The Helen Chapel in Youngstown Ohio is an example of Romanesque Revival architecture in early Youngstown Ohio. Constructed from 1889-1890, the building stands as one of the last of many 19th century religious buildings that once graced downtown Youngstown. The chapel was designed by local architect Adolf Kanengeiser for use as a Sunday school and religious services for the First Presbyterian Church.The building was commissioned by Myron C. and Elizabeth Bonnell Wick and named in memory of their daughter, Helen, who died previously at the age of four. A dedication in honor of young Helen is inscribed into one of the two fireplaces in the chapel. The Wick family was very influential in the early days of Youngstown, Myron Wick was vice president of the First National Bank which occupied the now metropolitan tower. Myron was also an originator of the Ohio Steel Company. Elizabeth Wick was the daughter of William Bonnell, co-founder of the influential Brown-Bonnell Iron &amp; Steel Co.The Wick family also had a significance to the First Presbyterian church in the area. Reverend William Wick held the first Presbyterian service in 1799 in the Youngstown area. The Helen Chapel became a historic location in 1986 and continues to serve the community of Youngstown.

Helen Chapel is named in honor of the late daughter of church members and donors Myron and Elizabeth Wick.

Designed by local architect Adolf Kanengeiser Helen Chapel was built from 1889 to1890. The building serves Youngstown's First Presbyterian Church with a sanctuary, spaces for the congregation to meet, and classrooms for Sunday school. The name of the chapel is a reflection of Myron C. and Elizabeth Bonnell Wick's donation to the church and serves as a memorial to their daughter, Helen. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. 

Helen Chapel 

This comprehensive tour will take you through all the iconic buildings throughout Youngstown's history. You'll see iconic buildings such as the Wick Tower, Ohio One Building, as well as stunning historic churches and theaters that dot this historic city. 

Youngstown Historic Buildings Tour 

The Ohio One Building was built in 1931, the original name for the building was the Ohio Edison Building. The Ohio Edison Building was constructed as the headquarters for the Ohio Edison Company. The Ohio Edison Company was formed in 1930 after the population of Youngstown spiked by 125,000 from 1900 to 1930. The company was a consolidation of various Youngstown electric companies that had to be combined after the aforementioned population spike.  The Ohio Edison Company occupied the building for the next 44 years. The building was then sold to its current owner, the Ohio One Company, which is where the building derives its current name. The Ohio One Company is a Youngstown based realty company that specializes in Mahoning County commercial real-estate.  The most notable part of the Ohio One Building is the large neon sign that is displayed on the top of the building. The neon sign was put up by the Ohio Edison Company when the building was first erected; it displayed the name of the company and could be switched from white to red. When the Ohio One Company acquired the building, they repurposed the sign to their company name. The Ohio One Building still stands today despite the urban renewal program that demolished many historic buildings east of Market Street.

The Ohio One Building was built in 1931 by the Ohio Edison Company. The building was initially named the Ohio Edison Building, after the aforementioned company. The Ohio Edison Company was an electricity provider in Youngstown that was formed after consolidating many smaller companies into the Ohio Edison Company to serve the growing Youngstown community. The building was purchased by its current owner, the Ohio One Company, in 1975. The Ohio One Company still occupies the building today. The most notable architectural aspect of the building is the large neon sign displayed on the top of the building, which was originally commissioned by the Ohio Edison Company, and was later adopted by the Ohio One Company. 

Ohio One Building 

The Mahoning County Courthouse serves as a reminder of Youngstown's ambition throughout the years. The current Mahoning County Courthouse is actually the third courthouse to be built in the county. The first of the three courthouse's was completed in 1848 the same year Mahoning county was established. Youngstown then battled for the county seat of Mahoning county and built the second courthouse after winning the seat in 1876. After the second courthouse began falling into disrepair the current Mahoning county courthouse, the one pictured above, was constructed in 1910.Construction on the courthouse began in 1907. The referendum to build the new courthouse was voted on in 1906 and won by a vote total of 5,518 to 4,660, a budget of $1,000,000 was decided upon. The lead architect for the building was a man by the name of Charles F Owsley, who was the son of the man who had built the first courthouse in the county Charles H Owsley. The new Mahoning county courthouse was pitched as the "finest courthouse between New York and Chicago" and to the officials credit they spared no expense. The total cost of the courthouse afters its completion was $1,904,424 almost a million dollars over budget.The building slowly modernized until 1985 when an ambitious restoration project attempted to restore the building to its former glory. In total the renovations cost $8,000,000 this arduous process involved removing the false surfaces that had be installed throughout the decades as well as installing an entirely new HVAC system and cleaning and retouching murals found in the courthouse. The restoration took 6 years, however because of the diligence done by the construction teams the building now stands at its former glory.

