Congratulations Jim Hartman!

Posted on July 11, 2011 by Jim

CONGRATULATIONS! I was alerted to the fact that there was an article published in the IN West Mifflin Community Magazine that paid homage to someone who has been both a friend and an advisor. Jim Hartman, President of the Mifflin Township Historical Society, received some much deserved praise with a full-page spread about his activities and that of the Historical Society.

The work that not only Jim, but the dozens of volunteers do, is something for which  we all should be very grateful for. If you haven’t had the opportunity to visit the Historical Society’s webpage, I have included a link below. I have also included a link so that you can view the entire “IN West Mifflin” Magazine.

Congratulations Jim, you certainly deserve the high praise!

The Mifflin Township Historical Society’s goal is to document, chronicle and preserve artifacts and sites of the historical significance from the original Mifflin Township of 1788. What was Mifflin Township is today Baldwin (part), Clairton, Duquesne, Dravosburg, Hays, Homestead, Jefferson Hills, Lincoln Place, Munhall, Pleasant Hills, West Elizabeth, West Homestead, West Mifflin and Whitaker.

While the website, http://www.mifflintownship.org, is still a work-in-progress, because the content is updated by volunteers, it is beginning to take shape as an excellent historic resource for the Monongahela communities it represents, the group also maintains a reference room in Suite 202 of the municipal building which contains various newsletters and other printed information, old yearbooks, historical maps, family photos and histories, and CDs of old newspapers from Clairton, Duquesne, Homestead and other communities. Donations of documents and other historical items also are welcome (in original or copy form).

The Mifflin Township Historical Society is run entirely by volunteers and its office and reference room is only open on Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The office is located at 3000 Lebanon Church Road, Suite 202, West Mifflin, PA 15122. Other hours are available by appointment which can be made by contacting President Jim Hartman at 412.600.0229 or at ihartman15122@gmail.com.

To say that Jim Hartman has been keeping busy since he retired over a decade ago is an understatement.

The 65-year-old formal postal worker has always kept a busy schedule. When his daughters were younger, he coached their softball teams and was president of the band boosters.

Today, he keeps busy building and designing websites, acting as president of the Mifflin Township Historical Society, and volunteering with the West Mifflin Lions Club. “lt’s easy to sit around and complain about how bad things are,” he said. “l would rather get involved and make the bad things better.”

Hartman taught himself how to design and update websites using various software programs and now responsible for maintaining several dozen for local non-profit groups and businesses, including the site for the Mifflin Township Historical Society.

“I’ve always like history, even when I was back in grade school,” Hartman said. “lt’s the story of what we are and why we are.” When his father died in 1996, Hartman said he started researching that side of his family’s genealogy and initially had a difficult time finding any information. A mixed religion marriage in his family history alienated other members of the family and ties were broken.

Today, he’s the keeper of a family tree with over 5,000 names. Every time there’s a birth, marriage or death, his extended family calls him so that he can add the information to the database and expand the tree, and how relatives use the tree to explain their own roots to others.

“My cousin’s granddaughter took a three foot by nine foot copy of the family tree to school for show-and-tell,” Hartman said. “The kids in her class were very impressed. They got to see how all of us are related to each other in some way.”

From that point, his interest in history kept growing. Shortly before retirement he started the Mifflin Township Historical Society and approached the Homestead Historical Society into a merger.

“Mifflin Township at one time included Homestead, West Mifflin and a dozen other communities, so it made sense for us to combine our resources and form one organization,” he said. ”

As president, Hartman speaks to groups, maintains the website, and continuously adds materials to the organization’s reference room. He received some funding from the slate to transfer decades of out-of-print local newspapers from microfilm to CDs. Some of the old papers now on CD include the Clairton Crucible (last published in 1906) and the Duquesne Times. “What most people find interesting are the death notices and obituaries,” Hartman said. “|t’s a great way for them to research their own family trees.”

When he’s not building websites or gathering information for the historical society, Hartman can be found volunteering his time with the West Mifflin Lions Club. The Lions Club is an International public service organization probably best known for recycling used eyeglasses and paying for other vision services for the visually-impaired in the community.

In addition to the vision services, the 53-member West Mifflin chapter has helped the local food banks, purchased emergency services equipment for local EMS providers, and holds fundraisers throughout the year for different causes.

Hartman now serves as the district governor for several years and he traveled all over the state of Pennsylvania. He will finish the year as the immediate past district governor but said he plans to stay very active in the organization even though plans to stay very active in the organization in the years to come.

“I don’t plan on being a Lion in name only,” he said.

CLICK TO VIEW THE ENTIRE IN WEST MIFFLIN MAGAZINE

CLICK TO VISIT THE MIFFLIN TOWNSHIP HISTORICAL SOCIETY SITE

Posted in Duquesne's Special Citizens, Miscellaneous | 2 Comments

Summertime Odds and Ends

Posted on July 9, 2011 by Jim

Once again, I am offering a disjointed, unrealated bag of memories to you. Most of these little remeniscences relate to hot summer days in Duquesne, so I hope you enjoy.

Pop Bottle Heaven

At the corner of Texas Ave. and Mellon Street, across from the old Kroger’s Shopping Center, is a vacant lot. For at least the last 60 years it has been vacant and remains so today. I’m not sure who the current owners of the property might be, nor did I know who owned it when I was growing up. What everyone knew however, was that the lot was a veritable treasure trove of money making items.

There is a stop sign at that corner for cars traveling down Mellon Street toward Texas Ave. For some reason, that corner lot with all of the weeds seemed to be the idea spot to toss an empty glass bottle of Coke, Nehi or Mission Orange. The corner was also a bus stop

As a kid, my friends and I would rummage through the jungle of weeds and misshapen trees that grew throughout the lot several times a week. Our mission was to see who could collect the most empty “pop” bottles that we could return for cash! Pop bottles were regularly chucked out of car windows by the cavalier (i.e. those who didn’t mind tossing two cents into the ditch). And there, hidden among the overgrowth of weeds and awaiting youngsters needing to make some pocket change, were the treasures. All they had to do was hunt, uncover, and haul them to any nearby market. Although the normal find was a “2¢ -er,” occasionally we would get lucky and find one of the large bottles that carried a “5¢ reward.” We were quite a troop of bounty hunters!

Since only one of my friends had a wagon, we couldn’t depend on it being available to lug the bottles to the market. Our moms would gladly give us a brown grocery bag orand old box to use for carrying our bottles to cash them in. After a few attempts at returning bottle to various grocers, we became familiar with which market would accept which brands. Not everybody sold Canada Dry, as I recall, and we would hack off the store owners who didn’t by attempting to unload them at their places of business. Soon we had “cornered” (if you’ll excuse the pun) the return bottle business in our neighborhood.

Mourning Doves and Kennywood Park

I am sure that you will think I am losing my mind with this next rambling, but I swear to you, I am right about this. I live on the Eastern Shore of Maryland near the ocean. We have a large variety of birds that create some very soothing sounds throughout the day. Of course, the seagulls and the terns are annoying and very noisy. Each morning when I take my two dogs for their morning rituals, I can always count on hearing the rather woeful song of a Mourning Dove. Usually, they are perched high on someone’s roof and of all the morning sounds, theirs was always the most comforting to me. Click the link below and just listen…..

I finally figured out why their cooing always brought a smile to my face. If you listen closely, their sound is very reminiscent of the sound produced at Noah’s Ark in Kennywood Park. Granted, I realize that the Noah’s Ark sound is actually a boat whistle, but nonetheless, with a bit of imagination and a good deal of homesickness, they sound awfully close.

Now I’m sure that out there in cyberland there is either an ornithologist or Kennywood aficionado that will find “just cause” to dispute my opinion. To them, I say “stuff it!!” I am content to continue to live in my own little fantasy world and to believe my ears and trust my memory.

Thanks for the memory!

When I was searching YouTube for the video of the mourning dove, I came across a wonderful video compilation of vintage Kennywood TV Ads. It these don’t put a smile on your face, I don’t know what will. Check them out:

Our Own Little U.N.

In 1960, an annual 3 day event began in mid- August and is still going strong 51 years later. McKeesport’s International Village in Renziehausen Park was a “must see” for my family each and every year. The event was a celebration of the many cultures and heritages that made up the community we lived in. The nationalities that were normally represented at the fair were Greek, Italian, Polish, Swedish, German, Israeli, Irish, Hungarian, Russian, Carpatho-Russian, Ukrainian, Croatian, Serbian, Romanian and Slovak.

I happened to see an announcement on Facebook about this year’s event and we shocked to see that it was the “52nd Annual” International Village. Of course, being the doubting Thomas that I am, I did some research and found out that it had indeed begun in 1960! Surprisingly, there wasn’t even a mention in the Duquesne Times about the event, but considering that the paper’s last day of publication was the August 25, 1960, I am sure that the publishers had other things on their mind at the time. However, I did find several references to the event in the Post-Gazette that validate the date.

I do recall how my mom, Aunt Mary, Aunt Rose and Aunt Bubs decided to meet at Renzie for the event along with their families. It was the only time I remember going to the event, but we had a great time. All of the adults went from booth to booth selecting all types of ethnic foods, but I think that most of us kids were content to select from the American booth and settle on hot dogs and French fries. The part that I remember more than anything was the shows that took place throughout the Village. Italian Tarantellas, Greek Syrtakis, Slovak Bottle Dances, Croatian Polkas, Irish Jigs and Russian Barynyas were all being performed at one time or another throughout the day.

