Johnstown Circus

Both of these pictures were taken sometime in the late 1920's in Johnstown by phototog Luke Swank  - a Johnstown native. He really made a name for himself with his set of Bethlehem Steel photo's which I will be posting another time. Many different circus companies came to town. Which means I have no idea where exactly these were taken in the city.

But I do know that they were taken here. And who knows - it could even have been in Morrellville (D Street) or even Cambria City (where Sheetz in now). The young boys from Morrellville used to catch rattlesnakes and sell them to the circus to earn some extra spending cash.

Dunlo School House

They don't make them like this anymore. Nice picture postcard of an old school house in Dunlo. I have no idea if this building is still standing.

Selling 1889 Souvenirs

McKee Market Ad

Trolley Time

It's rare that I have an exact date for a picture - this one was taken May 22, 1959.

Johnstown $10 Dollar Bill

A rare $10 Bill from U.S. Bank.

Unknown Johnstown Church

I know this church was in Johnstown - but when I found this - no name was listed. Looking at the photograph - it seems to me that this is very early turn of the century. And could possibly (a guess at this point) be in Cambria City and possibly maybe be either St. Nicholas (Broad Street) or the first St. Columba (the one that was on Chestnut Street). If anyone out there has a better guess - please let me know.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from my home to yours.
When you are done with all the presents, food and visits. Take a moment to reflect upon your favorite Christmas memory. Write it down and put it away - so that in years to come - once you're gone...a little piece of your holiday will live on for your children and grandchildren to find. Pass your stories down, in this day and age with all our electronic gadgets...sometimes the simple thoughts and memories get passed over.

December 25, 1941

Christmas 1940's

This is just one of the many fine examples of the work my grandfather John Cacicia constructed. And this is still in the family.

Christmas 1940's

No tree was complete unless it had a Lionel Train.

Christmas 1941

This is the CACICIA Christmas Tree - 1941. Just after the United States entered World War II.

Foreign Country Count

I love keeping track of where some of my foreign readers log in from, so far this week:

England
Croatia
Netherlands
Canada
Hong Kong
Russia
Denmark
Slovenia
France
Germany

Besides most states -  including Hawaii now.

Slutzker's - Johnstown

This ad is from the 1920's.

South Fork Website - Class of 1959

Reader Neil R. from South Fork has sent me a link South Fork 1959 to his very interesting website. It's chocked full of great pictures - so take the time and head over to relive a little bit of the past.

Roxbury School for Sale on Ebay

Built in 1908, Roxbury School served the Johnstown School District for decades to come. Another one of the very well built schools that is now for sale for only $149,000:
Roxbury School on Ebay

And in the silliest thing I've read lately - it's listed as "local pickup only"!

Penn Traffic Store Window

This is another Russell Heffley picture. Wish I had more to show you.

Glosser's in the Snow - 1976

I have been struggling for the right words to explain the simple beauty of this picture. The first thing I thought of when I saw this....the smell of roasting peanuts and popcorn. Then bargain bins, the bright, overhead lighting, floors chocked full of everything you could think of, having to put a dime in the restroom door, Johnny Carson suits,  mood rings, sticking your feet in the machine that x rayed them - then having an salesperson actually wait on you, the old Glosser bags, the toy department on the 4th floor and finally when you were all done...waiting for the bus along the side - full of packages and snacks.

If any of you reading this have any more photo's of Glosser's inside or out - please let me know. This shot is courtesy of JAHA.

1889 Flood - Train Depot

Supplies being dropped off to aid the stricken city.

Trolley Time

Wanted Christmas Photo's

If you have any old pictures of your family celebrations pre-1980. Please feel free to send them to me and I will post them for all to see. Write up a little story about how your family celebrated the holidays - from food to gifts. Or even a special christmas that stands out in your memory. It doesn't have to be long - if you think about it - if our ancestors would have had the time to do this stuff (instead of working till they dropped) - imagine the treasure trove of memories we would have now. So take the time to think about this - let others know just how special your own family is and the history that has been handed down to you and yours.

Toyland Sale

Big Toyland Sale

Amelia Earhart Airplane - Westmont Airport - 1929

Thanks to reader Bob C. for today's very interesting pictures. First up, you are looking at the old Westmont Airport landing field that is now part of Sunnehanna. The airfield is circled. The road in the center - Goucher Street\top of D Street. The barn next to the airfield is still there (Sivi TV). The old Stutzman School is also still around. Interesting to see most of Westmont as farmland and what is now part of Stackhouse Park clear cut.

