Wanzer Block

The Lehigh Valley Ticket Office was on the first floor of the Wanzer Block. This was listed as 300 and 302 E State St in Ithaca city directories.

Ithaca City Directories 1905-1960

“Division Passenger Agent Paul S. Millspaugh of the Lehigh Valley says that ‘Skull,’ a full-blooded bulldog owned by the Skull fraternity, Wait avenue, is nearest to human being than any animal he has ever seen.

‘Skull’ is large and the type of aggressiveness. From his protruding jaw and ugly countenance one might well imagine that he would not be a pet. However, ‘Skull is just the other way. He is good-natured and lazy, although he will hold his own in a fight any day.

Mr. Millspaugh remarked today on one of the tricks played almost daily by ‘Skull.’ Every morning, as regularly as a well-regulated clock, ‘Skull’ trots through the door of the Lehigh Valley city ticket office.

He darts to the lavatory, throws his front paws on the porcelain bowl and waits for someone to turn on the water to give him a drink. Then he goes into Mr. Millspaugh’s private office, curls himself up under his desk and takes a snooze.

Another trick attributed to the dog is his ability to ride on the street cars. He is said to know the difference between a Stewart avenue and Eddy street car and knows which one to board to take him to the ‘frat’ house on Waite avenue, Cornell Heights.

…’Skull’ is a welcome visit at many business places about town and besides the Lehigh office, he makes calls at the Ithaca Hotel, where he is a familiar sight on the front steps.

Yesterday afternoon ‘Skull’ attended the folk dances on the campus and caused consternation by splashing in a pool of water near the dancers.

“Skull’ has many tricks, too numerous to mention. He is also called ‘Napoleon’ by many persons.

During the university season this pet of all on The Hill attends lectures with regularity. He is especially interested in the engineering courses and goes from one classroom to another on time, showing a decided preference for the lecture work of certain instructors.”

“Record of Skull, Alias Napoleon, Truly Remarkable: Dog That is Everybody’s Pet Down Town in Vacation is a Student in Engineering Department at the University in Study Season,” Ithaca Daily Journal, August 14, 1913, 6.
https://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=idj19130814-01.1.6

101-103 North Aurora St. and 302-304 East State St. Historic name: Wanzer Block

"Four-story, buff brick commercial building at the comer of East State Street constructed in 1905 to join an earlier painted brick Aurora Street building (ca. 1865) and an earlier State Street buff brick building (1888) into a single building; retains three street-level storefronts with display windows, angled comer entrance, sidewalk access to commercial or storage space in the basement. 101 North Aurora Street retains period storefront, 302- 304 East State Street storefront redesigned in the early twentieth century, 103 North Aurora Street storefront replaced in the late twentieth century; roofline of all three buildings capped by stamped metal entablature with a garland swag frieze and a denticulated comice. The comer building retains a single angled bay with wide windows above the comer entrance; four bays on each flanking facade have rectangular windows with stone lintels and sills and historic one-over-one sash; the adjoining three-bay Aurora Street facade (originally a three- story, Italianate-style brick commercial building) retains windows with ornate cast iron segmentally arched window hoods and sills; historic two-over-two sash in the second and third stories; fourth-story windows retain stone sills; the adjoining brick State Street facade retains a two-story, three-sided frame bay windows projecting from the second and third stories and a row of five narrow, brick arched windows in the fourth story. Built 1905. 
Architect: Arthur N. Gibb 
Historical note: Arthur N. Gibb designed the comer building in 1905 to connect the Aurora Street building (ca. 1865) and the State Street building (1888), and added a unifying fourth story to the Aurora Street facade; the entablature of the State Street facade was reproduced to encompass the entire building. The Wanzer Block housed grocers. Head’s Camera Shop, and, briefly, the Lehigh Valley Railroad ticket office."

National Register of Historic Places Registration Form for Ithaca Downtown Historic District, December 18, 2004