Painter's Addition

[johnp]

I'm starting this thread as a place to post stories, photos, and comments or questions.

To start things off.

What are the street boundaries of Painter's Addition?

Regards,

[johnp]

Come on join in.

I've been away from Streator for 30 years. I remember growing up in Painter's Addition and all the friends and characters there. (anyone remember Jug, "The Hungery Five") Now is the time to get something written about the nieghborhood before it is forgotten.

I'm guessing Otter Creek Rd would be east boundary and Iowa Ave the west. Then Painter St., Johnson Street, and Jackson Streets in between. I don't know what might be the north and south boundary streets. Someone help out!

Next question: Identify the Taverns within Painter's Addition. Give the original Tavern name (who started it and year if possible) and all names it had until closing, year it closed, or it's name today if stiil open and the address.

After Taverns we will work on stores.

Anyone remember the little block building (I think on Johnson St. near Grant St) "Mike's Shoe Reair"?

Regards,

[John]

Speaking of taverns, did you know that Chalkey's Tavern on 12th St. used to be in the 900 block of Johnson St.? Not the business, but the actual building itself. The building that Chalkeys is in was in the 900 block of Johnson Street before it was moved to its present location on 12th St. It was a grocery store when it was on Johnson St. that was run by my grandfather. There is a vacant lot there now just to the south of the house that he lived in.

[johnp]

Great!

I knew Taverns were the place to start. They were the center of activity for Painter's Addition (PA). Everyone got together and got to know each other there.


What was the actual address in (PA) that the building (Chalkey's) was moved from? What was the name of the store there then?

Let's get this History of PA Rolling.

Save our history!

Regards,
JohnP

[galsal]

I live in the heart of Pintininti. After I bought my house, I found out my great Aunt & Uncle had built it. My mother told me she was born across the street from my house, and my father was born 3 blocks away! I also found out I'm related to half of the people, but the old Slovaks are slowly dying out. My guess on the borders are: Otter Creek on the east, Iowa/Porter on the west, First St. on the north, and Broadway on the south. I'm not sure about the south border, it could be LaRue. I remember "shoemaker" Mike. Not long after we moved here, our new puppy chewed up the back of my best shoes. I took them to another place in town, and he told me to throw them away. I took them to Mike, and he fixed them so you could not even see the repairs. I also used to visit an old lady down the street who spoke nothing but Slovak. I knew only a few words, but we would sit and visit. She still had some pigs, a calf and some chickens. The police chief himself would inspect her pens. He said they were cleaner than some houses he had been in. That was before the city passed the laws about having livestock in town.
I didn't go in the taverns at the time, so I can't help you there. My husband would frequent them, but he is deceased.

[John]

The building that is Chalkey's Tavern would have been either 911 or 913 Johnson because my grandfather's house is at 915 Johnson. I'm not sure what year the building was moved to 12th St.
Here is the house at 915 Johnson in its original condition. This house is still there although has undergone major renovations. (I'd prefer to have it back in its original condition) Pictured are my Grandfather, Grandmother and 4 of my aunts & uncles. My mother ended up being the youngest of 12 children.

wind2.home.mchsi.com/Streatorland/915 Johnson Street.jpg[/img]

[galsal]

You're right, John. I love the original house.

[johnp]

John, Nice photo. I too like the house the original way. Those homes/houses had character. When aluminum siding came in that was the down fall of the neighborhood. Think if the homes all had their original facade today. PA would look like a story book place. Thanks for sharing.

Galsal, Thanks for reminding me about "Pintininti" that was its other name. Glad you wrote it down. Yes Iowa Ave is Porter Ave too. I forgot that.

I'll have to Google Earth and make a map of Pintininti so we can get all the cross streets correct. I'm 600 miles away from Streator and going on memory what they are. I grew up around 900 block of N. Otter Creek so I know where John is talking about.

Galsal the old Slovak lady? What was address or cross streets of the home? I think I know who you are talking about.