Completed in 1910 in Youngstown Ohio, this courthouse was considered a point of pride for the county. Costing the city $1,904,424 the Mahoning County Courthouse went over its original budget of $1,000,000. The building stood with minor changes until 1985 when it was voted to be restored. The restoration took 6 years and cost $8,000,000 an effort to return the building to its former glory. 

Mahoning County Courthouse 

The Realty Building has been a fixture of the Youngstown skyline since its construction in 1924. The building was designed by local architect Morris W. Scheibel, notable for also designing the Central Tower Building. Scheibel designed the building for the Realty Guarantee and Trust Company; the company paid $500,000 in 1923 to pay for the construction of the building.         The building stood until 1955 with minimal changes; however, in 1955, a storm blew in to Youngstown, causing gale-force winds. These winds ripped nearly the entire roof off of the Realty Building, scattering debris throughout East Federal Street. This incident caused upwards of $50,000 in damages to Youngstown. The next significant change for the Realty Building would come in 1961 when William Cafaro and Marvin T. Itts purchased the building and soaked $200,000 into a renovation. The renovation included the installation of automatic elevators, a deep cleaning of the brick surrounding the building as well as constructing a new entrance.         The Realty Building, like many historic Youngstown buildings, has been remade into an apartment complex. The building was purchased in 2000 by developer Lou Frangos in order to be turned into apartments. However, this plan was tabled until 2008 when the renovations formally began. The renovation was completed in 2009,turning the building into a 23-unit apartment complex, once again serving the Youngstown community.

The Realty Building was designed by famed local architect Morris W. Scheibel, notable for also designing the Central Tower Building. The Realty Guarantee and Trust Company commissioned the building, and construction was completed in 1924. One of the most notable events in the building's past came in 1955. In 1955 gale-force winds blew into Youngstown, ripping nearly the entire roof off, as well as causing $50,000 in damages due to falling debris. The Realty Building is now a 23-unit apartment complex after being renovated in 2009, continuing to serve the Youngstown community. 

Realty Building 

Youngstown's Central Tower Building has been an prominent feature of the downtown since its construction in 1929. Rising 224 feet tall, it was one of the tallest buildings and represented the economic growth of the late 1920s and the willingness of banks to make substantial loans and investments under the assumption of continued economic growth in major industries such as construction, real estate, and railroads. The building changed hands several times in the late 20th and early 21st century and is known today as the Metropolitan Tower. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 and remains the tallest building in Youngstown.The building began its life as the Central Tower building. The banking corporation Central Savings and Loan were the original constructors of the building. The Central Savings and Loan Company commissioned Morris W. Scheibel to design the tower and its construction was completed in 1929.The name of the building “Central Tower” remained unchanged until 1976, that year a new banking company Metropolitan Savings and Loan took up residence in the tower. Then in 1980 Metropolitan bought the building outright for a price tag of 2 million dollars. They renamed the tower “Metropolitan Tower” after the company which now owned it. This was not to be the last of the name changes for the old Central Tower. The final name change for the Central Tower Building came in 2007, being renamed to First National Tower. This change occurred because of another buyout, when Metropolitan savings and loan was bought by First National Bank in 1985.

Youngstown's Central Tower Building has been known by several names since its construction in 1929. Originally designed by Morris Scheibel for Central Savings and Loans, the building became the home of Metropolitan Savings and Loan in 1976. Four years later that company purchased the building for $2,000,000 and renamed the building the Metropolitan Tower. The building's name changed again in 2007 when it became First National Tower after Metropolitan Savings and Loan was acquired by First National Bank.