Each ethnic group’s booth was decorated in the tradition of the nationality and flags, color and traditional costumes were everywhere. It truly was like a miniature United Nations meeting! I understand that the event has expanded to include many more nationalities such as Caribbean islands, African countries, as well as Central and South American flavors! If I could even fit it into my schedule, I would love to revisit the Village at Renzie and take in some of the old favorite as well as sample the new cuisine that is represented.

Piggys and Cattle and Sheep, OH MY!

Although I didn’t find reference in the Duquesne Times to McKeesport’s International Village, there was another late summer event that was well represented. How many of you recall attending the Allegheny County Fair at South Park Fairgrounds?

THE COUNTY FAIR

Pittsburgh Press – Google News Archive – Aug 31, 1936

The Allegheny County Fair, started in 1932 to acquaint citizens of every part of the county with the spacious acres of South Park and to make them conscious of the agricultural rank or this rich county, begins its fourth successive season tomorrow.

Each year that this exposition has been held, mounting thousands have awakened to the realization that Allegheny County not only has an industrial heritage that classes it with the best, but that in agriculture as well, it holds an enviable rating.

The county fair was inaugurated by Commissioners McGovern. Barr and Mansfield and proved successful from the beginning. It not only attracted people to the exhibits, but it greatly added to the popularity and develop-ment of South Park.

This year Allegheny County again will welcome all of those within its borders and beyond to share in an exposition of the Pittsburgh district’s progress in agriculture and Industry, in stock raising and home economics, in history, the art, in science and in horticulture. Last year a million persons attended the Allegheny Count! Fair, a record attendance. This year we hope that even this figure will be surpassed.”

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

“In the 1930s South Park came to be used as a county fairgrounds, requiring expensive development: grandstands, racetracks, and support buildings. At that time there was great interest in county fairs, and the county had many more farms, ample produce and livestock, and a larger rural population. The County Fair was the big event of the summer, and for more than thirty years attracted an estimated half million people each season.

But by the later ’60s farming in the county had declined dramatically, and rival entertainment activities were everywhere. Gradually livestock and produce had to be brought in from neighboring counties, and the 4H people had to extend their invitations beyond the county. The county fair changed into an industrial exposition as well, showing off the latest in U. S. Steel technology, the newest aluminum making process from Alcoa, or a model of the latest boat built by Dravo. People were interested in industrial products–everything from aluminum screen doors and sashes to continuous casting methods–and the agricultural side of the fair faded away.”

1973 was the last year that I found records of the fair taking place. It was that year that the commissioners permanently cancelled the fair and closed one of swimming pools at South Park.

It seems that we used to go to the fair quite often. It would be an all-day event and my brother and I would look forward to it each year. I remember that our family and my Aunt Mary’s family would usually attend together, meeting at a predetermined rendezvous in the fairground’s parking lot.

It was always held in late August into early September after the local farms had collected their harvests. The weather was usually still pretty warm, hovering around 75 or 80 degrees. I just remember that it was hot enough to somehow add to the rather “organic” smells that would emanate from the farm animal exhibition area. Our young hunky noses had become very accustomed to the day-to-day smells that we lived with every day in Duquesne. The steel mills could produce some “interesting” odors from time-to-time and they never fazed us. However, our delicate little proboscises (as Durante would call them), we far from accustomed to the combined smell of cows, sheep, chickens and what have you.

Nonetheless, even though Mom and Aunt Mary would typically pull out their embroidered hankies from their purses to place over their nose as we toured the farm animal exhibition area, we “guys would brave it “au natural!” After all, we were hunkies and when our grandparents lived in “old country,” they dealt with the rather “rural” fragrance every day. I always wanted to spend a lot of time looking at the animals, much to my parent’s dismay. However, once we witnessed a horse or cow “relieve” themselves and then got a whiff of their “byproduct” we were ready to go to less “pungent” halls.

I never understood how mom and Aunt Mary would “ooh and aah” when we were looking at rows and rows of fruits and vegetables in glass jars. For some reason, it would fascinate them and they would eagerly look for the blue ribbon winner in each category. After the first few tables, I was usually getting antsy for a bit more excitement, and would convince my dad to take us to see something else. Dad and Uncle Lou would quickly make arrangements with Mom and Aunt Mary to meet in another area (truthfully they Dad and Uncle Lou were as bored as we were looking at canned goods). We would quickly retreat from the exhibition hall and head over to more exciting parts of the fair.

Now, perhaps the most vivid memory I have of the fair is the mindless collecting of free “stuff” at each booth in some halls. There were many businesses that exhibited at the fair, so an industrious kid such as I, would always take advantage of the free booklets, gizmos and chachkas that were being distributed. Inevitably, at least one of the exhibitors was giving out shopping bags of some sort, so it became a “contest” between my brother Steve and my cousin Paula to see how much we could collect from the various booths. Karla, the youngest in the group was too small to take part in the “junk collecting Olympics” that was going on, so she was relegated to ogling canned goods with her mom. Poor kid. The saddest part about this whole escapade was that we were stuck lugging these huge bags of useless paper and chahkies around for the rest of the night.

It’s so sad to think that the kids in the area today are not given the chance to witness such a wonderful, educational and fun event. Things change, budgets get cut and children, unlike we kids after a great day of collecting at the fair, are NOT left holding the bag!

Posted in Food and Restaurants, Kennywood, Life in General, McKeesport, Summertime | 11 Comments

The Duquesne 4th of July – As I Remember

Posted on July 4, 2011 by Jim

The 4th of July, when I was growing up, was always a special day for our family. Dad would close his shop and spend the day with us as we traveled about. Usually, the day meant a big picnic at either our house or one of our aunt’s and uncle’s backyards. I honestly cannot remember the day ever being rained out. It seems that it was always a bright sunny and HOT day.

My last post highlighted the 1951 Duquesne Homecoming Celebration that began on July 1st and ran through July 7th. Since I was still a “bun in the oven” and about three months from being “hatched,” needless to say, I don’t remember the celebration. The more I thought about it, by the time I was old enough to remember events of that nature, not much in the way of a city-wide celebration for the 4th of July was occuring, as in years past.

The snapshots of memories that I do recall about the day, are those of blowing up tin cans with cherry bombs, lighting strings of firecrackers on Thomas Street, and of course, sparklers. I remember how Mom would yell at Dad every year for buying fireworks. The theory of “you’re going to blow off your hand” was very prevalent in her warning to my brother and I. To tell the truth, I was always a bit too little and timid of the fireworks, so the lighting of the fuses was normally one my brother Steve or my dad would perform.

The picnic would be the typical Hunky gathering of every first, second and third generation relative in one place. Every aunt would bring their specialty, which would have been defined and assigned as a result of previous gatherings. Somehow, in addition to the traditional hot dogs and hamburgers, a container of stuffed cabbage would invariably be on the menu as well. All the ladies would busy themselves with preparing the various side dishes while the host of the event would carefully build the “perfect” fire for the barbeque. Of course, every other adult male would be gathered around the pit rendering opinions and vocalizing unsolicited suggestions on how to do it better. Undoubtedly, an argument would ensue, “colorful” names would be called, another round of beer would be served, and then all would be good again.

Before long, everything was ready to begin the feast. The food was wonderful, comforting, plentiful and prepared with love. What could be better? All of my aunts and uncles would finally kick back and just enjoy each other’s company once again. If we were at my Uncle Gary’s on Kenny Street, there would always be an intense horseshoe tournament and we kids would somehow busy ourselves doing much of nothing!

Just about the time the sun finally set, my dad or one of my uncles would spike a huge sparkler into the middle of the lawn and a bucket of water would be placed next to each parent’s supply of sparklers. At just the right time, the big sparkler would be lit to begin the fun. We would each go to our parents for a sparkler and then rush to the giant one to light it. What occurred in the next few minutes was magic to us. We would whirl around in circles, draw shapes in the air, and enjoy the experience to the fullest. Once our sparkler would burn out, we would return to our parents, drop our burnt out sparkler into the bucket and then reload and being the process all over again. This went on for at least an hour. NO matter how long it lasted, it never seemed long enough.

To cap off the evening, we would jump into our cars and head over to Kennywood’s parking lot to enjoy the fireworks show. Mom always had a blanket for us to sit on or we would sit on the hood or roof of our Kaiser sedan. The park always began the fireworks with a “spectacular” on the lagoon stage before the aerial fireworks. I only remember seeing the lagoon show one time. Mom said it was too crowded, so we were content thereafter, to just watch the aerial show from the parking lot. It was always so exciting and so LOUD!! Usually, by the grand finale when there was a frenzy of fireworks, I was about asleep and ready for bed. I remember laying on my mom’s lap as we drove home (pre-seat belt days ya’ know.) The day seemed to pass so quickly but obviously made an impression on this Duquesne hunky.

