Early records show that Jacob Hoover owned a blacksmith shop, carriage factory and livery stable in the Village of Wissahickon, later called Ambler.  Occupying much of the north side of Butler Avenue between Spring Garden and Ridge, all three of Jacob's ventures were essential for early settlers to get around, or even to survive.  Besides caring for the horse, the blacksmith made and repaired farm implements. The carriage shop made the horse-drawn vehicles, while the livery stable provided transportation for those who owned neither horse nor carriage.  The livery met all trains  coming into the Village, picking up either passengers or goods, playing the role of today's taxi, bus or truck. 

Coming from Bucks County to our Village during the Civil War, Alexander Niblock by 1885 had succeeded Jake Hoover as owner of these properties.   Part of this land purchased by Niblock on Butler Avenue became the site in later years of the Niblock Restaurant,  an Ambler landmark established about 1890 and operating into the early 1950's. 

Charles Gerhart succeeded Niblock in the operation of the Livery.  Coming to Ambler from Philadelphia in 1888, he at first operated his livery business at the stables of Ambler Park Hotel down by the railroad.  When Gerhart moved later to the old Niblock Livery location, the property was owned by Walter and Carrie Heiss who rented it to him. 

The livery stable's location opposite the Presbyterian Church of Ambler made for an  interesting though awkward situation.  Charles Gerhart was a colorful individual, a person with a booming voice, and known occasionally to use language not suitable for the ears of Presbyterians, especially during church services when the oppressive mid-summer heat demanded that all windows of the church be open.  At times his voice could be heard above that of the preacher, resulting in a delegation from the church being sent across the street to bargain with Gerhart.  An agreement was reached whereby he promised to retire to the rear of his building during periods of worship at the church. 

Because of his robust voice, Gerhart acquired the name "Cussin' Charlie".  This may have been due in part to an incident in his early years when an elevator accident caused the loss of his leg below the knee.  A very crude replacement wooden leg gave him extreme pain at times, perhaps contributing to the language used.  Behind the livery stable was, and still is, the open stream known as "Honey Run".  Here he frequently led his horses to cool off their hooves and legs.  With no feeling in the wooden leg, it could easily become so wet that it would swell the entire length of the leg to such a degree that he was in pain.  That could very easily have contributed to the cussin' for which Charlie Gerhart was  so well-known. 

An incident involving the theft of a horse occurred on a Friday evening in 1897 when local resident Charles Horn hired a horse and carriage from Gerhart's Livery Stables.  He tied it to the hitching post in front of Doctor Yerkes' office before going in.  When he came out the team was gone, with two small boys reporting a thief untied the horse and proceeded out Lindenwold Avenue to the Pike heading toward Chestnut Hill.   Readying a second team,  Gerhart, Horn and several others soon were in hot pursuit of the thief,  following him to the top of Chestnut Hill where it was learned he was heading down toward Germantown. 

Unable to catch him, the pursuers returned to Ambler, taking the train to Wayne Junction where it was believed he was headed.  Evidently he took his time, certain he had eluded his pursuers, for the Gerhart party arrived at Wayne Junction Station ahead of the thief.  In the meantime, a trolley car had crashed into the stolen wagon throwing him out.  On getting to his feet, he began to run and was arrested on suspicion.  Returned to Ambler two days later, the horse thief was identified by several witnesses and sentenced by 'Squire Thomas Bitting to the prison in Norristown for three months. 

Generations of the Gerhart family operated from this Butler Avenue location for a number of years, until in 1920 the property was sold by owner Carrie Heiss to Ambler Furniture Company.  Occupying space at Park Avenue Storage and then the Wyndham Hotel Stables, the Gerharts eventually acquired their Main  Street location, with the family dealing in used furniture, moving and antiques.   Today the site of the old Livery Stable is occupied by Regan's Shoes, a  Shoe Repair Shop and a Copy Service.