Claysville Pa Nostalgia

Buildings in the Area -- Rosemire

Elliott Garage
Click on photo for larger view                                                           Photo compliments of Lois Rilling

1930 Rosemire Restaurant and Gas Station was also called the Elliott Garage
Pictured are  Henry Elliott (father of Lois Rilling) leaning against the pump, brother James
standing next to father James V. Elliott

This was a service station, restaurant adjoining the site of OLD ROSEMIRE
SUPPER CLUB in what had earlier been referred to as 'Caldwell Town' about
5.5 miles west of Washington, Pennsylvania and about 4.5 miles east of
Claysville, PA.  There are conflicting stories concerning the buildings but
we have given our 'best guess' based on several sources of information.
         SITE Map and Album Link at bottom of page

Information from Lois Rilling :
    My parents told me that the Rosemire (Old Children's' Home)  was operated by my grandparents Hannah (Smith) and James Elliott until 1926 when it was destroyed by fire.    It's my understanding that there was an Inn ..... and that it  was located (near) Claysville across the road from the service station.    After the fire, the Elitist built and operated the Rosemire Restaurant and service station with a garage next to it. (pictured above). This building still stands today, but there have been many changes and cannot be recognized as it originally stood. 

 
Information from Earle R. Forrest "National Road Series" Washington Observer
April 14, 1955
  "Caldwell's Tavern:  At the top of the long hill west of the "S" Bridge was the old Caldwell Tavern, a large brick house on the south side of the road. James Caldwell owned and operated this stand from the time the pike was opened until he died in 1838. After his death, his widow, Hester Caldwell, took charge and conducted the business until 1872. This long record of 35 years makes her one of the oldest tavern keepers on the road.  She was the mother of A. B. Caldwell, founder of the Caldwell Store in Washington.
     The original building burned in 1882, and A. B. Caldwell immediately erected an exact duplicate on the same spot. The new house, operated for many years by J. A. Gordon, was a popular place for sleighing parties from Washington and Claysville. 
    After the old Children's Home at Arden, was burned on the night of February 12, 1899, Washington County rented this house and used it as a Children's Home until the present building was erected at Arden. 
    The second Caldwell house was burned in later years, and the children of A. B.  Caldwell erected another on the same site."

 
ACROSS THE STREET:
Information gathered from local residents suggests that Rosemire Supper Club
 was quite an 'elegant' restaurant.  Main entrance was a level area,  just off the Old Route 40.  It opened into the dinning area that was decorated with beautiful chandeliers.  There was a dance hall the entire length of the south
 side. Very little parking area was available so that cars could be seen lined up along the main road. 
 

One local resident still living in the area, told this webmaster that he  saw the Supper Club building burn in the spring of 1926.   He said that he was hunting  near the S Bridge on the Henry Bruce farm about 1/2 mile away.   He saw smoke and fire plumes coming out of the roof of the building.  He watched for a couple of minutes before rushing to his home (very close by) summoned help and went immediately to the Rosemire Supper Club fire which by then was a full blaze.  He described the blazing flames that quickly consumed the building and as the fire burned down to the basement level, witnesses heard a loud explosion. They watched as the hot water tank in the basement flew high into the air and came down across the road onto a corner of the roof of the gray house, (possibly the Elliott House)  still standing next to a old Caldwell Tavern.  Red Brick Caldwell Tavern or Inn  and Gray House can be seen in the photo album that accompanies this page. 

To read a newspaper account in the Claysville Recorder dated April 23, 1926   GO TO 
Notes on Henry Lee Elliott compiled by his granddaughter, Lois  Elliott Rilling  GO TO 
Observer Reporter article by Harry Funk "In Search of Image of Rosemire"   GO TO 
 
Below is a Site Map of the area as seen from above.  # 6 being the site of garage above.
#7 is location of the Caldwell Tavern (Or Inn)  # 10 being the site of the Old Rosemire Tavern, Children's Home and Supper Club 
To see photo album of the site today........Go To

 
Site Map of Caldwell Town area
 1.   McGuffey Jr/Sr. High School
2.    McGuffey HS Parking Lot
3.   McGuffey Football Field
4.   McGuffey Drive 
5.    Current Route 40
6.   Elliott Garage Site
      Peterson's Garage
7.   Caldwell Inn 
8.   Gray House/Elliott House 
9.   Old National Road
10. Site of Rosemire Tavern
      Children's Home
      Rosemire Supper Club
11. Highland Ridge Road
Other Sources:
     "Buffalo Township 1776-1976  Washington County Pennsylvania" (Bicentennial Committee) Page 10
     "The National Road" Commemorative Pictorial History (Historic Towns Publishing)  Page 32
     "Biography of A. B. Caldwell"   Beers  Biographical History  Page 104

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Page originated January 10, 2002
Updated December, 2004
© Carol Mounts 2001, 2002 and on