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DOWNTOWN TREASURE
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COLD WAR FIND: Paul and Kirsten Lewis of Hubbard discovered cases of saltine cracker rations tucked away in the basement of the Burt Building on West Federal Street in Youngstown during a tour of the structure Sunday. The packaging indicated the crackers have been there since 1963. The commercial/retail building is being converted into a Mahoning Valley History Center.
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HISTORY CENTER: Area residents are silhouetted against the large third-floor windows of the historic Burt Building on West Federal Street in Youngstown. They were touring the structure Sunday as part of an open house by the Mahoning County Historical Society, which plans to convert the building into a History Center.
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ESPLORING HISTORY: Ida Callan of Girard and Paul Plunkett of Youngstown tour the second floor of the historic Burt Building, the home of the original Good Humor ice cream bar, in downtown Youngstown. The Mahoning County Historical Society is raising funds to restore the building and had an open house Sunday.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN — Marguerite and Robert Craciun took advantage of the warm, sunny day to journey from their West Side home to a downtown historic landmark, and what they saw impressed them.
They were among several hundred people Sunday to tour the Burt Building at 325 W. Federal St., the home of the original Good Humor bar and soon to be the Mahoning Valley Historical Society’s History Center.
The society purchased the property, which last housed Ross Radio Co. , for $150,000 one year ago.
H. William Lawson, society executive director, said the open house was “to show the community what we have here” and give them a look at the “before” part of the restoration work that will lead to the opening of the History Center.
In addition to the tours, there was food, entertainment (including The Youngstown Connection, the city school district performance troupe) and walking tours featuring historical areas of the downtown.
“I think it’s beautiful, and I really think it has a lot of potential,” Marguerite Craciun said, adding that she can envision banquets, wedding showers and other events there.
Robert Craciun said he was impressed with the use of natural light that floods the three-story structure. It was probably a good place to work when Harry Burt, a confectioner and entrepreneur, operated a candy and ice cream factory as well as several dining areas there in the 1920s.
“I think this is one of the treasures we have in Youngstown that should be discovered,” his wife added.
“We’ve torn down too many historical buildings,” offered Joseph Planey of Boardman, another of those who came to take a look at the building. He said he is glad the historical society was able to get the structure.
He said he’s writing an autobiography about growing up in the Mahoning Valley, and frequent trips into what was then a thriving retail and entertainment center downtown are part of his memories.
Planey likened the efforts to restore the downtown area to the legend of the phoenix rising from the ashes.
“I think it’s a plus, plus, plus,” he said.
Lawson said the society has launched the “quiet phase” of a $6 million fundraising campaign to restore the Burt Building, develop it into a History Center and create an endowment fund.
The effort has already raised about $2.8 million and the public phase of the drive is slated for this fall, he said.
The design work is being done now by balog, steines, hendricks & manchester architects inc., and construction could begin next year, Lawson said.
The building, erected around 1919, was purchased by Harry Burt and converted into a candy and ice cream factory. It was Burt who created the famed Good Humor ice cream bar. His family sold the property to James Ross, founder of Ross Radio Co., in 1935, but the interior of the structure remains much as it was when the Burt family owned it, including a 3,600-square-foot second-floor ballroom that has a bandstand at one end.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation recognized it as one of the 11 most historic places in America in 2006.
Lawson said the third floor, which once housed kitchens and bakeries, will become exhibition and education space.
The ballroom on the second floor will be retained for various assemblies and perhaps rentals, with part of that space being assigned to exhibits. There will also be a conference room and kitchen on that floor.
The first floor will house a permanent exhibit with rotating artifacts while the mezzanine will be exhibit space as well.
The basement will become the society’s archives, research and storage area, Lawson said.
Once the History Center is open, the society will be able to focus on its Wick Avenue Arms Museum as an historic artifact in its own right, he said.
“I think it will take a lot of work to restore it,” said Cleon Moss, 77, who was visiting his sister and brother-in-law, Donna and Roy Haren of Boardman, and came downtown with them to take a look at the Burt Building.
“It’s amazing, awesome,” Ron Haren said as he neared the end of his tour. “It’s really an amazing building.”
gwin@vindy.com