Tag: Water Street

Water Street, Sandusky

Before returning to the Kilbourne Hotel, I explored East Water Street starting at Columbus Avenue and stopping at Wayne Street, after which I turned around and walked back to the Kilbourne Hotel. I took a lot of photographs of the historic buildings as the sun rose above the horizon. These are the ones I was drawn to the most.

2 September 2022 * FujiFilm X-T3 * XF27mmF2.8 R WR

I had not yet explored the other areas of Historic Sandusky, but my mind was already drawing parallels with Asbury Park, New Jersey. At least Asbury Park before rapid gentrification and $800,000 two-bedroom condos ruined the skyline. Like Asbury Park, Sandusky was a shore town served by railway and ferry from nearby large cities; New York City in the case of Asbury Park and Toledo and Cleveland in the case of Sandusky. Like Asbury Park, the town fell upon hard times after the railway was shut down. Restaurants and theatres were boarded up, and drug and gun crime took over. Like Asbury Park, the township committee and local businesses have worked hard to revitalise the downtown over the last decade. Almost all of the historic storefronts remain, many with new businesses. If you look closely, you can see the faded remnants of the names of the original businesses that occupied the buildings.

2 September 2022 * FujiFilm X-T3 * XF27mmF2.8 R WR
2 September 2022 * FujiFilm X-T3 * XF27mmF2.8 R WR

The downtown also reminded me of the cobblestone streets and stone arch buildings in downtown Kingstown, St. Vincent. I don’t know if Kingstown looks the same as I remember. It’s been over 30 years, and much could have changed.

Some of the storefronts were obscured by the cars parked on Water Street.

2 September 2022 * FujiFilm X-T3 * XF27mmF2.8 R WR
2 September 2022 * FujiFilm X-T3 * XF27mmF2.8 R WR

7 September 2022 - Shade Mylander Plaza

While walking along Water Street Bhavna and I found the water fountain at Shade Mylander Plaza where we sat to watch the glow of the setting sun. The plaza lies between Water Street and Shoreline Drive. Bhavna and I stopped to take a snapshot in front of the water fountain. The photograph has a lot of digital noise.

The stairs that enter the plaza at the intersection of Water Street and Columbus Avenues leads past the water fountain, to Shoreline Drive and into Mylander Pavilion at the Jackson Street Pier. This end of Columbus Avenue was the transportation hub for tourists headed to the Lake Erie islands or Cedar Point. The plaza has a waterfront view of Sandusky Bay. The setting sun created a fire red glow on the marina.

Mylander Park
1 September 2022 * FujiFilm X-T3 * XF27mmF2.8 R WR

Sandusky Wine Merchant

After finishing our cocktails at the Moseley's Rooftop Bar, we exited onto Water Street to explore the downtown. The streets were bare compared to Princeton, yet the air felt vibrant and alive.

The Sandusky Wine Merchant is next door to our hotel, tacoria, and rooftop bar. The Sandusky Wine Merchant offers wines from Australia, Chile, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, New Zealand and Spain but also has a good selection of local wines. I started talking to the store's charismatic owner, Kevin Bertschi, who soon learned that I was more interested in craft ales. Kevin recommended a stout from one of the area's craft breweries. Our hotel’s mini-fridge could not handle the beer for the few days we were there. I promised Kevin that I would return before the end of our trip.

When Kevin’s wife, Alana Shock, discovered that we were eager to try the ales from Sandusky’s three breweries, she directed us to what she considered the best brewery in town, CLAG. I felt that Kevin and his wife were informal local guides to downtown Sandusky.