By Mary E. Mortimer
Logan County History Center administrative assistant
The property at 236 S. Main St. in Bellefontaine was home to several automotive dealerships for over 70 years. The first auto dealership at the S. Main St. location was owned by George W. Cronley. He entered the automobile business with Ford in 1911 in Ridgeway and Mt. Victory. In 1914, he became Logan County’s first authorized Ford dealer in a rented building on Court St. in Bellefontaine. Ernest Cronley joined his brother, George, in his automotive business in November 1915. Two years later, they built a fireproof cement, brick and steel garage at 236 – 240 S. Main St. Ernest Cronley then opened his own auto dealership on S. Opera St. selling Packard and Oldsmobile autos until he passed away in August 1937.
Michael B. Cronley, son of George W. Cronley, wrote in an article for Automotive Old Timer Magazine, “The building was as modern as a garage building could be at the time. It had steam heat, electric exhaust system, parts room, office, showroom for six cars, washrooms, basement for coal storage and steam plant, heated water to wash cars in the winter, modern shop with all Ford electric power equipment for burning in bearings and storage space for 80 cars. The building, with it’s riveted, steel roof was 80’ wide and 220’ long. The early airlines selected this particular roof for early air routes and completely maintained it in order to have the letters BELLEFONTAINE painted in large letters the entire width and length of the roof, serving as a guide for the early pilots.”
The Union County Journal reported in June 1916, “At Bellefontaine it is estimated that three hundred automobiles have been sold in Logan County since January 1916. George Cronley, proprietor of Ford sales agency, stated Tuesday that he had sold and delivered one hundred fifty cars this year. Fifteen cars were assembled last week at his garage on South Main Street.”
In the early 1920s, George Cronley sold Hudson-Essex automobiles. He was the largest tire dealer in Bellefontaine and sold as much as $40,000 worth of Firestone Tires in one year.
Lee Miller purchased the George Cronley dealership in the early 1930s. He sold new DeSoto-Plymouth automobiles and used cars.
In September 1936, the Marion Star reported George W. Cronley and his stepson, Jack Carr, had purchased the A.L. Holloway Motor Sales Co. in Marion, Ohio. They changed the name to the Cronley-Carr Co. and sold Studebaker cars and trucks.
Lee Miller sponsored a softball team that won the Logan County championship in 1941. The Lee Miller DeSotos, managed by Leon Tapp, defeated the DeGraff Food Co 5 to 3.
Lee Miller passed away in July 1949 and his son, Richard Lee Miller, took over management of the business. In November 1954, Richard sold the Lee Miller dealership to Paul J. Smith who had worked for the firm as a salesman. Smith renamed the business Paul J. Smith Motor Sales and continued to sell new DeSoto-Plymouth automobiles and used cars.
In August of 1958, Smith sold his dealership to Ed Gillespie. Heand his brother, Joe Gillespie, had owned a Buick dealership at 241-245 W. Columbus Ave. since 1946. They continued to sell Buicks at the south Main Street location.
The Gillsepie property on W. Columbus Ave. was sold to Willard “Bill” Barton who had been in the auto business since 1947 selling Oldsmobile. In April 1970, Barton purchased the Pontiac and Rambler dealership of Earl W. Miller at 541 S. Main St. He then merged the two dealerships and renamed it Barton Oldsmobile – Pontiac. Barton later sold American Motors automobiles. Bill Barton continued to own and operate his Oldsmobile – Pontiac dealership until he sold it to Ron Foreman in October 1977.
Foreman remained at the 541 S. Main St. location until he purchased Ed Gillespie’s Buick dealership at 236 S. Main St. in 1983. He then opened Ron Foreman Oldsmobile – Pontiac – Buick. In October 1983, Foreman sold the 541 S. Main St. property to Wilson Anderson, who had a Ford – Mercury – Lincoln dealership at 207 W. Columbus Ave.
The Ron Foreman dealership at 236 S. Main St. was destroyed by fire in December 1991. After the fire, the dealership buildings were razed. In 1996, Rite Aid purchased the property and built a new store.
Visit the Logan County History Center to learn more interesting aspects of Logan County History.
The History Center is open for tours Wednesday – Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m.