Old Haycox Shanty - Early 1900's

Reader Joanne McKinney sent in this photograph of her grandfather and his pals at their hunting cabin somewhere on Red Oak Flat off of Route 271 - here is the before from the early 1900's.

And here is the clipping that appeared in the Tribune-Democrat - 29 March 1978. The names mentioned: W.C. Gates, Gilbert Gates (Gates Alley is now called Gates Avenue). I have a bit of history when it comes to the Gates family only because of their relationship with the Harshbergers and Browns from the mountain.
Other names: Orr Davis, Coley Ben Edwards, George Witt, Charley Clark, Doc Witt and Irish Blawn (street named after him).
I sort of know where this was at and it is on my list of sites to search on Laurel Mountain. so if I am able to hit this spot this year. I will post pictures.

Just Hanging Around in Portage

Reader Jason Richardson sent in this shot of a bunch of guys just hanging around the streets of Portage.

Flood Mud, Bug Eye Beef & Aw Shucks

Triple Feature - Post-Flood Investigation of Funds, Beef Investigation - those of you might remember it was called 'Bug Eye Beef' and 'Back Home Again in Indiana' - the life and times of actor Jimmy Stewart.

Public Market - 1937

Reader Harold Kinback sent in this newspaper clipping - Public Market - January 26, 1937

Pattern Maker

Pattern Maker - Courtesy of Jaha

Cambria Theatre

Cambria Theatre - Uncle Tom's Cabin

New River Walls

Nice vintage look at the then new riverwalls. Reader Eleanor Donovan says that her dad was one of the CCC men that helped construct the walls.

Cabin in the Pine

In the words of the old song Cabin in the Pine - reader Joanne McKinney sent in this picture of her Swanger family cabin in the mountains just outside of Johnstown.

Central Park - 1970's

Central Park - 1970's

Hallowe'en Party - St. Paul's Church - Virginia Avenue

Halloween Party at St. Paul's Lutheran Church on Virginia Avenue - Morrellville - lots of names from that section of town.

1936 Flood - Portage - Cambria County

Reader Jason Richardson sent in another look at the damage done to Portage in the 1936 Flood.

STATISTICS don't buy furniture - PEOPLE DO - 1960

Another old WJAC-TV ad from the April 1960 Edition of BROADCASTING - featuring Penn Furniture.

Capitol - Honor Roll

Capitol and Liberty Theatres - Honor Roll - November 5, 1942 - I believe this was taken in Nanty Glo, but could have been in Johnstown. Either way - no matter where this was - where did it go? This isn't the first time I have posted pictures of Honor Rolls and in each case - they are no longer there. I don't get it - did they fall out of fashion - or is it what I hope it isn't - people just didn't give a damn anymore.

Old West End Painted Ad

I see this old vintage painted ad all the time in the West End. So I thought I'd take some pictures of it. This only came to light - after crews tore down the old Koch's Store a couple of years ago. You used to play the lottery in this small building.

As you can see - most of it is far too faint to read. All I can get out of it - is this must have been an old gum ad - I'd say from the 1920's.

I went searching for old gum ad images - and came up empty.

So maybe one of you readers know what product this is.

If you do - let me know.

From this shot - it almost looks like it's giving the finger.

There more locations I have my eye on - similiar to this. So stay tuned for more.

This Stunning Shoe - 1935

Reader Robert Schneider sent in this page taken from the 1935 Edition of the Montgomery Ward catalog.

WARD-TV - 1963

WARD-TV - 1963

Portage - Cambria County

Reader Jason Richardson sent in this great look at  - Portage - with all the American Flags waving proudly.

Sears Store - Downtown Johnstown - 1935

Reader Galen sent in THIS LINK to this one of a kind shot - courtesy of SFhobbies.com. You are looking at the inside of the Sears store in downtown Johnstown when it was located along Main Street. The year is 1935 and these are Sears Silvertone Radios - for more information of the Silvertone Brand CLICK HERE. I actually still have the old family Zenith standup radio from about 1939 - just like these - in great working order. A couple of years ago - my father re-wired it. I used to listen to the Shortwave Band and regular AM - until I moved over the summer - now unfortunately it sits in my attic - since I don't have the room for it.

