This week’s mystery place was submitted by Gaspar Sancoche.
Without cheating (using Google), do you know where in Hartford this picture was taken? The street address, closest intersection, or current building/tenant name is what we’re looking for here.
Susan Reynolds
Ok this is probably wrong – But is this like the back of the clock tower next to capital prep?
Kerri Provost
It’s not, but you’re heading in the right direction of town 🙂
Josh LaPorte
Ok, I know I’ve seen this and think it is either the masonic temple on Mahl Ave or the church around the corner on Main Street.
Kerri Provost
Impressed!
This is now the Gospel Lighthouse Apostolic Church at 2003 Main Street, right around the corner from Mahl Ave.
Congrats!
Brendan
I looked on Google, so I disqualified myself.
Josh LaPorte
but how would you find this on google? I tried googling the sign afterwords (because I am interested in what the Aaron Club was) and found nothing.
Anyone able to provide information about the AARON CLVB?
Kerri Provost
We know nothing.
I typed in combinations of the club and the address & found out what the place was used for after, but nothing about the Aaron Club itself. Gaspar, who sent in the photo, also said he does not know anything about it.
Josh LaPorte
Will have to do some digging on this. Will report any findings.
Josh LaPorte
Preliminary search results indicate that it was a 100 member Jewish mens’ social club.
Gaspar Sancoche
Wow… very interesting….
Josh LaPorte
To avoid the squeezed comments, here is what I found:
The Aaron Club was formed around 1910 and was a Jewish mens’ club. It purchased property on North Main Street (then called Windsor Ave) containing a large home and converted it to a club house, adding the addition (pictured above) at the rear in 1915. During the first world war, the club membership had reduced and the property was sold, being purchased by the Labor Educational Alliance, which housed a Sunday Socialist School. Fascinating! Windsor Ave was later renamed to North Main Street and renumbered accordingly. The Windsor Ave address of this location was 287.
Josh LaPorte
Based on piecing together news stories from the period, it looks like the Aaron Club was formed around 1910 and was a Jewish mens’ social club, offering lectures and such. The club purchased this property, then containing a house, and converted the house to serve the club’s needs. In 1915 an addition was built (pictured) which contained a banquet hall, gymnasium, and bowling alley. The club’s leadership included H.P. Kopplemann. The club lost significant membership (which was limited to 100 men) during WWI and sold the property, which was subsequently used by the Labor Educational Alliance which hosted a Socialist Sunday School at the site. Fascinating! This location had an address of 287 Windsor Ave, Windsor Ave was later renamed and renumbered as North Main Street. The Aaron Club seems to have largely petered out of existence by the 1920s.
Gaspar Sancoche
Fascinating indeed. Thank you. From what I understand, the Masonic Hall next door (formerly “Mather Homestead”) was a synagogue from 1926 until it became the Masonic Hall some time in the 50s… I wonder if there was any relationship…
Richard
Thanks Josh for the bit of history. Now I would love to find out what the Socialist Sunday School was all about.