Paddy Wagon Time

This is for all you patty wagon riders from last night! Nice collection of old paddy wagons used by Johnstown Police in rounding up all those 'criminal types'. If you think the ones used nowadays are bad - try a little trip in these tanks.

Hardings Jewelers

Hardings Jewelers - Downtown Johnstown

Public Safety Building

Nice old picture postcard of the Public Safety Building.

Unknown Johnstown

What I do know about this photo is that it was taken in Johnstown. Around 1914 or so, the Pennsylvania Railroad started a bridge, overpass and track re-alignment project. I've studied this picture and still can't tell where this might be. 

Garfield Honor Roll - 1926

Old Tribune clipping from my cousin that shows Garfield's 1926 1/2 Honor Roll - Paul Good, Ellen Campbell, Rose Savage, Anna Margaret Johnson, Paul Lumnitzer, Fronie Libosky, Helen Apple, Olga Yuhas and Ivan Washbaugh.

Windber - Somerset County

A Birds Eye View of Windber, Somerset County sent in by reader Rick M.

Jackson Hill - 1914

Reader Martha Q. sent this in. I'm not sure if Jackson Hill is possibly Jackson Township. If anyone out there knows, please let me know. Lots of names from this picnic in 1914. Just double click on the picture to enlarge.

Book of Manners - Romper Room

Do Bee a Good Bee - Romper Room Book of Manners.

Downtown in the Sunshine

Great shot of downtown Johnstown taken from the RUSSELL HEFFLEY BOOK. There is just so much to look at - and everytime I see it - I find something different.

WJAC Control Room - 1960's

An inside look at the old WJAC-TV Control Room - 1960's - from reader Lanny V. This room is about to undergo yet another remodeling and I would be willing to bet - that some of this old equipment is housed in what we call "The  Broadcast Museum of Junk" down in the basement.

Italian Store - Johnstown

Italian Storefront sent in by reader Margaret S. Not sure which Johnstown neighborhood this was in. But knowing that my Sunseri cousins had a store in Prospect - this could possibly be there.

Ad's - 1915 Style

Ad's - 1915 Style - Hoffman Transfer Co. and Rothert's on Main Street - downtown Johnstown.

St. Anthony's Church - Woodvale

The inside of St. Anthony's Church in Woodvale. My grandfather John Cacicia helped decorate and built the inside of the church and somewhere on one of the walls are the names of the other men that also helped with the building of the church. It's funny - my family helped with the church - but most of the time went to St. Columba because it was within walking distance and saved the street car fare. 

Immaculate Conception - Cambria City

Immaculate Conception Church in Cambria City. One note on this picture - When I scanned the picture in  - it caused the tower to lean like that. 

St. Johns School

St. John's School - Railroad Street built in 1891. 

First Methodist Church - Johnstown

The First Methodist Church - Johnstown - sent in by reader Harold K.

Easter on K Street - 1940

This is Easter Sunday about 1940. My grandmother - Carmela (Vaccaro) Cacicia with my father Robert and sister Mary Jane (Mimi) Cacicia standing in our yard on K Street in Morrellville.

Happy Easter - Morrellville Style

The Hanzel Sisters - Clara Pnykala, Dorothy Kinnel and Helen Lenz

As kids, our job during holiday visits to my great-grandmother Hanzel's house on Stackhouse Street in Morrellville would be to make "highballs (Slo Gin Fizz)" for all the Aunts - they would spend the rest of the afternoon giggling on the couch - just having the best time - trying to keep their false teeth from falling out. All the men walked around with pony bottles of beer. And for us kids, the best pop I have ever had, or will ever have in my life...Ice Cold bottles of 6 oz Cokes from an old Ice Box that sat on the floor in the sun porch. You would put the empties back in the long wooden case, so that you could get a refund when taking the bottles back to the store.

My great-grandmother Mary (Stofko) Hanzel 1894 - 1978

They say that smell of all the senses triggers more memories than anything else - for me then, holiday time at great-grandma Hanzel's house meant all the wonderful smells coming from the kitchen and her chicken soup. I remember once, watching her cut noodles for soup. It was almost magical the way her hands moved so fast, I still don't know how she didn't cut any of her fingers off! People sat down to eat in shifts, since there were so many of us gathered together. As kids, we'd eat towards the end - the chicken broth with noodles in a large white tureen with a chip in the handle sitting on the table, with the chicken, carrots and potatoes in a separate serving dish of the same white china. Then came the ham, pigs in the blanket, horseradish, cidek, pickled eggs and beets, potato salad and the paska bread. The soup bowls were used only during holidays and came out of the china cupboard - they were white with a red trim all around the edge and they sat on top of a regular dish for the rest of the goodies. If you wanted your soup to go it came in the best of containers - an old mayonaise jar wrapped up in a paper bag. 

Then for dessert - Glorified Rice:

1 cup cooked rice(not instant)
4 T Sugar
1-3oz pkg Cherry Jello
1 can crushed pineapple
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Cook rice. Drain well after rinsing. Drain pineapple and reserve the juice. Make jello as per directions, using pineapple juice in place of the cold water. When jello thickens, add rice and pineapple. Beat with mixer for 1 minute. Beat whipping cream and sugar until thick, fold into jello mixture. Keep refrigerated.

