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Focusing on the lives
of any person or family who has lived in Little Washington,
Washington County, Pennsylvania at anytime throughout
history to recent times, through data and family stories.
NEW SEARCH BOX ADDED
Washington PA
UPTOWN LANDMARKS
FROM DEWEY AVENUE AND PARK AVENUE, PAST W&J FOOTBALL
FIELD,
THEN GOING UP SOUTH MAIN STREET TO WEST MAIDEN STREET
This pages gives a first-person perspective
and information
about some landmarks in the City Of Washington.
by Missy Bright Andrews
DEWEY PLAYGROUND... W&J FOOTBALL FIELD...ALBANO'S MARKET...GLASS
PLANT...SOUTH MAIN STREET B&O RAILROAD CROSSING...RUNGO'S MARKET....NEW
CITY LUNCH CAFE...KRAUSE'S DRUG STORE...LUNCHTIME STREET ACTIVITIES....FIRST
WARD SCHOOL...UPTOWN LOCATIONS...
Visit My Town-Talk
Pages Also!
If you are looking for documents,
newspaper items, obituaries, etc. for
families of Washington Co., PA and surrounding areas, see my primary website
at:
"Little
Washington," Washington Co., PA: Genealogy and Family History
McDonald
Area Newspapers are also on the Little Washington website.
Rather than fact-only (and often boring) information, these
pages give impressions and experiences of some landmark places in
Washington. Strictly history type information can be easily found on
other Washington County, PA websites. My previous first-person accounts have
inspired others to send me their memories as well. The following was
sent by Missy Bright Andrews in September 2010, just as today's children were
starting back to school...
My name is Missy Bright Andrews. I found your website about Washington, PA and was reading all the memories you have of Washington. I would like to add a few of my memories and please feel free to post this on your website.
I grew up on Dewey Ave. I walked everyday from 1st grade to 6th grade to First Ward grade school. First Ward was located across from the Coca-Cola plant on West Maiden Street / Jefferson Ave.
My walk started out early in the morning. I would meet my friends at the Park and Dewey Playground and we would walk to school.
Park and Dewey playground was where I literally grew up. All the neighborhood kids would end up at the playground after school. We would be swinging on the swings or riding the merry go
round...and all the boys played on the monkey bars. In the summer time, there would be a program from the school district where you could sign your kids up to stay all day, eat lunch, do activities and then about
4pm go home. We made pot holders, had "jacks" tournaments in which I was often
the big winner...ok, one of the big winners...We played homerun derby and kick ball. As we got older we would sit under the tree by the sidewalk and watch all the boys play and of course giggled about which one was the cutest?
As we came onto Park Avenue, we walked on the opposite side
from the fencing that encloses W&J football field before reaching the angled "T" intersection at S. Main St. and Park Ave. There was a Sunoco gas station on the corner with a phone booth in front of it...one of my friends said to check and see if there was money in the phone booth...I
did...the phone rang...and of course I answered it. Some lady on the other end yelled at me because I was checking for
money! I hung up and have never looked for money again in a any phone booth of any type.
(Note: The Sunoco Station closed sometime after, but I don't know if another
business re-opened on that lot.)
As you stood on the corner of South Main and Park Ave and looked to the right,
there's Judson Wiley's gravel business just below East Prospect Avenue. Above
Wiley's was the caboose end of a train...not sure where it came from, but it was interesting and still sitting there today. Judson
Wiley's was always busy. People always going in and out. Cement trucks and dump trucks sitting in front of the store.
Mounds of sand and gravel always sits behind the business in the lot.
We crossed the Park Avenue and started up South Main Street. We walked on the left side of the street and across the way was Albano's grocery store. We practically lived at that store.
The store was very small and crowded inside, with maybe 6 short aisles. Everyone knew
everyone there. People walked into the store and Buelah the cashier always had a hello and a smile for everyone. At least that's the way I remember it.
[Webmaster's note: Albano's store always opened very early in the morning. I'd
walk by as early as 6am from my apartment on Prospect Street on my way to drop
off my daughter at the "Y" daycare center before going on to
Washington Hospital School of Nursing. Customers ran in for the newspaper or
tobacco products; the few spots along the curb were always full, with car
engines left idling on cold days. This business always had their sidewalks
cleared of snow before the onslaught of customers, a fact I appreciated when
dressed in white hosiery and uniform and guiding my 4-year old along the
sidewalks.]
We'd cross back across to South Main St. The glass factory (I think one of the Brockway factories) was
next on the left side going toward Maiden St. If we walked by when the employees were
leaving night shift or entering the lot to start the morning shift, we knew we'd
better hurry or they would run you over with their vehicles! They were all
in a hurry, coming and going, and pedestrians rarely had the 'right of way' when
crossing the plant's driveway!
