I remember that building to be the home of the Chandler Bakery. I recall my grandmother taking me there when I was a boy (we went in on the Monroe Street side) to buy potato bread. Jane Chandler, the unmarried daughter of the owners, passed away a few years ago; I remember her Irish Setter dog (Copper?) when I was a kid.
I MAY remember a bakery called Diehl, but I was thinking they were there for a few years after Chandler closed in the late '60's.
I will never forget the wonderful smell of baked goods and the joy of stopping there with Dad to pickup some goodies when we lived up the hill on Center Avenue.
DIEHL'S FAMILY STARTED THIS BAKERY AND THEY USED A BANTAM TRUCK TO HAUL THE BREAD TO THE STORES IN BUTLER, THE DIEHL FAMILY LIVED AT THE TOP OF CENTER AVE IN THE BRICK HOME ACROSS FROM SHEETZ'S STORE.
Chantler bakery took over from Diehl (note spelling). Aunt Jane's bread had a picture of Jane on the label, and yes, her Irish Setter was named Copper. I lived next door to the family in my teens.
yes and peggy lou bakery almost next to the bakery...after school at st michels with a quarter from my mom and dad one coule wait for the bakery trucks to come in late afternoon and get a hugh box of different cakes and cookies,plus bread.all for a quarter,of course it was a little stale but for us that werent so fortunate it was great..st michael school still stands there on monore st.as a apaartment house now...next where friedmans used to be...yes im old ha ha....
I'm old enough to remember it being a bakery, but young enough to have gone there in the 1970s when it was turned into a Christian coffee house called "The Lamb's Resting Place". Wonderful warm memories on many levels!!
I remember watching the Butler Sesqui Centennial parade in 1950 from a second story window facing Monroe St. I think Jane Chantler went to our church and I remember her being around maybe as a sunday school teacher. I also got my picture taken by the first Polariod Camera in Butler while watching the parade. I was impressed.
Ron Kummer said, My father was the bread baker at Diel's bakery. He would put the bread into, and take the bread out with a long wooden paddle. That was a very hot job. He would sure sweat alot. I think that is why I sweat alot also. On my way home fron Jefferson St. school, I would stop into the bakery to get some hot bread to take home to Hickory St. Joe the donut man would set me down and give me a donut while I waited for the bread. I would juggle the hot bread for awhile up Center Ave. Those were wonderful times.
My great, great grandmother was Anna Diehl. Her family had a bakery in Watsontown, PA. I'm wondering if the 2 bakeries are somehow related. Any information on the Watsontown bakey would be appreciated. Karen Talley
The bakery existed from 1910-1949 before being sold to the Chantler Baking Company.
A two-part history of the Diehl Baking Company by David and Audrey Craig can be found at the Butler Public Library and at the Butler County Historical Society.
My mother, Martha Diehl Goethe, always speaks of the great memories of spending time at the bakery when she was a child.
Didn't Mr. Diehl work for Civil War veteran Casper Sherman who had Sherman's Bakery. Did Mr. Diehl buy the bakery from Casper Sherman and then build the new building?
Thank you all for the glimpse into the history of Diehl's Bakery. I have a vintage porcelain sign which reads: SOLD HERE DIEHL'S BREAD "It's Thoroughly Baked" The lettering and border are orange on a navy background. I'm listing the sign on eBay the first week of June, 2011 and was researching its origin. Thanks again.
There was a small bakery located in the basement of the building located on the northwest side of the intersection of the Wayne Street Viaduct and Center Avenue. It was listed in a nineteen ought something Butler Pa telephone directory. The name escapes me but it was said that three of the bakers daughters worked there and that they were hot. Back in the day this bakery had small display cases all over town that were used to sell a variety of baked goods.
I am Barbara Diehl. My Grandfather was the co-owner of the Diehl Bakery along with his brother, My father, Phillip John Diehl, grew up working in the bakery. I remember my wonderful Grandmother Diehl and their brick home very well. She had the most wonderful sense of humor. I have a video of a documentary done in real time of the Diehl Bakery, showing how modern their methods were. This was put together by my cousin David Craig (who is actually on my mother's side). That now DVD contains not only the footage of the bakery, but also one of my Grandmother Diehl's birthday party in their home, that shows Uncle Fritz, Aunt Betty and my parents and all their kids at the time. I was not yet born. My Grandfather Diehl said (according to my elder sister) that one of the best inventions was the Angel Food Cake mix! My father, who became Reverend P.J. Diehl but who dies at the age of 40, spent time trying to figure out how to make a frosting that could be put in tubes for home decorating.
Remember the Diehl Bakery [later Chandler's Bakery] at the foot of Center Avenue . . . and the sweet smell of bread when passing by?
I remember that building to be the home of the Chandler Bakery. I recall my grandmother taking me there when I was a boy (we went in on the Monroe Street side) to buy potato bread. Jane Chandler, the unmarried daughter of the owners, passed away a few years ago; I remember her Irish Setter dog (Copper?) when I was a kid.
ReplyDeleteI MAY remember a bakery called Diehl, but I was thinking they were there for a few years after Chandler closed in the late '60's.
I remember it well. As you waited for the traffic light to go up center avenue how could you forget that incredible bakery smell. Wonderful memories.
ReplyDeleteI went to Center Ave school and could smell good stuff all day as the school was just across the street from the bakery
ReplyDeleteKay Stephenson Davis said....
ReplyDeleteI will never forget the wonderful
smell of baked goods and the joy of
stopping there with Dad to pickup
some goodies when we lived up the
hill on Center Avenue.
February 21, 2006
This used to be Chandler's Bakery also.