The Dining Room - Mary (Hanzel) Bobko, her two daughters - Janet and Karol and Dorothy (Hanzel) Kinnel

The Card Players

At the kitchen table was where all the rest were gathered playing cards. At times, they wouldn't even leave the table to eat - they'd sit there with their ham sandwiches playing the night away. As we kids would sit on the glider watching until were were either bored or an argument would break out on who should win the hand. That's when we'd all go down the cellar to play pool on the old bumper table for hours or hide in the cupboards upstairs. As a sort of "right of passage" was the day when you could sit at the table and play cards with the grownups...when one the guys would be bored and say "you want to learn how to play?". 

Grandma Hanzel surrounded by some of the grandchildren

 A visit to great-grandma Hanzel's  house on Stackhouse Street will always mean just one thing to me - for the rest of my life. Being accepted with no questions asked as a member of a close-knit family, since this is where I spent every Easter Sunday year after year - surrounded by aunts, uncles and cousins. Some years, it seemed like the house would be so full of people that it would be bursting at the seams. Even into the 1980's, people spent more time during the holidays visiting friends and family - since that's how you were raised. That's what I think is missing now a days - you can stay connected electronically 24/7. But it's the personal touch that has disappeared. God forbid, you might actually have to look someone in the eye instead of sending them a text or better yet....actually have to speak to them in person. Don't get me wrong - I love technology - without it - you wouldn't be reading this blog. But sometimes I do yearn for the days of rotary phones and party lines.....

Cookie Jar

Nice old Cookie Jar Ad

Trolley Time

A reader writes - "How surprising to see a picture with Century Cleaners. My dad, Steve Torchia managed the cleaners about this time and for many years."

Goenner & Co.

An old Goenner label.

Horseshoe Curve - Blair County

Another shot of a train heading around the Horseshoe Curve in Blair County.

Bestform Plant - Cambria City

Today is my grandmother's birthday -Helen (Hanzel) Lenz (1922 - 2008) and this picture best describes her. She worked at Bestform in Cambria City for years. This job was her reason for being. I honestly think that once the plant closed up - was when she began to go downhill. As most members of my family born before 1930. Her early education was going to St. Stephen's School until the 8th grade. That's all anyone really needed. Just learn enough so you could go out to work. Work for her meant a sort of independence.

First Lutheran Church - Johnstown

Picture postcard sent in by reader Harold K. of the First Lutheran Church in downtown Johnstown.

Stonycreek River - Stone Bridge

Picture postcard sent in by reader Kathy P. shows the Stonycreek River looking up towards the Stone Bridge.

Grieshop Furniture Company - Cambria City

Grieshop Furniture Company - 611 Broad Street - Cambria City

Trolley Time

Emanuel Baptist Church - Johnstown

Vintage postcard sent in by reader Harold K. of Emanuel Baptist Church in Johnstown with a picture of the Rev. R.C. Morgan.

Swank Store

The inside of Swanks Store sent in by reader Kay S.

Goenner Beer - Cambria City

This is a look at the back of the Goenner Beer Company in Cambria City along Third Avenue.

Meats and Groceries - Cambria City

Mrs. Catherine Kwiatkowski - Meats and Groceries - 601 Broad Street - Cambria City.

Rialto Theater - Morrellville

Two ads for the price of one. The Lyric in Kernville and the Rialto on Fairfield Avenue last seen CLICK HERE.

Luna Park Lake - Roxbury

In case you live in Roxbury and was wondering why it's always so wet - this is a nice shot of what was once Luna Lake - part of Luna Park where Roxbury Park now is. 

Lover's Lane - Westmont

Lover's Lane - Westmont

St. Theresa's Grotto - Decker Avenue - 1931

I pass this Grotto everyday on my daily walk up the mountain on Decker Avenue. Reader Harold K. sent in this old picture postcard of the Blessed Virgin Mary Grotto - that looks even better now than it did then. He also sent in a whole set of other Johnstown Church postcards that I will be posting this week in honor of Easter. If any of you have any pictures of your church - please feel free to send them in and I will post them 

Vieva Wonder Scrapbook - 1930

More this morning on the Vieva Wonder Scrapbook last seen CLICK HERE.

Heading for Stardom - Kay Guier

From Colliers Magazine - Johnstown's own lovely Miss Kay Guier from 1329 Virginia Avenue who is very excited about signing her movie contract in 1944. She was a background dancer in a lot of A and B pictures - working with the likes of Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly. She was a family friend of my grandfather Walter Lenz whose family lived a couple doors up on Virginia Avenue. 

Trolley Time

Birthday Girl

Today is my mothers birthday - Patsy (Lenz) Cacicia. This was taken around 1955. That is my uncle John Lenz looking straight into the camera. 

Lorain Steel - Moxham

Nice vintage shot of the old Lorain Steel Plant in Moxham. It later became U.S. Steel before ending up as Johnstown Corp.

Downtown Johnstown

View of Main Street - Looking East - downtown Johnstown.

WJAC-TV - Weather in Motion

This is about as high-tech as it got for WJAC-TV in the 1960's and even into the early 1970's. 

Prohibition Prescription - 1930

An interesting look at what you would have needed to take a "legal" drink in the state of Pennsyvania. This is a prescription for alcohol.

Cambria City - 1910

Cambria City - circa 1910 - taken from the 'Infant Mortality Report'

Penn Machine - Johnstown

Penn Machines Johnstown Plant

Patton - Cambria County

Nice old vintage postcard of the post office in Patton, Cambria County.