If we were late for school we would surely get struck by -- or
stuck behind the length of a train coming through the station, or at least that was what we feared. There were actually two sets of RR tracks; one at the bottom of South Main St that were not in use, and the ones still used just above the old B&O Railroad Station. Many coal mines still filled railroad cars with heaping mounds of coal and the train supplied glass plants from the West End to Main St.
and other towns east. Where they traveled beyond that point was only defined by our childhood imaginations. It seemed like trains came through this crossing several times every morning, often
with the train's full length stopped for many minutes as it stretched across the street on both
sides and down the tracks, blocking car traffic and pedestrians from passing in
either direction.
The train made an interesting diversion though-- unless it was a
bitterly cold winter day. Typically at least 2 or 3 engines headed a long
line of coupled freight and coal cars. You couldn't see the
"caboose" or last car, since the tracks veered around a curve about a
half-mile back along the tracks. (Webmaster's note: I often wondered about those
who supposedly "walked the tracks". These tracks supposedly were the
same ones that crossed West Wylie Avenue at the Brockway Glass Plant, meandered
past Jessop Steel, and crossed the bridge over Chestnut Street... before coming
to the old South Main Street B&O Station. Down the tracks, out of
sight, supposedly was where they'd load and unload for the South Main St.
plant.]
The tracks were like everyone recalls: long timbers laid at perfect intervals with long spikes holding the tracks in place, with mud and gravel filling the spaces between each timber at the crossing. Beyond the edges of the street, very little gravel remained between the rails and taller weeds grew closer to the tracks. I recall looking both ways (as I'd been taught to do) and wondered where the long expanse of tracks in both directions ended and imagined all kinds of destinations along the route.
Once we'd stepped gingerly over the tracks in our school shoes or winter boots, we would next pass New City Lunch Cafe. When you walked into this cafe,
the interior was a longggggg hallway...there was the counter to the right and I believe small tables on the left. All I remember was they had the best and cheapest candy.
We then passed Rungo's market. I remember everyone said that Mr.. Rungo was supposed to be "so mean". But, in summer when fruit was sitting outside the store, I wonder how many kids picked the fruit and ran, thus maybe giving Mr. Rungo enough reasons to act unfriendly?
Then there was the shoe store. I forget the name of it...but I remember my mom taking shoes to be fixed to this store. There were boxes and boxes piled high to the ceiling of shoes. It was a very small place, the man who worked in there wore glasses and as I am writing this I can smell the shoe store, a musty smell, but a wonderful memory.
Krause's Drug Store
The next store of interest to me was the best place, Krause's drug store on the corner with a rounded stoop leading to the doorway. They had small quaint tables near the windows, and on the right
was a counter you could sit at and order a coke and ice cream. They had the best cokes in
town! [Note: Soda fountain cokes, I believe.] A phone booth was in the store, too--a real wooden booth with a wooden seat and the (now old-fashioned) black telephone attached to its wall inside. It may at one time had a light inside that came on when you closed the door...I don't recall now. Mr. Krause got to know us so well, that he would put candy bars in the freezer for us...Reese cups...and Snickers.. which tasted great when cold. I loved Krause's store. I remember they had a small area for gifts that you could buy. It's funny how, a few short store fronts from each other, how differently we felt toward Mr. Rungo and Mr. Krause.
The Y.W.C.A.
After Krause's, we turned the bend to the left and started down Maiden Street. We passed the YWCA, where I learned to swim. I think Mrs.
Cowieson taught all girls my age to swim. I wasn't her best student as water wasn't my thing and the only reason I joined the class was because my sister
enrolled. When you walked into the "Y" to the left was a counter where you signed up and paid for classes, to the right was a "parlor" type room. Walking straight took you inside to the "ball room." This room was like no other I had seen. It was huge, with a stage and a balcony. There were dance lessons in this room. When I moved back to Washington, in 1993, I took my daughter who was 4 and enrolled her in ballet classes at the Y.
First Ward Grade School
Next, our destination, sat First Ward grade school. I loved it there. While we walked to school on the left side of the road, the school was on the right. We would be met each morning by a crossing guard. Every week someone from the school was picked to help the crossing guard. I always wanted that job, but never got to do it.
We would walk up about a hundred steps...at least it seemed there were that
many! When you walked into the school the kindergarten thru 3rd grade classes were on the bottom floor and the 4 thru 6th grade were on the 2nd floor. I
remember my 1st grade teacher, Mrs. Cargnello, in particular. She was great. A very soft spoken lady. I remember her letting us dance one day. She put a record album on and we were allowed to get up and dance. Well, I wouldn't. I stayed in my seat and she came over to me and said, "Diana, why aren't you dancing?" I said, " I am the good one today, and not dancing" I was only 7.