[galsal]

She lived on the NE corner of Jackson & Grant. Her name was Mary Gulvas. She was a friend of my parents. Her home is tore down now, and the lot is for sale. She also owned land just across Jackson St. on the west side. Her daughter moved to town, and build a home on that lot. She is also deceased.
My dad told me when he was growing up, the area where Circle Dr. addition now sits used to be a swamp. He always wondered how people could build houses in that area. Also, he said across from Sherman school to the east was all woods. He also grew up on N. Otter Creek St. in the 900 block. That was many yrs. ago.

[Job]

Skiba's AKA Alex Micklos

[johnp]

Galsal That was the lady I was thinking of. My dad would stop and talk with her in Slovak too. About the time I left Streator I remember the daughter building the new house across the street.

Circle Dr. area swampy? I remember it sure would hold water in that area. I remember my dad telling me he was digging a hole to plant a tree in our back yard on Otter Creek and the hole started filling with water. He said, it was a spring.

At the SW corner of Grant and Johnson there was a store there. Anyone know the name.


Hi Job, Skiba's AKA Alex Micklos (Alex's) That is one tavern. Thanks. Then it became Omar's. Who was Omar? Was he from Pintininti?

Across the street (Plumb St.) from Alex's there was a store. I think it was Paruba's store.

Now where Salata's tavern is/was (what is it called today I don't know) I remember it maybe being called Lou Dan's or Lou & Dan's before Salata's. Anyone know about that one?

Also, across from Salata's on NW corner there was a tavern. Was it Harcharick's? It was closed when I was young.

There was a store on SE corner across from Salata's. Anyone know about that one?

Oh! Of course there was Salata's store. Not sure of the street name where is was?

Thank you everyone for joining in on this.

Anyone else reading please join us.

Best regards

[Job]

Jan 27, 2009 15:05:21 GMT -6 johnp said:

Galsal That was the lady I was thinking of. My dad would stop and talk with her in Slovak too. About the time I left Streator I remember the daughter building the new house across the street.

Circle Dr. area swampy? I remember it sure would hold water in that area. I remember my dad telling me he was digging a hole to plant a tree in our back yard on Otter Creek and the hole started filling with water. He said, it was a spring.

At the SW corner of Grant and Johnson there was a store there. Anyone know the name.


Hi Job, Skiba's AKA Alex Micklos (Alex's) That is one tavern. Thanks. Then it became Omar's. Who was Omar? Was he from c?

Across the street (Plumb St.) from Alex's there was a store. I think it was Paruba's store.

Now where Salata's tavern is/was (what is it called today I don't know) I remember it maybe being called Lou Dan's or Lou & Dan's before Salata's. Anyone know about that one?

Also, across from Salata's on NW corner there was a tavern. Was it Harcharick's? It was closed when I was young.

There was a store on SE corner across from Salata's. Anyone know about that one?

Oh! Of course there was Salata's store. Not sure of the street name where is was?

Thank you everyone for joining in on this.

Anyone else reading please join us.

Best regards

Omar worked for Skiba and bought the place.

[galsal]

On the corner of Grant & Johnson there was a store owned by Andrew Novotney. I also was told there were stores owned by Doc Tutko, Eli Koral and John Poruba in the general area where the taverns are located. I just don't know their addresses.

[johnp]

Job, Thanks that answers where Omar came from. I never knew.

Galsal, Grant and Johnson St., I bet that was AJ Novotney's Store. I always heard the older kids talk about AJ's store. I never could go because I was too little. But the older kids brought us (3-4 yo's) back candy.

Maybe someone can tell us about Doc Tutko and Eli Koral store's. I never heard of them.

John Poruba store was across Plumb St from Alex/'Omars. My sister owned that property for a few years in the 70's. In the basement was a bar with everything ie: bar, bar sink, back bar, tables. I asked my mother about why there was a "real bar" in the basement. She told me it was a "speakeasy". People would go in the store front, walk to the back of the store, go through the family kitcken, and down the basement steps to the bar.

We'll figure out addresses later.

Thanks

[johnp]

John

I was looking at the photo you posted. Do you think the house was stick built on site?

I wonder if the house was moved to the site from someplace else? The trees look to be older. Just thinking...

Do you remember how many rooms were in the house? I can see the two brick chimneys. One is kitchen in the back of the house the other probably used to heat the home with pot belly stove.

See the latter on the roof? I wonder if that was there to run up to put out chimney fires?

Look forward to any comments.