Jayhawk Restaurant
Since starting the website in 2008 the three most requested topics that I have not been able to provide pictures of are Nick’s Snack Bar in Ewing Park, the interior of the movie theaters lobby’s, and pictures of the Jayhawk Restaurant. Nick’s as you may know was located where the present brick building remembered today as Park Pharmacy sits. The Jayhawk Restaurant, for those that don’t know, sat at the present site of the PNC Bank drive-through on Lawrence Avenue.
I have heard stories of the Jayhawk, well actually more of the bus station at the Jayhawk, but for one reason or another people remember the Jayhawk Restaurant. It might just be the memories of catching the bus there, the roast beef sandwiches, or we have heard it was quite the teenage hangout in its day. Whatever the reason, the Jayhawk still has a place in many from Ellwood City’s heart.
The only picture I have been able to locate of the Jayhawk is the picture Bud Dimeo took in the summer of 1958 for the Ellwood City Ledger. The Restaurant itself is not very visible but you can see the building and the Ashland gas station that was owned by tom Ferruchie at the time. If you come across a picture of the Jayhawk, or of the theaters or Nick’s, please share as I can tell you first hand, it would be greatly appreciated.
Oh boy, do I remember the Jayhawk!!! We practically ate there every Friday night because the barber shop would be so busy, we never knew when my Dad would be available for dinner. My Mom and I would go to the Jayhawk and my Dad would meet us there and we would order for him.
I also remember they had the best pies. I don’t remember the ladie’s name, but she would win the “Blue Ribbon” at one of the fairs in the area all most every year. Plus who forget the big, fancy hankerchief(?) they wore on their uniform. Also remember the gas station and the Jayhawk sign. Great, great memories!!! (Don’t believe going into the bus station that often)
Linda
You are sure right. The Jayhawk was the best in the area. They had the greatest Roast Beef Sandwiches I ever tasted. And the bus terminal side had homemade ice cream. Strawberry was 3 scoops for 15 cents. (Try to find that deal today.)And you’re right, your dad’s shop was open to 8 on Fridays. I know because I was the clean up kid and that is what time I started. I’m not sure but I think the Policewoman writing the ticket in the picture be my mother.
You may be right Bob, that looks like my dads 55 Buick in the background (remember the green one with the white roof?) Dad called it Pasture Green cause it was so bright. You would have been 14 or 15 when this pic was taken. Correct??????? Don
There are photos posted on this wonderful web-site that I know nothing about. This is one of them. Am quite perplexed that I would not remember the bus terminal. Buses, cars, trucks and trains were a big deal. Anyone know what the building was behind the pole with the Jayhawk sign and telephone disk on it? The building with what looks to be Coca-Cola disks on either side of the shop sign intrigues me. I remember the city bus coming to Hazel Avenue and men taking it to get to work at the tube mill when the Mrs. needed the car. Interesting how Linda, Bob and Don have a more unique set of “downtown” experiences than this North Sider does. In retrospect, I guess living anywhere in the Pittsburgh Circle area between the two bridges was the ideal, the best of both worlds. Cheers, all.
Dave, The white building with coca cola disks on it is the Ashland gas station. They also did car repairs. The sign on the Jayhawk sign looks like a telephone sign. I could be completely wrong. Maybe they did “telegrams” (remember those)I’m not sure. Next to the gas station was that resturant(that again I cannot remember it’s name). I know Bob, Don or Danny J. will remember it’s name.
I think it is great Bob that that could be your Mom in the photo and that Don, that is your Dad “pasture green” car.
What you see the photo is what I saw everyday since I lived across the street on Lawrence Ave.
Dave, I knew very little about “north side” because I had no reason to go there until high school when some of friends lived there. Up until then my friends were from Hartman and everythng we needed was “downtown”. So, I’m a “downtown girl”. I did go to Ewing Park for dance lessons from Alice Mayberry. She lived on the corner directly across from tht tennis courts. BOY WHAT FABULOUS MEMORIES.
Dave, that was a service station (they sold Coke) the telephone sign showed that they (Bus Terrminal) had a pay phone (I believe)I believe the other resturaunt was the Ellwoodian. I remember going to the Jayhawk for dinner (lunch) after church on Sunday morning.
Linda, Don, thanks for the information. As my dad worked for The Bell Telephone Company for 41 years I know the telephone disk was a symbol to show that a “public phone” (pay phone) was available on the premises.
