Nice shot of Woodvale overlooking Swank's Refractory
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Photo Engraving Done Here - 1953
Photo engraving - the process of reproducing pictures for printing - is another side in Johnstown's busy industrial field. The Conemaugh Engraving Company here operates one of the largest and most modern plants in the state. The above picture shows one of the first steps in the photo engraving process. The photo to be reproduced as a metal cut is recopied by this big camera to give it a screen (raised dots) for printing purposes. Adjusting the lens of the photo processing camera is Joseph Oravec, an employe of Ceco. This camera can make the reproduction three times as large as the original photo or reduce it to one-sixth of its size.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Freedom Gas Station
Freedom Gas Station - Downtown Johnstown - Walnut and Main - current site of FNB.
Memorial to Founder of Johnstown
This replica of Joseph Johns' log cabin home was moved to Suppes Park, Central Avenue, yesterday as a permanent memorial to the founder of Johnstown. It was donated to the city by Mrs. Marion (Dibert) Suppes, of 90 Valley Pike, widow of the late George Suppes. Mr. Suppes built it in 1900 as an exhibit for the city's 100th anniversary celebration. A plaque explaining its origin and its role in the centennial event will be placed on the cabin, according to Councilman P.J. Culliton, city parks director. The city will maintain the shrine, Mr. Culliton added. City workers moved the two-room cabin to the park yesterday on the eve of the date on which Joseph Johns laid out the original town site here 150 years ago. The cabin was used for many years as a children's playhouse.
Indian Sales and Service
Indian Sales and Service - World's Finest Motorcycles - 57 - 59 Iron Street
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Johnstown Borough - Codified Ordinance - 1855
To regulate and prohibit the exhibition of plays, shows, montebanks, jugglers, and other exhibitions within the same.
A montebank was a person who sold patent medicine - a medicine man.
St. Francis Church - Morrellville
Construction of St. Francis Church - Morrellville - located where the old Morrell School was.
Turnverein - First Turner's Hall
Turner's was started by some German immigrants who wanted a club of their own - that basically combined drinking and gymnastics and also in the early days....bowling.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Gerheim's Subway Shop - 1953
Gerheim's Subway Shop - 233 Franklin Street - Entrance Through Walk-Over Boot Shop
Trolley Time
The street car making it's way along Broad Street near the present day Giant Eagle in Morrellville.
Ferguson Packing Company - Cambria City
This should look familiar to all of you. This is Cambria City at its best. The old Ferguson Meat Packing building that later became Morris Paper Company and is now the immigrant museum. As you can see alot of it is still standing. All I can say is look how well kept - the whole area around the railroad tracks is - it doesn't look like that now because of all the Japanese Knotwood. For extra credit - Blackie Trotz and his family lived in the house where the people are standing in front in the 1950's.
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Capital Hotel
The Cambria Club House was erected at the intersection of Main and Walnut Streets by the old Cambria Iron Company for the use by its high ranking officials. It was the scene of many fine events: banquets, dances and meetings. The clubhouse was in existence as far back as 1881. The outgrowth of this building is what was known as the Capital Hotel.
Col. Jacob Higgins of the 22nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry came to Johnstown in 1881 to take charge of the Cambria Club House as its manager for the Cambria Iron Company.
Col. Higgins had an outstanding Civil War record and had also served in the Mexican War. A native of Blair County, he was in the hotel business in Hollidaysburg and Henrietta before coming to Johnstown.
In 1891, Jacob Higgins bought the clubhouse and continued as the manager. He later sold the Cambria Club House to P.L. Carpenter who took charge December 2, 1892 and renamed it the Capital Hotel.
During the first year, the hotel averaged only one guest per day. By 1900, the average was 100 guests daily. The hotel was developed into 100 rooms during Carpenter's ownership. Added were 12 private rooms and baths for female employees.
During one of his visits to Johnstown, Gov. Hastings was forced to sleep in the hotel parlor because of the crowded conditions. Billy Sunday, the noted evangelist was another well-known guest at the hotel.
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Leitenberger Offenhauser Special - 1953
This sleek racing creation, the locally-owned Leitenberger Offenhauser Special, is a candidate for the annual 500-mile race at Indianapolis Memorial Day. It will be the third straight year that a car has been entered by the Leitenberger Machine Company of Hornerstown. George Fonder, who piloted the local car last year, sits behind the wheel of the rebuilt machine. He again has been named as driver. Standing behind the speed wagon are (left to right) Harry Kinsey of Johnstown and Charles Alfater of Cleveland, mechanics in charge if the car, and George and Francis Leitenberger, car owners, who had a big hand in the rebuilding job.
Gulf Station
A reader sent in this picture of the old Gulf Gas Station at the end of Ferndale Avenue - right across from St. Andrews Church.
Friday, February 22, 2013
John Raab & Sons' - Washington Street
John Raab & Sons' - Wholesale Liquor Store - Washington Street
Started Police Pension Fund in 1913
The Johnstown police pension fund was started in 1913 when members of the force organized a baseball team and played games for the benefit of the new fund. The Johnstown-Altoona police series aroused high public interest and in two years the baseball team has raised a total of $17,000 ($388,000 now) for the pension fund. Appearing in the above picture of the 1913 police team are: (Left to right) First Row - James Adams, outfielder; Clyde Adams, second base; John Thomas, outfielder.
Second Row - Otto Fink, second base; Herman Hoffman, pitcher; Percy Benson, outfielder; Harry Owens, outfielder and Carol Steuer, shortstop.
Back Row - John Buechley, manager; James (Buckeye) Reynolds, first base; George Patterson, third base' John Volk, first base and George Bush, catcher.
