the other end of town, across from the Moose Home. The railroad's gondola cars transported the coal. This two-story building was destroyed by the Potomac River flood of 1936; the trucks were saved, but the coal business ceased.

    Taylor's busses transported two generations or more of children to school. George Taylor began in 1928. At first there was a fee for transporting high school students, but none for elementary children. In time, George and his son Stanley began driving their own busses with ten-year contracts. At George's death in 1950, his will gave the bus to his daughter, Pauline, who conducted the service until retirement in 1983. Stanley continued driving his own bus, but gave that up in the 1940's and moved to Washington, D.C. Pauline drove 33 years, from 1950 to 1983. Her father drove from 1928 until his death, 22 years; together they totaled 55 years of private contracting.

S - Pauline Taylor
W-MMM
    INSURANCE PHILLIPS INSURANCE AGENCY, INC.     Preston N. Phillips started the business which bears his name on a part-time basis in 1943 while still employed at the Brunswick Y.M.C.A. By 1944 he was a full-time agent with an office at 4 West Potomac Street, selling auto, fire, health and life insurance. A growing business forced a move to larger quarters at 16 West Potomac Street.

    His children, Bill, Marvin, and Janet, worked for him in the business. In 1963, "Pres" Phillips died and son Marvin took over the business. In 1964 the office was moved to 7 West Potomac Street and several agencies were purchased and combined with the original.

    On June 1,1968, Marvin Phillips sold the agency to Jacob R. Ramsburg, Sr., J. R. Ramsburg, Jr., and Robert C. Lindquist. At this time, the agency was incorporated and continued to use the name of Phillips Insurance Agency, Inc., with the permission of Margaret Phillips. On January 1987 the office moved to 50 Souder Road in the Brunswick Shopping Center.

    Coverages offered have been widened to include business, homeowners, and bonds.

    Millie K. Burch joined the firm in 1960 and worked nearly 25 years. Current employees are JoAnn Lewis, since May 1962, and Ernestine B. Morgan, since June 1973.

W - Millie Kidwell Burch
    SHAFER AND BOWERS INSURANCE COMPANY
    Today Louise Nicodemus Porter wears with pride a Bulova wrist watch left by her Aunt Eva (Nicodemus) Shafer. Miss Eva (EV-va), as she was called, was the wife of Edward C. Shafer, who founded Shafer and Bowers Insurance Co., with Charles Bowers who later became president of the Peoples National Bank. The watch was presented to Miss Eva by the Continental Insurance Company for 25 years of service and is so inscribed.

    The insurance office opened on South Delaware Avenue, where Mr. Shafer also printed the Brunsw ck Herald. When the Shafers moved to 22 North Virginia Avenue into the house they purchased from M. M. Richards, they transferred the insurance company also.Brunswick's 1924 directory for Shafer and Bowers advertises "Fire, Automobile, Casualty, Windstorm, Workmen's Compensation, Plate Glass / 10 Strong Stock Companies." The home address was given. Widowed, Miss Eva continued the insurance business until her death.

    At other times, Herb Kennedy, Claude Lutman, and the Sparks Agency offered insurance service to Brunswick residents.

S - Louise Porter - Brunswick 1924 Directory
W -MMM
JEWELERS

    In trying to locate business in Brunswick from 1890 to the present, the researchers at times felt as if they were in a game of "musical storerooms."

    The earliest reference to this profession in Brunswick appeared in an 1895 directory that lists B. R. Portner, jeweler, with no other details available.

    In the 1896 directory is "The Baltimore Watch Repairing Co.," with M. Korman & Son (B. Korman), members. They were "Practical Watchmakers and Jewelers," who dealt also in spectacles, eye glasses, and revolvers, and bought old gold and silver. They did engraving "neatly," and "Picture Enlarging in Crayon an (sic) Pastel." Location was not specified.

    The 1895 Frederick City and County Directory lists F. E. Alder as having a general store but lists no details. However, according to the "Maryland State GazeHeer', of 1909-10-11, Frank E. Alder ran a general store that included jewelry along with confections; he was also vice president of the Savings Bank.

    On Arthur Lutman's plat of early Brunswick, F. E. Alder was located on the west side of North Maple Avenue, just north of the Savings Bank, in 1916. This would be about where the business offices of the Bank of Brunswick begin.

    By the time J. E. Moore succe ded F. E. Alder, the shop had been relocated at 5 West Potomac Street, where "railroad watches were a specialty," as shown in a 1924 directory.

    Jeweler Edward Lee Moore will be remembered as the man who gave a watch to a lucky boy and girl graduate each year. Pictures of the graduates were assembled around the face of a clock. If there were more boys than girls in the class, then boy's pictures formed the outer circle with the girls making the inner circle. If there were more girl$ then they formed the outer ring. Mr. Moore would give the clock a few turns of the key—not winding it fully. When the clock stopped, the minute hand would indicate the winner from the outer circle and the hour hand determined the inner circle winner.

    In the year 1930, the last year of the contest, Dorothy "Dot" Long (later Merriman) and Bill Stine were the winners.
Mr. Moore's life was not an ordinary one. Both of his legs were amputated in 1921 in a job-related railroad accident at the eastbound hump. In settlement, the B&O offered him his choice of rehabilitation training; he chose to learn watch repairing. The company sent him to Buchanan, West Virginia, where he was prepared for his career.

    The railroad bought out F. E. Alder's Jewelry Store, whose owner was ready for retirement. (This suggests that he may have been in business as early as the 1890's.) The B&O turned Alder's store over to Mr. Moore, who replaced Mr. Cooper as watch inspector. The 1924 directory lists "J. E. Moore, successor to F. E. Alder, Railroad watches a specialty." This was located at 5 West Potomac Street, most recently known as Payne's Pharmacy, in a building now owned and renovated by Tom Sigler.

    A few years later, when Matthews' candy store across the street became vacant, Mr. Moore moved there. Later he moved to 17 West Potomac Street, where Goodwill is now located. His final place of business, at retirement, was at 109 East Potomac Street, next to where Donald Harrington's Shoe Repair Shop was more recently located. Think how convenient this was for railroaders living at the YMCA. Here Mr. Moore stayed until he went out of business in 1941 or 1942.
Mr. Herbert E. Cooper, who lived at202 Second Avenue, had learned clock and watch repairing in Winchester, Virginia. The lure of the railroad with the highest pay of all industries in the East was irresistible. He came to work in the Brunswick yards at age 19 when the railroads were experiencing an expansion shortly after the turn of the century.

    He had worked on the railroad twenty years when an accident incapacitated him. At the time, he had been "bumped" back from passenger conductor to freight conductor. At Cherry Run, he was walking the car tops to the caboose. As he stepped onto the top ladder rung, which was of wood, the rung broke. His fall damaged his fifth vertebra, causing him to live three years in a plaster cast.

    He had a porch of his home enclosed, providing a shop for him to conduct a clock and wa ch repair business, where he worked from about 1903 to 1930. At one time he was B&O watch examiner before Mr. Moore's tenure at that position.
Assishng Mr. Moore with repair service was William Hardy, who learned his profession from a Mr. Kronk in Harpers Ferry. Miss Bessie Lowery clerked for Mr. Moore. Having met there, Hardy and Miss Lowery eventually married.

    When Mr. Moore retired, the Hardys opened a shop at 6 West Potomac Street. Their final move was to a small room on South Maple Avenue, next to the Horine building.

    The Maple Avenue location was the same room where Mr. John VanPelt had earlier opened a watch shop after moving here from Tazewell, Virginia, in the southwestern section of the state. Unfortunately, the doctor stated that for his health's sake (what might be called an allergy today), he should work out of doors. He then began a career on the B&O Railroad, where he worked until retirement.

    Still a vibrant person, he opened a watch repair shop in a small room on West Potomac Street, just east of the building where Antiques N' Ole Stuff operates in 1990 (or where the Cincotta family lived for many years). His shop is not distinguishable today, because siding incorporates it with the adjacent storeroom.

