Monthly Archives: February 2011

      Third graders in Agnes DeFonde’s class at Perry Elementary School held a “Cowboy Day” to go along with a reading lesson back in 1987. Those that took part included (front from left) Eric Scott, Robert Wiley, and Jared McElwain. Back row from left were Justin Beachem, Cindy Thompson, Kyleigh Kissick, Erica Laszlo, Kandis Boy, and Jim Norton.
      Today children are discouraged from bringing guns to school, so “Cowboy Day” is not as popular. Mrs. DeFonde, who is recalled very fondly by those we have talked to, also held a “Hawaiian Day”.
      We would enjoy hearing your memories of Mrs. DeFonde’s class, or maybe you had another teacher that used to hold fun events like this. Please leave a comment below or email us at info@ellwoodcitymemories.com

Picture Compliments of Caleb Cragle

      Every summer local musicians and performers have taken the main stage during the Arts, Crafts, and Food Festival to display their talents and entertain the thousands of people in attendance. Various local and national musicians from a multitude of genres have played at the festival since it began and hundreds of area youth from a number of Dance Studios have taken the opportunity to showcase their skills for the festival-goers.
      The pictured class from Bette Baney Dance Studios performed at the 1991 festival. Dancers from the left in the front row are Jessica Loccisano, Gretchen Wolford, Rachel Massioni, and Stwfanie Scarf; Second row Melissa Snyder, Marcia Stabryla, Stacy Stefura, Marissa Lorusso and Gina Nardone; third row, Ericka Kissick, and Koren Amonette; and back row, Tonya Thompson, Leah Small, Brandi Sobeski, and Jennifer Wallace.

Picture Compliments of Caleb Cragle

      In July of 1981 Andrea Dombeck, playground director in Ellwood City, made arrangements with the owners of the Majestic Theater in town to host an event for area children. Mr. and Mrs. Tony Guerrera hosted a free movie for playground children in the Majestic Hall at no charge to the city or the Ellwood City Recreation Board. The free movie drew an overflow crowd of approximately 440 boys and girls and playground instructors who accompanied the children to attempt to supervise.
      Despite the rain the children had to stand in while waiting to enter the theater to see the Walt Disney film, “The Fox and the Hound”, the turnout was so great that many of the children had to stand to watch the movie in the theater that only held 300.
      Please share your memories below or email us at info@ellwoodcitymemories.com

      Another one of the few remaining buildings in the often discussed Hazel Dell Business District was Jake Britton’s “North Side Market”. Dale Brown shared with us how he recalled Jake’s store supported the entire North Side. Like a lot of the smaller corner stores in Ellwood, Mr. Britton ran credit accounts for all of the families and everyone would go in on payday to pay their tabs.
      Kathy Blank remembers Jake Britton’s Grocery Store’ was lovingly known as Jakies store. The store used to carry lots of Kosier foods and she also mentioned that Jake’s was where families could get groceries during hard times on tab. She also shared that during the end of the Great Depression, customers could get food from the North Side Market with small paper stamps.
      When you are facing the building, on the left there was a “beer garden” at one time, North Side News has been in the building for years but at another door, and there has always been apartments on the second floor. Over the years, the front has changed slightly and a number recalled the feed store before Snyder Saw. We would like to hear what you remember. If you have any memories of the building or of Jake Britton, please share your comments below or email us at info@ellwoodcitymemories.com