City Solon Old Fighter
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Rambler - 1906
Rambler - $800 to $3,000 (in today's money $20,000 to $75,000) - Johnstown Automobile Company - Bedford Street - Also agents for Pope-Waverly Electric Cars.
Note: I have brought this up before - they could have electric cars in 1908 and still in 2013 it's a big deal - why - you would think that in a little over 100 years they'd have done a bit of a better job than they are doing...
Note: I have brought this up before - they could have electric cars in 1908 and still in 2013 it's a big deal - why - you would think that in a little over 100 years they'd have done a bit of a better job than they are doing...
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Codified Ordinance - Burials - 1855
Johnstown Borough - Codified Ordinance - 1855: To prohibit within the borough the burial or interment of deceased persons, or within such partial limits within the same as they may from time to time prescribe, and to regulate the depth of graves.
Pavlick's Bar and Grill
George Pavlick's Bar and Grill - 315 Main Street and South Side Restaurant - 407 Franklin Street
J.C. Penney, Royal Hotel and Baum's Outlet Store
J.C. Penney, Royal Hotel and Baum's Outlet Store - Main Street - Downtown Johnstown
5 & 10 Store
Downtown Johnstown - 5 & 10 all in a row. Woolworth's, McCrory's and Kresge's. Add to the mix is Berg's - which was not 5 & 10. Nice look at 1940's Main Street.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
City Has 2 Women Doctors - 1950
Only two women are practicing medicine in Johnstown. Dr. Verna Turner (pictured above at her office), has been a general practitioner here for the past 12 years. The other woman physician, Dr. Barbara Horner, is a member of the medical staff of Johnstown Veterans Administration office. She was married recently to George Pavuk of Pittsburgh and is now on her honeymoon. Dr. Turner is the wife of Howard Williams.
Monday, February 18, 2013
Safety Patrol Winner - 1950
First Prize for the best float in Johnstown's Safety Parade - May 1950 - goes to these kids from St. Stephen's Church. Sorry, wish there were some names to go with the picture.
Codified Ordinance - 1855
Johnstown Borough - Codified Ordinance - 1855: To make such regulations relative to the accumulations of manure, compost, and the like in barns, stable-yards, and other places, and to prohibit the keeping of hogs within the borough, or within such limits within the same as they may prescribe.
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Mrs. America - Moxham Girl - 1950
The 25-year-old housewife said she had never before entered a beauty contest and added that her husband had "pushed me into this one....and makes me feel like the day I got married".
To demonstrate her housewife skills, Mrs. America broiled some meat along with other finalists at Convention Hall, as some 8,000 looked on. The judges smacked their lips and gave her the cooking trophy.
CLICK HERE to view a British Pathe Newsreel of the event.
Harris-Boyer: A Brief History
Harris-Boyer Company began in 1894 as a partnership between Clement Harris and his brother O.C. Harris. The partnership was barely off the ground before it was dissolved the same year.
The next year, E.H. Boyer began working as an apprentice for Harris at their plant on Boyer Street in Coopersdale. The building was sold in 1898 and the bakery business moved to 519 Franklin Street.
Two years later in 1900, Harris moved back to the West End and started a bakery at 220 Broad Street. He formed a partnership with W.E. Rager in 1891. This partnership was later expanded to include Boyer and the business was incorporated in 1903.
Rager retired from the business in 1904 and sold his interests to the remaining partners - Harris and Boyer. In the meantime - the bakery made its fourth move in 1902 by setting up shop at Fairfield Avenue in Morrellville.
Fire destroyed this first plant on Fairfield Avenue on September 1, 1906. Rebuilding on the same site - additions were made to the bakery in 1913, 1923 and 1927 along with the 1950's.
Back in 1894, Harris-Boyer had only two employees. By 1925 there 102 and by the 1950's, there were close to 300. They had a fleet of 88 trucks and delivered throughout Cambria, Somerset, Indiana, Bedford and Blair Counties along with parts of Westmoreland County.
There were two branch offices - one in Bedford and the other in Roaring Springs.
An average of six freight car loads of flour were used each month. At the peak of their production - one bread baking oven had the capacity of making 2,750 loaves of bread per hour. The pie-making machine was able to put out 5,000 pies an hour.
Kind of makes you hungry for one of their gobs....doesn't it!
Two years later in 1900, Harris moved back to the West End and started a bakery at 220 Broad Street. He formed a partnership with W.E. Rager in 1891. This partnership was later expanded to include Boyer and the business was incorporated in 1903.
Rager retired from the business in 1904 and sold his interests to the remaining partners - Harris and Boyer. In the meantime - the bakery made its fourth move in 1902 by setting up shop at Fairfield Avenue in Morrellville.
Fire destroyed this first plant on Fairfield Avenue on September 1, 1906. Rebuilding on the same site - additions were made to the bakery in 1913, 1923 and 1927 along with the 1950's.
Back in 1894, Harris-Boyer had only two employees. By 1925 there 102 and by the 1950's, there were close to 300. They had a fleet of 88 trucks and delivered throughout Cambria, Somerset, Indiana, Bedford and Blair Counties along with parts of Westmoreland County.
An average of six freight car loads of flour were used each month. At the peak of their production - one bread baking oven had the capacity of making 2,750 loaves of bread per hour. The pie-making machine was able to put out 5,000 pies an hour.
Kind of makes you hungry for one of their gobs....doesn't it!
Saturday, February 16, 2013
The Winner is.....
John Emmerling of 299 Leila Street is at the wheel of this 1908 Maxwell which he raced round-trip between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia with a $20,000 prize at stake ($50,000 today). Emmerling (who owned Emmerling Brewery) came out on top.
Friday, February 15, 2013
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