    This writer recalls with amusement the tag he attached to her watch in the late 1930's. It read "She had a bath."
S. and N. Katz extended their chain to Brunswick in the early 1940's when they opened shop, south side, first block, West Potomac Street. A Mr. Kreeger from Lovettsville worked there. He later returned to his hometown to open his own shop. A Mr. Butler, who rented a room in the Dave DeLauter "double house" at 21-23 Petersville Road (next to Feete's apartment) also worked for Katz, and two others as yet unidentified, replaced Kreeger as watchmaker.

    In 1946 Katz moved to L. B. Darr's corner storeroom, 1 East Potomac Street.

    Frank Miglio came to Brunswick from Cumberland in 1954 to work for Katz when Dave DeLauter managed the jewelry store. Although Katz chain sold to Reliable in the late 1950's, the Brunswick store was the only link in the jewelry chain that remained in the "Katz" name until Miglio retired in 1980, the vear Katz closed.

    During the 1950's Sam Wilson ran a jewelry anc watch repair store on West Potomac Street.

S - Paul Moore, Frank Miglio - Ms. Pauline VanPelt - Austin, Helen, Elsie Cooper - Dutch Burns
W -MMM

J. P. KARNS
    Jeremiah P. Karn, born of Dutch extraction in 1857 near Burkittsville, learned carpentry and building from his father and first worked for the C&C Canal Company and the B&O Railroad. He late began a contracting business with his brother William. After working in the District of Columbia, he returned to Brunswick in 1891, then opened a lumber yard with his brother in 1892. In an 1896 directory, the ad for Karn indicated they were dealers in "sash, doors, blinds, moulding, framing, flooring, siding shingles and building materials of every description. Florida cypress shingles a specialty. Contractors and builders. Plans and specifications furnished on all types of Buildings." Karn also handled Carmote paints, hinges, nails, tools, plaster and plasterboard and plywood. The company served Virginia and WestVirginia in addition to Maryland.

    This lumber business, J. P. Klarn & Bro., was, according to William's History of Frederick County (1910), the largest in the southern section of the county. The site of this business was the eastern side of South Maryland Avenue across from the Kaplon residence. As time passed, the building expanded to accommodate storage space for lumber, machinery, and supplies. Karn received their lumber in box cars on the B&O, unloading by hand and trucking to the storage area. They needed about three days to empty a car, and extra help was hired for this work, Jim and Chester Voorhees being among those who were used. Trucks began transporting the lumber in 1966.Many in Brunswick will remember dealing with Oscar Karn, the last of the family active in the business. Among longtime Karn employees were Turner Conner, originally from Oakland, Virginia, who spent almost 50 years with Karn, and his daughter Grace, who worked there from 1929 undl 1971.

    Karn had a millwork shop in the rear area behind Litten Chevrolet in the 600 block of West Potomac Street. About 65 years ago William Shafer ran the sawmill shop and his son, Clarence, worked there also. They produced door and window frames, cabinets, and counter tops. There was once a display of seats for outhouses at the Karn store and it was said that Karn at one time produced a wooden leg for a client. The millwork shop was transferred to Karn's Maryland Avenue yard at least 50 years ago.The business passed to Edward Hering and Ralph Stauffer about 1948 and to Joel Koehl in 1971. "Bootsie" Barger's fuel oil and kerosene business, later sold to Economy Oil, was acquired by Karns in 1964. Mr. Koehl installed gasoline pumps. Richard F. Cline sold electrical equipment and plumbing there, also. Some of the contractors who dealt with J. P. Karn & Bro. were H. B. Funk, W. J. and Glendon Demory, Millard and Lee Keller, Levin Cooper, and G. E. Rollins.
The 1924 directory contains an entry for another lumberbusiness, the Brunswick LumberCompany, located at 604 West Potomac Street, a company with a store in Charles Town.

S - Grace Connor - Betty Stauffer - Ed Hering
W - W H H
THE LACE STORE
    The building at 7-11 East Potomac Street that housed The Lace Store was originally called the Mehrling Building; Joe Shilling operated a butcher shop in that building around the turn of the century. After the structure was enlarged and remodeled, Mr. and Mrs. Earl Gordon bought it and opened The Lace Store, which was a small department store. Some of the early-year employees were Stanley Snoots, Daisey Watts, Frances Brady Ornson, Dorothy Stine, Ivadora Kellly and Mr. and Mrs. Gordon.

    One side of the store catered entirely to the working man's needs and the other side carried notions, cotton fabrics, Simplicity patterns, ladies' hats, shoes, dresses, skirts, sweaters and children's and infants' wear. The shoe department in the rear area of the store had Brunswick's first X-Ray machine for proper shoe fit.

    But some of the fondest memories of The Lace Store was the upstairs CHRISTMAS TOYLAND that opened early in December every year. Every young child who lived in Brunswick during those years has been upstairs to visit the Lace Store's Christmas Toyland.

    In 1946 the Gordons sold The Lace Store to a small chain, COFFMAN-FISCHER, under the management of Frank Sapp. The Coffman Fischer store continued until the early 1960's when it was again sold to another chain. Ironically, this new store was under the management of Richard Snoots, whose father, Stanley, was one of Mr. and Mrs. Gordon's earliestemployees when they firstopened The Lace Store.

W - B L C
MACE FURNITURE
    Thomas Mace began a furniture business on East Potomac Street in the area where Moler's Market was located. When Thomas Mace died, his son Harry, took over the business and moved the store to West Potomac Street, where The Berlin Restaurant is now located.

    If Harry Mace didn't have anything in stock that a customer was looking for, he could go to the supply houses in Baltimore, select furniture, have it billed to Harry Mace and Mr. Mace would give the customer a discount.

    Mace Furniture also featured Victrolas and RCA Victor Records according to the Maryland State Gazetteer 1909-11. Harry Mace continued in business until the early 1950's.

W - B L C
MEAT SHOPS
    Since there was no abattoir—or commercial slaughterhouse—in Brunswick, butchers had to do their own preparation of animals for sale in butcher shops. Dutch Burns recalls how meat reached the refrigerated showcases from his recollections of the 1920's and 1930's:

    Mr. Charles Hahn, father of "Puncher" Hahn and grandfather of "Chisel" Hahn, was quite elderly when Dutch was about seven years old. He butchered hogs and cattle for Bill Wenner's meat market. Every time Mr. Hahn killed a steer, he drank a cup of its blood. This was confirmed by his grandson. A tradition seen through murky glasses holds that such action had the purpose of helping the butcher retain his will and ability to do this task. Charlie Woods butchered for the Beatty meat shop, performing his ritual in the hollow along a creek in Wenner's Field. This creek passes under D Street just west of Second Avenue, and the field is north of there.

    Abe Hemp's meat shop was in the storeroom (since destroyed by fire) in the east side of the Hovermale complex, which stood across from the present Fire Hall. Hemp butchered his own meat at the family farm on the Jefferson side of Steiner's Hill.
Lloyd E. Roelke once worked for the Beatty meatshop and at one time for the YMCA. Later, learning that Mr. Hemp wanted to sell out, Mr. Roelke and Leonard Weedy bought the busines in the early 1920's. After a while, Mr. Weedy sold his share to Mr. Roelke, who ran a grocery store for many years in the Cincotta building.

    Leonard Weedy came from England at age 17. Both he and his son, Ralph, were meat cutters. Around 1930 or earlier, according to Ralph's daughter, Anna Betty Weedy, her father worked for a while at Mr. Bill Weriner's store. Father and son operated a meat and grocery shop at about 42 West Potomac Street, having bought out Keedy Shaff's meat shop. This was adjacent to the J. J. Newberry dime store.

    Levi Lucas and John Fleetwood had a meat shop in the frame storeroom at the west end of the Kaplon building. They obtained their meat from the abattoir in Frederick.

