Crawford Square - Musicmakers Died

Musicmakers Died

Crawford Square replaced some noteworthy local establishments which had at one time fulfilled the needs or desires of people who lived in the city. Visitors to the city also patronized some of the establishments. All of the buildings have been obliterated and turned into dust.

• St. Joseph's House of Hospitality, founded by the Catholic Radical Alliance, provided a home for men who were in need. The organization has been relocated to 1635 Bedford Avenue, nearby.
• The Vann Hotel was a flimsy 19th-century building located proximally to Webster Avenue. It served as a home to poor colored men. Mr. Vann was a Negro.
• The Hurricane was a popular place located on Centre Avenue. Music lovers gathered at the Hurricane which was owned by a woman named "Birdie." About ten city blocks further to the east stood the Crawford Grill, a more elite establishment.
• Lou's Ringside Bar on Centre Avenue was a tavern that was well furnished and well attended by its patrons. It was an early establishment which could have been described as being a sports bar. A building called "Williams Square" has been constructed on the site. That structure may not be a part of "Crawford Square."
• Stokes' Tavern and a grocery store were above on Wylie Avenue at the level part of the street.
• A small church had existed on Arthur Street near Wylie Avenue.
• In the 1970s, a man sold live chickens from a storeroom in the lower part of Wylie Avenue between Crawford Street and Protectory Place.
• Located on the corner of Wylie Avenue and Protectory Place, the Foreside Inn (a tavern) was among the last establishments to serve its customers. It was conducting business as late as the early 1990s.

Other establishments such as small stores and taverns with apartments above them existed on Centre Avenue and on nearby streets. Residential homes were located on some of the streets, but only a handful of them still exist next to the new homes on Roberts Street.