Vintage Johnstown: January 2016

Sunday, January 31, 2016

Flood Mud

Flood Mud that just never seemed to go away. What you can't tell from this picture - is how bad this stuff actually smelled...

Borough of Johnstown - Codified Ordinance - 1873: If any person shall indecently expose his person, or publicly bathe, wash, or swim, when naked in either of the rivers within the limits of the borough between sunrise and half past eight o'clock, P.M., every person so offending shall pay a fine of not less than five dollars.

March 23, 1945: War Prisoners Leave Johnstown - Berkley Hills

January 31, 1945: Russians Are 55 Miles from Berlin As Yanks Edge Toward the Rhine

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The Johnstown Tribune - January 31, 1945

To read larger - CLICK HERE.

Saturday, January 30, 2016

More Penelec

January 30, 1945: Reds Within 85 Miles of Berlin; Western Allies Invading the Reich

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The Johnstown Tribune - January 30, 1945

To read larger - CLICK HERE.

Pvt. John Babal

Charles Babal

Steve Babal

Edward Moskal

William Moskal

Pvt. Leroy Elkin - MIA

I.C. Elkin

Friday, January 29, 2016

G.L.Ruff's Jewelry Store - Clinton Street

G.L. Ruff's Jewelry Store - Clinton Street - Downtown Johnstown - he was also an Optician.

Main from Above

Main Street towards Central Park - you can just barely see the Gap in the far off distance.

Old Penn Traffic

This is a look at the old Penn Traffic Store - before the 1905 Fire.

January 29, 1945: Russians Surround Schneidemuhl. Cut Berlin Railway 135 Miles Northeast

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The Johnstown Tribune - January 29, 1945

To read larger - CLICK HERE.

Kuhlman - Odell

Mrs. Margie Coleman Harris

Cpl. Richard Walters

Hollsopple Fire Company

Pfc. Lester McDaniel

Knavel - Thomas

Mrs. Mary Glessner

Nine O'Clock Club

28 Men in District Win Elevations in Service Ranks

Lewis Amps

Staff Sgt. C. Glenn Amps

Leo Kimball

William Hayduk

Robert Nies

David Allen

Pete Marinkovich

William Ezo

Melvin Cook

Earl Hess

Alphonse Pavlik

Merle Ickes

Eugene Sheehan

Arthur Contanzo

Donald Bowser

Andrew LaPorte

Pfc. John Beck

Robert Kopitnik

Cpl. Fred Culkar

Anthony Jackopin

Karl Schmalz

Robert Miller

Frank Verhovsek

Charles Wagner

Joseph Spisak

Robert Keim

Joseph Reposky

Joseph Paruch

Frank Suckovich

Birth Notes:

Mr. & Mrs. Lee Coughenour - son

Mr. & Mrs. Aloysius Gray - daughter

Mr. & Mrs. Joseph LaMantia - daughter

Mr. & Mrs. Walter Nesmith - daughter

Mr. & Mrs. Clement Bumbernick - daughter

Mr. & Mrs. Marvin Meredith - son

Mr. & Mrs. Earl Oakman - son

Mr. & Mrs. Cecil Brock - daughter

Mr. & Mrs. Charles Hannur - son

Pvt. & Mrs. Theodore Stepien - son

Mr. & Mrs. Paul Zimmer - son

Mr. & Mrs. Robert Gavura - daughter

Mr. & Mrs. Paul Rolley - son

Mr. & Mrs. Lee James - son

Mr. & Mrs. James Cononie - daughter

Staff Sgt. Joseph Kleinman - daughter

Mr. & Mrs. Richard Wright - daughter

Petty Officer and Mrs. Martin Vavrek - daughter

Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Blasko - daughter

Mr. & Mrs. Paul Vaccarini - son

Thursday, January 28, 2016

Little Red Riding Hood

Very nice example of an old Sanitary Dairy baby bottle that shows Little Red Riding Hood.

Allegheny Airlines

Humming Garment Industry

One operation of the busy garment industry in Johnstown is shown above. These girls, at the Johnstown plant of Bestform Foundations, are engaged in stitching corsets and brassieres manufactured by the firm. Occupied at the first four machines are these girls who can be easily identified in the picture: Florence Dobrowolsky, Evelyn Peles, Ruth Ramos and Lois Durica. Other Johnstown garment firms turn out dresses and pajamas. (This was the plant in town - not the later one on Broad Street.)

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Kickenapawling

Officials and Members of the Kickenapawling Tribe, No. 60, I.O.R.M. - Johnstown, Pa.