Central Tower Building (First National Tower) Youngstown

The Wick Building is the second tallest building in downtown Youngstown Ohio and has a storied history as the home of many different businesses before its current adaption as an apartment complex. The Wick building was financed by George Dennick Wick, designed by Daniel Burnham, and completed in 1910. The Wick building was originally used as the home of the Wick Brothers Trust Company. The Wick family has been an influential family in the Youngstown area throughout its history. George Wick was notable for his involvement the iron and steel industry, which was the lifeblood of Youngstown at the time.The building was acquired by Burdham Bros Inc. in 1969 for $230,000. The building was later renovated from 1988 to 1993 by the Burdham Group in order to sell the property. However amidst scandals from the prospective buyer, the group instead opted to gift the building and its parking lot to the city. The most recent iteration of the Wick building occurred in 2012, when it was converted into apartment buildings. In 2012 the building was sold to Dominic Marchionda of the NYO property group. The original plan was to convert the building into a boutique hotel. The building currently offers 33 apartments and four overnight units.

Youngstown's Wick Building is the second-tallest structure in the city, being bested only by First National Tower. The Wick Building was designed by architect Daniel Burnham and was completed in 1910. The structure was built to house the Wick Brothers Trust Company which was owned by the Wick family who owned several influential businesses in the Youngstown area at the urn-of-the-century. 

Wick Building 

The Peggy Ann Building was constructed in the 1930s. Its original owner was the Peggy Ann clothing store. The building was constructed at the corner of Federal and Phelps Street as it was a prime location in Youngstown’s shopping district. The bottom floor of the building was occupied by the Peggy Ann clothing store from the 1930s to the 1960s. Various offices occupied the second story of the building.         	The Peggy Ann Building was designed in an Art Deco style. This style was typical in many early Youngstown buildings; however, this building is significant due to its distinct features. These features include its use of terra cotta and vivid color. It uses both geometric and vegetative features in its front façade.         	The Peggy Ann Building still stands today, maintaining its original purpose of housing Youngstown businesses. The building now holds multiple local businesses, including the Whistle and Keg bar and the Touch the Moon Candy Saloon. The Whistle and Keg features a self-service, pay by the ounce craft beers.

The Peggy Ann Building in Youngstown Ohio was part of the retail boom that occurred during the height of Youngstown's growth. The Peggy Ann Building was built around 1930 and was built to house the Peggy Ann clothing company. The Peggy Ann clothing store operated in this downtown location from the 1930s to the 1960s. The second story of the building was used as office space. The building now holds multiple local businesses including the Whistle and Keg bar and the Touch the Moon Candy Saloon.  

Peggy Ann Building

The Wells Building was constructed in 1917 in order to satisfy the commercial needs of downtown Youngstown. Constructed on the site of the Hotel Sherman, the original purpose of the Wells Building was to house retail stores and offices. The original inhabitants were a ladies' clothing store, while the upper story housed various offices. Later in its life the building also housed a recruitment station for the armed forces. The building was transformed into an apartment complex through the efforts of the Strollo Architecture Firm. The firm received $1.8 million in State and Federal tax credits to fund the $5.3 million budget for restoring the vacant building. The apartments opened in 2016, and prices range from $1,050 for a studio to $1,600 for the penthouse suite.'The building was constructed with funding from the estate of Thomas H. Wells, a notable businessman and land developer in the early years of Youngstown. Wells was one of the largest owners of the Youngstown Rolling Mill Company, as well as having ties to the coal industry in the area. Thomas H. Wells was elected mayor of Youngstown in 1863 and was known for his charitable donations. Wells passed away in 1905, twelve years before the completion of this building that was named in his honor.

Youngstown's Wells Building was constructed in 1917 with funding from the estate of Thomas H. Wells, a prominent land developer in Youngstown who was elected mayor in 1863. The building was initially designed to house retail stores on the main floor, and offices on the floors above. The building was originally home to a ladies' clothing store. In later years, the building was home to an armed forces recruitment station. In 2016 the Strollo Architecture firm remodeled the building into a modern apartment complex.

