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Sunday, January 31, 2016

Flood Mud



Flood Mud that just never seemed to go away. What you can't tell from this picture - is how bad this stuff actually smelled... 
 

City Code - 1873


 Borough of Johnstown - Codified Ordinance - 1873: If any person shall indecently expose his person, or publicly bathe, wash, or swim, when naked in either of the rivers within the limits of the borough between sunrise and half past eight o'clock, P.M., every person so offending shall pay a fine of not less than five dollars.

March 23, 1945: War Prisoners Leave Johnstown - Berkley Hills


January 31, 1945: Russians Are 55 Miles from Berlin As Yanks Edge Toward the Rhine


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The Johnstown Tribune - January 31, 1945
To read larger - CLICK HERE.

Saturday, January 30, 2016

More Penelec


January 30, 1945: Reds Within 85 Miles of Berlin; Western Allies Invading the Reich



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The Johnstown Tribune - January 30, 1945
To read larger - CLICK HERE.
Pvt. John Babal
Charles Babal
Steve Babal
Edward Moskal
William Moskal
Pvt. Leroy Elkin - MIA
I.C. Elkin

Friday, January 29, 2016

G.L.Ruff's Jewelry Store - Clinton Street



G.L. Ruff's Jewelry Store - Clinton Street - Downtown Johnstown - he was also an Optician.

Main from Above


Main Street towards Central Park - you can just barely see the Gap in the far off distance.

Old Penn Traffic


This is a look at the old Penn Traffic Store - before the 1905 Fire.

January 29, 1945: Russians Surround Schneidemuhl. Cut Berlin Railway 135 Miles Northeast


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The Johnstown Tribune - January 29, 1945
To read larger - CLICK HERE.
Kuhlman - Odell
Mrs. Margie Coleman Harris
Cpl. Richard Walters
Hollsopple Fire Company
Pfc. Lester McDaniel
Knavel - Thomas
Mrs. Mary Glessner
Nine O'Clock Club
28 Men in District Win Elevations in Service Ranks
Lewis Amps
Staff Sgt. C. Glenn Amps
Leo Kimball
William Hayduk
Robert Nies
David Allen
Pete Marinkovich
William Ezo
Melvin Cook
Earl Hess
Alphonse Pavlik
Merle Ickes
Eugene Sheehan
Arthur Contanzo
Donald Bowser
Andrew LaPorte
Pfc. John Beck
Robert Kopitnik
Cpl. Fred Culkar
Anthony Jackopin
Karl Schmalz
Robert Miller
Frank Verhovsek
Charles Wagner
Joseph Spisak
Robert Keim
Joseph Reposky
Joseph Paruch
Frank Suckovich
Birth Notes:
 Mr. & Mrs. Lee Coughenour - son
Mr. & Mrs. Aloysius Gray - daughter
Mr. & Mrs. Joseph LaMantia - daughter
Mr. & Mrs. Walter Nesmith - daughter
Mr. & Mrs. Clement Bumbernick - daughter
Mr. & Mrs. Marvin Meredith - son
Mr. & Mrs. Earl Oakman - son
Mr. & Mrs. Cecil Brock - daughter
Mr. & Mrs. Charles Hannur - son
Pvt. & Mrs. Theodore Stepien - son
Mr. & Mrs. Paul Zimmer - son
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Gavura - daughter
Mr. & Mrs. Paul Rolley - son
Mr. & Mrs. Lee James - son
Mr. & Mrs. James Cononie - daughter
Staff Sgt. Joseph Kleinman - daughter
Mr. & Mrs. Richard Wright - daughter
Petty Officer and Mrs. Martin Vavrek - daughter
Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Blasko - daughter
Mr. & Mrs. Paul Vaccarini - son

Thursday, January 28, 2016

Little Red Riding Hood


Very nice example of an old Sanitary Dairy baby bottle that shows Little Red Riding Hood.

Allegheny Airlines



Allegheny Airlines 
 

Humming Garment Industry


 
One operation of the busy garment industry in Johnstown is shown above. These girls, at the Johnstown plant of Bestform Foundations, are engaged in stitching corsets and brassieres manufactured by the firm. Occupied at the first four machines are these girls who can be easily identified in the picture: Florence Dobrowolsky, Evelyn Peles, Ruth Ramos and Lois Durica. Other Johnstown garment firms turn out dresses and pajamas. (This was the plant in town - not the later one on Broad Street.)

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Kickenapawling



Officials and Members of the Kickenapawling Tribe, No. 60, I.O.R.M. - Johnstown, Pa.


Conemaugh Lumber


Conemaugh Lumber, 163 F Street, Johnstown, Pennsylvania

January 27, 1945: Russian Armies Racing for Berlin; Allies in West at German Border


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The Johnstown Tribune - January 27, 1945
To read larger - CLICK HERE.





Trolley Time



Trolley Bridge in Ferndale

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Cambria Ice Company


The old Cambria Ice Company Building - Cambria City

Campbell Statue


 
Campbell Statue - Central Park - 1970's

Westmont Race Track



At the turn of the 20th Century - Johnstown's leading outdoor recreation center was the old Westmont grounds, comprising football and baseball fields and a harness racing track. 
This rare look at the track shows the home stretch. The small building in the center is the judges' stand. Directly opposite is the grandstand and in the back is the old bandstand.


