Monthly Archives: January 2010

    Everyone loves a parade. There are many reasons people go to the Ellwood City parades; to celebrate the holiday’s, to see and hear the fire trucks, to honor the veterans, to see a relative on one of the many floats, or maybe you go just to get the candy. Ellwood City has seen its share of parades, from Memorial Day parades to Fireman’s Assosiation parades, perhaps none larger or more spectacular as the Ellwood City Centennial parade. The celebration of Ellwood City’s 100th anniversary drew an estimated crowd of 20,000 spectators.
    We at Ellwood City Memories not only enjoy a parade, but we enjoy the pictures from the parades. Those pictures taken of your daughter dressed up like an angel on the Christmas float might have a store in the background that has long since disappeared from the Ellwood City landscape.
    Here are some pictures donated to our site from Mark Barnes that are great examples. 
    The first picture is taken on Fifth Street in front of what is today Vocelli Pizza. The tall brick building has an old adverting sign painted on the side for Simon’s and Gold Metal Flour. Some of the business’ visible in the picture include: McKelvey’s Whirlpool Appliances, Christian Gift and Supply Shop, and Jo’s Hair Styling Center. If you would like to share any memories you have of any of the business, please leave a comment below or email us by CLICKING HERE.
    On the second picture of the same parade from the approximately the same location, a lot of the same businesses are visible including McKelvey’s Whirlpool Appliances and Christian Gift and Supply Shop. On the left half of the McKelvey Building is a hanging yellow sign for Western Union, and way in the distance appears to be a Sinclair Gas Station sign at the gas station on the corner of Fifth Street and Spring Avenue.
    The third picture taken on Lawrence Avenue across from the Municiple Building shows the large Bolotin’s Furniture (later Ullman’s) sign, J.C. Doutt & Co., and Wilkofsky’s Drug store (sign above the door says “prescriptions”, but is partially hidden by a flag) among others. The Wilkofsky’s sign isn’t yet above the door… see photo #5). The other stores and restaurants in the picture are blurred, but if you know what is there, please let us know.
    As you can see from the pictures of the Frisco Fire Truck and of the soldiers, there are no memorials yet in the front yard of the Municipal Building. You can also see the Oswald billboard painted on the side of the Drug Store beside the Municipal Building. I believe that Oswald sign was on that building until only a couple of years ago when it was finally painted over.

    The house at 111 Wampum Avenue has been known as many things in Ellwood City’s history, but it will remain known as the Nathanial Nye home. The house was once a train station, the scene of the first Hazel Dell Borough election, and it is not where it used to be. Today the house sits across Wampum Avenue across from Barry’s Ice Cream but the structure formally sat on the other end of Wampum Ave where Costa Spoa built a supermarket in 1960. James and Ruth purchased the home from Mr. Spoa and had it moved to its current location.
    Built in the 1860’s by J.H. Marshall, the building was the Hazel Dell station for the Pittsburgh & Western Railroad before Ellwood City was founded. While it was a train station, John Marshall served as the flagman since Hazel Dell was only a flag stop on the line. John also served as postmaster there until his son-in-law Nathanial Nye was appointed to the post on October 25, 1886. Nathaniel P. Nye was also elected Noble Grand of the Glenn Park Lodge, of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at the clubs institution on September 10, 1891.
    We are trying to uncover the history behind not only this house but also the families that have lived here. If you have any memories about this house, whether it be who lived here, who built it, the time you broke your arm falling out of the tree in the back yard, or even the great treats they gave out on Halloween. Please leave a comment below or email us your memories by CLICKING HERE. Information for this post was gathered from the book Ellwood City Houses and the People Who Lived in Them by Charles R. Moser available at the Ellwood City Historical Society.