      We have gotten a lot of comments and emails about the business district of Hazel Dell. One of the buildings in that area was this building along North Street. Different generations remember different business being in that building, but all remember them fondly.
      Most recently Christopher Pavkovich, who lived on First Avenue from the 1970′s until the 90′s, shared… “That has always been an apartment complex as far back as I can remember.  However, the right most part of the complex (when facing it) on the ground floor used to be a hair salon and had several owners.  I do not think it was ever a barber shop.”
      Delores Kammermeier recalled that there were several businesses in the large building during the war including Seaburn’s Dry Goods. Ange DiLeonardo’s grocery and bake shop occupied a portion of the first floor for a number of years and the apartments were upstairs.  She also shared her memory of.. “The Herr family lived up on the second floor and all the girls on the block had a crush on Harold Herr as he was so cute.” She was not positive, but believes that Tony Straw had an insurance office in the upper white building also or real estate but was not sure what.”
      Kathy Blank recalled that “in the middle darkened door, was the Seaburn Sundry (?) Shop with lots of What-nots; lace material, needles, thread, embroidery hoops, and paper decals. She also carried material to make dresses and aprons, etc, shoe laces, stockings (2 pieces); rick-rack, and etc. In the back of the store was where Mrs. Seaburn pierced ears with a hot needle and cork and silk thread. She would leave thread in the ear lobe and we had to turn it so that the hole would not close up. Mrs. Seaburn was the sweetest, kind and loving lady. She reminded me of my Grandma. It was such a fun store!!! I saved for months to earn those ten cents to get my ears pierced!!!
      While I was growing up (I moved to Wampum Avenue in 1943 or 44), Ruth Albino had a Beauty shop to the right of Seaburns, when you were facing the building. I believe she owned the building along with her husband Paul and it was known as the Albino Building.”
      Of course this is only a couple people’s memories; we would love to hear your memories of the Albino Building and the stores that were within. Please share your memories below or email us at info@ellwoodcitymemories.com.

We would like to thank Kathy, Delores and Chris for their help.

      From August 10, 1913 until the day the building at 123 Fifth Street was torn down to make way for the new Eckerd Pharmacy, it was the longest continuously operating funeral home in Ellwood City. For eighty-eight years and through three different Ellwood City families, it served this area. The final family being Joseph A. Tomon, Jr. and his wife who purchased the funeral home from P.O. Contrucci.
      Twenty-five years after purchasing the funeral home on Fifth Street, Joseph A. Tomon, Jr. moved the family business on June 2, 2004 into a newly constructed building at 97 Grim Avenue in Ellport.

     These photos were originally believed to be pictures of Mel Guy’s service stations in Chewton, however if you look closely there is a sewer drain in front of the station and Chewton did not have this type of curbs and drainage system. After talking to a couple of gentlemen about the photos, these are now believed to be pictures of Mel Guys service station located at the end of the Ewing Park Bridge where Loccisano’s Golden Dawn is currently located.

        The more commonly remembered Mel Guy’s Service Station was located along Wampum Ave at the end of the Veterans Bridge. Located next to Dom’s grocery store, today the service station would be in the parking lot of 7-11.

     The J. Wilbur Randolph Post of the American Legion was organized in the late summer months of 1919 by honorably discharged veterans of World War I. The post was named in memory of the first resident of Ellwood City to make the ultimate sacrifice in that war. 

     The Legion turned an undesirable triangle of land into a fitting memorial park located at Fourth Street and Spring Avenue. Legion Park was dedicated to the fifteen local men that died in World War I. As part of the tribute, a Norway maple tree was planted for each of the lost soldiers with a granite marker bearing the soldiers name. A captured German Trench mortar was placed at the base of the flag pole at the park dedication on November 11, 1923.

     Additional Memorials have been added since 1923 including an impressive monument “In Honor and Memory of All that Served World War II”. This monument also lists the men and women that died defending us in World War II. Additional monuments include a Pearl Harbor monument in remembrance of December 7th, 1941 and a memorial “In Memory of Ellwood City Area Men and Women Who Served in the Korean War”. This monument lists the eight local men who did not return from Korea including John Walczak, Ralph Taylor, John Bonzo, Gerald Book, Sam Ierino, Dan Hawke, William Francis, & Thad Wiegel.

      We have heard from a couple of people that remember when the circus came to Ellwood City but it took awhile to get a picture of such an event. At the beginning of the twentieth century the circus came to town a couple of times and set up in the west end part of town just North of Lawrence Avenue. In this picture you can see the mill in the background so we believe this was one of the times they set up at that location. There are a number of tents including the big three ring tent on the left, the “attractions” tent on the right and a number of smaller tents and wagons in front of both. We can not tell what the children are sitting on in the bottom left corner of the picture. 
      Leonard Chapman recalled that for a number of years the circus would be on the farm of Ben Parker on Wampum Road just west of the town limits. He shared how a lot of the local kids would go and help the circus set up the big tent and the other tents in exchange for a ticket to see the show. It was a lot of hard work but they enjoyed doing it and being part of “the show”. He also shared the excitement they got being around the circus people and seeing the animals while setting it up and likened it to being back stage.
      The year the circus truck wrecked near the Frisco Bridge was a year it was held at the Parker farm. On the last day the circus was in town, the truck that hauled the cook tent left ahead of the other trucks to go to the next town to setup for the next day. The truck went through Ellwood and down old Frisco hill but lost control. The large truck did not make the turn on the Frisco side of the bridge and hit the house to the right, not the house straight off the end the bridge. We have not validated if anyone was hurt in the accident or if the truck hit the bridge itself.
    If you recall the circus coming to town, we would enjoy hearing your memories. Please share below, or email us at info@ellwoodcitymemories.com

