Last week I wrote about Google Earth and posted some area photos that I screen captured while looking around in the program. It is interesting to look at the photos from various years and different views on Google Earth. This week I have some photos of Chattanooga, Ohio, from Google Earth.
Google Earth’s most recent aerial view of Chattanooga was taken 26 February 2012. Chatt’s downtown area looks pretty much the same today as it did in 2012. The Chatt Bar is in the left center of the photo below. Notice that the 2012 aerial view shows a vacant lot to the south of the Chatt Bar.
Chattanooga, Ohio, Google Earth, 26 Feb 2012 photo.
But when I switched to Google Earth’s Street View in front of the Chatt Bar I got a big surprise. I noticed that the aerial view and the street view were taken at different times. The street view photos were taken October 2008, four years before the aerial photos were taken. And I noticed something very interesting in the photos. The old brick building, once located south of the Chatt Bar, was still standing in October 2008 and it can still be seen in Google Earth’s Street View photos.
Brick building & Chatt Bar, looking north, Google Earth, October 2008 photo.
That old brick building was once the Chattanooga Bank. Yes, Chattanooga had a bank at one time–the Farmers & Merchants State Bank. It was in business by 1917 and closed about 1930. A plat map of Chatt from the 1920s shows the bank was south of the hotel and bar. Semon Egger’s property and businesses were between the two.
Part of Chatt Plat Map, c1920s, showing Chatt Bank.
A document from the Chattanooga Farmers & Merchants State Bank, dated 1917.
Farmers & Merchants State Bank, Chattanooga, Ohio, 1917.
The brick bank building later housed two grocery stores, Heffner’s Grocery and then Bollenbacher’s Grocery.
Heffner’s Grocery, Chattanooga, Ohio, undated photo.
By studying Google Earth’s aerial maps of Chatt I was able to determine that the old brick building was torn down between July 2009 and August 2010. Someone from Chatt probably knows the exact date.
Chatt Bank/Grocery & Chatt Bar. Google Earth, October 2008 photo.
At one time there was another building between the Chatt Bar and the brick building. That building was Semon Egger’s grocery, which also included the Chattanooga Post Office and Egger’s mortuary, which was upstairs.
When I was a child that building was the home of the Chattanooga Volunteer Fire Department. At that time there was a large garage door on the ground level and the Chatt Chums 4-H Club would sometimes meet upstairs. Back then we had no idea the second floor had once been a funeral parlor.
Chattanooga Volunteer Fire Dept, undated photo, c1970s, courtesy of Jerry Miller. The building was once Egger’s store. Notice the former bank building to the left.
In the above photo, “Jug” Andrews (on street, looking at ladder, this side), Don LaBrun ( taller one with fire coat and helmet, to the left of the men on the ladder, with back to the windows of the store), Dick Stephenson (not in fire gear, standing near the fire station’s large open door). Don LaBrun was a volunteer for about 30 years.
Today Chatt’s Fire Department is across the street, in the building that once was Wendel’s Garage and Auto Sales. My parents purchased Pontiac autos from them years ago. Below is a Google Earth photo of that building as it looked in 2008.
Google Earth, October 2008 photo.
I am grateful that the 2008 Street View images of Chatt still remain on Google Earth and that I am able to see that old brick building once again.
Chatt Bar and Bank, looking south, Google Earth, October 2008 photo.
I did not have a photo of the brick structure before they tore it down, but I do now, thanks to Google Earth.
(All images accessed from Google Earth 30 April 2014.)
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For a brief time during the 1980s there was a small grocery store in what I believe was the buliding you’re referring to.I think it opened shortly after Link’s closed by a family that lived in town — I don’t recall the family’s name. I think that was when I first learned about the Bollenbachers’ grocery store from Harold and Martha.
Author
I am sure you are correct but I cannot remember who that was. Maybe another reader will remember. You think you will always remember these things, but time moves on and memories fade…
I remember going to a record hop which I believe was on the top floor of Eggars grocery. Not sure. I don’t know who sponcered the dance. It may have been the volunteer firemen. Does anyone remember the event? I was going into 7th grade which was the first 7th grade in the Parkway consolidated school system. I was a “Rockford Kid” but knew most of the “Willshire Kids” because I attended Bible School held in the Willshire school.
Author
I don’t ever remember a record hop up there but I believe the Chatt Chums 4-H club met there occasionally. Maybe someone will remember the dance.
I was told that many years ago my grandpa and great uncle operated a grocery store in Chatt. Their names were Herman Lavire Patterson and Loris Minger. Does anyone have any information about this store?
Author
Those name are not familiar to me but someone may recognize them. We will see. Thanks for writing!
In looking at these old pictures of the Chatt’s Volunteer Fire Station from the 70’s, I recognize myself, Don LaBrun, a volunteer for about 30 yrs. I’m the taller one with fire coat and helmet, to the left of the men on the ladder, with my back to the windows of the store next to the fire station.
I also recognize “Jug” Andrews, shorter guy, in uniform jacket and helmet, standing in the front, in the street, on the left side of the picture, facing the guys on the ladder.