    Later Mr. Roelke and Pete Dixon operated a grocery-meat market for numerous years, after Pete was fuloughed on the railroad. When the partnership dissolved in 1943, Mr. Roelke bought out Mr. Pres Orrison's grocery store in the three-story brick building next to the Reformed Church on the south side of the 100 block of West Potomac Street. Lloyd Roelke operated from there until retirement in 1956.

    Lloyd's son, Bill, bought his father's business in 1956, operating in the same location two years. In 1958 he moved to the Cincotta Building (now Antiques N' Ole Stuff), where he continued in business until 1977, when he retired.
At one time the Weedy men were meat cutters at the Acme Market for a several-year period. Ralph became meat cutter at Quality Food Market, "On the Square" at One East Potomac Street. Quality Market was owned by L. B. Darr, and the abattoir furnished the meat sold here. Ed Darr was another meat cutter at Darr's market, as was also John Hemp, of Burkittsville.

    Paul Harrison filled this position at the New York Hill markets.

    Junior Moler was the meat cutter at his own store at 207 East Potomac Street.

    Bill Wenner was a merchant most of his adult life. His store was called a meat market, but he also had a general grocery store on the southwest corner of West Potomac Street and Virginia Avenue. He operated another market on Wenner's Hill at the corner of North Maple Avenue and "G" Street.

    Another meat cutter during the 1940's was Billie F. Carter, who worked first for White's Market, which was located at 111 West Potomac Street. He continued his career out of town.
KOSHER MEAT IN BRUNSWICK     Mr. Werntz' store sold groceries and meats. Since he served in the absence of a rabbi in Brunswick, he did Kosher killing of fowl for the Jewish families of the town.

    Bill Beatty's meat shop, across from the YMCA on East Potomac Street and adjacent to Werntz' grocery, handled all sorts of meat for the general public, but also handled Kosher meats for the Jewish families of Brunswick. This shop had a separate cutting block and knives for the Kosher meat.

    Earlene Barger Lucas also recalls that her mother, Lennie (Mrs. Joseph) Barger, who raised chickens at New Addition, penned the fowl the appropriate length of time required for the rabbi to prepare Kosher fowl.
    BUTCHER vs MEAT CUTTER     To distinguish between the person who slaughters the animal, leaving large cuts of meat, and the one operating in the meat department or shop to prepare the exact cut for the customer, the terms "butcher" and "meatcutter" respectively are being used in this account. When the meat arrives at a meat shop from the abattoir, the "meat cutter" prepares the exact pieces requested by the customer. In reality, the term "butcher" is just as often used for the man in the store as is the other term.

    When the Acme and A&P chain stores reached Brunswick, and ever since, the local "butchers" had no connection with those stores.

S - Bill Roelke - Dutch Burns - Anna Betty Weedy - Chisel Hahn
W-MMM
    BRUNSWICK MILL
    The local mill was the center of farm economy before 1820. By the mid-1830's, canal and railroad service brought new marketing alternatives to local farmers. Except in Frederick Town, farming was the principal occupation of the county consistently from 1790 to 1840. As with many other early settlements, Berlin was carved from several farms.

    Mixed farming brought about income and supplied local needs of wheat, corn, other grains, potatoes, tobacco, meats, wool, hides, orchard and dairy products, lumber, fencing materials, and firewood.

    Before 1820, local economy centered on the mill as a collection point for surplus goods and distribution of imports as well as for the processing of feed and meal.
MILL OR MILLS? When?
    To learn the exact dates and persons involved in the establishment of the mill—or mills—will require more research than possible for this printing. Mortimer Wenner may have been the original owner of the local mill, but surely Charles Fenton Wenner conducted the mill business early. The dates 1845, addition 1853, 1855, show up for the building. Original building dates for the mill(s) remain obscure in the extant articles.

    At any rate, Wenner was attracted to the area because of the local farmers as a market and the proximity to the C&O Canal. It was a successful location. One account says that the Berlin mills were turning out 75 barrels a day in 1853.
Another account speaks of the Berlin Milling Co. of 1859. According to an article dated October 17,1940, by Frank Spitzer, the mill's flour was sold under the name "C. F. Wenner's Choice Family Flour."

    In the beginning the Berlin mill was powered from the canal The wooden-geared waterwheel was horizontal, which is unusual. The mill once had docking facilities for canal boats to load and unload grain and flour.
CIVIL WAR
    According to a caption under a picture of the Brunswick Flouring Mills, part of that mill was used for court martial trials during the Civil War. Williams says that the old grist mill building and the sheds were used as the provost marshal's court and several murder trials were conducted therein.

    In 1872 Walper Musgrove came to Berlin as a miller for C. F. Wenner serving until 1880. A member of his family lives in Brunswick today.
JORDAN - WENNER - GRAHAM 1874, 1876, 1877     Christian Smith learned the milling trade after seven years at the Gambrill Mill at Frederick Junction. He came to Berlin around 1876 and managed Berlin Mills for Jordan, Wenner, and Graham until 1877.
    JORDAN, WENNER, AND CO.     After two years away from Berlin, Christian Smith returned in 1879, where he, with associates under Jordan, Wenner and Co. opened a milling business that year.
    JORDAN, CRAMPTON, AND CO.
    The name changed to Jordan, Crampton and Co. in 1882, but Smith was still identified with the firm. Mr. Smith remained until 1897, when he sold his interest and withdrew from the milling buisness.
B. P. CRAMPTON AND CO. 1883
    Capt. B. P. Crampton was born in the Brunswick District in 1836. After elementary education here, he entered the select academy at Petersville. He became part owner of Crampton and Co. in 1882. Then later the mill became Crampton's mill exclusively. He built a beautiful home three miles from Brunswick on a fine farm adjoining the old homestead where he lived when a boy.

    George H. Hogan's biography in William's History states that he was employed for eight years at the Brunswick Flour Mills and in 1897 became interested in the B. P. Crampton Milling Company, where he had remained in charge for 12 years before the publication of William's book in 1910. Bookkeeper for Hogan was George McBride. Mahlon Armett was teamster.

    The Directory of 1895, the Maryland Gazetteer of 1909-1910-1911, and a Brunswick Directory of 1924 advertise B. P. Crampton and Co., Inc., handling grain and coal.
CHANGES: PHYSICAL; PRODUCTION     By 1920, the mill had become between 80 and 100 feet long and probably 30 feet in depth. The mill and the elevator had four stories by this time, and the coal tipple was ten feet high. Richard Hogan remembered containers of cracked corn, corn meal and flour; also middlings (grain that did not come up to flour standards). He recalls the mill's production rating at 100 barrels of flour a day. By this time steam power was already available to run the mill.

    Betty Hedges stated in a Brunswick Citizen article that Benjamin P. Crampton also had owned the Hedges house and had been a captain in the Confederate Army. Henry Crampton paid $11,725 for the mill property, which consisted of nine city lots.

    The Brunswick Cooperative began in 1926, taking over the original mill building along the canal. This business moved to Souder Road in 1962, and the old mill building was destroyed by fire in April 1972.

Martin Schipper, Master's Thesis, University of Maryland, 1985.

Williams, T.J.C., and Folger McKinsey, History of Freder ck County Maryland, L.R. Titsworth & Co. 1910,opposite p.72

IBID. pp. 1590

IBID.

IBID.Brunswick History Commission files

Williams, p.1032

Article, The Brunstvick Citizen, n.d.

Richard Hogan, "The Mill in Brunswick," The Brunswick Citizen, 1979

Article, The Brunswic.k Citizen, n.d

Betty Hedges, The Brunswick Citizen, Letter, March 8,1979, p.7

W-MMM
    MILLINERS
    An important item of female attire in the early years of this century was the hat. To provide ladies' headgear, several milliners were open for business.