I thought you might enjoy reading about what was touted to be the biggest and best July 4th celebration in Duquesne’s history. It took place 100 years ago in 1911! There was an extensive article published in the Duquesne Observer describing the event and it is priceless. The journalistic style in that era was wonderful. It was colorful, captivating and almost read like prose as opposed to today’s cryptic news summaries. It is quite lengthy by today’s standards, but it does take you back to what it must have been like to be right there in the crowd. Enjoy:

Uncle Samuel’s eagle was shy several tail feathers when he concluded his visit to Duquesne last Tuesday night. But he didn’t seem to mind it, for he had witnessed one of the most interesting and successful Fourth of July celebrations that had ever been conducted in the Monongahela valley.

The fun started before dawn and it continued, without cessation , until after midnight. It was fizz, boom, bang all day long, and the fact that the mercury was playing around the hundred mark did not tend to dampen the ardor of the crowds. Everyone it seemed, took a hand in the celebration. The mills were shut down, business was suspended, and a good, noisy time seemed to be the idea of all. Many private homes and business houses were decorated, and nothing was lacking to make it an ideal holiday. Of course, there were some burnt fingers and tired bodies; but these were mere incidents in the day’s festivities, and fortunately no one was badly hurt.

Thanks to the Board of Commerce and the activity of its committee on public gatherings and conventions, the town was given one of its few set celebrations of the glorious day. At the ball park the Duquesne team played two games, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon, and on both occasions they took over their opponents in a most pleasing manner. The victim were the P.A.C. of Pittsburg and Baraccas of Knoxville. Prior to the afternoon game, some field sports were pulled off and added to the interest of the festivities. Among the winners were Allen, who copped the 100 yard dash and Hines, who won the long distance ball throw.

During the day, many of the people hiked off to the parks and to private picnics, while others visited with friends in other towns and cities. Most of the citizens however, remained about home and assisted youngsters in cleaning up supplies of fireworks.

The Evening’s Festivities.

But the big event of the day came in the evening, when a great fireworks display and band concert were conducted in front of the Carnegie library. This feature had been provided by popular subscription, and was one that will not soon be forgotten. All day long a committee consisting of E.J. Hamilton, T. Burns and J.S. Edmundson had labored hard to get the fireworks in readiness, and at dark they were still on the job, personally superintending the “setting off” of the display and in many instances, lighting the fuses themselves. They were capably assisted in work by J.E. Brown, D.C. Muir, M. Yoxenheimer and, S.J. Goodman. And too much credit cannot be given to Messrs. Hamilton and Burns and their assistants. It was a warm task, but they endured the heat and smoke that the people might be properly entertained.

An oh, what a crowd of spectators there was. The great lawn surrounding the library was packed. South Second Street was crowed and the library plan contained hundreds of others. Other spots in the vicinity offered points of vantage and they were occupied to the limit. Never in the history of the town had there been such an outpouring of people for any similar event, and the spectacle was a most beautiful one.

Viewed from South First street it was a scene never to be forgotten. As each bomb or shell would explode in mid-air, every face would be turned upward as showers of sparks, shooting stars of varied colors and golden wreaths were dropped from a great height, a chorus of “ohs” and “ahs” could be heard a square away. It was, beyond all question, a splendid exhibition of and so delightfully refreshing that thousands of people expressed the hope that the display might be made an annual event.

One old German woman from the western end of the Second ward grasped the hand of one of the Committeemen and informed him that she had never seen the like of it. She was profuse in her thanks for the happy evening. This was only a sample of what was seen and heard on all sides. The people were more than pleased, and they made no effort to conceal their appreciation.

The Fireworks Display

The display was bubbling over with variety and color and, for an hour or more, the heavens were brilliantly illuminated. In touching off the fireworks not an accident occurred and the program was carried out without a slip of any kind. The exhibition included the following features

  • 4 – No. 3 Aerial report shells, or cannon salutes
  • 6 – 2 pound Imperial salute bomb rockets
  • 8 – ½ lb Patent prismatic illuminators
  • 4 – Mammoth Piccalo or musical batteries
  • 24 – 1-lb Ideal exhibition, fancy assorted rockets
  • 16 – 2-lb Prismatic Dragon, fancy rockets
  • 6 – N. 9 Klondyke gold mines
  • 6 – Anaconda silver mines
  • 18 – 3-lb Ideal exhibition, assorted rockets
  • 8 – 4-lb Japanese festoon or lantern heavy fancy rockets
  • 8 – 4-lb Golden wreath, heavy fancy rockets
  • 8 – 4-lb Liberty or screaming, heavy fancy rocket
  • 8 – No. 4 Dragon nests or successions
  • 8 – No. 2 Volcanoes or eruption of Mt. Pelee
  • 12 – 8 lb Superb assorted, heavy, fancy rockets
  • 6 – 5-lb Old Glory, extra heavy fancy rockets
  • 6 – 6-lb Peacock plume, extra heavy, fancy rockets
  • 6 – 9-in. Aerial display shells assorted fired from mortars
  • 4 – 8-lb Telescope repeating rockets, extra heavy, fancy
  • 4 – 8-lb Weeping willow, extra heavy, fancy rockets
  • 6 – No. 2 Rainbow batteries
  • 6 – Mammoth, fiery comets
  • 6 – Extra large illuminated fountains
  • 6 – Extra heavy whirling deverishes
  • 4 – 13 ½ inch A.L. Due’s Special display shells, assorted
  • 6 – Extra heavy, Electric cascades
  • 6 – Extra heavy, Golden cascades
  • 6 – Large, Surprise boxes or whistling Jacks
  • 6 – Large Devil amongst the Tailors
  • 4 – No. 3 Bouquet bomb shells
  • 2 – Mammoth exhibition display batteries
  • 4 – A.L. Due’s mammoth serial display shells, 18 inch fired from mortars
  • 1 – No. 2 Aerial bouquet or flight of rockets
  • 12 – Port fires for lighting grounds and firing display.

The aerial bouquet consisted of a large number of assorted colored rockets assembled in a flight box, fired simultaneously crossing and intersecting in their flight and forming a gigantic bouquet.

The Band Concert

But the fireworks display was only a part of the treat that had been prepared for the entertainment of the crowds. Seated at the entrance to the library, the Star of Liberty Band of Wilmerding gave a superb concert. The band is undoubtedly one of the best concert organizations in Western Pennsylvania and, by its clever work in this place, added many new friends and admirers to its staff.

The director is Thomas Scott, and the president Peter J. Levell. The program was made up of popular and classic music, and it seemed as if the people could not get enough of it. They crowded about the band throughout the evening and frequently interrupted the festivities with liberal applause. At the conclusion of the program many persons rushed forward and congratulated the organization upon its clever work. Not a few of them expressed the hope, also, that the band might be heard here again. The program was as follows:

  • 1. March – Faust
  • 2. Uncle Tom’s Cabin (Old Black Joe, Suwanee River, etc.)
  • 3. Poet and Peasant
  • 4. Ciribiribin Waltz (enjoy the music of the times below)
  • 5. William Tell
  • 6. Remek’s Hits No. 8 (all the latest songs.)
  • 7. La Czarina, Mazurka
  • 8. Il Trovatore (incidental solos by Messrs. Oliver and Levell)
  • 9. Overture “Mermandie”
  • 10. Duet from Norma by Messrs. Levell and Biase
  • 11. Wedding of the Winds Waltz
  • 12. “Uncle Sam” (including national airs.)
Posted in Duquesne History, Holidays - Non-Christmas and New Years, Kennywood, My Hunky Family, Summertime | 9 Comments

Voices From Duquesne – July 4th Edition

Posted on June 30, 2011 by Jim

WOW! I have gotten so many responses from all of pur friends updating us on their wereabouts! I decided to let you enjoy the responses I’ve gotten just in the last couple of days.

I also wanted to wish everyone a Happy 4th of July too! You know how all of those people close to you from Duquesne celebrated their love for our country. Patriotism was a way of live in Duquesne. So celebrate the day, not only in honor of our country, but in honor of all of those Duquesne citizens who are no longer with us but who loved the good ol’ USA!

To give you a bit more to enjoy, I have included the front page article from The Duquesne Times as well as the photos from 60 years ago, July 12, 1951. The city was ending a week long HOMECOMING CELEBRATION.  The pictures are a bit dark, but the memories they provoke are as bright as July 4th fireworks.

Lastly, don’t forget to let us know where you are! Just click the following ling and fill out the form and allow you friends to catch up with you! We look forward to hearing for each and every one of you! #1 CLICK HERE TO LET ME KNOW WHO YOU ARE, WHO YOU WERE, AND WHERE YOU ARE LIVING!!

Now, on to our latest roll call:

♥Married Name= Vickie Little | makingmagic1958@yahoo.com

Maiden Name = Vickie Brady

Years in Duquesne = 1964-1984

Where do you live now? = White, PA

comments = I really enjoy reading about the good memories in Duquesne I too have many good memories growing up in Duquesne. Living away from the area I enjoy getting on here and seeing if anyone I grew up with is on here but i dearly love reading what people have to say that did grow up and graduate from the area Keep up the good work on this site.

♥Married Name? = Linda Gibb

Maiden Name = Linda Negley

Years in Duquesne = 1943-1951, then moved to West Mifflin

Where do you live now? = The Villages, FL

comments = My cousin Claire found your site while hunting up Father Dennis on the web. She emailed it to me & I’ve sent it on to all my family & friends that I’ve got Email addresses for.

