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Thursday, February 28, 2013

Woodvale

 
Nice shot of Woodvale overlooking Swank's Refractory

Photo Engraving Done Here - 1953

 
Photo engraving - the process of reproducing pictures for printing - is another side in Johnstown's busy industrial field. The Conemaugh Engraving Company here operates one of the largest and most modern plants in the state. The above picture shows one of the first steps in the photo engraving process. The photo to be reproduced as a metal cut is recopied by this big camera to give it a screen (raised dots) for printing purposes. Adjusting the lens of the photo processing camera is Joseph Oravec, an employe of Ceco. This camera can make the reproduction three times as large as the original photo or reduce it to one-sixth of its size.

Walnut Street Bridge


Walnut Street Bridge - Downtown Johnstown

Trolley Time


Trolley Time

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Freedom Gas Station

 
Freedom Gas Station - Downtown Johnstown - Walnut and Main - current site of FNB.

Memorial to Founder of Johnstown

 
This replica of Joseph Johns' log cabin home was moved to Suppes Park, Central Avenue, yesterday as a permanent memorial to the founder of Johnstown. It was donated to the city by Mrs. Marion (Dibert) Suppes, of 90 Valley Pike, widow of the late George Suppes. Mr. Suppes built it in 1900 as an exhibit for the city's 100th anniversary celebration. A plaque explaining its origin and its role in the centennial event will be placed on the cabin, according to Councilman P.J. Culliton, city parks director. The city will maintain the shrine, Mr. Culliton added. City workers moved the two-room cabin to the park yesterday on the eve of the date on which Joseph Johns laid out the original town site here 150 years ago. The cabin was used for many years as a children's playhouse.

Conemaugh

A reader sent in this shot of Conemaugh

Indian Sales and Service

Indian Sales and Service - World's Finest Motorcycles - 57 - 59 Iron Street

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Johnstown Borough - Codified Ordinance - 1855

 To regulate and prohibit the exhibition of plays, shows, montebanks, jugglers, and other exhibitions within the same.
A montebank was a person who sold patent medicine - a medicine man.

St. Francis Church - Morrellville


Construction of St. Francis Church - Morrellville - located where the old Morrell School was.

YMCA - Downtown Johnstown


The old YMCA Building in downtown Johnstown.

Turnverein - First Turner's Hall

Turner's was started by some German immigrants who wanted a club of their own - that basically combined drinking and gymnastics and also in the early days....bowling.

Monday, February 25, 2013

Republic Oil Company

 
Republic Oil Company - Unknown Johnstown Location

Gerheim's Subway Shop - 1953

 
Gerheim's Subway Shop - 233 Franklin Street - Entrance Through Walk-Over Boot Shop

Trolley Time

The street car making it's way along Broad Street near the present day Giant Eagle in Morrellville.

Ferguson Packing Company - Cambria City

This should look familiar to all of you. This is Cambria City at its best. The old Ferguson Meat Packing building that later became Morris Paper Company and is now the immigrant museum. As you can see alot of it is still standing. All I can say is look how well kept - the whole area around the railroad tracks is - it doesn't look like that now because of all the Japanese Knotwood. For extra credit - Blackie Trotz and his family lived in the house where the people are standing in front in the 1950's.


Sunday, February 24, 2013

Capital Hotel


The Cambria Club House was erected at the intersection of Main and Walnut Streets by the old Cambria Iron Company for the use by its high ranking officials. It was the scene of many fine events: banquets, dances and meetings. The clubhouse was in existence as far back as 1881. The outgrowth of this building is what was known as the Capital Hotel.


 Col. Jacob Higgins of the 22nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry came to Johnstown in 1881 to take charge of the Cambria Club House as its manager for the Cambria Iron Company. 
Col. Higgins had an outstanding Civil War record and had also served in the Mexican War. A native of Blair County, he was in the hotel business in Hollidaysburg and Henrietta before coming to Johnstown.

In 1891, Jacob Higgins bought the clubhouse and continued as the manager. He later sold the Cambria Club House to P.L. Carpenter who took charge December 2, 1892 and renamed it the Capital Hotel.

During the first year, the hotel averaged only one guest per day. By 1900, the average was 100 guests daily. The hotel was developed into 100 rooms during Carpenter's ownership. Added were 12 private rooms and baths for female employees.


During one of his visits to Johnstown, Gov. Hastings was forced to sleep in the hotel parlor because of the crowded conditions. Billy Sunday, the noted evangelist was another well-known guest at the hotel. 

