Here is a photo from the East Haven Photograph Album of the East Haven Fire Department at 200 Main Street taken in 1924. The caption is-
1924 Next to fire station was the Community Building. Upstairs was Peggy Whyte’s School of Dance.
A closer look with the magnifying glass reveals some interesting details of the signs on and near the Community Building.
Number One: "Community Alleys, Bowling, Pool."
Number Two reads "Community Theater".
Number Three: "?andy? Soda ?emons, Ice Cream."
Number Four: a name and below that "Patent Medicines".
Interestingly, Sign Number Two indicates that not only was it a community building, but also a theater. There appears to be a movie poster on the sidewalk advertising the film. This theater would then be separate from the Capitol Theatre, located down at 271 Main Street by the present Margaret Tucker Park. If anyone has information or a correction to this observation please call the library.
On Sign Number Three- "?emons" is visible, the other letters blocked by the pole. a guess to the word ?emons was lemons. The sign would read: Candy, Soda, Lemons, Ice Cream. This of course, didn't make much sense.
By looking at the sign on the sidewalk, also advertising ice cream,it appeared there was an "s" in the word. A check on the Internet determined there was indeed a "Semons" ice cream company in the New Haven area. So we have an add here for "Candy, Soda and Semons Ice Cream."