I love reading about everyone’s memories of Duquesne, West Mifflin, Kennywood, etc.

My mother now lives in the bldg. where I went to kindergarten. I graduated in 61 from DHS.

♥What is your name? = BLAIR A BUDDAY | bbudday@hotmail.com

Years in Duquesne = 1943 to 1958

Where do you live now? = SOUTH GOLF COVE, PT. CHARLOTTE, FL 33981

comments = Graduated DHS class of 61, worked in ISALY’S on Grant Ave, joined the Air Force, and seen quite a few countries, Retired in 83 after 21 years. Moved to NH and worked for the US Postal Service for 20 yrs. Retired, for the second time, then decided to move on. Packed our bags, left 2 boys and 2 grandchildren in NH and came to the West Coast of Florida where it is nice and warm. No more snow. Have been married for 44 yrs. to Marcia and couldn’t be more content. love reading the Duquesne Blog as I spent most of my early years living on 1st Street. Many good times were had in those days especially in Plum Alley. Keep up the good work and I do pass this site on to others from around the area of Duquesne.

♥What is your married name? = Suzanne Filotei | Suzanne6@optonline.net

Maiden name = Suzanne Danko

Years in Duquesne = 1947 – 1970

Where do you live now? = Black Rock, Ct.

comments = It’s really great to receive this blog and remembering times past. I remember spending summertime at Polish Hill doing arts and crafts. Watching my friend ride her bike down the double dip, falling off and having compound fractures as a result, we never did that again. Went to the movies (down street) as my Mom called it, on a Sat. afternoon and taking our lunch with us. Then going over to the 5 & 10 shopping with the extra change we had. Swimming at the Library and having a picnic outside on the cement squares. Hanging out with high school friends around Kennedy Ave., and having to make my 10PM curfew – making it back to Ross St. by the skin of my teeth. Taking dancing lessons at Pat’s Dance Studio in Duquesne Place. Walking to Kennywood Park, going swimming all day and then walking back home.

Eating perogies at a church by the high school during lent on Fridays, they were great.

It was all good fun!

Thank you for starting this blog I really enjoy it.

♥What is your married name? = Debbie Stewart | debbie@christthelightoftheworld.org

Maiden name = Abbatangelo

Years in Duquesne = 1952-1976

Where do you live now? = Elizabeth Twp., PA

comments = Jim, Thanks for bringing back so many great memories of growing up in Duquesne. Your blog has reached so many people and has touched so many with your vivid memories of Duquesne. I have returned to my “ roots” so to speak after many years and work in the rectory for Christ the Light of the World Parish the former Holy Name Church as the parish secretary. It is difficult to see each day how the city has declined but for those of us who went to grade school at Holy Name I am proud to say the church has survived and is thriving in many ways!!

Continue taking us down memory lane…it has been wonderful!

♥What is your name? = Ed Thomas | edthomas@thevillages.net

Years in Duquesne = 1943 to 1961

Where do you live now? = The Villages, Florida

comments = I graduated from DHS in May of 1961 when I went into the Air Force. I worked the previous summer in Kennywood at the Fish Pond. I will be returning to Duquesne this summer to attend my 50th reunion; I’m looking forward to it.

♥What is your name? = John Popp | biggpopper@sbcglobal.net

Years in Duquesne = 1939 to 1970 1970 till 1985 in West Mifflin

Where do you live now? = Antioch Ca.

comments = Duquesne Grad 1957 Great to read about People and places in Duquesne come back every year to see family and friends, keep up the good work. found blog in facebook.

♥What is your married name? = Carolyn Baney | carolynbaney@aol.com

Maiden name = Kurey

Years in Duquesne = Born and raised in McKeesport 1940-1962

Where do you live now? = Indian Harbour Beach, Fl

comments = I dated many guys from Duquesne, meeting them at Kennywood pool and at the local dances.

Steve Volk told me about this blog.

♥What is your name? = Paul Duffy | paul.duffy1@verizon.net

Years in Duquesne = 1953-1969

Where do you live now? = Falls Church, VA

comments = Holy Name (‘60) and DHS (‘65) grad. Like so many others, a veteran of Kennywood and US Steel Duquesne Works employment. Found this site through some fellow DHS grads.

♥What is your married name? = Loretta Boncek | lorettaboncek@sbcglobal.net

Maiden name = Ondike

Years in Duquesne = 1944 – 1961

Where do you live now? = Castroville, TX

comments = Information very helpful although I do not recognize any names. I was looking up my classmates from Holy Name elementary school but did not find anything. I was very disappointed by the way the city looked. I still have family living in the area and we do go visit sometimes and it breaks my heart to see how the places that I loved to visit are no longer there, especially the library. It was such a beautiful small town. My 50 year class reunion is coming in September of this year and I am looking forward to it. Hope I can recognize some classmates since I was unable to attend any of the other reunions because we were in the military and spent most of our time overseas.

♥What is your name? = David Marks | david.marks1@verizon.net

Years in Duquesne = 1958 to 1977, then 1991 to 2000, then 2004 to present!

Where do you live now? = Duquesne!!!

comments = Debbi Faust-Clancy shared this with me. Thanks Jim, for the wonderful effort.

I enjoy reading about everyone’s memories!

I too, enjoyed a marvelous childhood in Duquesne. We didn’t know the air could kill us! Once I did some traveling I vowed never to return. But return I did, with a beautiful wife from Mississippi, after having lived and worked in 29 states and Canadian provinces [oilfield trash we are!].

I’m here for a short while longer – living in the old Milsleigle house on Kennedy Avenue – to help care for my mom, Louise Karpas Marks, born in Duquesne in 1927.

I was baptized by Gabe Fackre at Grace Reformed Church, and am now a member of Payne Chapel on Priscilla. Rev. Dr. Fackre is still with us in Massachusetts.

Duquesne has seen the bottom, and now once again the sky is the limit. yoy!

♥What is your married name? = Joyann Drumm | Jedrumm@vbschools.com

Maiden name = Barker

Years in Duquesne = 1964-1980

Where do you live now? = Virginia Beach, Virginia

comments = I love this blog…it brings back memories of the Duquesne I knew and grew up in. I love seeing pictures of how I remember my childhood hometown and all the good that once emanated from this city.

♥What is your name? = Guy Achtzehn

Years in Duquesne = 1964 to 1989

Where_do_you_live_now? = York, PA

comments = Anything Duquesne is OK with me! A “True Duke” from the get go. Grew up above Gwon’s Laundry and moved to Catherine St when I was in 2nd grade. Friends thought we became “rich” because we had a brick house…..My Father, Mel owned Achtzehn Auto Supply, served as a school board member, then later as city council and Mayor. Never did anything for personal gain….some didn’t like that but he loved the city, as we grew up to do.

My Mother, Norma, helped in the schools with reading and serving on PTO’s….again, because it was a way to give back to Duquesne. That’s what we learned and what made the city great!

Grew up wanting to play football for the Dukes! Did that and for those who played, you would understand the pride. Moved away after getting married to York, PA. Duquesne may not be a place I want to raise my family now, but there was no better place back in the day…..THATS why this blog is so good….so important…so right. Oh…and my daughter starts college this coming Sept. She had her pick of schools…and her choice? Pitt! Close to family……Need I say more? The spirit of Duquesne lives in us all….

Note to Guy Achtzehn – Guy, my dad, Steve Volk, did a great deal of business with your dad from his service station across from Holy Name Rectory on 1st Street.

♥What is your name? = Ed Kozarian Jr | kozarianjr@yahoo.com

Years in Duquesne = 1953-1997

Where do you live now? = York,pa

comments = I have great memories of growing up on 5th street and the 6th St playground. Attended Libengood? Elem. Played little league baseball up polish hill. Just great memories. Interested in the History of Duquesne. Daughter is a member of We are Duquesne where your Blog is.

♥What is your married name? = Mary Michaels | Champeau1@comcast.net

Maiden name = Barr

Years in Duquesne = 1941 to 1993

Where do you live now? = Elizabeth Twp., PA

comments = I enjoy hearing about the good old days in Duquesne. It was a great place to grow up in the 40’s and 50’s and also into the 70’s when I raised my son there. I, my sister Roseann and brothers Tony and David, all went to Crawford School, Junior High and the Senior High. My husband, Ron, was a police officer in Duquesne and served as Chief before his retirement and our escape to the hills of Elizabeth Twp.

♥What is your name? = Larry Schafer |

Years in Duquesne = 1952-1975

Where do you live now? = Flower Mound, Texas

comments = Fantastic memory maker-from Kennywood to the neighborhood stores-the living history that we were all part of and continues to live in our hearts. My brothers & sisters live in West Mifflin and when I visit I always have my drive thru memory lane of Duquesne-the hangouts, baseball fields, stores, and great food. Miss those great fish sandwich at G&M, pizza from Irene’s and hanging out at Butler’s Drug store.

I read the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette regarding the decline of the neighborhoods and DHS. It is heartbreaking that the hard work and sacrifices that the many of our family & friends endured has ended in the loss of a great community called HOME to us all.

