Editoròòò½ÊÓƵ™s Note: This is the 584th in a series of articles recalling vintage Huntington scenes.
Family legend has it that when 17-year-old Adolph Broh (1840-1923) landed in New York from his native Germany, he was penniless. Heòòò½ÊÓƵ™s said to have given all the money he had in the world òòò½ÊÓƵ” $2.50 òòò½ÊÓƵ” to a sick passenger he befriended during the Atlantic crossing.
A talented tailor, Broh quickly found work and later opened his own shop. When the Civil War erupted, he enlisted in the Confederate Army. Wounded in the battle of Shiloh, he moved to Cincinnati, where he met and married his wife, Henrietta. The couple would have 10 children.
In 1887, the elder Broh dispatched two of his sons, Mike and Julius, to Huntington with instructions to open a menòòò½ÊÓƵ™s clothing store in the young city. Their store immediately prospered.
In 1889, Adolph Broh built his sons Mike and Julius a handsome building on the southeast corner of 3rd Avenue and 9th Street, the first brick store building to be built in Huntington.
Today, the building òòò½ÊÓƵ” one of several downtown structures restored by Dr. Joe Touma òòò½ÊÓƵ” remains in use, making it the oldest commercial building in the city. After the brothers became established in business, they brought their parents and several of their siblings to live in Huntington. Over the years, the Broh family name would become one of the best known in the community.
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism
that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness
accounts, the history behind an article.
