This building was the hall associated with the hotel at the
corner of West Point Pike and Garfield Avenue. It was known as
Hallmeyer's Hall from 1900 to 1915, then Roehner's Hall till 1918, and
sometimes just "West Point Hall." The building on the back was a stable
that could hold 20 horses. The hall was used for everything from town
meetings to plays to commencement exercises. The West Point Fire Company
was formed here on November 24th, 1908. Cows and livestock
were routinely auctioned in the back.
Apparently, Julius Roehner sold the building in 1918, because the Montgomery Pants Factory was
operating at the site in that year, having moved their operation from
the second floor of the firehouse. In 1922 the manufacture of shoes
began here, by the H. S. Walters
Shoe Company. Then tragedy struck.
The new owner, 32 year old Howard Walters, had just moved his shop from
Philadelphia when two weeks later the shop was robbed of all the leather. Already
having financial difficulties, Howard became despondent. On the
morning of August 14, 1922 he went into his office and shot himself in the
mouth, instantly killing himself. He left behind a wife and three
children. Howard's brother Chester successfully built the business up
and soon had 12 employees making 150 pairs of shoes a day. Chester
remarked, "There was no reason for his rash act except that worry had
surely unbalanced his mind."
In July of 1926 the West Point Shoe Factory, as it was then known, closed.
In 1928 the building was purchased
by Harry Nace, the owner of the large store across from the hotel on
West Point Pike. Coincidentally, he had a shoe department on the second
floor of his store. Nace turned the building back into the "West Point
Hall." In November of 1932 a large chicken supper benefit was held in
the hall, the proceeds going to the fire company.
In 1936 the site became the West Point Hosiery Mill and employed many of the local residents.
During World War II the building was owned by Clayton Stauffer.
Parachutes were made here for the military.
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Garfield Avenue