      The DeLoia family owned DeLoia’s Market in the West End of town. Originally the store belonged to Joseph A. DeLoia and his wife Eda (Bettoni) but was taken over by their three sons James (Jimmy) J., Louis E., and John. 
      Jimmy DeLoia worked for the family business for a couple of years as a butcher and clerk before taking over as owner/operator in 1954 after returning from serving his country in the United States Army. In 1969, Jim decided to expand and opened a new restaurant, DeLoia’s Dairy Isle in 1969 next to the supermarket on Lawrence Avenue. 
      We would enjoy hearing your memories of DeLoia’s or just of Mr. DeLoia. Please email us at info@ellwoodcitymemories.com or share your memories below in the comments section.

      The Ellwood City Ledger printed this picture that belonged to the late Henry Bazzichi of Park Gate. The picture was originally taken in 1897 in Ewing Park and read across the back “the uniformed rank of the K of P.”, but it was unknown as to what the K. of P. stood for. We have uncovered that it stood for the Knights of Pythias, who had a lodge here in Ellwood City. The question we have is where in Ewing Park was there such a formidable wall built?
      The Order of Knights of Pythias is an international fraternity which was founded in Washington, DC, after the Civil War February 19, 1864, by Justus H. Rathbone, which records today more than two thousand subordinate lodges in the United States and Canada. The primary object of fraternal organizations is to promote friendship among men and to relieve suffering. Each organization adopts some outstanding principle as its objective. The individuality of an order is determined by its ideal sentiment. The distinguishing principles of the Order of Knights of Pythias are “FRIENDSHIP, CHARITY and BENEVOLENCE”.
      Henry’s picture here originally was owned by Mrs. G.Y. Fike, but we are not sure if her husband or any relatives are pictured. If you recall the Ellwood City lodge of the K of P, we would enjoy hearing from you. Please leave a comment below or email us at info@ellwoodcitymemories.com

        The Boltbusters were a Semi-Professional football team in Ellwood City. The team was founded in 1947 by former High School players returning from serving in World War II. The first year the team was simply the Sportsman Club. It was not until 1948 that the team changed its name to the Boltbusters.
      The team played in the Lawrence County Football Semi-Pro league and continued playing games into the 1950′s. We have talked to a number of people that have fond memories of going to watch these games and remember how good these guys could play the game. The V.F.W Post 252 not only sponsored the team but also housed them. The players would meet at the V.F.W. and dress upstairs where their uniforms were kept and then travel to the field for practice or games.
      Carl Agostinelli, one of the few surviving members, was more than happy to help us and gave us the names of the players from this 1928 Championship team…

Front Row Left to Right: H. Young, Leo Presto, Phil Konyak, Al Geniviva, Denn Pelloni, Lou Chiro, Harry Hughes, Bob Chesko, Bill Young, A. Orlando (manager)

Second Row Left to Right: Carl Agostinelli, Nick Sudeno, Bill O’Brien, Will Wiltrout, Mike Raykovich, Joe Vargo, Dale Tillia, Henry Mancini, Bill McClintic, Jack Desport, Ziggy Glogowski

Third Row from the Left: Joe Turner (manager), Frank Ritorto, Danny O’Shurek, Bob Figurell, Jay Mikosh, Carl Ottobre, Chub Thomas, Nick Dudick, Joe Eonta, Marty Abbaticchio, Carl Bintrim, Jack Menied

      We would enjoy hearing your memories of the mighty Boltbusters. Please share your comments below or email us at info@ellwoodcitymemories.com