The following link will give all of us hope for the future of Duquesne http://r.b5z.net/i/u/10061424/i/Duquesne_Report.pdf

 Duquesne completed one of its most successful homecoming week celebrations Saturday night and hearty congratulations are in order for General Chairman Harry A. Meighan and his entire committee. The new Studebaker Champion was driven away by Mr. and Mrs. George Perrick of 107 Overland Avenue.

One of the many outstanding booths this year was a photography booth sponsored by The Duqnesne Times in which Bernard Kroeger photographed more than 4,000 local people. Beautiful photographs are being distributed free of charge starting today to all those people who walked through the booth.

The parade, arranged by Elmer J. Schorr and his Committee was one of the best ever held in Duquesne’s history. Starting at Priscilla and Aurilles. The parade moved north on Aurilles, east on Kennedy to Fourth St.. north on First St. to north on Fourth St to Grant, east on Grant to Third, north on Third to Hamilton, east on Hamilton to First, south on First to Grant, west on Grant to Second and south on Second to the reviewing stand at the municipal building.

Allegheny County Commissioners John J. ‘Kane and Harry K. Fowler led the parade. Now that the homecoming is over, speaking for the hundreds who participated in making it possible, we say it was a lot of hard work with a great deal of fun.

Speaking for the community, we want to thank the hundreds who worked so diligently to make this year’s homecoming celebration possible. You did a mighty line job and the community thanks you for your effort.

Posted in Feedback From Our Friends | 7 Comments

And Another Thing……..

Posted on June 28, 2011 by Jim

I promised myself and my family that I would never grow so old as to be one of the senior citizens that complain about the “way things are” AND the “way things were.” If fact, I was so committed to NOT being that way that I instructed my kids to tie me to a log and float me out to sea if they ever heard me uttering those sentiments. Once they read this post, I probably only have a week before I become shark bait at their hands, but it’s worth the risk.

Growing up in Duquesne at the hands of hunky parents, I had clear setting on my moral compass at a very early age. I am sure that each one of us had the same experience. Our parents provided clear boundaries, so we understood expected behavior. These expectations were reinforced for me through each and every aunt and uncle, all of the good Sisters and teachers at Holy Name, as well as Fr. Shaughnessy, Fr. Hanlon, and Fr. Turner when I served as an altar boy at Holy Name. I was also under the watchful eye of all of my Thomas Street neighbors too; Anna Yasko, Mrs. Davies, Mr. and Mrs. Gregory, Mr. and Mrs. Oravick, Mr. and Mrs. Snyder, Mr. and Mrs. Hanks, Mrs. Mensler, Dr. and Mrs. Brown and Mr. and Mrs. Kovach. As I stated in an earlier post, we were all privileged to be raised by our own village of hunkys.

One of the Hunky Commandments must have been “Thou shalt always respect adults.” One of the expected behaviors was that I was always to initiate a greeting to my adult neighbors. If I would see Mr. or Mrs. Hanks leaving the house and I was playing across the street, I would yell “Hi Mr. and Mrs. Synder!” As I am writing, I am wondering why I am making such a big deal out of such a simple gesture. Its then that I recall how you can drive or walk through my current neighborhood and pass by children that you see every day and NEVER get so much as a wave, a hello or ANYTHING resembling a greeting. They usually totally ignore you as if you don’t even exist or stare at you with a blank mindless stare that just short of blowing spit bubbles. In today’s society, children are constantly reminded about the risks of talking to strangers, and rightfully so. However, understanding all of that, I miss the hellos that would greet adult neighbors as I was growing up.

The respect that I long for also applies to material things. In our Thomas Street home, we never had things that were worth “coveting.” The same held true for our neighbors as well. Our parents truly practiced an “open door” policy. Doors were almost never locked. Even if the doors would be locked, a simple skeleton key would gain anyone entry to just about any home in the area. It that didn’t work, one would only need to check under the door mat to find a key that would work. I remember how my mom would be upstairs cleaning and we’d hear someone yell “Gas Man” or “Water Man.” The side door to our home would be left open, some man would come into our home, do his job and leave without a second thought. Even if we were gone for the day, the door would be left open for the meter man to do his job. Cars were never locked and keys sometimes never were taken out of the ignition. Our bikes were always left outside in full view and never locked up with a chain. We just respected each other and each other’s property. The thought of taking something from our neighbors was unfathomable. Simpler times for sure!

I was reading about a very recent study that was conducted by two psychologists investigating sexism. Apparently, although considered to be radical in their thinking, some people perceive the very acts that young men were encouraged to perform for a woman as sexist. C’mon! Cut me a break! I was raised to be a gentleman. Somehow, the simple act of opening the door to Jerry and Bud’s Donut Shop for a woman in today’s society would be considered an insult. To refer to a group of females as “girls” is also considered to be in bad taste. Somehow, ridiculous sensitivity has replaced common sense and good manners. What’s a guy to do??? How else is a boy going to impress a girl besides offering to carry her books. Are we to just let a door slam into the face of an elderly woman entering a store behind us?? Seriously world….”snap out of it!” Chivalry will never die as long as Duquesne Hunkys have anything to do with it!!

Seeing that this post is fast becoming an “and another thing” whiney conglomeration of rhetoric, allow me to continue to add to that perception. I want to know, when exactly did we become so “germaphobic?” Can you even imagine going into Kennedy Meat Market and seeing Andy Valco pull on a pair of latex gloves in order to slice your chipped ham order? And what about the double dipping phobia. I distinctly remember fingers and spoons being dipped, licked and re-dipped into family favorite recipes without a second thought! My Aunt Mary would patiently wait until we would finish our edge slices of Irene’s pizza to grab our leftover crusts, since she enjoyed them so much. Amazingly, we all survived. Although some people today would never think of keeping or reheating a leftover, the good hunkys of Duquesne NEVER met a leftover they couldn’t turn into a casserole or pot of soup. I believe we all heard the “I survived the Depression stories” or were placed on guilt trips for uncleaned plates with the mere mention of the starving children in China.

OK, I’m finish. I am prepared to meet my fate. Megan and Abby, Daddy is ready for that log, as promised. But, before you tie me up to meet my fate… can you just wash your hands? I don’t know where they’ve been!

Posted in Life in General, My Hunky Family, Parents, Surveys and Opinions | 10 Comments

Duquesne’s Channels

Posted on June 27, 2011 by Jim

Before I begin, I would like to thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers following my posting about the death of my Uncle Lou. Your kind words meant a lot to me and to his family. In the truest hunky fashion, you shared our sorrow and reassured us of his place in heaven. Many thanks for just being you and doing what comes naturally to the people of Duquesne.

Before I begin my next post, I wanted to acknowledge David Belesky of East McKeesport who took the awesome photograph that I am using in the header of this site now. It was taken in 1970 from the East McKeesport vantage point. You can clearly see the Holy Name Church on 2nd Street with a beacon of light shining above it. David, thank you for sharing this with us and for reminding us of the hometown we had.

I love reading all of the comments that you send in response to my posts. I’m amazed that this blog has reached out and found so many current and former Duquesnites! I was inspired by a comment posted by Bob Yuna, formally of Duquesne, that he had  submitted in response to my post about the entertainers who appeared at Kennywood throughout the years.

“When the 3 Stooges had their revival (thanks in large measure to Paul Shannon at WTAE-TV) they started getting a lot of gigs for stage shows and TV appearances from local shows, like Shannon’s “Adventure Time” from 1958 to 1975, as well as national TV shows. Moe was 62 and Larry an energetic 58 at the time.

Larry Fine and Moe Howard (Moses Harry Horwitz) were still in good health though Curly and Shemp had died years earlier. Joe Besser became the “Third Stooge” in 1956 but left the group in 1958.  Joe DeRita was then hired in 1958 and became “Curly Joe.” Moe Howard’s daughter-wrote in her book on her father and her uncles-that Moe and Larry were overwhelmed. When they were booked to appear in Pittsburgh, Moe and Larry took the train from Los Angeles where they’d been residing for years to Pittsburgh. When they arrived at the Pennsylvania Railroad station in Pittsburgh, they saw large crowds at the platform, hundreds of adults and kids. Moe was sure the President of the United States or someone “important” was at the train station. They just could not imagine that the big crowds and interest were at the train station to see them.”

The period from the late 1940’s to the early 1960’s is referred to as the “Golden Age of Television.” It is during this period that culture and dramatic milestones were being broadcast. The commercial networks, NBC, CBS and ABC, were telecasting performances from Carnegie Hall featuring Leonard Burnstein and Arturo Toscanini. Playhouse 90 and Kraft Television Theatre featured performances such as Macbeth and Cyrano de Bergerac.

I suppose that I should have felt fortunate to have had such outstanding and socially redeeming programming available to me. Truth be told, I just didn’t “get” all those serious, highbrow shows. I was the type of kid that enjoyed the “real” entertainment that was available to us. Who needed Burnstein when we had Rodney and Knish? Who in their right mind would have chosen Arturo Toscanini over Alice the Goon and Popeye? Certainly not I!