Linda, I better understand the North Side vs. down town differences. There was nothing on the North Side to come and see, except friends or relatives. Dale Brown would come over to visit his cousins but you’d have to ask Dale as I believe family would be the only “draw” to cross the bridge. Town had movies, “five and dimes,” and “department” stores the North Side didn’t have.
Ewing Park was a “draw” what with the swimming pool, picnic shelters, and little league baseball games in summer and football in the Fall. Come to think of it, in the scope of things, North Side was a “suburb” but we didn’t know it. Technically, I believe, it was a burrough. And I don’t know what that means!
Need to make a re-mix of “It’s A Wonderful Life?” Film it in Ellwood City. We could all come back and be stand-ins for old folks.
Dave, your comment on “It’s a Wonderful Life” made me laugh first thing this morning. Thanks
My daughter who is a school teacher, gave me a book called “Queen for a Day” by Marc Brown. It’s from the cartoon “Arthur”. The subtitle is “Queen of Elwood City”. Ellwood was purposely misspelled. I read the author’s bio and he & and father used to travel up & down the Western PA area just for Sunday rides and must have liked EC. Just a little bit of trivia.
Again thanks for the laugh.
Dave, like you, I have absolutely no memories of ever being in the Jayhawk Restaurant. My loss!!!! I remember the buildings, etc. but we never went there to eat. I think it may be that the North Side, Hazel Dell, was somewhat isolated from the town by that long bridge and in effect people looked to stores and businesses there instead of making the trip into town. We rarely ate out and my mother kept the “icebox” stocked with lunch meats, vegetables and leftovers to cover a quick lunch at home. It wasn’t until I had access to a car or a ride before my world expanded to the south side of the bridge. We would ride our bikes to Ewing Park but the traffic toward the center of town kept us on the north bank except for walks to the movies. A lunch out for me was potato chips or peanuts and a coke at the corner store. After grade school the downtown area finally was available and the world of Peewee’s, Williams, the 5 & 10, Isaly’s and other stores became part of my life. That’s about the time you moved from town.
Jim, your comments parallel my views of living on the North Side as a kid. 100%. Having moved from Ellwood City in the summer of 1959, I missed the experience of exploring all that the “downtown” had to offer as you did during the high school years and beyond.
I really only knew the downtown from 5th Street, from the Chevy dealer up to Lincoln High and the businesses along that path. I spent a lot of time in the library, I loved seeing the fire station, remember well the veterans’ memorials in front of the municipal building, and remember once going to the Ledger’s office with my dad and seeing the lead type being set. Like you, eating out was not a frequent event in my family, Jim. Can only remember once, going to some place near Wampum that had great roast beef. Family trips to the frozen custard stand out of town and up on a hill somewhere come to mind.
I am just glad to vicariously learn from you, other North Siders who comment on the site, and from Dale Brown on how life was still great well into the 60′s. Glad to learn as well from Don and Linda the details of “town life,” I learn a lot about what I missed from the site. All my memories are good ones.
Dave the Frozen custard stand is J & T on top of the hill it is still there and the custard is still the same being made on machines that was bought in 1946 it is still a very popular place I think it is the only place that has not changed at all over the year my brother and I was there every night when we was visting Ellwood
There was also anotheer custard stand on the Ellwood-New Castle Rd called Forbushes’, I think they were brothers J&T and Forbush. Same great custards!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jim mentioned Isalys which brought memories of ice cream called Skyscrapers, WOW!!!! Don
The last time I was in EC with my daugther and granddaughter, we went to J&T frozen custard stand with Lois L. It was sooooooo good No frozen custard around here. Once I heard there was one in Palm Springs, a little too far to drive.(haha) Used to go to J&T quite a bit.
My brother Jack and I Had a Ledger Paper route around the Pittsburgh circle….we started when we were 8 and 9 years old and had that paper route for 6 years. after delivering the papers we would often stop at the jayhawk bus terminal and play the pin ball machines and get a candy bar. we lived across the street in the manos theater apartments. the guy who worked behind the counter was grumpy but tolerated us.
Hi Harry, Thanks again for sending and saving my Dad’s photo from the VFW when he was a Commander. I never had a problem with anyone behind the candy counter at the Manos. Sometimes I would hang out with the girls working the ticket booth or candy counter. Most of them were LHS majorettes. As I said before, we went to dinner at the Jayhawk almost every Friday night. Take care of yourself. My email address is linda42t@yahoo.com if you ever want to email me.