Saturday, February 23, 2013

The Breakfast Club - 1953

 
Join Glosser's Breakfast Club - 1953

The Hairline Beauty Salon - 1975

The Hairline Beauty Salon - 340 Washington Street - 1975

Leitenberger Offenhauser Special - 1953

This sleek racing creation, the locally-owned Leitenberger Offenhauser Special, is a candidate for the annual 500-mile race at Indianapolis Memorial Day. It will be the third straight year that a car has been entered by the Leitenberger Machine Company of Hornerstown. George Fonder, who piloted the local car last year, sits behind the wheel of the rebuilt machine. He again has been named as driver. Standing behind the speed wagon are (left to right) Harry Kinsey of Johnstown and Charles Alfater of Cleveland, mechanics in charge if the car, and George and Francis Leitenberger, car owners, who had a big hand in the rebuilding job.

Gulf Station


A reader sent in this picture of the old Gulf Gas Station at the end of Ferndale Avenue - right across from St. Andrews Church.

Friday, February 22, 2013

JHS - '36 Flood

 
JHS - '36 Flood

John Raab & Sons' - Washington Street


John Raab & Sons' - Wholesale Liquor Store - Washington Street

Started Police Pension Fund in 1913


The Johnstown police pension fund was started in 1913 when members of the force organized a baseball team and played games for the benefit of the new fund. The Johnstown-Altoona police series aroused high public interest and in two years the baseball team has raised a total of $17,000 ($388,000 now) for the pension fund. Appearing in the above picture of the 1913 police team are: (Left to right) First Row - James Adams, outfielder; Clyde Adams, second base; John Thomas, outfielder.
Second Row - Otto Fink, second base; Herman Hoffman, pitcher; Percy Benson, outfielder; Harry Owens, outfielder and Carol Steuer, shortstop.
Back Row - John Buechley, manager; James (Buckeye) Reynolds, first base; George Patterson, third base' John Volk, first base and George Bush, catcher.

City Solon Old Fighter

 Eddie McCloskey was not thinking much about politics back in 1910 when he was one of Johnstown's prominent ring artists. Eddie was fairly successful with his mitts but gave up the ring game long ago to enter the dry-cleaning business. Eddie was recently (1953) elected to a second term in City Council.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Washington Street Bridge


Washington Street Bridge 
 

Rambler - 1906

 
Rambler - $800 to $3,000 (in today's money $20,000 to $75,000) - Johnstown Automobile Company - Bedford Street - Also agents for Pope-Waverly Electric Cars.
Note: I have brought this up before - they could have electric cars in 1908 and still in 2013 it's a big deal - why - you would think that in a little over 100 years they'd have done a bit of a better job than they are doing... 

H. Barnard Store

The H. Barnard Jr. Store - Downtown Johnstown

Johnstown Savings Bank - Main Street

Nice vintage shot of downtown Johnstown in the 1960's.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Codified Ordinance - Burials - 1855

 Johnstown Borough - Codified Ordinance - 1855: To prohibit within the borough the burial or interment of deceased persons, or within such partial limits within the same as they may from time to time prescribe, and to regulate the depth of graves.

Unknown Mine


Cambria County Coal Mine 
 

Pavlick's Bar and Grill


George Pavlick's Bar and Grill - 315 Main Street and South Side Restaurant - 407 Franklin Street

J.C. Penney, Royal Hotel and Baum's Outlet Store

J.C. Penney, Royal Hotel and Baum's Outlet Store - Main Street - Downtown Johnstown

5 & 10 Store

Downtown Johnstown - 5 & 10 all in a row. Woolworth's, McCrory's and Kresge's. Add to the mix is Berg's - which was not 5 & 10. Nice look at 1940's Main Street.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

James Jewelers


James Jewelers - 1977 Flood 
 

Number 5 & 6 Blast Furnace

Number 5 and 6 Blast Furnace - Cambria Steel

Gautier

 
Gautier

City Has 2 Women Doctors - 1950

 
Only two women are practicing medicine in Johnstown. Dr. Verna Turner (pictured above at her office), has been a general practitioner here for the past 12 years. The other woman physician, Dr. Barbara Horner, is a member of the medical staff of Johnstown Veterans Administration office. She was married recently to George Pavuk of Pittsburgh and is now on her honeymoon. Dr. Turner is the wife of Howard Williams. 

