North State Street

North State Street. . This area on North State Street has served as an important business hub for well over a century. Known far and wide, the annual spring carriage sale was held each year at J.V. and C. Randall's, located at 156 North State Street. James V. and William Randall bought the business from J. Ely Woolsey in 1857 and built the two frame houses south of the shop in 1860. About 125 custom carriages were produced each year as stock for the yearly spring auction. On auction day, both sides of the street were lined with people to preview the new carriages, which ranged in price from $50 to $250.

James Randall died in 1915, five years later, the procession of carriages ended and the doors closed. In more than six decades of production, Randall never had to recall a model because of a manufacturing defect. The idle factory became a garage and later a furniture repair shop and warehouse. In 1963, the building was sold at auction to four individuals, John Renninger, George Ermentrout, Alexander Zavelle and Charles Miller, who called themselves, "Randall Carriage Realty". The buildings were renovated for retail and office space by Carl Sedia, who in 1966 became a partner.

Site Sponsors: The Renninger Family, George and Barbara Ermentrout, and Elizabeth Sedia

Design and layout donated by Mike DiFlori, www.BuzzGraphicDesign.com, Newtown, PA.

[Captions]:
View of Randall Carriage Works and Photography Studio (at right), circa 1885.

View of Annual Carriage Sale, circa 1890.