Wordless Wednesday: The Mystery of Peddlers' Alley

I make the rounds to my favorite places when I head back to Sandusky, Ohio, where I grew up. The one place I always forget to go, and don't remember until I'm back home again, is Peddlers' Alley. It's an alley that I remember being surrounded by this really awesome, intricately designed red brick. I mean covered in it, from every angle. 

So, imagine my surprise when I got there, and there was a sign that said 'Peddlers' Alley' but it was open on each side, and led to a brick wall that was designed just like I remember (but the alley was open, and definitely NOT surrounded in brick!).

What the what? Did they tear down the sides of the alley? Is my childhood memory faulty (it can't be that faulty!)? I dunno. I searched for a bit online, but couldn't find anything to support that it used to look like I remember in my mind. All in the same, the wall at the end was nice, and I took a few photos on my phone. I'll keep looking to try and find something to support what my memory thinks is true, that it looked very different in the 1970s. Not that this new look was bad, it's wasn't, in fact it was cute, it just was not the same as my recollection of it.

There were signs of renovation, such as blocked in doors on the sides of buildings in the alley. There were things that must be kind of new too, like I don't remember the various decorations hanging on the walls (moons, stars, etc.,) though they were surely nice touches. 

Like I said, in my memory, when I used to walk down this alley when I was a kid, it was all red brick, cool red brick, like a deliberate design... like the wall at the end of it still is...though that's open now (free standing) too and can be accessed from various directions.

Did it used to look much, much different than it does now?? Or is that just my memory imagination (is 'memory imagination' a real thing?? ha!)? I do not know, but I'd like to...

Are the variances in stone patterns and such signs that I was right? Was there something more here once upon a time?

And if so, and it was as pretty as I remember it being, why would they tear it down (if they did)?

The Sandusky State Theater is steps away from this alley. I had half a mind to go take pictures there too, since it's such a landmark, but my mom was waiting in the car (she didn't want to get out to see the alley). I kind of wish now that I had. It was such a staple in our lives when I was a kid. My grandma took me to see my first concert there; My mom wouldn't let me go see The Michael Stanley Band with my friends there (she said I was too young), and oh how I wanted to go even though I only knew one of their songs; I sent my mom to see her favorite artist play live there when I was grown (oh the irony, ha!); I even saw my first movie there (with my mom, it was Dustin Hoffman's, Tootsie)...you know, one of those childhood places your remember fondly.

A storm came through and ruined large portions of the building right after we left town. The damage in online news reports looked pretty bad. I hope they will be able to rebuild. 

The fire escape is in the alley too, attached to an adjacent building. We don't see these in Florida, so I find them interesting. And now I have noticed that my "Wordless Wednesday" has gotten kind of wordy, so I'll stop here.

If you happen to know someone familiar with Sandusky, Ohio, and they remember Peddlers' Alley being different, please direct them this way. I'd love to hear what they remember!