Mrs. Peterson was the milk lady. We would hand her our dime and she would give us white or chocolate milk. I hated milk. I would drink the orange drink if they had it that day. We all loved Mrs. Peterson, she would hug us and smiled at each one of us. She had a way to making you feel like you were the only one she cared about. She loved us all.
Lunch time...
Lunch time during the school year meant walking home again and then back to school.
The streets were busy after lunch. People walking everywhere, on their way to do errands unknown to me. All of the adults seemed so... "busy"... Some strode to the corner as though they believed the pavement was their private right-of-way. Others darted between cars to cross the intersection. Honking horns, lights changing, people moving...all so very normal but the scenes seem to carry something almost magical in memories. Just as my feet carried me to and from school, Washington had a life too of many feet and many minds creating almost continuous movement that ebbed and flowed throughout the day.
Returning to school for the afternoon almost pales in comparison
to our morning treks. Krause's and Rungo's carried on their businesses as usual.
The train had unloaded and moved on hours ago. Some plant employees ate their
lunches along the wall in front of the plant but traffic dwindled.
Although trucks at Wiley's continued, their numbers were far less at
noontime. But something about the atmosphere had changed... or maybe it
only seemed that way?
The end of First Ward School....
When they tore down First Ward, I remember one of the neighborhood kids going to the school and getting a brick. I had always wished I would have done that.
I do not remember what year they tore it down. I do not have any pictures of it. But, at the library they have the newspaper on microfilm. I know when I was about it 5th or 6th grade, there is a picture of the kids coming out of school for summer
break; That would have been around 1975 or 1976? I will have to ask my dad if he has that picture?
Uptown locations...
Uptown, I remember G.C. Murphy's where the best grilled hamburgers were made behind the lunch counter. The Washington Restaurant saw quite a bit of foot traffic, especially from people employed in uptown businesses and at the Court House. Who can forget the man who sold the chewing gum on the street?
Isaly's... that was quite special. I remember mom taking us in there when were little and it was a huge treat to go to Isaly's. I also remember Herd's drug store. There was a woman's clothing store next to Herd's, I can't remember the name of it right now (maybe Matthews?).
Thank you for letting me share my memories... Thank you for your web page.
Missy Bright Andrews
Washington High School Class of 1981
Read Jefferson Avenue to Main
Street
Read Uptown Landmarks -
n1 for North Main Street Locations.
Read Uptown Landmarks -
s2 for South Main Street Locations
Read
about lower South Main Street to Maiden Street
Visit My Town-Talk
Pages Also!
For pictures of some places, go to
Washington
PA Nostalgia
A few current street scenes are at the City
Hall website.
Street
Map of 1 South Main Street
and surrounding streets uptown (Mapquest)
City Development pages
and current development
projects map.
Main
Street Newsletters
The City Hall website states:
"His original plot bears the name "Bassett, alias Dandridge
Town," but before the plot was recorded, lines were drawn through
"Bassett, alias Dandridge Town" with ink, and the word
"Washington" was written above."
and
"The town was incorporated as a borough on February 13, 1810, and
became a city of the third class in 1924."
Long Ago Locations: (please send me your additions to
this list)
The old-old post office on Maiden Street.has been City Hall
for decades.
The "new" (many decades-old) Post Office was the
site of __________.
Millcraft Center built in the mid 1970s was the site of a
small diner owned by Pete Paradise (a Greek Confectioner who homemade candies
and strong coffee) and other business store-fronts including a furniture
store.
The Cort Theater was down near Pete's in the 1950s.
The Basil changed to Uptown Theater -- now a live
band-entertainment site.
The State Theater was on the same side as Murphy's
The present site of Hummell Funeral Home used to be
Minnimyer's (spelling?), then the B. F. Goodrich tire sales and repair garage
-- the building sat empty until the Funeral Home built there.
Learn about some Washington Co. towns, boroughs and areas in
the Town-Talk pages.
Email
Washington.Co.PA.Webmaster
(c) Judith Ann Florian
159 E. Main St.
Girard, Ohio 44420
Copyright Notice - Data / info. for individuals and surnames may be
reproduced for personal family histories only, but not for any commercial use or
sale. Please give credit to Judith Florian and Catherine L. Caldwell for
locating newspaper items and original documents. You may use J. Florian's
research conclusions if credit is given. No other data or images may be
reproduced without permission. © 2005-present, Judith Florian, Copyright All
rights reserved.
This page was last updated on Sunday, February 13, 2011 10:04
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The background was chosen specifically to
emphasize the matriarchal role of women in "the life" of
children and families, and the resilience of all the women of
southwestern Pennsylvania. |
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