Wells Building 

The State Theater was built on the site of another historic theater, the lot on which the State Theater stands formerly held the Orpheum Theater, constructed in 1915. The State Theater was constructed in 1927, standing as one of the most technologically advanced theaters of its time. The State Theater had the latest in motion picture technology as well as installing Movietone equipment to produce sound in the theater in 1927. The building was designed by architect Charles W. Bates and engineer William M. Cook. The theater was placed on West Federal Street as it was the heart of Youngstown’s commercial district at the time.  The State Theater operated as a movie theater until 1970, when the building was closed for its intended purpose as a movie theater. The building was renovated and re-opened on October 20, 1974, as the Tomorrow Club, a rock-n-roll themed night club. The Tomorrow Club went under on December 22, 1978, giving way to a new venue called The Agora. The Agora was also a rock-n-roll themed venue; however, the Agora catered more towards concerts than as a club experience. The Agora was host to many famous acts over its lifetime. Artists such as RUSH, AC/DC, KISS, The Runaways, Heart, and The Ramones, to name a few. The Agora closed its doors on July 23, 1982; this came rather abruptly due to dwindling attendance as well as vandalism in the area caused by concert goers.  The State Theater continued to house various venues for the rest of the 1980s, including a Civic Center, a Hard Rock venue known as the Starr Theater, the Starr Theater was replaced by the Starr Palace. The Starr Palace hosted a showcase for R&amp;B, blues, jazz, hip-hop, and soul groups in late 1986. The theater closed for good in 1988 after all the various venues went defunct. The State Theater was demolished in 2008 after being vacant for 30 years. The only remnant of the State Theater is its front facade, saved during demolition, which can still be seen today.

The State Theater was constructed in 1927, built on the location of the Orpheum Theater, which stood on that location since 1915. The theater was designed by architect Charles W. Bates, standing as one of the most technologically advanced theaters of its time. After construction, the theater was equipped with a Movietone sound system. The theater stopped showing movies in 1970; in 1974, the building opened as "Tomorrow Club," a rock-n-roll night club. This club transitioned into the Agora, a venue that specialized in rock-n-roll concerts. The Agora had famous acts such as RUSH, AC/DC, KISS, The Runaways, Heart, and The Ramones. The theater continued to transition throughout the 1980s when it transitioned from a Civic Center to a Hard Rock venue known as the Starr Theater,  and an RnB venue, known as the Starr Palace.  The State Theater was demolished in 2008 after being vacant for 30 years. The only remnant of the State Theater is its front facade, saved during demolition, which can still be seen today. 

State Theater (1928-2008)

The Warner Theater was opened on May 14, 1931, by the Warner family. The Warner family is famous for the motion picture organization, Warner Brothers. The Warner family settled in Youngstown in 1895, initially owning a myriad of businesses, such as selling items like bicycles, soap, and ice cream, the family also owned a butcher shop. In the early 1900s, the family purchased a projector and began traveling across Ohio, Pennsylvania, and other neighboring states. In 1918 the family moved to California and established a production company. The family continued to either purchase or build movie theaters, among them was the Warner Theater in Youngstown in 1931.  The Warner Theater was constructed in memory of the Warner brothers parents as well as their brother Samuel Warner who had passed away in 1927. `The theater was designed by the Chicago architecture group C. W. and George L. Rapp. The Heller Brother’s construction company constructed the theater for a price of $1,500,000.  On February 28, 1968, the theater played its last movie, Bonnie and Clyde, to a packed house. The theater had to close due to dwindling attendance. The theater was slated to be demolished, an auction was held on September 21, 1968, and the building was saved by Youngstown couple Edward and Alice Powers, who donated $250,000 to make the building the permanent home of the Youngstown Symphony. The theater was renamed the Powers Auditorium, the building was renovated for the symphony at a price of $750,000. Powers Auditorium held its first show on September 20, 1969; the Powers Auditorium now stands as the centerpiece of the Deyor Performing Arts Center.

Warner Theater, now known as the Powers Auditorium, opened on May 14th, 1931. The theater derives its name from the Warner family who created the movie production company "Warner Brothers." The two brothers named the theater to honor their late brother Samuel and their parents. The Warner Theater operated until February 28th, 1968, when it played its last movie, "Bonnie and Clyde." The building was slated to be demolished, but local couple Edward and Alice Powers donated $250,000 and others in the community rallied to save the building and make it the permanent home of the Youngstown Symphony. The building was renovated for the symphony at a price of $750,000. The theater was renamed to honor the Powers family for their support and the symphony held their first performance in their new home on September 20th, 1969. The building continues to serve the community by holding live performances of the city's symphony and other  events.