Although I spent a large part of my day playing outside, there were times when I would be allowed to stay inside and watch a favorite TV show. Paul Shannon Adventure time was one of my favorites. I think it came on daily, Monday through Friday around 4 or 5 o’clock. I enjoyed the show because of the cartoons and of The Three Stooges shorts. There were two special things I enjoyed about Adventure Time;

• the first was a character named Nosmo King. I believe it was Paul Shannon who played this strange looking person. I just remember a man dressed in a long trench coat and hat, smoking a cigar and walking through various scenes. I don’t think that he ever spoke, just walked in and out of scenes.

• The second special event I remember is that each summer, Paul Shannon would ask the kids watching to hold Muscular Dystrophy Carnivals in their neighborhood in order to raise money for the battle against M.D. I was permitted to attempt this just one time. I think it must have been in 1961 or 1962. I was so excited to be able to plan the entire carnival with my neighborhood friends. I sent a letter to WTAE and Paul Shannon requesting a Carnival Kit and waited with eager anticipation for it to arrive. When it did, BOY was I excited. I believe my friends and I spent weeks and weeks planning all of the different parts of the event. Of course, we had to pool our resources and came up with a working budget of about $5.00 between all of us to use for prizes, supplies, posters, etc. About a month later, we finally held the carnival for the entire neighborhood. We had games, we had rides (basically pulling kids in a wagon down my dad’s driveway or yard), we had refreshments (compliments of the neighborhood moms), and finally, a petting zoo comprised of the neighborhood dog, Tuffy, my pet rabbit and a turtle that Donnie had found. Ringling Brothers had no worries about us stealing their virtuosity since we only managed to raise about $15.00. However, we still received a thank you letter from not only Paul Shannon, but Jerry Lewis too! (OK, it was a copy, but it still counted in our minds!)

Another favorite show and cartoon was Hank Stohl’s Popeye and Knish Show. I’m not sure when the show was telecast, but I just remember the two puppets that were part of the show. Of course, there was Knish, who was nothing more than a mop head and what appeared to be a darning egg. His “friend” on the show was an old curmudgeon of a man named Rodney Hackenflash. Hank Stohl, the only human on the show, Knish and Rodney would introduce the various Popeye cartoons each day with a great deal of hoopla! I used to love the old Popeye cartoons. The black and white animated features that were produced in the 1930’s as part of King Features are the ones that I prefer. Of course, I enjoyed Popeye, Olive Oyl and Brutus, but my favorite character was Alice the Goon! She was from a very early feature about Popeye and Goon Island. In case you are unfamiliar with this lovely lady, she stood about 7 feet tall, had a nose the size of a cucumber, hairy ankles and wrists and a bun and a bone on her head…. And those were her best features. She pursued Popeye continuously while murmuring her mantra “I love Pop-eye!”

The event that I looked forward to each year since its inception in 1965 was WTAE Day in Kennywood. On that day, the park would be teeming with celebrities from WTAE-TV and even some Hollywood celebrities. I remember standing gawking at personalities from shows like Paul Shannon’s Adventure Time, Ricki & Copper with Ricki Wertz, and Romper Room. Myron Cope was in attendance along with Nick Perry from Bowling For Dollars. Hollywood was represented by The Three Stooges and by Hank Stohl, who by that year, had been in several TV shows like The Rifleman and Ironsides. At various times throughout the day, Kennywood had provided an autograph booth for the stars to meet their fans and sign autographs. I diligently waited in every line and was able to amass a complete collection of every personality who appeared on that first ever WTAE Day at Kennywood. I was so proud. However, here I sit, 46 years later and I couldn’t for the life of me, tell you what ever became of those collectables.

I am sure many of you have remember another iconic program that we used to enjoy(?) on Saturday nights! Remember Chilly Billy Cardille and Chiller Theater! That gen was broadcast on WIIC, back when there used to be a WIIC. It was perhaps the cheesiest, campiest horror show ever seen. I did a bit of research about the show and found some interesting history and trivia on Wikipedia:

Chiller Theatre was a late-night horror and science fiction movie program on WIIC  Channel 11, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It aired from September 14, 1963 to January 1, 1984. It was hosted by Bill Cardille, known to fans as “Chilly Billy”. It was a Saturday night tradition for two generations of Pittsburghers. Two films were shown, one starting at 11:30 p.m. and the second starting at about 1:00 a.m. In between films, and at random times during the films, breaks were taken for skits such as reports from the “PSS”; in these skits, Bill Cardille would go into another part of the WIIC studios and pretend he was broadcasting from the (nonexistent) Pittsburgh Subway System. Other characters (portrayed by Cardille) included Captain Bad, Maurice the Matchmaker, and Mr. Magnificent. Cardille and WIIC publicist Robert Willis wrote the skits and sometimes Channel 11 staffers were enlisted to play bit parts. At the end of the show, Cardille would sit on a stool and banter with the studio crew.

Chiller Theatre was so popular in Pittsburgh that it kept Saturday Night Live off of its NBC affiliate WIIC in Pittsburgh for four years. Finally giving in to pressure from NBC, Chiller Theater was forced to follow SNL at 1:00 a.m. where it was reduced to a single feature movie program.

The show was remembered for several unique features, one being its theme song, “Experiment In Terror” performed by Al  Caiola, written by Henry Mancini. The original set was meant to be a laboratory. It was changed to a castle motif when a cast of supporting characters was added in later years. That cast included Terminal Stare (Donna Rae), Georgette the Fudgemaker (Bonnie Barney), Norman (Norman Elder), and Stefan the Castle Prankster (Steve Luncinski). During breaks in the movie, Cardille would perform several sketches, like reciting horoscopes, trivia, and telling a series of corny jokes to a giggling skull.

The show featured many guests over the years, including: Rod McKuen; Phyllis Diller as a monster Chilly Billy creates; Barbara Feldon as “Agent 99” from “Get Smart”; Lorne Greene; Albie And Friends performing their 1974 NIK single “Hexorcist World Premiere”; Vincent Price; Richard Campbell and Wayne Smith of the singing group The Gang, who performed “Frickased Chickens” and “All In Color For A Dime”; Jerry Lewis, promoting the Muscular Dystrophy telethon; and Bruno Sammartino.

I realize that these shows and these recollections are not part of Duquesne itself. However, I feel that the shows, the personalities, and the events, were part of the very fabric of our lives as we were growing up. TV played a big part in my live during in the late 50’s and 60’s. I recall being summoned to St. Mary Immaculate’s 7th Grade classroom at Holy Name on Friday, November 22, 1963 around 1:45 to watch in silence as we all learned that our President had been assassinated. Television WAS part of our life. Certainly, we may not have been able to chat with Paul Shannon or any other celebrity at the corner of Grant Ave, and 2nd Street, but he was in most of the living rooms in Duquesne several times a week.

Posted in Life in General, Movies, Music, Radio and TV, Playing and Games | 37 Comments

Voices from Duquesne – Part 5

Posted on June 21, 2011 by Jim

In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit. ~Albert Schweitzer

I came across this quote by Albert Schweitzer and thought that IT clearly put into words, just how writing this blog has helped me to rekindle my own spirits. As we all began our various careers, we were all focused on trying to provide the very best lives for our loved ones and for ourselves as well. As we continued to strive to improve our lives and move forward, our memories of people and places left behind became less vivid and eventually faded with time. However, many of us now realize that  turning around and looking back to what we left behind, although bittersweet to some extent, provides enormous comfort, joy and kindling of our spirits. 

Personally, being able to reconnect with those who shared  my life and my experiences as I was growing up, has provided happiness beyond measure. Bobby Chermonitz, Geno Sabolcik, Debbie Abbatangelo (Stewart), Denise Hudak (Ventura), Louie Andriko, to name just a few, as well as some of my own extended family are now in my life again! Thank you to anyone who passed along a my blog link to someone that eventually brought us together.

From the comments you all have written, it appears that so many of you who share that love for our childhood “village” are reconnecting with people you probably haven’t thought of for decades, as you were busily moving on with your lives.

Please take a few minutes and click on the link to the right that reads “#1 CLICK HERE TO LET US KNOW WHO YOU ARE, WHO YOU WERE AND WHERE YOU ARE LIVING!!” and fill out the form and click send. If you are fortunate, you might connect with someone who was an important part of your childhood.

Now, in the meantime, here are some responses from some of our Duquesne friends! Be sure to scroll through and ready them all, I’ve also placed a special link to a group celebrating 60 years at the end!

What is your married name? = Carol Yasko

Maiden name = Graham

Years in Duquesne = 1939 to 1987

Where do you live now? = Katy, Texas about 35 miles west of Houston

Comments = My husband, George, and I got an e-mail from a friend of Linda Gibb. Thankfully your writings are spreading all over the USA. We both enjoyed all of the comments by past and present Duquesners. Both of us were born and raised in Duquesne, went to Crawford school: Duquesne Jr. High and graduated from D.H.S.

I lived on Chestnut St. which is at the top of “unforgettable” Center St. George lived on High St. which was in front of Pine Alley and faced Crawford St. We both had many friends from Burn’s Heights Project and would sure enjoy reading reminiscences from anyone from there.

We appreciate all of your efforts in bringing back the memories. Thank You.

