Everyone Loves a Parade
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.
I spoke with the guys that work at McKelvey’s and they told me that when the store was located on 5th St., the storefront directly to the left (where the Western Union sign hangs in the picture) was The Kildoo Agency… and the gas station on the corner was Harry’s Sinclair Station. I remember when Harry’s was a Texaco Station and he had that old orange Chevy Pick up truck with the baby moons and his name written on the doors.