St. Clair Run - Morrellville - K Street

If you live near "the creek" - you worry about all the rain we are expecting for the next few days. This is my father Robert Cacicia about 1945 standing by the creek after one of the many runovers through out the years. As I write this, the creek is getting higher and that you can tell by the smell first. The water has this certain odor when it starts to get higher - it's a mud sort of smell.

Old Johnstown Business Ad

Nathan's Store and Park Theatre - 1929

This picture is one of a set sent to me by reader kenglo. There is so much going on in this slice of the past and how much would be changing since this had to be taken the summer of '29 right before the Stock Market Crash.

Moxham Trolley - Central Avenue

Greater Johnstown Central High School

Go Trojans!

Fish Pond - K Street

This is my Uncle John Cacicia who now lives in Arizona cleaning out the fish pond made by his father and my grandfather John Cacicia last seen HERE.

Pontoon Bridge - 1889 Flood

Rosa (Baum) Lenz - Virginia Avenue - Morrellville

This is a picture of my Great-Grandmother - Rosa (Baum) Lenz 1873 - 1937. She was born in Dusseldorf, Germany and came over to America shortly after the Flood in 1891.

I believe this photo was taken just after she arrived and before she became engaged to my Great-Grandfather John Henry Lenz. She brought few possessions over with her, but the one thing that stands out to me is an old autograph book - full of saying and greetings in both German and English.

I have tried to get some of these pages translated - since even I couldn't figure it out. But it's a style of German no longer used - basically they are a mixture of greetings and best wishes.

At least you can understand the next two.

The Lenz Family were founding members of St. Paul Lutheran Church on Virginia Avenue.

Which came in handy considering they lived right next to the church in the house along the alley.

During World War Two - the family sent care packages over to Germany since Rosa still had a brother Louis living there during the war.

Let's Go Shopping - Downtown Johnstown

On this Black Friday, it's only fitting that we throw a little shopping trip together. First off, a ride to town on the Morrellville Trolley.

I think my first stop today will be Glosser's to check out the bargain bin and get a couple of things at the snack counter.

Now it's off to Woolworth's, Candy Cupboard, Jupiter's, Kresge's and Grant's to see what they have for sale.

All this shopping has made me hungry. I'm heading up to Top's Diner for a piece of pie.

Now it's time to head home with all my packages. How about all of you meeting me in Pole Hollow.

Vintage Postcard

Masonic Temple - Inside - 1975

This is the inside of the Lodge along Valley Pike. This was last seen HERE. Thanks to reader Natalie for this neat look at what most of us have never seen.

Ford Model T

This is a picture of my grandfather Walter "Yatty" Lenz 1904 - 1979 and his car. He is standing on the left and I think his friends name on the right is John Molchany. They were all from the Virginia Avenue area in Morrellville.

Tops Diner

Power Street - Cambria City

If pictures are worth a thousand words - I know no other way to describe complete poverty than this:

These two pictures are from the Charles Cushman Collection. This current location is Power Street just after you make the turn off of Broad Street near HERE.

The information states that this young girl is their mother.

Old Masonic Temple Postcards

Old Lee Hospital Parking Garage

Proposed Point Center

Another 1917 proposal.

Proposed Oakhurst Bridge

This was another idea from the 1917 report commissioned by the city.

John's Shoe Repair - Cambria City

This is the shoe shop of my grandfather John Cacicia 1892 - 1968. He was born in Trabia, Sicily and came over to Johnstown a couple of times before he decided to settle here for good. He moved his shop around parts of Cambria City and this photo was taken on what is now Broad Street.

Garfield Junior High School

This postcard of Garfield was sent to me by reader Natalie who lives right next to the school. The postcard dates from the late 1950's or early 1960's. GO GRENADIERS!

Cambria City/Morrellville - 1889 Flood

This photo is from the Library of Congress collection. It is not marked as are most of them. I am currently writing a family history book and have been doing a lot of research in regards to the flood and its inpact on Cambria City-Morrellville Area.

There are scant references to this section of Cambria City near the Morrellville line. After alot of thought and research I am convinced that this rare shot was taken just above the railroad tracks along Pennsylvania Avenue - which is just below Virginia Avenue.

Did you know that there was a morgue in Morrellville and that it sat what would have been just off camera on the far left. It was located at 61 Fairfield Avenue in an old bar called Leckey's. For my relatives reading this - our old Hanzel Homestead on Stackhouse Street would have been in their backyard. The current location - right next to the train tracks a couple of houses down from Leo's Pizza - by the Fairfield Avenue underpass.

The church on the upper right is St. Nicholas and though its very hard to tell - St. Columba (which was also used as a morgue) would have been across Broad Street. This is years before the Ten Acre Bridge would be built. You are looking up towards Minersville on the hillside. The new Sheetz store is currently located slightly to the upper left hand side of where St. Nicholas was.

The railroad tracks were more at ground level - until around 1915 or so. Too many people were getting hit by trains and killed at the intersections of Delaware Avenue and Fairfield Avenue. So they moved part of the line above each roadway.

Johnstown Train Station - 1950's

Johnstown from Incline Plane

Oakhurst Claypits

When I was little playing here was simply magical to me. From climbing the clay banks to playing on the cranes.

That's my brother and me around 1967 or '68.

The first Cooperdale Bridge

This is another picture taken from a report in 1917 on how to make the Johnstown area more productive. This photo is taken from the old Coopersdale Bridge - this is not the one they just knocked down and replaced. This was the first one built.

Old Ad's

Old Ad's

Downtown Johnstown - 1930's

Stone Bridge

Cambria City Ad

 

Penelec - Grand Open - Broad Street - Johnstown

This friday film clip is the debut of the new Penelec Building on Broad Street in the early 1960's. The film shows lots of people waiting in line along with an outside shot of the Ten Acre Bridge.

Just think, the computer you are watching this on has more memory than those old tape drives. Which I remember oh so well.

Joseph Johns Junior High School - Downtown Johnstown

Johnstown - Trolley Time

Downtown Johnstown - Franklin Street Bridge - the old Conrad Building is in the background. It is literally now falling apart piece by piece.

This is the intersection of Chandler Avenue and Strayer Street. Clark's is on the left and the old arcade is on the right.