ReplyDeleteDIEHL'S FAMILY STARTED THIS BAKERY AND THEY USED A BANTAM TRUCK TO HAUL THE BREAD TO THE STORES IN BUTLER, THE DIEHL FAMILY LIVED AT THE TOP OF CENTER AVE IN THE BRICK HOME ACROSS FROM SHEETZ'S STORE.
ReplyDeleteChantler bakery took over from Diehl (note spelling). Aunt Jane's bread had a picture of Jane on the label, and yes, her Irish Setter was named Copper. I lived next door to the family in my teens.
ReplyDeleteI also remember the Italian bakery on the south side. They delivered Italian bread to homes. They were called Delotto's bakery.
ReplyDeleteThat was on South Cliff st
DeleteHow can you forget the smell of the bakery on your way to Center Avenue School!
ReplyDeleteyes and peggy lou bakery almost next to the bakery...after school at st michels with a quarter from my mom and dad one coule wait for the bakery trucks to come in late afternoon and get a hugh box of different cakes and cookies,plus bread.all for a quarter,of course it was a little stale but for us that werent so fortunate it was great..st michael school still stands there on monore st.as a apaartment house now...next where friedmans used to be...yes im old ha ha....
ReplyDeleteI'm old enough to remember it being a bakery, but young enough to have gone there in the 1970s when it was turned into a Christian coffee house called "The Lamb's Resting Place". Wonderful warm memories on many levels!!
ReplyDeleteI too remember the smell each day when I went to Center Avenue School. Never bought anything there since my dad worked for TipTop Bread.
ReplyDeleteSome readers have mentioned the Diehl's. Does anyone remember the Diehl Grocery Store that used to be on East Brady Street/Third Avenue? Nice people.
ReplyDeleteWasn't that the "Cozy Corner" you are talking about?
ReplyDeleteI remember watching the Butler Sesqui Centennial parade in 1950 from a second story window facing Monroe St. I think Jane Chantler went to our church and I remember her being around maybe as a sunday school teacher. I also got my picture taken by the first Polariod Camera in Butler while watching the parade. I was impressed.
ReplyDeleteOne of the Diehl family members actually researched the company and wrote a small history book a few years ago on the bakery.
ReplyDeleteRon Kummer said,
ReplyDeleteMy father was the bread baker at Diel's bakery. He would put the bread into, and take the bread out with a long wooden paddle. That was a very hot job. He would sure sweat alot. I think that is why I sweat alot also. On my way home fron Jefferson St. school, I would stop into the bakery to get some hot bread to take home to Hickory St. Joe the donut man would set me down and give me a donut while I waited for the bread. I would juggle the hot bread for awhile up Center Ave. Those were wonderful times.
My great, great grandmother was Anna Diehl. Her family had a bakery in Watsontown, PA. I'm wondering if the 2 bakeries are somehow related. Any information on the Watsontown bakey would be appreciated.
ReplyDeleteKaren Talley
Philip Diehl was my great grandfather.
ReplyDeleteThe bakery existed from 1910-1949 before being sold to the Chantler Baking Company.
A two-part history of the Diehl Baking Company by David and Audrey Craig can be found at the Butler Public Library and at the Butler County Historical Society.
My mother, Martha Diehl Goethe, always speaks of the great memories of spending time at the bakery when she was a child.
Didn't Mr. Diehl work for Civil War veteran Casper Sherman who had Sherman's Bakery. Did Mr. Diehl buy the bakery from Casper Sherman and then build the new building?
ReplyDeleteThank you all for the glimpse into the history of Diehl's Bakery. I have a vintage porcelain sign which reads: SOLD HERE DIEHL'S BREAD "It's Thoroughly Baked" The lettering and border are orange on a navy background.
ReplyDeleteI'm listing the sign on eBay the first week of June, 2011 and was researching its origin.
Thanks again.
I would be glad to post a picture of the sign here on the blog. Could you please send it to me at
ReplyDeleteclcing@web.de ?
There was a small bakery located in the basement of the building located on the northwest side of the intersection of the Wayne Street Viaduct and Center Avenue. It was listed in a nineteen ought something Butler Pa telephone directory. The name escapes me but it was said that three of the bakers daughters worked there and that they were hot. Back in the day this bakery had small display cases all over town that were used to sell a variety of baked goods.
ReplyDeleteThe name of the small bakery located at the intersection of the Wayne Street Viaduct and Center Avenue was "Sherman Bakery".
ReplyDeleteThere was also Lincoln Bakery that was a couple of doors up from the Hotdog Shop.
ReplyDeleteI am Barbara Diehl. My Grandfather was the co-owner of the Diehl Bakery along with his brother, My father, Phillip John Diehl, grew up working in the bakery. I remember my wonderful Grandmother Diehl and their brick home very well. She had the most wonderful sense of humor. I have a video of a documentary done in real time of the Diehl Bakery, showing how modern their methods were. This was put together by my cousin David Craig (who is actually on my mother's side). That now DVD contains not only the footage of the bakery, but also one of my Grandmother Diehl's birthday party in their home, that shows Uncle Fritz, Aunt Betty and my parents and all their kids at the time. I was not yet born. My Grandfather Diehl said (according to my elder sister) that one of the best inventions was the Angel Food Cake mix! My father, who became Reverend P.J. Diehl but who dies at the age of 40, spent time trying to figure out how to make a frosting that could be put in tubes for home decorating.
ReplyDeleteI meant that to read... that mu Grandfather and his brother were co-owners. ( My father was Philip John Diehl)
ReplyDeleteI attended Mitchell Hill School.
ReplyDeleteA two classroom school with split grades and a potbelly coal stove in each one .
Jane Chandler (Aunt Jane) was my fifth grade teacher