The 28 acre property was bordered by what is now Tioga Street, Wayne Street and Dartmouth Avenue. Westmont Presbyterian Church stands on what was the approximate center of the track.


The Johnstown Driving Park Assocation was organized in 1893 to construct the half-mile oval on the Westmont property. 


Work on the track began in June 1893. As construction continued, the driving association considered the idea of putting the road that led from Whiskey Springs (Franklin Street) to Westmont in first-class condition. A newspaper item at the time said "the road has an easy grade and it is estimated that it can be made an excellent driveway with an outlay of about $1,000 ($ 24,645 in today's dollars).
Another and much shorter route to the park, although with a very steep grade, will be put through the lands of A.J. Haws and the Cambria Iron Company. These roads, together with the Incline will afford ample ways by which the grounds may be reached." Now you know where the name "Easy Grade" comes from and when Millcreek Road was put in. 


Less than two weeks after the awarding of the contract, the association ran into some mild opposition. The Roxbury Driving Park Association asked the Westmont group to reconsider their purchase and join them in the Roxbury (Luna Park) deal. 


The proposal was flatly rejected and work continued on schedule on the hilltop land. The half-mile track was 60 feet wide and completely enclosed by a wooden railing. The grandstand had seating for 2,500 - it also contained a large dining room for the general public. 
Fifty stables housed the horses. In front of each stable was a fire hydrant.


Johnstown at that time had more than 100 racing horses, some of the prominent owners being A.J. Haws, M.B. Young, Samuel Lenhart, Joseph Love, Dan Olmstead, C.J. Burggraf, J.C. Pender and Eugene Zimmerman.
The official opening of the track began with a three day meet September 20,21 and 22, 1893. 

Also on the opening bill - chariot races, hurdle races and people parachuting out of hot air balloons. Admission was 50 cents ($12.32).


Four days before the official opening of the park - over 1,500 people gathered at the park for a series of bicycle races sponsored by the Johnstown Cycle Club. The German Band provided music between races.


Johnstown High School played some of its earliest football games on the Westmont field even before the park was constructed. In November, 1900, the Trojans played Altoona there and scored a 12-5 victory. They also defeated Derry 17-0 there on October 12, 1901 and the team continued to play occasional contests on the hilltop field until October of 1904, when it transferred its games to field area of The Point.


When the field was used for football, the competing teams usually were taken by wagon up the Incline. Pedestrians used a patch which led up the hillside from behind old Johnstown High - now the site of the current MRI building - since it was a much shorter route than using the "Big Road" - Millcreek Road. 

Surrounding much of the park was the Johnstown Country Club golf course, forerunner to Sunnehanna. In later years the course was disbanded and another course was built at Sunnehanna. 


Much of the city's baseball was played at the Westmont Park. The Johnstown Athletics were in prominence at that time. 

The life of the park was short-lived though, as the Cambria Iron Company, owner of the property started selling it as lots in 1907.

January 26, 1945: Russians Cut East Prussia Off From Germany; Tanks at Brandenburg Border


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The Johnstown Tribune - January 26, 1945
To read larger - CLICK HERE.


Monday, January 25, 2016

Got Gas



Benscreek Service Station - Old Somerset Pike 

German Day - 1907



German Day - 1907 at Island Park (where St. Andrews is in Benscreek)

Western Pennsylvania Kings - 1897


 
Western Pennsylvania championship baseball honors in 1897 were won by this Johnstown Athletic squad. Team members were (front row, left to right): Logan Keller, Red Wesner and Bill Shibley.
Second Row - Harry Mainhart, Ed Bailey, J. Leonard Replogle, Tug McCreight and Ike Haws.
Third Row - Winston Davis, George Walker Williams, Frank Keller, mascot; Ernie Kinkead, Hunchy Tommins and John Goff.

Sunday, January 24, 2016

Barnard Store


The H. Barnard Jr. Store - Downtown Johnstown

Stonycreek & Napoleon


 
Young American Drum Corps - Johnstown, Pa

Coal Cleaning Plant



Coal Cleaning Plant - Cambria County 

January 24, 1945: Russians Cross Oder as Germans Rush from 'West' to 'East' Front


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The Johnstown Tribune - January 24, 1944
To read larger - CLICK HERE.
Hayes - Smith
Staff Sgt. William Glass
Pfc. George Hahn
Sgt. George Dembowski
Wedding Bells
Lichtenfels - Shetler
Saylor - Schmucker
Heben - Horvay
Hines - George

Saturday, January 23, 2016

Penelec Opening


January 23, 1945: Russians 137 Miles From Berlin; German Retreat in West Is Rout


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The Johnstown Tribune - January 23, 1945
To read larger - CLICK HERE.
Cay Artley Dress
Pfc. Leona Hall
Pfc. Rudolph Springer
Cpl. Charles Hadden
Pfc. Blair Little
Tech. Sgt. Wilbur Beatty
Pfc. James Fasoll
Robert Sigg
Pvt. Edward Gelormino
Henry Smith Jr.
Sgt. George Hay
Thomas Horner Sr.
Wedding Bells
Joyce - Boryk
Smith - Spangler
Kotwas - Crist
Keller - Dillion

Friday, January 22, 2016

Glessner's Furniture - about 1971



An old newspaper clipping of the old Hub Building from the Main Street side. Glessner's was torn down to make way for the new Senior Center.

Cochran Football - 1927



Cochran Football - 1920's