
When the Fostoria Glass Company built their Niles
plant in 1910, many skilled glass workers moved to Niles. Some
lived and took their meals at the Niles Fostoria House. PO1.426 |

Arrow indicates the location of the
McGurk Hotel on this 1918 map.
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Fostoria
House.
McGurk family information supplied by Brian McGuirk.
The book, A Pictorial
History of the Buildings of Niles, Ohio available through
the Niles Historical Society, identified the location of the Fostoria
House as the old Stiver Chevrolet dealership on North Main Street
(see page 28 in the book). Thanks to Brian McGuirk, the
correct location has been established on Mahoning Avenue next
to the old Erie Railroad Depot.
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Postcard of the Erie Railroad station with the
Fostoria House in the background. PO1.1459
The station was built in 1913 due in a large
part to the efforts of Harry Stevens. |
“My
paternal grandfather, James McGurk, built and managed
the McGurk Hotel located at 62 Railroad Street (Depot Street,
now Mahoning Avenue).
The McGurk Hotel and Saloon was built and managed
by my paternal great grandmother, Mary O’Neill McGuirk,
in 1894 and later by my grandfather, James McGurk. Mary
was the widow of Frank McGurk, Irish immigrants, who
had died in 1885 from injuries resulting from mining gold and
silver in Colorado.
In 1908 Niles voted to go dry so they rented
out the building until the 1930’s. My father, Francis,
was born at the hotel in 1900”.
Brian McGuirk stated, “I have
a double connection to the Fostoria House picture as my maternal
grandfather, Peter Stein, was a glass blower from Fostoria
who moved his family to Niles in 1910 and would have known all
those pictured on the porch of the McGurk Hotel/Fostoria House”.
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Handwritten comments by the McGuirk family in
the book to page in the book
A Pictorial History of the Buildings of Niles
Ohio |
“In
August 1910, this building was rented by Mrs. R. Simpson
of Fostoria, Ohio and opened as a first-class restaurant and boarding
house. In a few weeks this will be the headquarters for the glass
blowers and the hotel will be known as the Fostoria House.
The new proprietor will furnish the entire house
in preparation for the occupancy of the glass workers and have
everything in readiness for their arrival. The hotel features
20 rooms with steam heat and a restaurant.
Mrs. Simpson has had considerable experience
in the restaurant and hotel business and thinks that the McGurk
Hotel is an ideal place for business.” Niles
Daily News August 10, 1910.
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