    Carlett L. May, Gosnell and Clay, and Mrs. P. L. Miller were listed as milliners in the 1895 directory. Mrs. Lottie Harbaugh operated a millinery shop at various locations, and Ella Cannon also had a hat shop.

    The directory of 1896 contains the following entry: "Mrs. T. L. Potterfield, Cor. Railroad and Bridge Streets, Leading dealer in Millinery and Notions, Dressmaking A Specialty."

    The state gazetteer of 1909-10-11 lists Birdie Boteler, Louis (sic) Perlman.

    There was a milliner located above Roelke's Market and a similar business in the Meadows building.

    Later, ladies' hats were among the items offered for sale by general merchandise establishments— Gross Brothers, Smith and Carlisle, H. N. Werntz, and Victor Kaplon Company, among others.

S - Directories
W - W H H
MUDDY PAWS PET GROOMING
    Muddy Paws Pet Grooming first opened its door for business on April 10,1989. The owner and groomer, Debbie Collins, felt that the people of Brunswick and surrounding communities needed a convenient, reasonably priced place where they could take their pets to receive quality grooming and personal attention, so she went to grooming school, found a suitable location on Potomac Street, and set up shop.

    In the beginning, Debbie did it all —grooming, receptionist, cleaning, and thc rest. She insisted on special attention for each client and learned the individual needs of each pet entering her shop. While Muddy Paws has grown, now staffed by two full time groomers and offering a complete line of pet foods and supplies, this philosophy still continues in everything they do.

S - Debbie Collins
W -BLC
NEIGHBORHOOD STORES     For years the center of a neighborhood was its small general grocery stores. The earliest ones supplied a variety of needs from mousetraps to horse collars, from country calico to filmy, feathery hats, and from whole fresh nutmegs to Lydia Pinkham's Vegetable Compound. T he more recent stores, of the thirties and forties, restricted their wares more to grocery and home needs. These stores also served as a place for neighbors to meet.

    The post-War II world saw a shift to chain stores that enticed the buying public with incredible choices and lower prices; the small grocery store was choked out of competition and out of its very existence.

    Brunswick had its share of neighborhood grocers over the years. During the Depression they "carried" ma;ly customers on credit. Their service included coming to the house for an order, then delivering it ater. They reached from New York Hill almost to littens, at the edge of town, and from the railroad tracks to far Wenner's Hill.

    The geography of Brunswick helps explain the location of two groups of its neighborhood stores, those on New York Hill and on Wenner’s Hill. Equally significant, the growth in both directions beyond the town center necessitated stores in two more areas, West End and East End, all on Potomac Street.

    They have all closed now, even Moler’s Market, on East Potomac Street, the last "holdout." It closed in mid-1990.
    NEW YORK HILL
    Join the store-tour, beginning on New York Hill.

    Near "A" Street at 7 Ninth Avenue in a room attached to the house where he lived (No.9), Forrest (Red) Moler operated his first grocery store. It was managed by Charles "Parry" Wenner.

    At East "B" Street and Ninth Avenue, just a block away, Bob Corun and his brother operated a store in a room attached to the corner house. George Burgee, who lived in the house, and Bob became partners for a brief period until George bought the business. This store was in operation at the same time as Red Moler's store. At some point, the store was extended the width of the building to the sidewalk.

    Eventually Burgee sold out to Forrest (Red) Moler. Parry Wenner and Paul Harrison in turns, at times assisted by Elda Woods Thomas, managed the store, with Paul taking time out to .serve in World War II. Harrison continued managing even after Red Moler sold to Churchman and Ridgeway. When Jimmy Ridgeway died in 1957 in an airplane crash, Paul and Doris Harrison became owners until Paul died January 11, 1965. Donald Woods then became owner, followed by Frank Souza, who officially closed the store several years ago.

    This block also hosted businesses that were not "convenience - groceries," but were part of the residential neighborhood. Separated from the corner store by a vacant lot was a two-storeroom building that was in great demand. On the left was a barber shop, used by Glenn Good during the 1930's, then in the early 1940'sby Frank Wenner and Walt Amorose.

    The other part housed Ezra Barker's store and ice business (early 1920's), deliveries by truck. Next, Bill Weller bought the building and had a TV and radio service in the early days of television. More recently, Donald Wilson bought and converted the building into apartments, in which form it exists today.

    When a shoe shop was in one of these buildings in the 1920's, a kerosene heater explosion caused a fire that destroyed the entire building, including garage and storeroom. Ez Barker rebuilt the store room and barber shop.

    A small space separates the foregoing from three dwellings, north of which is a driveway. Surprisingly, a barber shop once existed here. The remaining buildings are dwellings, and the Methodist Church is on the corner.
EAST POTOMAC STREET
    Moving toward downtown via "B" Street and Tenth Avenue (Fitzgerald Row), a great curve onto Potomac Street, you soon come to the site of Barker's Store, on the south side of the street and opposite the gulley between the 700 and 800 blocks. Turner T. Barker opened this store, perhaps earlier than the 1920's. He is reputed to have had groceries brought in by railroad boxcar, being unloaded at "Barker's Siding." Turner's daughter, Hilda, operated it after the founder's death. This was a small, low-ceilinged room with groceries, soft drinks, sweets, and similar fare. The store was located across from 801 East Potomac Street where the owners lived. The store closed in 1963.At one time a store was operated in a 13-room structure at number 703-705 East Potomac Streci; it is the second house eastof the city park; B&O policeman McGaha lived there many years. Richard Magalis (gran.1father of Ann Malone Burke) ran an ice cream parlor there. Ellwood Wineholt remembers that four traditional ice cream tables and chairs were in the room, which had its private door on the west side of the porch. The living quarters were completely private, being entered by a door at the right side of the porch.

    Midway of the 500 block of East Potomac Street is a double house. The walk to its left passes a basement door leading to a small room where the owner, Mrs. Welch, and her daughter sold homemade candy. During school recess, supplies were available to the students in a garage in the alley to the rear of the house and across from the school (now Sigler's apartments).
Elalf a block westis Fifth Avenue. At nearby425 East Potomac Street the double display windows of an early store remain. "Daddy Rice" had a candy shop there with the "best stock of candy in town," according to Austin Cooper. Mrs. Conway had a grocery store there, followed by Clara Calhoun and "Buzz" Harrison.

    After it ceased being a food store, Lula McMurry and Carl Margrabe operated a used-furniture store there for a decade.
Because the building was removed years ago, few know of a shop that once thrived west of the Moose Home on what is now a parking lot next to 325 East Potomac Street. Levi Crummett and Lucas Crummet served sandwiches, soup, and related items to railroaders—a natural when one recalls the bustling activity of the westbound yards and transfer shed near this location in earlier days.

    Progressing west, one comes to 207 East Potomac Street, until mid-1990, the address of Moler's Market, the last holdout of neighborhood convenience-grocery stores. Junior bought the business in 1957; Forest G. "Red" Moler managed for his son as the latter continued managing the family farm until he took over management of the store.

    Moler's was more than a neighborhood convenience store, it drew people on Sundays from throughout town and even from Virginia. It had the ambiance of a latter-day grocery store, if not the size. It has been sorely missed since its closing.

    Moler's followed a similar store bought in 1954 by a partnership of Churchman and Ridgeway of Washington. Briefly around World War II, Luther McMurry operated a place for young people to dance, where soft drinks and snacks were sold. A tinsmith shop was operated in this building for years by Ortense Smoots. Before this, Fellows and Thompson had a grocery store here in the 1930's.
WEST POTOMAC STREET
    Jumping over the "downtown stores" of Beatty and Werntz on East Potomac Street and George's Hardware, Potomac Fumiture, and Dailey's Funeral Parlor (later Betty Lou's Dance Studio) on West Potomac, we encounter a series of changes in the last commercial building before Florida Avenue. At 326, proprietors have been "Aunt Annie" Turner, Charlie Huffman/Hoffman; Jacob Fry, who carried bolt material by the yard as well as groceries; J. Herb Porter, a barber; Dewey and Marguerite Hickman's West End Grocery; a flea market/antique shop was there; and for a while the local town paper was published from this address. At present it houses the office of Chuck Thornton, C.P.A.