Conemaugh Lumber

Conemaugh Lumber, 163 F Street, Johnstown, Pennsylvania

January 27, 1945: Russian Armies Racing for Berlin; Allies in West at German Border

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The Johnstown Tribune - January 27, 1945

To read larger - CLICK HERE.

Trolley Time

Trolley Bridge in Ferndale

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Cambria Ice Company

The old Cambria Ice Company Building - Cambria City

Campbell Statue

Campbell Statue - Central Park - 1970's

Westmont Race Track

At the turn of the 20th Century - Johnstown's leading outdoor recreation center was the old Westmont grounds, comprising football and baseball fields and a harness racing track.

This rare look at the track shows the home stretch. The small building in the center is the judges' stand. Directly opposite is the grandstand and in the back is the old bandstand.

The 28 acre property was bordered by what is now Tioga Street, Wayne Street and Dartmouth Avenue. Westmont Presbyterian Church stands on what was the approximate center of the track.

The Johnstown Driving Park Assocation was organized in 1893 to construct the half-mile oval on the Westmont property.

Work on the track began in June 1893. As construction continued, the driving association considered the idea of putting the road that led from Whiskey Springs (Franklin Street) to Westmont in first-class condition. A newspaper item at the time said "the road has an easy grade and it is estimated that it can be made an excellent driveway with an outlay of about $1,000 ($ 24,645 in today's dollars).

Another and much shorter route to the park, although with a very steep grade, will be put through the lands of A.J. Haws and the Cambria Iron Company. These roads, together with the Incline will afford ample ways by which the grounds may be reached." Now you know where the name "Easy Grade" comes from and when Millcreek Road was put in.

Less than two weeks after the awarding of the contract, the association ran into some mild opposition. The Roxbury Driving Park Association asked the Westmont group to reconsider their purchase and join them in the Roxbury (Luna Park) deal.

The proposal was flatly rejected and work continued on schedule on the hilltop land. The half-mile track was 60 feet wide and completely enclosed by a wooden railing. The grandstand had seating for 2,500 - it also contained a large dining room for the general public.

Fifty stables housed the horses. In front of each stable was a fire hydrant.

Johnstown at that time had more than 100 racing horses, some of the prominent owners being A.J. Haws, M.B. Young, Samuel Lenhart, Joseph Love, Dan Olmstead, C.J. Burggraf, J.C. Pender and Eugene Zimmerman.

The official opening of the track began with a three day meet September 20,21 and 22, 1893.

Also on the opening bill - chariot races, hurdle races and people parachuting out of hot air balloons. Admission was 50 cents ($12.32).

Four days before the official opening of the park - over 1,500 people gathered at the park for a series of bicycle races sponsored by the Johnstown Cycle Club. The German Band provided music between races.

Johnstown High School played some of its earliest football games on the Westmont field even before the park was constructed. In November, 1900, the Trojans played Altoona there and scored a 12-5 victory. They also defeated Derry 17-0 there on October 12, 1901 and the team continued to play occasional contests on the hilltop field until October of 1904, when it transferred its games to field area of The Point.

When the field was used for football, the competing teams usually were taken by wagon up the Incline. Pedestrians used a patch which led up the hillside from behind old Johnstown High - now the site of the current MRI building - since it was a much shorter route than using the "Big Road" - Millcreek Road.

Surrounding much of the park was the Johnstown Country Club golf course, forerunner to Sunnehanna. In later years the course was disbanded and another course was built at Sunnehanna.

Much of the city's baseball was played at the Westmont Park. The Johnstown Athletics were in prominence at that time.

The life of the park was short-lived though, as the Cambria Iron Company, owner of the property started selling it as lots in 1907.

January 26, 1945: Russians Cut East Prussia Off From Germany; Tanks at Brandenburg Border

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The Johnstown Tribune - January 26, 1945

To read larger - CLICK HERE.

Monday, January 25, 2016

Got Gas

Benscreek Service Station - Old Somerset Pike

German Day - 1907

German Day - 1907 at Island Park (where St. Andrews is in Benscreek)

Western Pennsylvania Kings - 1897

Western Pennsylvania championship baseball honors in 1897 were won by this Johnstown Athletic squad. Team members were (front row, left to right): Logan Keller, Red Wesner and Bill Shibley.
Second Row - Harry Mainhart, Ed Bailey, J. Leonard Replogle, Tug McCreight and Ike Haws.
Third Row - Winston Davis, George Walker Williams, Frank Keller, mascot; Ernie Kinkead, Hunchy Tommins and John Goff.