The rain cleared long enough on Mother’s Day weekend to hold the DuBois Area
Historical Society’s 15th Spring Walk in dry conditions.
Twenty-nine people participated in the walk held on Main Street in DuBois. Two walks
were conducted, led by Society members Tom and Ginny Schott.
Many of the homes and businesses along Main Street were occupied in the past by people
who were instrumental in the growth and development of DuBois. Among the people to be
discussed are: one of the city father’s John Rumbarger, his son William Rumbarger, Dr. Wilson
Smathers, Dr. Charles Sullivan, DuBois Brewery founder Frank Hahne, Swift Kennedy and
Company founder Patrick Swift, William Moore, Syrian born Ameen Damus, Shankel’s
Pharmacy founder Joseph Shankel, and department store owner Fred Tamler.
Also pointed out for special attention was the former Simon Dahrouge store and the
Nelson House. The current owners of the Nelson House granted permission for the walk to
originate in its parking lot.
One of the most unique bits of information discovered during researching the Main Street
buildings concerned #2 South Main Street. The present site of Roses on Main was in 1921 the
location of DuBois’ Tuberculosis Dispensary. Tuberculosis, known as TB, the “white death”, or
historically “consumption” was an infectious disease caused by bacteria.