 

 What is your name? = Tim Stepetic

Email = tstepetic@comcast.net

Years in Duquesne = 1940 to 1962

Where do you live now? = Albuquerque, NM

Comments = Jim – thanks for putting this blog out there and keeping it up as you have!! It’s really addictive and it gives me the opportunity to remember Duquesne as it was and not what it’s like now. I still get back there from time to time to visit Betsy, and I hope we might have another cousins get together one of these days. You seem to hit every one of your subjects right on, and the comments are themselves priceless. I’ve gotten in touch with a lot of my past in just the last couple weeks with your blog and find something interesting and important every time I go through parts of it. I wonder who else remembers the Zemps games at Polish Hill – our Uncle Sam and his brother, Neill, played. Or some of those early Little League games in the field below the High School. Thanks again, Jim … a real kick … Tim

 

What is your married name? = Jane Pocsatko

Email = dpocsatko@tampabay.rr.com

Maiden name = Fulmer

Years in Duquesne = 1946 to 1967

Where do you live now? = Trinity, Florida

Comments = I like a chance to recall old friends and old times that bring back happy memories. You have given us this opportunity. And it’s fun !!

 

What is your married name? = Becky

Email: bsavanigilbert@comcast.net

Maiden name? = Fox

Years in Duquesne = 1968-1973

Where do you live now? = Woolrich, PA

Comments = Just happened upon the Kennywood blog from McKeesport memory page…what fun…thanks for brightening my day(evening) I moved to Duquesne my junior year in high school and graduated in ‘71. Great looking back.

 

What is your name? = Bob Chermonitz | cherm08@yahoo.com

Years in Duquesne = Duquesne Place 1954-1974

Where do you live now? = South Park, Pa.

Comments = Holy Name ‘65 and DHS ‘69. The more I read, the more things I remember. Hindsight is always 20/20 but, all things considered, DUQUESNE was a great place to grow up. Keep this site rolling, Jim

 

What is your name? = Bill Kountz

Years in Duquesne = 1940 to 1958

Where do you live now? = Milwaukee Wi

Comments = Great documentary about Duquesne

 

What’s your name? = Justin Gibb

Email = jgibb77@comcast.net

Mother’s maiden name = Luptak (mother’s)

Years in Duquesne = 1977-1993

Where do you live now? = Bethel Park, PA

Comments = My uncle sent me a link to your blog, and wow, so many memories! I lived on Wool Street (above Burns Heights), went to St. Joes, then Serra Catholic. I still miss going to St. Joe’s summer fair, hitting Newmyer’s Hobby shop, running over to the Hills next to Kennywood, and so many other things. Keep up the good work!

 

What is your name? = Tony Chepanoske

Email = tony.chep@comcast.net

Years in Duquesne = 1945-present

Comments = I just heard about this in church.

 

What is your married name? = Linda Flister

Email =Lflister@aol.com

Years in Duquesne = 1949 – 1970

Where do you live now? = St. Augustine, Florida

Comments = I can’t believe how many people that I know have responded. This is great fun! I’d love to see more pictures. The memories are wonderful. During high school my friends and I hung out on the corner of Seventh Street and Kennedy Avenue. We were often chased away by the police, but had a great time just being together.

 

What is your married name? = Jean Thomas

Email = jeanmarie55@ yahoo.com

Maiden name = Kosko

Where do you live now? = West Mifflin

Comments = A friend told me about it and I wanted to see it myself. Fr. Dennis mentioned on Sunday during his sermon! I worked in Duquesne on 708 W Grant Ave at Dolly Allen Beauty Shop. My Mom Anna Denne Kosko was born and raised there and talked so much about it!

 

What is your name? = George Kacey

Email = gfkc@rock.com

Years in Duquesne = Went to Duquesne H. S.–graduated 1960

Where do you live now? = Levittown, PA

Comments = Never lived in Duquesne, but graduated from Duquesne High School, class of 1960.

 

An Email=

Fri, 10 Jun 2011

Subject: Another old Duquesne Resident

I recently discovered your web site. I lived in Burns Heights from 1950 to 1960 and attended Crawford Elementary where Mrs. McGowan was Principal for 3 to 6 grade. We then moved to West Mifflin above Polish Hill. I attended Edison Junior High in West Mifflin then Duquesne Senior High where I graduated in 1959. I married Roberta Neslanik who had lived on Aurilles Street all her life. We got married at Saint Hedwig’s RC Church in 1964 and escaped to the state of Washington where we still live.

It is heart breaking to visit Duquesne and see the deterioration in the city. Luckily we still have many memories of the way things were.

Keep up the good work.

Fred May

 

Does anyone know the answer?

Hello,

I was wondering if you could give me some information? I was searching online and found your website. I sell on Ebay and I picked up this ashtray and I like to write a small history regarding my items when I list them. The ashtray says Rogan Hauling Company – Steel Mill Hauling specialist – Michael Rogan, Pres. Duquesne Blvd.

Do you know anything about this company and whether is still exists, etc.

Thanks for your time.

Jennifer – JeniferC77@aol.com

CONGRATULATIONS TO DUQUESNE HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF ’51!

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE ENTIRE FRONT PAGE AND THE DUQUESNE HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1951! CELEBRATING THEIR 60TH ANNIVERSARY! CONGRATULATIONS

Posted in Feedback From Our Friends | 12 Comments

The End of an Era

Posted on June 18, 2011 by Jim

A few days ago, I received the sad news my Uncle Lou (Goldman) had passed away. That brings to a close, a rather large chapter in my life and the end of an era. Uncle Lou died just 13 days after his 90th birthday. Affectionately known as “Goldie” among his Duquesne buddies, he was a native son of our hometown.

Uncle Lou was my last living relative from my parent’s generation. A family of 9 children from 307 Hamilton Ave. in Duquesne had blossomed into 17 aunts and uncles by the time I was born. That era has now ended with Uncle Lou’s death.

His obituary was published in the Pittsburgh Tribune Review and read:

”Louis A. Goldman, 90, of West Mifflin, died Thursday, June 16, 2011. He was born June 3, 1921, in Duquesne, and was the son of the late Louis and Paulina (Gasparik) Goldman. He was the husband of the late Mary M. (Puskaric) Goldman, who died Dec. 4, 2000. He was a member of Christ the Light of the World Catholic Church, Duquesne, and was a retired ingot shipper for the former US Steel Duquesne Works. Louis was a sergeant in the Army and served in World War II. He is survived by a son, Louis M. Goldman, of West Mifflin; daughters, Paula Smith and Karla Goldman, of Vienna, Va.; grandchildren, Kelly and Jodi Goldman; and nieces and nephews. Private graveside service took place Saturday, June 18, 2011, in Holy Name Cemetery, West Mifflin. The Rev. Dennis Colamarino officiated. Arrangements are by the GILBERT FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATORY INC., 6028 Smithfield St., Boston, Elizabeth Township”

A few pieces of information about Uncle Lou that were not included in his obituary are:

• Uncle Lou graduated from Duquesne High School in 1938

Preceded in death by sisters –

Irene Carroll (died at age 90)

Valeria Andrews (died at age 94)

Margaret Lovas (died at age 91)

(Uncle Lou, along with his three sisters all lived past their 90th birthday!)

• Married the former Mary Martha Puskaric (DHS Class of 1940) on October 19, 1942

• His parents were both born in Austro-Hungarian Empire an immigrated to America. As noted in his obituary, his mother’s maiden name was Gasparik and was born in 1881. His father was born as Ludwig Aloysius Goltmann in 1878 in Vienna Austria-Hungary. Upon immigration to the United States, his name was changed to Louis Goldman. (According to my Aunt Mary, Uncle Lou’s wife, his name was changed by his own hands due to the strong resentment American’s had to those bearing obvious German names.)

Obituaries only provide a short biography of the person who has died. They normally close the book on a person’s life, and their legacy becomes one of fading memories among family members and friends. An obituary however does not define lives, but only recaps them. For that reason, I think it’s important to try to note your recollections rather than just discuss them while trying to make small talk at a memorial service or at a funeral repast.

There are so many words that come to mind when I think of Uncle Lou. Crusty, surly, brusque, grumpy and bad-tempered could be used to describe his exterior persona. However, it truly was all an act, for underneath all of the growls and “humpfs” was a very gentle and caring man. He actually loved being grumpy just for the fun of it. If you would confront him about it, he’d just laugh. He used to look at my brother Steve and I each year at Easter time and tell us he had shot the Easter Bunny to have for dinner AND of course used to chuckle as he told us Santa Clause died during the depression. He used to tease mercilessly and I never knew if he was serious or not, that is until I realized that he just liked to shock people.

I think that Uncle Lou might have had OCD. That of course is my uneducated guess. We used to tease HIM about his neatness compulsions. He might have been a closeted OCDer since there were only tale-tale signs. For instance, Uncle Lou used to keep some shelves he had in the basement neatly stocked with enough canned and packaged food to survive dozens of nuclear wars! His shelves were better organized than any grocery store, and each item was perfectly aligned with labels forward on every can. New stock would go to the back of the row and he would be sure the older items would be the first to be used.