Updated - Bheam School Girls

Reader D. WMS - sent in the following updated information in regards to this picture I posted from Morrellville - since I wasn't sure were it exactly was taken: "That location looks like it is in front of Bheam School on J Street at edge of playground facing Fairfield Avenue. Those two houses in the background are the giveaway. That '57 Ford (upper right of photo) is in the process of turning left onto Fairfield Avenue. Also that 2nd house in background with the long porch is across the street from H&B's Pennzoil."

Johnstown Dough

$5.00 Bill - The Untied States National Bank of Johnstown

Walter Lenz - Morrellville - My Grandfather

Happy Birthday - Walter Lenz - my grandfather - he was born January 27, 1904 in Johnstown.

The son of John Henry Lenz and Rosa (Baum) Lenz. He lived his entire life in Morrellville.

Here he is standing along Virginia Avenue in 1919. It's a treat to see him in these images healthy - because later in life he was crippled and along with becoming deaf.

Here he is with my mother Gail (Patsy) Lenz Cacicia about 1942.

Here he is with Emery Kasterko - also from around the Virginia Avenue area - on a trip they made to Pittsburgh August 22, 1926. At this time - he was working as a Johnstown garbage man. Thanks to him - most of what you see on this site - is stuff he saved from his family scrapbooks and the garbage cans of Morrellville. Years later, I was able to save most of it from being thrown away again - when my grandmother (who threw everything out) was cleaning his stuff out after he died in 1979. I saved what I could - and there are still items in his collection that I have yet to scan.

But this picture is how I best remember him. He is standing with his sister Margaret (Lenz) Thompson Adams at her home in Nanty Glo. To this day - he impacts my life - because of him - anyone that knows me personally - knows how much I walk - most weeks it's around 40 miles - no matter what the weather - hot or cold - rain or shine - doesn't matter much to me. I have done this since I was a teenager - it doesn't help matters that later on - both my mother and grandmother ended up in wheelchairs. So if you see me wandering the streets of Morrellville and Cambria City or the nearby woods of Lower Yoder - stop and say hello. So how will you recognize me - why I am the one that looks like a nutcase - dressed like a bum - listening to my NPR and talking back to the radio.

Trolley Time

Reader Robert Schneider sent in this trolley shot.

WJAC-TV - Marketing Ad - 1961

WJAC-TV Marketing Ad - Courtesy of americanradiohistory.com.

Telephone Operator Suicide - 1907

Gertrude Moorhead - Indiana County - telephone operator - Indiana Farmers Telephone Company - Suicide by Hanging - August 1907

Franklin Street - Downtown Johnstown

Franklin Street - looking South from Main Street - Downtown Johnstown

Oh, You Silly Man - Portage

Oh, You Silly Man - reader Jason Richardson sent in this grand portrait of one of Portage's finest - these kind of pictures are great - because it shows the best side of life - the funny and silly side.

Cambria City Churches - Transfer Day

On this day of the transfer of the Cambria City churches - thought I'd take the time to take a look back to September 2009 and some of the shots I took that day. These are of Immaculate Conception.

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This next set is from St. Casimir.

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These next two are the only ones I have of St. Columba - I was having a bit of camera trouble that day.

You're invited for this very momentous event today at Immaculate Conception on Broad Street at noon. There will be a "Transfer Ceremony" to mark the change of ownership of the 3 closed Cambria City Churches (St. Columba, St. Cashmir, Immaculate Conception) from the Altoona Johnstown Diocese to The Steeples Project. A sad end of an era with the loss of these parishes, but a brighter future to know the buildings have been saved and much hard work is ongoing to reuse these buildings and keep them as a very big part of our economy and our history. Once known that these parishes would merge, Save Our Steeples emerged to work toward saving the structures. So here we are-at another crossroads-at another beginning. We will celebrate this on Wednesday with some music and ringing of the church bells at noon. Please stop by if you can to be part of this event together with our groups Save Our Steeples and The Steeples Project.