Once upon a time in Ada

Things you didn’t know about your own hometown

By Lee Crouse

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In 1909:

April 7: Post office went beyond $10,000.00 at local office and now has to give free city delivery. Now houses have to be numbered. A petition was circulated among the Gilbert street residents to change the name to Maple Avenue but council didn't want it changed. Mr. Welsh suggested renaming Mill and Hooser streets.  He said they are about as appropriate and poetic as Sow and Sorghum would be". The division between North & South Main Street brought on a lengthy discussion. The railroad was agreed upon to be the division.

June: the first year for the operation of the Ohio auto license law shows that licenses were issued as follows; to owners of machines, 17,192; to chauffer’s, 2,741; to manufacturers and dealers, 366. They brought in nearly $100,000 to the states treasury.

August: that big red structure on Cole & Runser’s corner is not a fire alarm box but a gasoline filling station for automobiles.

August: A.W. Clutter has invented a posing stool that has sprung into immediate popularity, as a photographic supply house has placed with him an order for 100 of them. They fold up so they can be hung up out of the way and are made in sets of four sizes.

September 1: Petition to have Mill Street changed to Lincoln and another petition changing Hooser to Highland. Normal Street changed to College. Margaret Street had been changed to Main Street before 1904. Williams on one side of Main and Peach on the other were changed to University.