Mathewson Restaurant
Breisach Saloon --- Mathewson Restaurant
The Breisach Saloon, which was on the corner of Mechanic and River Road, was bought in 1923 by Nebraska B. Mathewson and his daughter Mrs. Asher (Marie) Hoobler and the business became the Mathewson Restaurant. Later in 1926 his son, George and Alice Mathewson bought the building and continued the restaurant business. During the Great Depression George moved to a small farm near Bowling Green and rented the restaurant business to Dick and Bud Witte. George’s eldest son Ray met Elnora Brown, who was a waitress for Dick and Bud, in 1936 and they were married in 1937. At this same time Standard Oil contracted with Mathewson to build a gas station on the Mechanic and River Road corner, so the restaurant building was moved one lot south. Ray and Elnora started their marriage running the Mathewson Restaurant while George and his father ran the gas station. The restaurant seated 50 customers and they served home cooked food. They also ran a small carryout business in one part of the building. Several years later Ray and Elnora took over the gas station business at 33 N. River while George and Alice again took over the restaurant. In 1980 the restaurant building was sold to Bill Imes who extensively remodeled the building. Many businesses have occupied the building since that time.
Ray’s Sohio Service continued for many years until the Standard Oil Company decided to construct a building on the new Anthony Wayne Trail at Farnsworth Road and ask Ray to manage that building. Eventually his son Jud Mathewson ran the station as a Sunoco gas station on the corner or River and Mechanic. It was sold in 1990 to Waterville Import Motors which is still in business.
Historical note: The subject corner was the intersection of Route 24 and Route 64 at that time and both highways ran through that part of town on River Road.