It certainly seems reasonable that the Stone’s slogan was taken from the song, vs. the song coming from the restaurant slogan. "over" the viaduct does seem like an odd phrase; not sure anywhere someone would live over a viaduct, but perhaps artistic license as you mention.

I did find this post, which referred to Mashalltownmainstreet as a source, but have not been able to find/access the link - perhaps a members only page? But if this is correct, depending how soon the 3rd ave viaduct was built after 1916, the slogan might have still have been coined by the Stone’s before the song that was published in 1925 as this post says. Might someone know when the viaduct was constructed – I have not been able to find any detail on it? I might try emialing marshaltownmainstreet to see if they know the source of this.

I found some references to the original 3rd ave. viaduct having been built in 1913-14. I will ask in the Marshalltown history group for clarification.

Walt
https://www.flickr.com/photos/photolibrarian/3787412760

“From the website...
www.marshalltownmainstreet.com/members/stones/

“George, Esbon's son and his wife Anna, took over the business on Esbon's death in 1916. The original 3rd Avenue viaduct was built shortly after and George and Anna coined the slogan "Under the Viaduct, Down by the Vinegar Works" to help auto travelers on the Lincoln Highway locate Stone's.”

Interesting the rememberance of the Stone family decendent. I also found from a you-tube version of the song bybanjojudie (Judy Muldawer ). She helpfully had posted the original sheet music and these additional lyrices (undated), attached.

My interest is as a magic lantern collector (magiclanternsociety.org), I obtained two slides of the song, just one verse and the chorus, part of a larger set to be sure.

I started researching the song due to the unusual lyrics and have embarqued down a long parth of research regarding the song, composers, 78 rpm recordings, and Marshalltown history looking at the Times-Republican stories regarding the restaruant, the Marshal Vinegar works, and 1921 Sanborn maps to locate the restaruant, viaduct, Union Station, and the vinegar works. I hope to make a presentation/show out of this (as an amature/volenteer). Also reseaching some of the lyrics such as the reference to "Shiek" which apparently was slang in the 1920's refering to 1921 movie The Sheik starring Rudolph Valentino and Agnes Ayresas as "A romantic lover or a young man on the prowl"

Any other info or tidbits appriciated. Best -