 A nice close up of the landing strip.

And as luck would have on the AP Wire this morning: Lab scans bones that may belong to Amelia Earhart

(AP) –

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Three bone fragments found on a South Pacific island could help prove that famed aviator Amelia Earhart died as a castaway after failing in her quest to circumnavigate the globe.
Researchers told The Associated Press that the University of Oklahoma hopes to extract DNA from bones found by a Delaware group dedicated to the recovery of the historic aircraft. The fragments were recovered earlier this year on an uninhabited island about 1,800 miles south of Hawaii.
Earhart and her navigator were nearing the end of their round-the-world trip 73 years ago when they vanished in the South Pacific.
Researchers say crews found other items near the bone fragments, which could also be from a turtle. The university says it doesn't know when the DNA tests will be completed.

Copyright © 2010 The Associated

Flaming Balls

Nothing says Happy Holidays better than a couple of flaming balls.

Island Park - about 1910

I was the old park near Riverside along the Stonycreek. It had a hotel, ferris wheel along with other rides and games. To have this park along with Luna Park (Roxbury) must have been wonderful in the summertime - both only a trolley ride away. Island Park ended its days before the start World War I.

Mulvehill-Myers Motor Company

It was located in the old brick Dry Cleaner's building right next to Laffey's that now houses a casket business. Wish I ha a picture of it when it was a showroom for cars.

Old Morrellville Ad - 1924

Davis Brake Beam

Their plant is located on the end of Broad Street near the mill gate at Laurel Avenue.

Hot Water Heat made in Johnstown

This is a heating system that I still depend on everyday. Did you know that the radiators for Sears were made right here in Johnstown by National Raditor Company, that later became Crane. My father and aunt both worked for the company before they went out of business in the 1960's.

How on earth they would have shipped these to your home is beyond me. If you have ever tried to move these things - they weight a ton. A couple of weeks ago, it took three of us moving one just a couple of feet and a gang of guys to carry one up to the attic.

Memorial Hospital

Old postcard from the 1950's showing how the hospital.

Trolley Time

This is Trolley # 307 on its route in downtown Johnstown.

Downtown Johnstown - 1929

This is the corner of Franklin and Main. The new Riteaid is what is there now. Another fine picture sent in by reader kenglo.

Old Alcove Ad

And of course the sign

Inside of Trolley Car

This is an interesting look at the inside of an untouched Johnstown trolley car.

Johnstown Looking Towards the Incline Plane

Another kodachrome taken by Charles Cushman.

Onofrio and Lucia (Scardina) Cacicia

These are my great-grandparents Onofrio Cacicia born about 1858 and Lucia Scardina born about 1869. They were born and raised in Trabia, Sicily and got married there in 1888. Onofrio first came to Johnstown in the late 1890's - he made many trips over. He'd work, save some money and go back home - better off with a couple of bucks in his pocket. From stories passed down in the family though - he was considered a drunken fisherman and womanizer.

This next photo is a picture of Lucia's mother and my GG-Grandmother Anna SanFillipo also born in Trabia, Sicily in 1839.

I might add - that for some of my relatives do resemble these people.

Sears, Roebuck and Co - Mouth Organs

This just cracked me up. Hope you also find the humor in this vintage 1924 ad. Sears was located in downtown Johnstown before it moved up the hill to Richland.

The Majestic Theatre

Another photo courtesy of kenglo33.

Old U.S. Bank Building

Another wonderful slice of old time Johnstown sent in by reader kenglo33. This is went buildings had character.

Foreign Country Stats

First off, thanks to all of you and your feedback that continues to come in.

Thought some of you might find this interesting. I keep track of all the places around the world that visit my site. Besides states all across the United States too numerous to list. I have visitors coming in from eight different countries so far - including Canada, Netherlands, Slovenia, South Korea, Kuwait, Russia along with Turkey and Pakistan (they found my site by searching the term ("dog in a butcher shop"). Which is a strange term to begin with.

I do believe that alot of these "foreign" visitors are some of our military men and women serving overseas...missing their hometown so far away.

1891 Baseball Team

This is Johnstown Baseball - they were from Prospect.

Nemo Theatre - Downtown

This is another wonderful picture sent in by reader kenglo. Who knew you could go roller skating in downtown Johnstown.

Benscreek Trolley

Though it's hard to tell from this picture. The trolley is going past the area that used to be Island Park which is where St. Andrews Church is now.