    The lots of 313 and 315 West Potomac Street must invite a second look from many passersby. For years the building there was in a state of continuous deterioration; the town had to take stringent measures to force the former owner to remove the ruins. A poured cement foundation partially outlines a hole in the hillside, but the threat of fire was erased.

    One of the earliest tenants in this building is reported by Mrs. Sherman Lowry. A Doctor Schamel delivered her in 1906, according to word of mouth through the late Hilda Barker, who told Mrs. Lowry about her memory of the event.

    Jeanette House Ephraim remembers when her grandfather Charles Bowers operated a butcher shop there. (Charles Bowers was a brother of John Bowers, president of Peoples National Bank, now F&M Bank.)

    Charles went to Ohio, where he became a butcher for Swift & Company, and learned his trade. He brought home a bride fromSpringfield, Ohio, Jeanie Brown.

    After Charles returned to Brunswick he butchered for Hemp's meat store in Jefferson, and also worked for Frye's store when it was located across from the present fire hall. Bowers eventually opened a butcher shop at 315 WestPotomac Street. There he killed and dressed chickens, and sold other meats as well. Jeanette Ephraim remembers frequently visiting her grandfather's shop around 1927, during her West Brunswick School lunch period. She also recalls that Genie Long at one time worked in the store.

    Charlie Brown of Brunswick recalls other businesses there, especially a dry goods store in the 1920's. For decades there was no longer a store in the street-level room; however, people lived in the two apartments above the butcher shop. Both owner and tenants allowed the building to deteriorate. Hence the town's severe measures, forcing the owner to raze the building, ending a scarcely-remembered segment of Brunswicks past.
WENNER'S HILL
    Thickly settled Wenner's Hill area had its share of neighborhood groceries. Miss Bessie Lowery (later Hardy) had a store at the northeast corner of "C" Street and Maple Avenue. She handled general food essentials. Steps to the store remain on the Maple Avenue side of the dwelling and lead directly to the room that housed the business.

    The Virts' store was owned by the father of the late Johnny and Catherine Virts. It was located at 317 North Maple Avenue, and the family lived at 323. This later became Nuse's store, with Jake and Ada Nuse as proprietors.

    Hoffmaster's was a sizeable store at 409 Maple Avenue. After Tom's death, his son J. W. continued the business several years before closing the store.

    In perhaps the third decade of this century there was a store run by the Monroes at the corner of ``Hn Street. It was sold to Ed Huffman, who moved his business to "G" Street and Maple (southeast corner). Charlotte Nalley Hammond remembers this from the late 1920's.

    On the northwest corner of "G" Street and Maple was a small grocery owned by William B. Wenner for many years. "Pink" Nalley ran the store for Wenner; later, Bee Brady, then Lillian Rosen managed it. The corner store was converted into a dwelling.

    When Pink Nalley left Wenner, he opened a store in the basement of his home at 707 North Maple Avenue. These stores operated during the 1930's, 1940's and 1950's. By the 1970's all had closed.

    On the opposite side of Maple in the same block, Owen "Skeets" Kline started a grocery store with his brother Jim that later became Owen Kline's OK Market and is today Jim Fauntleroy's sign shop. This is at 704 Maple Avenue.

    This concludes the tour of yesteryear. To get in sync with today, just keep headed north and you will see the Brunswick Shopping Center, where many of your basic needs may be met in one large block.

S - Charlie Brown, Pete Chaney, Jeanette Ephraim, Mary Kearfott, Mildred and Sherm Lowry, Junior Moler, Margaret Moss, Charlotte Nalley Hammond, Shane Nalley, Alta Nuce, Ernestine Phillips, Helen Porter, Lillian Rice, Frank Wenner.

W -MMM
J. J. NEWBERRY CO.
    "I was hired by J. J. Newberry in January 1930," said Helen L. Cooper, who sent the History Commission her brief history of the J. J. Newberry Company in Brunswick.

    Miss Cooper continued, "In 1941 I was promoted from sales girl to cashier. At that time the cashier did all of the of fice work and managed the store in the manager's absence.

    "One day I was cleaning out the filing cabinet and found a letter from the New York office which stated that Store Number Eleven in Brunswick, Maryland was initiated in 1919. I believe the J. J. Newberry Company bought the "Banks 5 & 10 Cent Store." If you will notice, the name is still on the window in the store room that belongs to Tony Cincotta's estate.

    "The John J. Newberry moved across the street to its present location, which is now three store rooms. There are three doors in front. The store room next to the Cincotta building was at one time the old opera house which was later made into an indoor miniature golf course. The center room, I believe, was the Lace Store which later moved down on East Potomac Street. The last store room, next to the Potomac Foundation Building was at one time a store that was owned and operated by a Mr. Eugene Cost.

    "I do not know if the date of 1919 was when Newberry moved to its present location or just what it was, but the last addition was the room next to the Cincotta building and it was made in 1941. (I believe I am right about this date because I was working there at the time). You should have seen the coal dirt! The store was later turned into selfservice that it is now. The remodeling was done, as near as I can remember, when Mr. Jeff Cauley was manager. He still resides in Brunswick.
"The Newberry stores were sold to the McCrory chain but they still carry the Newberry name. This transaction was in 1969 or 1970. I was appointed manager in 1973 and remained so until I retired on February 1, 1974."

W - Helen L. Cooper OUTDOOR ADVERTISING
    Remember when we had billboards in town and Charlie Barnhart was the man that kept them interesting? Charlie lived at the top of First Avenue.

    There were two billboards side by side at the foot of First Avenue, across from Werntz's store. En route to Knoxville, there were two more, set over in the field to the right. A lone billboard stood at Wynkoop's, 809 Petersville Road, and two stood side by side on the west side of Petersville Road.

    Charlie's company owned the signs, and he changed the ads possibly monthly. He kept many more of their signs updated throughout the countryside along the roads.

S - Dutch Burns
W - M M M
PAINTERS AND PAPERHANGERS
    Under the heading of Paperhangers and Painters, the Maryland State Gazetteer of 1909-10-11 listed three from Brunswick: Lewis McMeeks & Son, David B., W. E. Orrison, and Thomas Tillotson. *****     Ray Beck and his brother, Baxter, were wellknown paperhangers plying their trade in Brunswick from the 1920's into the 1940's.

    Clara Crowl Bohrer and Grace Crowl Nuce were part-time paperhangers during the 1930's and 40's.
Eurly 'ferry" Gosnell, his wife Pauline, and her brother Robert, also did paperhanging during the late 1940's and 50's. *****             One of Brunswick's well-known painters was Charlie Wiggington who kept busy from the 1930's into the 50's.

    In more recent years, Paul Barnes was a painter working from the 1950's into the 80's.

    Herb Daugherty, James "Bones" and Ronnie Sigler, Dave McLane, and Rainbow Painters are more recent practitioners of the business.

W-BLC
    PEOPLES HOME AND AUTO STORE
    Irvin Kolker and Nat Winters opened in the early 1940's when they bought the Swank building on West Potomac Street; in 1945 or 1946 they moved to East Potomac Street into the former Western Auto Building.

    As the years went by their business progressed and they rebuilt the original building. It became one of Brunswick's newer and more prestigious-looking edifices. They expanded their business, dealing in home furnishings, hardware, television sets, refrigerators, washers and dryers—just about anything needed in the household.

    In mid-1990 the owners closed the furniture and appliance business after nearly half a century in Brunswick, but are continuing other phases of the business on a modified scale.