Also, I see Dick Stevenson, (Larry Stevenson’s dad). He’s the gentleman not in firefighter’s gear, but has dark suspenders or a jacket on, standing near the fire station’s large open door.
Author
Thank you Don for all these great comments, your memories of events, and for identifying people. Your information adds so much to the history of Chatt. Pleas continue to comment any time you want. I really appreciate it.
I need to make a correction to identifying one of the people standing in front of the fire station… my wife Deb was writing down my thoughts into the reply we posted on March 22, 2025 … the gentleman without a uniform, in the photo of the Volunteer Firemen on the ladder, next to the large door was Dick Stevenson. Who is a brother of Larry Stevenson, (not Larry’s dad). Sorry for any confusion.
Author
No problem. I know the Stephensons.
Hi Karen, we are (Don & Debra (Deb or Debbi) LaBrun, (McCombs-Sipe-LaBrun ) of Fort Wayne, Ind.)
We were married in Chatt Sept. 2004. And I’m still curious as to who’s who in the neighborhood and business around while Don was growing up.
We were trying to place how you are familiar with the Chatt area?? And Don’s really enjoying hearing about names and places from his youth. He could tell you hundreds of stories about the people and places around here from his youth, and being on the Volunteer Fire Dept for 30 yrs, and being a Deputy Sheriff for Mercer County for 12 yrs.
Don sees your last name is Miller Bennett….
We know, and are good friends with Vern and Cheryl Hamrick, and we called Cheryl to see if she knows who you were… And surprisingly, she said yes!! And that you had just done a research on Cheryl’s
mothers’ history! Small world ! Cheryl told us that you are the daughter of Herb Miller.
Don says he used to pick up eggs from Herb’s dad’s place, to be processed at the family business, Chatt Valley Eggs & Foods on SR 49 & Strable Rd.
Don remembers picking up eggs from Herb’s dads place, that it was down a long lane, and around the corner from what use to be the road where the old John Deere dealership and repair shop was, on SR 49.
Are you related to Glenn and Catherine Miller?? Catherine Miller was Violet’s next door neighbor and best friend for over 70 yrs.
Don figures he’s probably one of the last older living members of Chatt’s history.
Don was born in 1946. One of three children of Robert (Bob), who grew up in Wren Oh, and Violet I. LaBrun, who grew up in Monmouth Ind. just north of Decatur Ind.
The oldest child of Bob & Violet was Larry R. LaBrun, born in 1942, who passed away in June 2002. Then Donald (Don) D. LaBrun was born in July 1946, and surviving, now at 78 yrs old, and in 1958 the youngest child born was a daughter, Marlene S. LaBrun Vogel, who passed away in 1994.
Bob, Violet, Larry and Marlene are all buried in the MRE Cemetery that is
1 mile west of Berne Ind., on hwy 218.
Don says he thinks your dad and Norvil Weitz worked together at the prison in Lima Ohio… ??
Thanks for all your hard work putting together this history puzzle called Chattanooga Ohio!
Author
Thanks for writing and I am happy to hear you are enjoying Karen’s Chatt. Yes, Herb was my dad and I grew up on Wildcat Corner, or as I call it, a suburb of Chatt. That is so interesting that my Grandpa Carl Miller sold eggs to your family. I did not know that. I remember grandma and grandpa gathering eggs, cleaning them, and putting them in egg crates, but after that I guess I didn’t know where the eggs went. I never put two and two together. Their farm was on Sipe Road, back a lane. No relation to Glenn Miller, although we went to church with Glenn and Catharine. And yes, I recently helped Cheryl with her family history, which was a fun and interesting project. My dad and Norval did work at Lima State Hospital. Don has a very good memory. Thank you for writing and sharing all these memories and connections. I love hearing these stories.
So glad to hear and share stories of Chatt’s history.
Did you know that there was a murder committed here in Chatt??
Don is asking if you know anything about a murder that happened here in Chatt in the late 1957’s -1960?? Don said he was about 10-11 yrs old, and was helping his dad, Bob, that evening, and they drove the truck onto the platform weight scales that the migrants used to weigh the tomatoes they picked. Don’s dad’s truck had a load of chickens they just collected from area farms, and pulled onto the platform weight scales, that, back then, was beside the migrant camp that was on SR 49, and the State Hwy Patrol cars and sheriff cars were all there with their light flashing. Don said he saw a body under a sheet being carried out of the migrant housing.
He said it was a migrant worker that was living in a migrant housing /camp that was where the gravel parking lot beside the fire station sits now. There was a dispute between the two migrants, and one shot the other while he was sleeping.
He believes Cherry Sunderhaus, (sheriff then?), went all the was to Texas to get the shooter, and brought him back for trial and went to prison.
That’s all Don knows about it.
Author
No, I don’t remember that incident. Interesting story, though, and I did not know there was migrant housing in downtown Chatt. I only remember the housing at the corner of 49 and Schaadt Road. Thank you for that information. Every little bit of information is helpful.