1908 RPPC Elk Restaurant Pullman Cafe Lima Ohio

The Elk Restaurant / Pullman Cafe as seen in a vintage real photo postcard, circa 1908.

Note the date, Fri. Aug, 7, on the circus posters. As per the Ringling Bros. Circus routes for 1908 website [link], Lima, Ohio was on the schedule for Aug. 7th. 

This 1892 map of Lima's businesses lists: Elk Restaurant, Dan. Freel, Proprietor

According to an annoncement in the Lima News, Dan Freel sold The Elk to Charley Ackerman in Nov. 1894.

Apparently there a saloon and gambling room above The Elk that was raided (see below news clips). Sure wish I could find a whiskey bottle or other neat item from The Elk's saloon. 

Here are the next earliest google-mentions of The Elk Restaurant, showing 1899 newspaper ads:

There was a fire in the Elk's kitchen, January 1902. [Link]

Apparently Dan gave up the restaurant biz for the oil biz:

"October 6, 1906: Mrs. Joseph G. Bockmier left Monday for a 3 week's visit with her daughter, Mrs. Dan Freel at Lima, Ohio where Dan Freel is at work in the Lima oil fields." [Source]

The Lima News  August 7, 1906 › Page 2 [link] http://bit.ly/1jYvsIQDI

​N

ING ROOM OPENED; Also a First Class Lunch Counter Where All Delicacies Will Be 

​F

ound. The already popular firm 

​o

f Tyson and Scherneble, who not Ion

​g​

 ago opened up the Pullman Cafe, formerly the Elk, take this opportunity of announcing that their dining room a

​nd

 lunch counter are both open to the public, and the best of service is assured, along with all the delicacies 

​i​

n season and the best staple meats

More googling finds that The Elk became The Pullman Cafe in 1906. 

Even though the 1908 photo postcard shows Pullman Cafe on the striped canopy, they are still also calling themselves The Elk. By the above announcement, we learn they had a lunch counter and a dining room. I'd surmise the counter wore the Pullman moniker, and the dining room wore The Elk mantle.

The postcard shows 4 men. Two waiters in aprons, and 2 men in ties -- perhaps the misters Tyson and Scherneble? 

​Later there are 1920s ads for a Pullman Restaurant, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis L. Mack, Proprietors, located located on the SW corner of the public square.​ These later proprietors must have given up the split identity, dropped cafe and elk, and renamed the place the Pullman Restaurant.

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Note: These items are part of my ''Collecting Lima Virtual Museum''. They are not for sale.

If/when I find more information on these items, I will add it to the post.

Read the Introduction to Collecting Lima Virtual Museum Project ~ My Lima Ohio Bottles, Advertising, Antiques


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