Monday, February 18, 2013

Safety Patrol Winner - 1950

 
First Prize for the best float in Johnstown's Safety Parade - May 1950 - goes to these kids from St. Stephen's Church. Sorry, wish there were some names to go with the picture.

Goenner Beer

 
"It's the good Johnstown water that makes Goenner's beers taste so good!"

Vine Street - about 1912

More from the "Souvenir's of Johnstown' - this is Vine Street - 1912

Codified Ordinance - 1855


Johnstown Borough - Codified Ordinance - 1855: To make such regulations relative to the accumulations of manure, compost, and the like in barns, stable-yards, and other places, and to prohibit the keeping of hogs within the borough, or within such limits within the same as they may prescribe.

Trolley Time

Trolley Time

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Mrs. America - Moxham Girl - 1950



Asbury Park, N.J., September 10 (UP)--Honey-haired Mrs. Betty Eileen McAllister of Johnstown, Pa., whose husband said, "She's hardly been out of the house since we got married" today won the 1950 Mrs. America contest and a grabbag of prizes that will include a nationwide tour.
The 25-year-old housewife said she had never before entered a beauty contest and added that her husband had "pushed me into this one....and makes me feel like the day I got married".

The curvesome mother of a 5-year-old girl and a 3-year-old boy defeated runnersup Mrs. Irma Hamilton on Florida and Mrs. June Byers of Ohio, along with 28 other finalists for the title of America's most delectable ball and chain.

Measurements which won for Mrs. McAllister were: 34  24 35. She is five feet, three inches tall and weighs 113 pounds. Her other major qualification as mentioned by her husband is "the inability to pick a quarrel."

Beyond her bathing suit charms, Mrs. McAllister impressed the judges by finishing first in a preliminary cooking contest and taking second place in a crocheting event.
To demonstrate her housewife skills, Mrs. America broiled some meat along with other finalists at Convention Hall, as some 8,000 looked on. The judges smacked their lips and gave her the cooking trophy.

Along with the title for Mrs. America 1950-51, the winner will get a number of prizes for herself and her home. She also will go on a tour of eastern cities and appear at several state fairs. She will succeed Mrs. Frances Cloyd of California.

Mrs. America - Mrs. Betty McAllister talks with Mayor Walter Rose at a reception at the Ft. Stanwix Hotel as her husband William, son Bill and daughter Marvel Lee look on.

CLICK HERE to view a British Pathe Newsreel of the event.


Harris-Boyer: A Brief History


Harris-Boyer Company began in 1894 as a partnership between Clement Harris and his brother O.C. Harris. The partnership was barely off the ground before it was dissolved the same year. 
The next year, E.H. Boyer began working as an apprentice for Harris at their plant on Boyer Street in Coopersdale. The building was sold in 1898 and the bakery business moved to 519 Franklin Street.
Two years later in 1900, Harris moved back to the West End and started a bakery at 220 Broad Street. He formed a partnership with W.E. Rager in 1891. This partnership was later expanded to include Boyer and the business was incorporated in 1903.


Rager retired from the business in 1904 and sold his interests to the remaining partners - Harris and Boyer. In the meantime - the bakery made its fourth move in 1902 by setting up shop at Fairfield Avenue in Morrellville.
Fire destroyed this first plant on Fairfield Avenue on September 1, 1906. Rebuilding on the same site - additions were made to the bakery in 1913, 1923 and 1927 along with the 1950's.


Back in 1894, Harris-Boyer had only two employees. By 1925 there 102 and by the 1950's, there were close to 300. They had a fleet of 88 trucks and delivered throughout Cambria, Somerset, Indiana, Bedford and Blair Counties along with parts of Westmoreland County.

There were two branch offices - one in Bedford and the other in Roaring Springs.


An average of six freight car loads of flour were used each month. At the peak of their production - one bread baking oven had the capacity of making 2,750 loaves of bread per hour. The pie-making machine was able to put out 5,000 pies an hour.

Kind of makes you hungry for one of their gobs....doesn't it!

Saturday, February 16, 2013

150th


Johnstown - A Good Place To Live - To Work -  To Do Business
 

Ferndale Bread - 1925

Ferndale Bread - Hammer and Waring - Phone 31-53

The Winner is.....


John Emmerling of 299 Leila Street is at the wheel of this 1908 Maxwell which he raced round-trip between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia with a $20,000 prize at stake ($50,000 today). Emmerling (who owned Emmerling Brewery) came out on top.
 

Inco Beverage

The old Inco Beverage

Friday, February 15, 2013