W-BLC
POTOMAC FURNITURE COMPANY AND BUILDING
    The former Potomac Furniture Company building at 310 West Potomac Street was built by Abe Kaplon, of Harpers Ferry, a brother to Vic Kaplon, a Brunswick businessman. Cement blocks used in the structure were made on the site. Cement was mixed, then poured into wooden forms. When sufficiently hardened, the blocks were removed, then carried to the building nearby.

    Lazarus' grocery store was the first business to locate there. A furniture store was the next enterprise, opening its doors in 1913 under Theodore Siehler, who owned it until his death in 1981, when his daughter, Joann Siehler Durst, inherited the business.

    For 71 years the people in Brunswick could purchase high quality, brand-name furniture at their local store, one of a chain of eight.

    At first, a Mr. Ford was manager. He was succeeded by George Bennett, who, for many years, managed the flourishing business. Mrs. Madge Rittenour Cox became bookkeeper, retiring in 1968 when Mrs. Theresa Sheppard succeeded her. In 1972, George Bennett retired, and William "Pete" Frye became manager until his death in 1982, a year after Siehler's death. Joann Siehler Durst secured the services of Mrs. Sheppard as overseer for the Dursts, who lived in Potomac, Md. Once booming with customers from Virginia and West Virginia, as well as the local area, Potomac Furniture later could not compete with the great array of merchandise available in nearby cities. Its doors finally closed in 1984.

    Polan Katz from Baltimore, had operated an umbrella factory on the second floor when Siehler opened his furniture business, and employed about 40 people.

    Thomas Sigler, Jr., bought the furniture store property from the Dursts in 1987 and eight attractive apartments now exist on the second and third floors. The first floor commercial rental is used by William Sauser, lawyer.

S - Clara Crowl Bohrer - Theresa Thompson Sheppard
REAL ESTATE
    Since Leonard Smith made the big purchase and began developing Berlin, this town has had surprisingly few real estate developers. The first move beyond Berlin was prompted by several owners of large areas of land.

    C. M. Wenner opened his First Addition north of "B" Street between Petersville Road and Second Avenue, following up with a Second Addition extending to Souder Road. The second was not fully developed until the recent growth of the 1970's.
W. W. Wenner's farm was west of Berlin and his first addition was bounded by Brunswick and Railroad Streets. Potomac Heights, his second addition was north of West "B" Street from Virginia Avenue to Georgia, about as far north as this area has grown to this day. But do those families know they live in "Potomac Heights"?

    The Mutual Land and Improvement Company developed beyond Berlin from Second Avenue east to the road through Brunswick Park to Souder Road. The Real Estate and Improvement Company developed the land from the road through the park (as in the previous sentence) to a north-south county road beyond Tenth Avenue. We call this area New York Hill.
The undeveloped 85 acres of the C. M. Wenner farm was bought by Quince Orchard Associates, who in turn sold to the developers. Among those were Charles Stone, O. K. Makela, and Brooks Wood.

    Howard Marvin Jones' real estate business career covered the first four decades of this century. He first entered a business parmership under the name Jones and Robinson, selling dry goods, clothing, and women's furnishings. He entered the real estate and insurance business as an individual entrepreneur and remained so for the major part of his business career.

    Tony Cincotta entered real estate in the early 1950's; he was the first person in Brunswick in that field after Mr. Jones. Edwin Sparks opened his office on Petersville Road soon after Cincotta.

    Douglas Heffner and Lula McMurry developed 13 acres between Second Avenue and the reservoir in the early 1950's.
Paul and Thomas Sigler developed the Haines farm, south of the above. ThomasJr. joined the elder Siglers and they continued developing throughout the town.

    Ralph Brown had a branch real estate office in Brunswick in February 1977, remaining until 1982. Cookie Virts Huffman continues to live in Brunswick, although she sells for Ralph Brown.

    Jeff Cauley prepared for real estateafterretiring from the management of J. J. Newberry's. Starting in the mid-70's with Tony Cincotta, he became a broker in 1978 and re mains independent. Heart surgery and other personal matters interfered with his business, but his wife, Ruby, qualified for her real estate license in 1982 and assists her husband in the business.

    Herb Daugherty has become a developer since entering real estate. While teaching, coaching, and serving as director of athletics. he became involved in paindog. After rehrement from education, he earned his real estate license in 1976. He began buying land and building houses. He added careers and skills and developed a total package of remodeling, building, and marketing real estate.

    Century 21-Monocacy Valley Realty, Inc., had an office at Brunswick Shopping Center one year, 1986-87.

    Fredericktowne Realty was the most recent entry into Brunswick real estate. ltopened an officeat the Shopping Center in July 1988 with Lenwood Moss, a former Brunswick resident, as manager; the office remained until June 1990.

W - M M M
RESTAURANTS
    Through the years, Brunswick has had many restaurants. Around 1900 Gene Cost managed a restaurant next to the Nickelodian Theatre in what is now the J. J. Newberry location.

    The Yardley/Potomac Hotel offered meals at the Potomac Restaurant where a sirloin steak could be bought for 50 cents, and a hamburger for 10 cents.

    The Maryland Restaurant, on West Potomac Street (where Goodwill Store is today) was operated by Ed Thompson and Margaret "Sweehe" Wigington Thompson, in 1927-28. Thebusiness was later taken over by Mrs. Ida Himes, who relocated it to 21 West Potomac St., adjacent to where it had been. Mrs. Himes was much loved by her patrons and her meals were very tasty and generous.

    The YMCA on East Potomac Street and after the tragic fire relocated on Souder Road, has operated a public restaurant for many years. It accommodated not only the railroaders but also the general public.

    In 1935, Charlie and Daisy Harrington Halley operated a small restaurant in the Meadows Building; a few years later, the Whistle Stop offered food at the location on East Potomac Street now occupied by the laundromat.

    After the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, many establishments offered not only short-order items but alcoholic beverages as well. Some of those very early beer establishments in the 1930's were John Foster's Weiner Joint and Lute Darr's Confectionery. The more recent beer taverns were Kehne's Paddock Grill, Nelson's Beer Tavern, The Metropolitan, The Swing Inn, The Berlin, and the Family Restaurant in the Shopping Center. The Potomac Pub is located in the former Darr's Confectionery "On The Square" at East Potomac Street and North Maple Avenue. Pia's Pizza and King's New York Pizza are recent establishments. Hardce's, in the shopping center, has finally given Brunswick fast food service.

    By a town ordinance of 1949, the local government defined the term "restaurant" and provided for health inspection and grading twice a year.

W - B L C
OUT TO LUNCH
    Swain's Restaurant on East Potomac Street: the name may not be exact but the rest is true. The owner brought many a chuckle to those who saw the proprietor hang out a sicn as he closed the .shon at dinner time. The sign read "Out to Lunch," and the owner hurried to his home in the West End to eat his own midday meal. He returned thereafter, but always closed shop—before suppertime
.
W - M M M
BRUNSWICK SHOPPING CENTER
    An early acquaintance with the editor of The Blade Times (an earlier to vn weekly) and the opening of the Brunswick Shopping Center in 1985 were the beginning and closing of a circle of events with Brooks C. B. Wood in the center.

    Wood had a pleasant introduction to Brunswick through Jim Bryan, former editor of The Blade Times and a fellow CBer. About thirteen years later, in 1973, Mr. Wood was searching for land suitable for developing a senior citizen housing complex when he met Charles F. Stone, already active in Brunswick's development of the Wenner farm.

    Stone expressed his disappointment that only a High's Store and an Exxon Station had materialized from his dream of a shopping center. On the contrary, the parcel Wood selected for the senior complex soon blossomed forth as planned. The Stone Wood relationship likewise blossomed into a bestfriends relationship, with Stone becoming the younger man's mentor. With Stone's guidance, Brook Wood prospered, then "Stonewood" Associates became a joint venture.

