I recently met with Mr. Frank Geniviva to discuss things on and things missing from our web site like Gen Sales on Pittsburgh Circle. While we were drinking coffee in Thanks A Latte discussing our memories of Ellwood City, Frank mentioned that the road to the old power plant along the Connoquenessing Creek was the best sled riding hill in Ellwood City. I had never even thought of sled riding there, but he said it was so common that the workers used to leave the fence open for them so they wouldn’t crash into it.
That hill would be fun to go down, but I can’t imagine climbing back up the hill. My brothers and I used to always go sled riding behind the old US Steel time clock station (Nico Luciano’s today). This part of Pittsburgh Circle rarely got used in the snow and when you started getting tired, there was a wooden staircase you could use. By no means do I think this was the best sled riding hill in Ellwood, but it was close to home. If we could get a ride, our hill of choice in Ellwood City was behind the women’s softball field at Stiefel Park in the old brickyard on the hill.
Here is my question to you, where is the best hill for sled riding in Ellwood City? Please leave your comments below, or you can email us by CLICKING HERE.
I lived on Glen Avenue in the late 50′s and 60′s and remember Power House Hill well.Half way down the hill there was a huge water pipe that ran under the road. We used to hide cigarettes in that pipe and at the time thought it was pretty cool. All of the kids from Glen Ave. and Pittsburgh Circle sleded there. Sometimes they would close the gate to the power plant and if you were not careful you would slam into the gate. But no one got too badly hurt. And riding down the hill was fun but walking back up to the top was a pain. Alot of my family lives on the North Side and every so often the city would block off the upper end of North Street so the kids there could sled. It was kind of dangerous as well for if you got going too fast you would run out onto Orchard Avenue. Alot of great winter memories and thinking back the cold and blowing snow didn’t bother us then.
There are clearly many great places to sled ride in the Ellwood Area, but my favorite was a place up behind loop Street that we called the Cow Pasture. It was a rather long hill with a natural jump near the bottom that would send you tumbling if you weren’t careful. The ride was fast and furious and the walk back up the hill, as I recall, wasn’t too difficult. I remember when I was a senior in high school and it snowed one winter day. Just about the entire senior class skipped school and went sled riding up at the Cow Pasture. Great times and great memories.
Phillip (PEM) Morris, Jr.
Virginia Beach, VA
I remember sled riding down a hill that was behind some houses that were adjacent to Walnut Ridge Elem. School. Headed up to Rolling Hills. Me and my brother used to go there sometimes there would be groups of kids there until dark! What fun! We also used to sled ride on the hill behind Walunt Ridge School too. This is a GREAT website! Thank you so much for all your efforts!
LaBates hill on the northside, behind the middle of the 1st block of Orchard Ave. Spent many hrs on that hill
I can remember sledding on North St. It was very steep and you could really fly down the hill. At the time I lived on Hazel Ave. Itwa sback in the early 50′s. Does any one remember the buses that we had back then ?? I can remember my dad going to work at U.S. Steel on them.
The best sledding I recall was one of the middle holes at the Ellwood City Country Club. I even think people skied down that particular hill in the winter since the course was normally closed. I grew up on Wiley Hill past Locust Grove Elementary but I think if you could keep from getting run over, Browns hill down Browns Road would have been terrific!
I miss Ellwood at times, the people and my family. Thank you. RHS grad 1970
The best sledding in Ellwood was on Fifth Street from above Summit Ave all the way down to Wayne Ave. The city blocked off the cross streets and we safely rode our sleds for hours.
The Street between Hazel Ave. and Orchard Ave. used to be closed to traffic all winter and was used only for sledding when I was a kid. It was great and they even had a School Crossing Guard asigned to be there in the evening hours to maintain the peace or just to look after all of us. It was great.
I remember 3 great places.
1. College St. from Line Ave down to Todd Ave and the Auxilary Police would stop traffic.
2. The alley above Wayne Ave. We would start in the woods just below Dr. Magee’s home and ride all the way down to Johnny’s Pizza shop and get a “Sause sandwich.
3. Taboganing at DelMar! stay out of the lake and get warm at the fire.
Just like Phil & Dana, I remember sledding in the cow pasture & behind Walnut Ridge School. I grew up with Dana & her brother. There was also a steep hill behind one of the apartment units at the top of the hill in the Walnut Ridge Housing Projects. On a good sledding day there were over a dozen kids on this hill. I remember sledding all day only stopping to go home to warm up & switch my mittens for the warm ones waiting on the radiator (thanks Mom !). We would also build igloos & giant snowmen. A bunch of us kids built a giant snowmen in the ball field between the school & playground & the Ledger came & took a picture for the paper.
How well I remember the snowy winters in Ellwood City. I lived on Park Avenue & 7th Street. All my friends and I would walk up one block to Wayne Avenue to sled. Would you believe the city literally blocked off Wayne Avenue from Hospital Hill all the way down to 5th or 6th Street. What a ride that was. And what a climb it was to go back to the top!! How we loved it and now I can’t believe they actually closed the street for the kids!! What a town!! (1944-1949)