Warner Theater/ Powers Auditorium 

The history of Youngstown and
the Mahoning Valley region is inextricably linked to the iron and steel
industry.&nbsp;In 1803, the Valley’s first blast furnace was built--the same year that Ohio became a state.&nbsp;Mahoning Valley would later become a&nbsp;leading steel producing region. Byt the 1970s, however, the steel industry in the area&nbsp;declined and most of the&nbsp;mills in the area have&nbsp;closed.

An effort to create a museum&nbsp;to&nbsp;preserve and share the history of the&nbsp;iron and steel
industry in Youngstown began in the 1980s.&nbsp;The building was designed by renowned architect Michael Graves and the new&nbsp;museum building was officially
dedicated in 1992. This museum houses permanent exhibits which preserve the
history of the iron and steel industry which dominated the Youngstown area’s
economic life in the 20th century. The permanent exhibit named “By the Sweat of Their Brow:Forging
the Steel Valley", which includes&nbsp;explores labor, immigration and urban history, using videos,
artifacts, photographs, and reconstructed scenes."The Youngstown Historical Center
of Industry and Labor also offers a variety of&nbsp;educational programs and operates a&nbsp;library and archive that is open to the public.
The archive&nbsp;serves as a repository for local government records, manuscripts collections, and records of&nbsp;companies, individuals,&nbsp;and labor organizations related to the iron and steel
industries in North East Ohio. The center is part of the&nbsp;Ohio
Network of American History Research Centers.

Operated by the Ohio Historical Society and Youngstown State University, this museum preserves the history of the steel industry that once dominated the regional economy. The museum traces its origins back to the 1970s when local officials lobbied for the creation of a museum to the region's industrial heritage. The museum opened in 1986 after the state legislature set aside $3 million three years prior. The center's permanent exhibit is titled "By the Sweat of Their Brow: Forging the Steel Valley." As the name suggests, it not only examines the business of steel-making but the workers and the communities they made.

Youngstown Historical Center of Industry and Labor

The Welsh Congregational Church stands as a reminder of the Welsh roots in the Youngstown Community. The church had its beginnings in 1845 when a group of Welsh immigrants formed a Congregational Church in the Brier Hill area of Youngstown. This organization formed what would be the bones of the church that exists in its current form led by their first pastor Thomas Evans. The church went under construction in 1861, being led by Thomas Davis; the building underwent a significant renovation in 1887 to become the building still standing today. The congregation worshiped at this site for the next 100 years; however, the church could not last forever. In 1976 the building was sold to the Messiah Holiness Church of God in Christ. Tragedy struck this organization in 1997 when a fire broke out inside the church resulting in extensive damages to the building. Since then, the building has remained abandoned, due to the cost of renovating the structure. In 2015 the abandoned church was sold to the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown; their goal was to remove the church from the land in order to create additional parking. However, they did not want to destroy the building instead, hoping to move the church to a separate location. This led to collaboration with Cityscape, a nonprofit community development organization. In 2015 Cityscape began their efforts to move the Welsh Congregational Church to Wick Park. The project has been delayed pending funding as of 2019; however, Cityscape is still hopeful to move and renovate the historic church.

This historic Youngstown church was constructed in 1861 to serve a congregation that was established in 1845. A landmark in the Brier Hill neighborhood, the church was substantially expanded and renovated in 1887 to accommodate the growing congregation. The building was used by the Welsh Congregation until 1976 when the church was bought by the Messiah Holiness Church of God in Christ. The congregation stopped using the building after a fire in 1997 severely damaged the structure. Since that time, the building has been abandoned, but the current owners, the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown, have partnered with Cityscape, a community development organization, to move the church to Wick Park and restore the historic building. 

Welsh Congregational Church.

