Here's a photo of St. Bonaventure taken in 1920. Note the light poles in the center of the pews.

My mother (Norma Fluegeman Smith) told me that in those days, families rented pews in the church where their families would sit every Sunday. The more rent you paid, the closer you sat to the front.

The Eckerles sat in the first pew (Henry Eckerle was a founder of Aluminum Industries in Western Hills.) In the 2nd pew was the Fluegeman family (my grandparents). The Fluegemans owned a shoe store and dry goods store on Harrison Ave. In the 3rd pew was the Hater family (my great-grandparents). The Haters were also local merchants (shoes).

It was a beautiful church.

Tom


Thanks:
Our sincere thanks to Tom Smith for providing the information on this page.

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