A Safe Story

November 1, 2022 a fork lift, owned and operated by John Knollman of Waterville Hardware gently eased a large old iron safe through the front door of the Third Street Cigar building and several husky men wheeled it to a prominent position in the building. The safe was back in it’s former home for the first time in 52 years. Why is this important? That is our safe story or, if you prefer, the saga of the safe.

Jacob Rupp purchased the store on the canal at the southwest corner of Wood Street (now Farnsworth Road) and the Miami and Erie Canal through Waterville in 1883. Now the business, which had several owners dating back to the Civil War, became the Rupp Canal Store. This store was next door to the new (1881) Wakeman Masonic Lodge building. We have no record as to whether the safe was in the store when Jacob bought the business or if Jacob purchased it himself. The safe bears the brand name of Macneale and Urban. A Google search reveals this company began manufacturing safes as early as 1855 but became the Macneale and Urban Co. in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1870. The company moved it’s operation to Hamilton, Ohio in 1890. It is recorded that at this time the company in their new facility had about 600 employees turning out 50 to 60 safes per day. The company was purchased by the Mosier Safe Co. in 1907 and the name Macneale and Urban was no more. The long and short of all this is that our safe is very old, a 19th century artifact.

As we all know, the canal business by 1900 was very slow and Jacob Rupp, as an astute business man, could see that most business was taking place on Third Street. By around 1905 he had built a new store on Third Street and moved his stock and his old safe to the new store, but retained the name, Rupp’s Canal Store. At this time he also took his son Herman Rupp as a business partner. Herman, of course, eventually took over the business. Many older Watervillians still recall trading at the Rupp Canal Store, as Herman kept this business, through hard times and good, until he retired in 1970.

Herman Rupp sold his old safe on February 7, 1970, as recorded in his daily diary, to Thad Jones for $40. Thad had a local tow truck man help move this approximately 500 lb. safe up the hill, dangling from the hook of the tow truck, to the basement of their home at 1001 Farnsworth Road. Thad did not want this now iconic Rupp safe to leave Waterville. When Barbara and Thad Jones moved to their new home on Noward road in 1981 the safe  went with them and lived in their garage. Fast forward a few years to 2019 when they wanted to downsize and move into Whitehouse, they donated the safe to the Waterville Historical Society.

Now we collect all things Waterville and this safe was a wonderful gift. Our problem was where to put a 500 lb. safe measuring 37 by 28 by 27 inches. It was stored in a secure location until recently when that space became unavailable. It then occurred to us that Third Street Cigar occupies the building that was until 1970, the Rupp Canal Store and John Henry might like this old iron safe– in good working condition by the way - to embellish his place of business.

A deal was made - we would loan Mr. Henry the safe for as long as he keeps his business there. Our safe is back ”home” and the people of Waterville can view this iconic Rupp safe by venturing inside Mr. Henry’s business.