    In 1983 Wood purchased the land surrounding High's and Exxon. For a year the co-workers planned the shopping center, driving thousands of miles and talking with potential tenants, lenders, and builders. They worked through a spectrum of emotions, until the Brunswick Shopping Center became a reality in 1985 and was fully functioning by 1986. The following businesses are located in Brunswick Shopping Center:

    Ace Hardware
    Ann's Hallmark Shop
    Artley Women's Fashions
    Brunswick Laundry
    Brunswick Video Den
    Classic Hair Design
    Family Restaurant
    Hardee's Restaurant
    High's Dairy Store
    Patricia's Florist and Gifts
    Phillips Insurance Agency
    Rite Aid Pharmacy
    Secco Cleaners
    Shoe Show
    Sports & Action Gear
    Super Fresh Food Market
    Benjamin Weiser, DDS, Family Dentistry

S - Brooks Wood
W -MMM

SPORTS AND ACTION GEAR
    On February 23, 1990, Kenny and Terry Alger opened Sports and Action Gear at the Brunswick shopping center, offering for sale sporting gear, action wear, licensed apparel, school items, and ecluipment for hunting, camping, and fishing. Dance students may also find shoes needed for the dance.

W - W H H
TAXIS
    When motorized taxicabs came to Brunswick, John Foster initiated the change from horse and buggy service. George Hardy remembers as a youth in school, he and his schoolmaster had moneyraising activities to pay for the taxi fare to athletic events in Frederick. Peg Ayres drove Foster's seven passenger car—with little George and his friends piled in—in the mid 1920s.

    That same Arlington "Peg' Ayres worked on the railroad until an injury incapacitated him. He then picked up the local taxi business. Peg incorporated in 1957, continuing Peg's Cab at 6 South Maplc Avenue until his retirement in 1963. Peg's son, Arlington, Jr., and his brother-in-law, Edward Fauble, succeeded the elder Mr. Ayres, then Junior sold to his partner, Edward, who in turn sold the Bill Crum, present owner of the taxi service. The business is now located at 2 North Maple Avenue. Other taxi stands were shorter-lived than Peg's, which still functions under the deceased owner's name.

    Chick's Taxi operated during the late 1940s and 1950s. "Poodles" Hagan's base was in the Meadows building at 6 West Potomac Street. "Buck's Taxi," owned by Luther B. Darr, ran for about two years with Levin K. "Buck" Merriman in the drivers seat; his station was at 2 North Maple Avenue. That address was also the home of Fritz's Taxi, operated by Fritz Powers beginning in 1958 and continuing "off-and-on" for about 20 years. Bill Care operated "Vets Cab" for a while after returning from service in World War II.

W-BLC
TV SALES & SERVICE
    Bill Weller was the first television dealer in Brunswick and he was also the only TV repairman in town at that time, which was approximately 1947-48. The brand he sold was "GERARD" and the screens were very small in those early years.

    Very few homes had them back then but a few of the taverns did. At Darr's the TV set was placed on a high shelf that was located on a wall in the back area of the store. A thick magnifying glass was attached to the front of the TV screen so that the images were magnified enough that people sitting throughout the store at the various tables and booths could see the action.

    The football games, baseball games, Monday night boxing matches, the Wednesday night Arthur Godfrey Show and just about anything on nighttime TV would bring customers into a place of business.

    As the TV industry became more advanced and sophisticated the need for TV repairmen opened up avenues for this much needed skill. The Peoples Home and Auto Store started selling TV's, as did Gross Brothers. Later, Shelly Dawson's Dry Cleaning establishment got into the business of selling TV sets; his brother, Norman, was the repairman.

S - Memory Lane - B. L. Cavalier
W - B L C

UMBRELLA FACTORY
    Polan Katz, of Baltimore, had operated an umbrella factory on the second floor of the building that became known as the Potomac Furniture Store at 310 West Potomac Street. Now owned by Thomas Sigler, Jr., since 1989, the building is the location of Bill Sauser's law office and eight apartments. Mr. Sigler also renewed the entire front of the building.The umbrella factory employed about 40 people. Clara Crowl Bohrer was one of these, having begun to work there atabout age 15. (She has faithfully shared her memories with the Brunswick History Commission over the years.) Clara was to work only during the summer vacation, but remained until the umbrella factory closed. At this time the workers were told "We will sendfor you when we need you."

    Years later, in the late 1930's, a factory was built at 5th Avenue and D Street. Polan Katz had returned, and Clara Crowl and a friend applied for a job. First the interviewer asked if they had had any experience working in a factory. Clara answered, "Yes. " "Who did you work for?" they asked. "Polan Katz," she answered. "You said you would send for us when you needed us. And it's been a long time a-coming." I'll never forget the look on her face, says Clara. "We were patient," she jested.
Once again Clara worked for Polan Katz until they closed. (When Price Electric was in the same building, she again worked until that business closed and left town.)

    Clara remembers the process for manufacturing umbrellas. Some workers sewed the seams of the cover. She was a "tipper," gathering the top of the umbrella and securing it and sewing the material to the tips with waxed thread, so they would remain secure. A top was put on to cover the stitches, just as nowadays tips are at the ends of the ribs of the frame. Clara would also cut off any fringes remaining. She said she became so adept at tipping that she would pick up the small scissors without putting her fingers through the holes— and snip rapidly. Thomas Sigler, Jr., bought the furniture store property from Mrs. Durst, daughter of Theodore Seihler, the previous and longtime owner. The "factory" on 5th Avenue, Brunswick's only "factory" today, is now devoted to woodworking.

S - Clara Crowl Bohrer - Tom Sigler, Jr. - Theresa Thompson Sheppard
W - M M M

THE V. KAPLON COMPANY
    Brunswick's leading—and for years, only— department store, the V. Kaplon Company, was opened by Victor Kaplon in 1889 in a location between the railroad tracks, moving to his new building on the corner of West Potomac Street and Maryland Avenue in 1907.

    This followed Mr. Kaplon's years as a peddler, carrying his wares on his circuit through the area.

    This new store had three floorsand a basement: Furniture on the third floor, ready-to-wear on the second, and clothes for men and women, dry goods, and shoes on the first," to quote Amos Kaplon's memoirs. The basement was the location for various endeavors—once a bowling alley, and in later times, bargains. The store had a manually operated elevator, one of two of this kind locally.

    The 1896 Directory contained this ad:

    Kaplon & Bro., Headquarterss for fine dry goods, millinery, ladies', misses' and children's shoes. A specialty in ladies', misses' and children's cloaks, capes &c. Head-quarters for fine, latest style clothing for men, boys, and children. Merchant Tailoring a specialty. Men's and boys' fine shoes. Fine furnishing goods. Cheapest and finest goods in the state.

    Kaplon's offered good quality merchandise items bearing well known brand names. They were also willing to obtain items by special order. One of the daughters, Fanny, made seasonal buying trips to New York.

    The preparation of the window displays for Christmas was always eagerly awaited, as were the Friday the Thirteenth "Black Cat" sales.

    Kaplon's store was not only a family oriented business but a social center for the community.

S - Brunswick 1896 Directory
W - W H H

WATSON'S CUT RATE
    In the early 1930's, the store in the old Red Men's building, on the corner of West Potomac Street and Maryland Avenue, now occupied by Brunswick Office Supply Store, was known as "Cauftman's Cut Rate." It was rented by a Mr. Cauffman of Hagerstown who also had a similar store there.

    The Cut Rate carried patent medicines, home remedies, toilet articles, cosmetics and perfumes, the most popular being "Evening in Paris" and "Yardley." Also, various paper products were sold along with cigarettes, cigars, other tobacco products, greeting cards, boxed stationery, and "Norris" candy from a cooled case.

    At that time Harwood Watson was manager and Jean Howie (Younkins) was the clerk. Harwood bought the store in the late 1930's and the business became Watson's Cut Rate, or more often, just the Cut Rate. Although he was neither doctor nor pharmacist, Harwood became known as "Doc," a term ayparently applied to anyone dispensing patent medicines.

    More clerks were hired when a soda fountain and grill were installed in 1941. The fountain served hot and cold drinks, Hershey ice cream in sundaes, sodas, and shakes, soup and a great variety of sandwiches, the most popular being the grilled cheeseburger.

    Working at various times were Bertha Best (Hailer), Mary Danner, Louise Bess, Norma Simons, Thalia McGaha, Frances Grams, Fred Albert, and Gertrude An old. Bertha recalls making $9 for her first woek—9 or 10 hours a day, six days a week.
She got $10 her third week and thought she was rich!

    In January 1944, Harwood went into the army, and Bertha managed the store until he came back from World War II in December 1946. During the war various items were in short supply, especially cigarettes. When they came in on Tuesday of each week, the line would run from the counter, out the door and around the corner on Maryland Avenue, down to Karn's Lumber. Customers over 18 were allowed two packs each. The cost was 19 cents. Some may find it amusing to recall a sign over the fountain which read—"We'll make you a banana split—if you bring your own banana!" Bertha's tenure at the store covered more than 20 years, fulland part-time, and sometimes substitute manager, and involved all aspects of the business from making sodas from syrup and carbonated water to a "Dusty Road" sunday—chocolate sundae sprinkled with malt. They shaved ice from 50-pound blocks and used hamburger ground daily in a local market. She claims their coffee was the best around, but "Doe" never told anyone he put salt and eggshells in it.

    The morning "coffee club" consisted of Roscoe Rockwell, manager of Potomac Edison; Harry Nicholson, salesman for PE; Ed Herring and Ralph Stauffer of Karn's Lumber; Rodney Darner, a Jefferson farmer, Amos and Myer Kaplon; and John Sell, B&O foreman. They hashed the news, told stories, and teased each other as they drank their coffee, for about 15 minutes; then back to work.

    Bertha also remembers several female "snuff" customers whom she obliged by bagging the purchase under the counter. Another daily customer was Kitty Shaff, who owned a beauty parlor in the area now occupied by The Brunswick Citizen. She and many of her customers bought lunch at the Cut Rate. About once a month, according to Bertha's recollection, Kitty would come flying in the door, get a 6-ounce bottle of castor oil, pour it into a 14ounce glass at the soda fountain, fill it up with rootbeer syrup and "fizz" water, and drink it straight down. Bertha can't stand the smell of rootbeer to this day.

    The store was sold in August 1962 to Robert Moler, who continued the lunch/soda fountain business along with his Prescription ArtsPharmacy for some time before relocating to the Medical Center on Ninth Avenue.

S - Mary Jane Watson
- Bertha Best Haller
W -BLC
- B R H
WORDWORKS
    Wordworks is a publications business operated by Diane Ellis at 21 Tenth Avenue. She started it in the Lovettsville area in 1982 and moved the busincss to Brunswick in 1986. Using computers, she produces typesetting for newsletters, books, brochures, stationery, advertisements and other printed materials for area businesses and organizations. The owner has helped many community groups with publicity efforts.

    As early as 1983, Wordworks was using computers and a telephone modem to send and receive typed communications. A network of home-based computer typists and artists assist Wordworks. In recent years, much of its type is set on a laser printer. This stress on high technology has proved very compatible with Wordwork's commitment to remain small and home-based, and to continue working closely with the local community.

S - Diane Ellis
W - B R H
YARDLEY HOTEL
    lt was first named The Yardley, and Walt Ambrose bought it from Howard Marvin Jones in 1921 and managed it until after his wife died in 1927.

    A February 18,1924, issue of The Frederick News Post states that the hotel was sold at public auction for $15,975. Howard Marvin Jones had bought it again, and intended to make a fine hotel with a quality dining room. Mr. Jones renamed it The Potomac Hotel. His dining room plans did not materialize.

    During the depression years of the 1930's, the "hotel" became a transient facility, and after that it became Brunswick's Post Office on the main floor, with the upstairs rooms being made into apartments. While the "hotel" no longer exists, many Brunswick oldtimers rewember it well.

S - Marg Jones Smith
W - M M M -BLC
BRUNSWICK HOUSE
    Thc long-awaited apartment complex for senior citizens was officially dedicated on Monday, March 24, 1980.

    The project was begun several years earlier and was almost abandoned because of faulty construction difficulties, etc., but it was finally completed and the 52 unit apartment complex, which is federally subsidized, was built by the National Corporation of Housillg Partnerships (NCHP).

    The apartments are either one bedroom or efficiencies; all are unfurnished but are fully equiped with a stove and refrigerator. All have emergency cords in the bedroom and bathroom. Five apartments are equipped for the handicapped. instead of an elevator, a ramp system allows access to both floors. There is a recreation room on both floors.

    Brunswick House, at 1100 Peach Orchard Drive, was Brunswick's first, and very much needed complex of its kind.

S - Noel Shewhridge
W - B L C
Do You Remember?
    The annual revue when the talented amateurs would perform? Connie Michael would sing and T. A. Sigafoose would have his talented dog Dixie jump through hoops and push the special tiny doll baby carriage that Mr. Sigafoose had made?

    Football games in the field across Potomac Street from City Park where Bus Miller and others officiated and spectators watched from REAL grandstands ?

    The old jitney with a single passenger coach and one bagage car that went to Hagerstown in the morning, was back around 1:00, when it left for Frederick and returned, with riders having about two and a half hours to shop in each place?

    That every morning Austin Orrison, of Orrison's grocery, would come to their customers' houses, with bread in case it was needed, take an order for the day, and return in the afternoon with the order?

Table of contents

Occupations

History of Brunswick 1896

Brunswick in 1960

Shelves too high to reach

The Bank of Brunswick

The People's National Bank

The Savings Bank of Brunswick

Antiques and collectibles

Automobile dealers

Bakeries

Barbers of Brunswick

Tonsorial considerations

Beauticians

Benchmark Printing, INC.

Bertha's corner

Blacksmithing

Mrs. Lucas' Boarding House

The Brunswick Brick Yard

Bus lines

Local bus service in Brunswick

L and L lines

Candy Kitchen

Confectionary stores

Candy store

Bub Lloyd's Cement Works

Clothing and men's furnishings

Sam Cincotta's produce

Coal dealers and haulers

Dairies

Dry cleaners

Brunswick Laundromat

Electricity

The Factory

Feete-Factory and Funeral Home

Florists

Brunswick Gas and Go / L and S Fuel Company

Good Will

Grams' Garage

Gross Brothers

Hahn's Cafe

H&R Block

Hardware stores

The Harrington shoe repair shops

Hauling

Garbage Disposal

Hotels

Hovermale Pharmacy

Ice-Manufacturing and delivery

Ice and Mr. Beams

Taylor Enterprises

Insurance

Phillips Insurance Agency, INC.

Shafer and Bowers

Jewelers

J.P. Karns

The Lace Store

Mace Furniture

Meat Shops

Kosher Meat in Brunswick

Butcher vs Meat cutter

Brunswick Mill

Mill or Mills? When?

Civil War

Jordan-Wenner-Graham 1874, 1876,1877

Jordan, Wenner, and CO.

Jordan, Crampton, and CO.

B.P. Crampton and CO. 1883

Changes: Physical; Production

Milliners

Muddy Paws Pet Grooming

Neighborhood stores

New York Hill

East Potomac Street

West Potomac Street

Wenner's Hill

J.J. Newberry CO.

Outdoor advertising

Painters and Paperhangers

Peoples home and auto store

Potomac Furniture Company And building

Real estate

Restaurants

Out to lunch

Brunswick Shopping Center

Sports and Action Gear

Taxis

TV sales & service

Umbrella factory

The V. Kaplon Company

Watson's cut rate

Wordworks

Yardley Hotel

Brunswick House

Do you remember?

5/21/07