As particular as he was about the pantry shelves, triple that concern when it came to one of his personal passions, being an entrepreneur. Uncle Lou tapped into the coffee drinkers market long before it came into vogue. In retrospect, he was like Duquesne’s own Hunky Starbucks! You see, Uncle Lou set up a coffee business in the area he worked in the mill. He would brew and sell coffee to his co-workers during whichever shift he happened to be working. No matter the season, no matter the shift, he had his business set-up and running each day that he worked. The foreman and supervision never minded the fact that he spent so much time tending to the coffee since they enjoyed it themselves. His basement pantry, as a result of the business, would be continually stocked with boxes of cups and lids, rows and rows of Maxwell House coffee in the 3 lb. cans, coffee creamer and sugar. He’d tote his supplies into the mill each day and open for business as soon as his shift began. As his obituary states, he worked as an ingot shipper, so there may even be some of you out there that remember Goldie’s coffee business.

Since he loved to grocery shop so much, he became an expert at strategizing his approach to finding bargains. In meticulous detail, every shopping trip was outlined, with coupons attached and expectations clearly defined. We all came to learn NEVER to tell him that you enjoyed eating a particular item. If you slipped and mentioned you enjoyed a particular type of lunchmeat, you would have and endless supply to consume, only to be stopped by mentioning a new item that you enjoyed.

I would like to share one last Uncle Louism… if I live to be 90 (won’t happen since I’m not a Goldman), I will never again meet a person so adept at preserving the life of a canvas awing! Just live a surgeon performing a difficult operation, Uncle Lou would remove and store the canvas awnings that adorned each window with meticulous care. Every fold, every crease, every pipe, every rope would be exactly the same from year to year. I am sure that he personally set the canvas industry back financially with his ability to make them last as long as they did.

Truly, Lou Goldman was as typical of a Duquesne steel worker as they come. No frills, just a man who clearly understood his responsibilities, loved his family and lived the American dream. Nothing pretentious, but a man who believed in God, country and American made goods! He loved his boilermakers, western movies, the Three Stooges, bowling, golfing and playing cards. He was a good man, and I know I will miss knowing that he was still keeping the legacy alive. God bless you Uncle Lou!

Posted in Miscellaneous, My Hunky Family | 18 Comments

Sun, Sand, Surf, Songs and Kennywood!

Posted on June 15, 2011 by Jim

 One of the advantages of growing up in Duquesne was that we had the ability to attend virtually every show that was booked at Kennywood. From watching poor Bruno Zacchini being shot out of his cannon time and time again at the Lagoon Stage, to coming face-to-face with The Three Stooges! Between the Bandshell, the StarView Plaza, the Music Plaza, the Lagoon Stage and the Island that sat in the middle of the SunLite Swimming Pool, we all had the chance to see some awesome performers for free!

As I did some research, I found that Kennywood hosted quite an array of recording, television and even movie stars over the years. I was able to pull some Kennywood ads and articles that appeared in The Duquesne Times in the late 1950’s. I was amazed at some of the artists that appeared at the park and whose shows were ours for the taking. It seems that Kennywood might have been a great place for some of these performers to hone their skills in the early part of their career. Bobby Rydell, Frankie Avalon and Conway Twitty were just a few examples of artists who performed at the park. I am including either their ad or their articles in this posting for your enjoyment. You will also see that The Three Stooges, who at the time were bona fided Hollywood movie stars appeared regularly at Kennywood along with Guy Williams who played Zorro in the popular television series. (As an FYI, Guy Williams went on to star in the show “Lost in Space,” playing Professor Robinson, the father of Will, Penny and Judy Robinson and husband of Maureen Robinson, played by June Lockhart.)

I was bit too young to be able to see any of the performances or appearance in the 50’s. I do remember some of the stars that performed in the early to mid 1960’s however. I was able to see Leslie Gore of “It’s My Party” fame and Little Peggy March whose hit “I Will Follow Him” led the charts. While swimming at the pool one Saturday, I remember a small boat was launched into the pool carrying a trio of girls. The boat made its way to the platform that stood in the middle of the pool where the girls disembarked. I thought it was so cool to see The Ronettes, of “Be My Baby” fame take to a stage in the middle of a swimming pool! It was like a scene from a Beach Party movie with Annette and Frankie. Not only were there swimmers in the pool enjoying the music, but there was also the sunbathers outside of the pool doing the “Jerk” or “Boogaloo!”

The most memorable thing about the pool was its size. It was absolutely MASSIVE by any standard. When it first opened in May of 1925, it was declared to be the largest and finest facility in the country! Although you’ll be able to read the articles yourself, here’s some trivia that I found interesting:

1. The pool itself measured 357 feet long by 180 feet wide or a total of 64,260 square feet. As a comparison, a regulation sized Olympic swimming pool measures 13,448 square feet and a regulation NFL football field is 57,600 square feet! If you include the surrounding sand covered beach, the overall pool area without the surrounding pavilion was 450 feet long by 250 feet wide!

2. The minimum capacity was 3,500 people with the ability to hold up to 1,000 more.

3. The pool opened with 3,500 bathing suits in stock that the swimmers wore.  The suits were washed and completely sanitized after each use.

4. It took 650,000 gallons of Duquesne water to fill the pool

5. The two level pavilion that surrounded the pool measured 500 feet in length by 30 feet in width!

6. Although never confirmed, in 1953, Kennywood closed its swimming pool for fear that they would have to “integrate.” Park management made excuses about the filtration system leaking, yet the pool was temporarily used for a “boat ride” feature. The pool eventually reopened to black and white swimmers in 1955.

7. In 1925, did you know we were referred to as “Duquesnites?”

All trivia, fact, figures aside, our pool was PHENOMINAL!! We had the most sensational venue to have a great time! I can still recall the familiar smell of Coppertone suntan lotion that emanated from every part of the pools shore. Everyone seemed to be turned into KQV on their transistors and we all were singing along to whatever Top 40 song came along. We all took advantage of the wonderful gift that we had and were all so saddened when the pool ultimately closed in 1973. Our Sunlite swimming pool sprang an unpluggable leak in 1973. It seems the foundation was riddled with weak spots, evidence of the arrogance of the builders who dared to pour concrete on a hillside honeycombed with abandoned coal-mine tunnels when the pool was first built in 1925.

When you think about the opportunities we had in front of us as children and as teenagers, we surely were blessed. Calculated in early May this year, the concert ticket average price is $31.57. Admission to Kennywood’s sister Waterpark Sandcastles runs $32.00 per day. Granted, the attractions offered at Sandcastle are enormously sophisticated compared to our pool, but the level of fun and excitement generated are probably on par. Bottom line, we had a GREAT time on a shoestring budget and were afforded every opportunity to enjoy it by our mom and dad!

THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE APPEARED IN THE MAY 15, 1925 ISSUE OF         

 THE DUQUESNE TIMES

Posted in Kennywood, Summertime | 23 Comments

To Dad

Posted on June 12, 2011 by Jim

On Sunday June 19th, Father’s Day will be celebrated once again. Personally, I love this special day. Being the father of two wonderful daughters, I look
forward to being with them for the day. What I most look forward to is being
able to milk the day for all its worth. C’mon, you know what I’m talking about! It’s not much different from you birthday. Feeling no remorse as you ask “the fruit of your loins” to bring you the remote, or a beer, or to make you a sandwich… does it get better than that? Knowing that all you have to do when they resist, is to look at them with that sad puppy dog look they used to give you. Ahhhh… Good Times!

Of course, Father’s Day exists as a celebration honoring fathers and celebrating fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society according to Wikipedia. Simply said, it’s the day that we all should be remembering our dads and the important part they played in our lives.

My father, Steve Volk, was an outstanding dad. When my mother died in 1965 when I was 12, my father became a “single-father” to my older brother and I before the concept of “single-fatherhood” even was recognized. To Dad, he was just doing what he was supposed to do, raise his boys. He had just turn 50 years old when Mom died, so he very easily could have split his focus between work, his boys, and perhaps even finding some else to share his life with. However, that wasn’t even a consideration for Dad. My brother and I were his world. We were all that mattered to him. He didn’t earn much income, in fact, he was usually that nice guy who finished last in business. However, he was an EXTRODINARY hero to both of us. He never remarried
or even dated after my mother died. The idea of having another woman besides my mother in his life was inconceivable. Their love was that strong.

My dad developed “mad cooking skills” after my mom died. His ability to whip up a meal and have it taste fantastic became second nature to him. He was always there to dole out advice whenever Steve and I approached him
with a problem. He was a far from a saint when it came to his visits to his
favorite haunts like the GBU on Grant Ave. and the Croatian Club on Grant
Avenue Extension. He would occasionally come home a bit “tipsy” from a few too many shots and beers with his “buddies.” I used to think we were the only family in Duquesne that had an issue such as this, but after speaking to many of my friends, it was not that uncommon of a situation for the area.

With all of that said, I would like to remind everyone to remember their dad on Father’s Day in some special way. If you are fortunate enough to still have you dad around, visit him, call him, share the day with him. If you are like a lot of us and have lost your dad, find a special way to remember him and honor him on Father’s Day. If you can visit his gravesite, do it. If you can light a candle at church and say a special prayer, do it.
Whatever you do, just don’t forget to remember.

Now, enjoy the special video I’ve pulled together to honor. Just click on the show below. And to all of the dads reading this, “Happy Father’s Day in advance!

Posted in Holidays - Non-Christmas and New Years, Parents | 3 Comments