Boots, Seats, & Bearings…

You don’t know what is going to happen when you pick a random photograph from collections storage!

This 11″ by 41″ panoramic photograph was taken in 1918.  Gilliam Manufacturing Co. was once a member of the Canton Board of Trade, that became the Canton Chamber of Commerce in 1913.  Gilliam began as a leather goods company making various harnesses, and horse boots.  Women operated 150 sewing machines.  At the time of the photograph,  Gilliam is manufacturing gas masks for WW I as sub-contractors for Goodyear in Akron, Ohio.

During the short history of bike manufacturing in Stark County, Gilliam made “saddles” for bikes.

The Company went on to make roller bearings for the Timken Company.

There are three locations in the Canton City Directories for the Gilliam Company, Market Avenue North, Savannah Avenue N.E., and Dueber Avenue S.W.

Many people helped to piece together the story of Gilliam Manufacturing Co.  Thank you to the staff & volunteers of the McKinley Presidential Library & Museum for your help!

You can view the photograph in the Ramsayer Research Library.  The photograph joins two other panoramic photographs in a display known as “Transitions.”  I will feature the other two photographs in separate blogs.

More Later

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Not A Parking Lot…

The Stark County District Library sponsored an open house in the Historic Onesto!

Any chance, Alyson and I get to see the inside of this beauty we take!

When you go through the revolving door to enter the Onesto, you leave 2014 behind…

Ascending the stairs rewards you with Italian Design like no other in Stark County.

Frank Onesto worked his way up in the hotel business.  He came to Canton around 1906, where he got a job at the Delmont at 201 East Tuscarawas Street.  While attending Central High he worked at the hotel before and after school.  In 1908 he was managing the hotel, and by age 18 while still in school he purchased the Delmont.

Around 1930 he built the Onesto Hotel at the corner of North Cleveland and Second Street.

We talked with Brett Haverlick who is managing the project, and he introduced us to a lady who managed Hotel Onesto in the 1960’s.

It was a wonderful experience all around!

Thank you to the Library for the speak peek! Thank you to Coon Restoration for helping make Canton a better place.

Francis A. Onesto died July 29, 1958.  He now rests in Calvary Cemetery in Massillon, Ohio.

More Later…

Inverted Intersections

Onesto’s Main Entrance Awning

 

Hotel Onesto 1956

 

 

 

 

 

 

The awnings are up, and the work continues! Learn just how long the dream of making use of Historic Hotel Onesto has taken by attending the program,

“Inverted Intersections!”

 

 

 

 

You are invited to my program “Inverted Intersections” during our Soup at Six at McKinley Presidential Library & Museum — Canton, Ohio Thursday November 20, 2014.

Soup at Six includes a signature soup, beverage, fresh bread and dessert.

Reservations required. Please call 330-455-7043