St. John's Episcopal Church was first used as a place of congregation in May of 1898. This first Sunday service was held in the newly constructed basement of the then under-construction church. The building was not officially consecrated until 1900. The idea of this church, however, goes back many decades, to a time when Youngstown was just a small village. St. Johns began its existence as a Sunday school; the leader of this early congregation was Mrs. Jesse Thornton. The services were held in Mrs. Thornton's living room on West Federal Street. The congregation was unofficial until 1859, when Episcopal Diocese of Ohio received a petition from the Youngstown church to form the parish named St. John'. This parish was approved, and the congregation formally began. The congregation purchased the Wick Avenue lot in 1891, and New Jersey architect William Wood was commissioned to design St.John's Episcopal Church.  	Like many other organizations, the great depression was a time of economic strife and cutbacks for St. John's. Due to these budget cuts, many positions were cut from the church, including curators, secretaries, and a senior intern seminary student. The congregation gained some funds in 1937 through selling property that the church had owned, for commercial building, the church rebounded from this time period however and continued to serve the community. The congregation kept their doors opened in1942 for daily prayer, in response to World War 2.  	St. John's most notable community event was created in 1961. This was the first year a Boar's Head Festival was held in Youngstown; this festival consists of a pageant held twice, on the Sunday closest to January 6th. The parishioners celebrate the medieval event by making costumes and participating in the pageantry. The Boar's Head Festival in Youngstown is the longest consistently running Boar's Head Festival in the country.   	St. John's continues to be a cornerstone of the Youngstown community to this day. The congregation has numerous community outreach services such as the Red Door Cafe, a community meal served every Sunday at noon, free of charge, for Youngstown residents. The church also hosts a food pantry for the less fortunate. The St.John's congregation has a long and storied history in Youngstown and continues to serve the community going forward.

St.John's Episcopal Church was first organized in 1859 after the congregation petitioned the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio to form the parish. The congregation purchased the lot on Wick Avenue that the church now sits on, in 1891. New Jersey architect  William Wood designed the church; which was officially consecrated in 1900. Since then, St.John's has hosted a variety of public events for the Youngstown community. The most notable of these being the Boar's Head Festival hosted on the Sunday closest to January 6th. This festival is a celebration of medieval European traditions and is the longest-running Boar's Head Festival in the United States. St.John's Episcopal Church continues to serve the Youngstown community to this day with community services such as a food pantry and their Red Door Cafe, which offers free meals to the city every Sunday. 

St.John's Episcopal Church 

The Youngstown Public Library was constructed in 1909-1910 and designed by local architect Charles F Owsley; however, the roots of the Youngstown Library Association stretch back decades before. The Youngstown Library Association was founded on Oct. 27th, 1880, the group was led by the Superintendent of Schools, Reuben McMillan. The original Youngstown Public Library was located in the home of Richard and Henrietta Brown, who opened their doors in 1891; it was located on Market and Front street. The Youngstown Public Library, or as it was then known, the Reuben McMillan Free Library, stood on Market and Front Street until 1907. In 1907 Andrew Carnegie gifted the Library Association $50,000, that money combined with selling the original property, allowed the association to build a new library in 1909-1910, which still stands today.  The library has seen numerous changes since its construction in the early 20th century. The library was renovated in 1954 and from 1994 to 19996. This second renovation proved to be more expansive than the first; it added a new addition as well as remodeling the main building.Prolific figures have been involved in the Youngstown Library since its inception including Andrew Carnegie. Carnegie was an industrialist known for his harsh stance towards workers and organized labor, but he also used his fortune to support the construction of hundreds of public libraries throughout the late 19th, early 20th century. Similar to the Youngstown Public Library, these libraries were funded by a match of local funds and money from Andrew Carnegie and were often named in honor of Carnegie. This library, however, was unique as it was named in honor of Reuben McMillan, a leading figure within the Youngstown Library Association. Another notable figure was board president John H. Clark. Clark was appointed Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in 1916. Clark was a champion of women’s suffrage, mandatory civil service, and public disclosure of campaign expenditures.The building continues to serve the Youngstown Public Library system which has grown to include eighteen locations throughout Youngstown and adjacent communities in Mahoning County.

The Youngstown Public Library was constructed in 1909-1910 by the Youngstown Library Association. Local architect Charles F Owsley designed the library after the association received a $50,000 donation from Andrew Carnegie. The library was originally named after Reuben McMillan, a key member in the founding of the Youngstown Library Association. Notable alumni of the Youngstown Public Library include John H. Clark, an Associate Supreme Court Justice, who had acted as the president of the libraries board. The library has gone under two major renovations, one in 1954 and another in 1994. The Youngstown Public Library is still open today and has since expanded to include 18 locations across the Mahoning County area. 

The Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County. 

The Masonic Temple in Youngstown, Ohio, stands as a symbol of the influence the origination had on early Youngstown. The building was designed by architect A.L Thayer and completed construction in 1910 at a final cost of 250,000 dollars. The Free Masons were the first fraternal organization that inhabited the Youngstown area. Beginning in Canfield, Ohio, a Blue Lodge opened in 1813.The Masonic Order slowly grew in the surrounding area, steadily increasing membership throughout the decades. By the time 1938 rolled around, the Youngstown area was home to 22 separate lodges and approximately 4,000 various members. The downtown Masonic Temple became a hub for these various temples, holding ceremonies every night of the week.The membership of the Youngstown Masons slowly decreased as Youngstown's population declined along with interest in fraternal organizations among modern Americans. The Youngstown Masonic Temple closed its doors on June 30th, 2016. The leaders at the time cited diminishing numbers of members as well as the cost of maintaining the old building as reasons for the closure.

Youngstown's Masonic Temple was built in 1910 to act as a headquarters to hold all the various facets of the fraternal organization. The building cost $250,000 to construct and it stood as a symbol for the masonic order in Youngstown during the city's rapid growth in the early 20th century. The Masonic order in Youngstown was one of the first fraternal organizations in the city and by 1938, boasted a membership of 4,000 with weekly meetings being held in the Youngstown Temple. Reflecting both the declining population of the city and the fortunes of fraternal organizations in the late 20th and early 21st century, the building closed in 2016 due to shrinking membership and related financial concerns. 

Youngstown Masonic Temple

The Helen Chapel in Youngstown Ohio is an example of Romanesque Revival architecture in early Youngstown Ohio. Constructed from 1889-1890, the building stands as one of the last of many 19th century religious buildings that once graced downtown Youngstown. The chapel was designed by local architect Adolf Kanengeiser for use as a Sunday school and religious services for the First Presbyterian Church. The building was commissioned by Myron C. and Elizabeth Bonnell Wick and named in memory of their daughter, Helen, who died previously at the age of four. A dedication in honor of young Helen is inscribed into one of the two fireplaces in the chapel. The Wick family was very influential in the early days of Youngstown, Myron Wick was vice president of the First National Bank which occupied the now metropolitan tower. Myron was also an originator of the Ohio Steel Company. Elizabeth Wick was the daughter of William Bonnell, co-founder of the influential Brown-Bonnell Iron &amp; Steel Co. The Wick family also had a significance to the First Presbyterian church in the area. Reverend William Wick held the first Presbyterian service in 1799 in the Youngstown area. The Helen Chapel became a historic location in 1986 and continues to serve the community of Youngstown.

The Erie Terminal Building, constructed in 1923, was designed as a dual-purpose office building/railroad terminal. The building shows the deep roots that the railroad industry had in Youngstown. Youngstown was the only city between New York and Chicago where 4 trunk lines (main rail lines) converged. Local Architect Paul Boucherle designed the building. The Erie Terminal Building received financial backing from George. N. Harmony, as well as the Erie Railroad Company. The Erie Terminal Building served two purposes throughout its lifetime. For one, it was a major terminal for the Erie Railroad/Erie-Lackawanna Railway during the height of passenger train use. The building also served as office buildings for the Erie Railroad Company as well as other local businesses. This style of building was copied by Cleveland’s Terminal Tower, constructed 8 years after the Erie Terminal Building, which also housed both offices and a passenger terminal. The Erie Terminal Building continued to house both offices and the terminal until 1976 when the building was left vacant. The Erie Terminal building now houses apartments for Youngstown citizens. This project was developed by Dominic Marchionda who purchased the building in 2011 for $740,000. The restoration project was completed in August of 2012. Turning what was once a vacant building into a community hub.

The Erie Terminal Building was built to act as both a train terminal and a multi-level office complex. The terminal was constructed in 1923 by the Erie Railroad Company during a time in which Youngstown was a hub of railroad activity. The building functioned throughout the decades until it was decommissioned in 1976. The building now functions as an apartment complex for Youngstown Residents after being renovated in 2012. 

Youngstown Historic Buildings Tour

Helen Chapel

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources