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Index to Trolley Transportation in Charleroi PA

Researched by Nikki A. C. Sheppick. Additions about "Beaches" by Judith Florian

Part of the Cross Roads of Transportation History for the North Charleroi-Lock 4-Charleroi and affiliated Monongahela River Valley areas. 

Trolley Railways

January 15, 1919 - Charleroi Mail newspaper, Charleroi PA in Washington County PA:
Street Railways Organize for Year
Meeting - stockholders of Westside Electric Street Railway Co. And the Webster, Monessen, Belle Vernon, & Fayette City Street Railway Co., held at the company offices, Bank of Charleroi bldg., Jan. 13.
Annual reports of both roads were read, satisfactory state of business for the year 1918. Election of Directors of Boards organized were as follows:
Westside Electric Street Railway Co.:

June 4, 1953 - Charleroi Mail newspaper, Charleroi PA in Washington County PA:
Must Repave with Concrete Here .... Boroughs Get Rail Removal Facts on Trolley Abandonment
In this article, it states that the removal of the Pittsburgh Railways would be happening within the next 10 mos. and the PA Hwy. Depart. would be supervising the removal and replacement with cement roads. A source said that the rails would be gone by June 28th once adequate bus svc. was available.

June 29, 1953 - Charleroi Mail newspaper, Charleroi PA in Washington County PA:
Say Noisy Farewell to Street Cars
Last car noted as it came through Charleroi. Crowd rode it on its last trip to Roscoe and back. Big crowd in Charleroi PA to greet them and wave farewell as they left Charleroi.

November 13, 1971 Valley Independent.  Article by R. Mitch Steen - "Trolley Once Vital in Valley":
Gives a brief history - The first car was used in 1895 in valley. Charleroi to Allenport in 1899, to Roscoe in 1906 - creating a 37 mile round trip route to Pittsburgh. The Fayette City line came to be in 1903, the same years as the Webster-Monessen-Belle Vernon-Fayette City lines all connected. They connected to each other after the construction of the Charleroi-Monessen Bridge was completed in 1907. The connection to Bentleyville happened in 1913. Donora’s was in 1906.

The start of the end of this service began on May 1, 1933 when trolleys were replaced by gas powered buses in Monessen-Arnold City.  Twenty (20) years later, the bells stopped for trolleys in the Valley - June 28, 1953. 

A great festive farewell was set off all along the 37 mile route back to Pittsburgh with the following in control of "Old 1721". Tony Malnerick of Finleyville at controls, Vic Depasse of Pittsburgh, John Hennings of Monongahela, Ray Moody of Charleroi and Charles Lundy of North Charleroi accompanying. Charles Lundy said that it was "like the 4th of July and New Year’s Eve in one". A Lock Four fire truck escorted the last trolley as it left the Boro and began its trek onward to its final destination in Pittsburgh. So ended that trolley car era.

November 17, 1971 Valley Independent. 
Backward Glances - How Trollies Got Their Start - Charles W. Lundy

Closely tied to Pittsburgh interests. Franchises had been secured and in operation by Dec. 18, 1906. In the Charleroi-Belle-Vernon-Fayette City areas, it was begun by those who invested, organized, and owned the railways in 1897 with a 3 mile electric line from Lock 4 south through Charleroi to Speers, PA. 

Pittsburgh interests eventually took over it all in 1899, and by 1902 the service extended to Allenport, by 1906 to Roscoe, and was completed in 1919. 

In 1903, the Charleroi West Side Electric Railway Co. had re-organized and made it possible for customers to travel both sides of the Monongahela River and later in 1907 via the "Mercantile" - Charleroi-Monessen Bridge.

The first trolley car barn was located at 15 McKean & First St., once known as the H & B Garage. About 1906 is when the business increased and more space was needed so that the new car barn was erected between 11th and 12th streets on McKean Avenue on the other end of town. 

Another article by R. Mitch Steen - Valley Independent - Backward Glances - Trolleys Gave Dependable Service in Valley - w/ picture going over trestle on the North side of North Charleroi-Lock 4.

Two articles were written by Margaret Reeves-Myers for the Tribune-Review
1) Mon Valley Then and Now — Streetcars Rise & Fall in 30 Years
Shows an in depth history of the railways between Pittsburgh and the Mon Valley.
2) Trolley Rides Highlighted Summer - showcasing its connection to the trolley park called "Eldora". Electrically powered, the horse drawn trolleys already passed on by 1902, with some hanging on till 1924 on the south side of Pittsburgh called the Sarah-Street Car - one of the last horse-tramways in the US. 

For a short time, the trolleys were powered by steam engine. The biggest hazard were cows that went astray from their farms as the Street Cars rollicked through. 

Picnic Areas 

The most favorite of many people and families were times spent at the great picnic park routes that were generated along the trolley lines.  Eldora (on the North side of Lock 4) was one; another was Beechwood (near and between Speers and Dunlevy), and a third was Oakdale (between Charleroi & Bentleyville), these being reached by the trolley rails. Traffic was sometimes so heavy that some people even boldly sat on the roof of the trolley to get to the parks, and some even wore their bathing suits and hopped off along the way to take a dip in the then-cleaner Monongahela River. 

Mrs. J. F. McKenna of Charleroi was in charge of all the amusement rides at Eldora Park during the early years. Many of these trolley parks had roller coasters, romantic walk-ways, slides, swings, restaurants, roller and ice-skating, all kinds of sports, merry-go-rounds, vaudeville shows, concert bands, tent theaters, and dancing pavilions as well as vast picnic grounds - much like Kennywood (which is also along the Pittsburgh Railway line) once was and is today. They were summer filled delights in amusement that the whole family could enjoy and these parks even opened for select events during colder months. 

At one time, Eldora Park was the most popular picnic site in this SW PA end of the state, having started in 1904, financed by Stever Woodward, Guy Moffitt and Tom Sloan initially. W. Roy McShaffrey put on his famous tent shows and vaudville acts and later went to Monessen PA and opened the Star Theater there. Many couples met their mates in this park over the decades it was in existence as this was one of the best places to chase girls and guys and dance the night away. School outings were frequently taken here.

The Eldora Pavilions attracted many touring bands such as: Ted Weems, Lawrence Welk, and Kay Kaiser as well as Donora’s "Golden State Eight Orchestra" led by Donora’s own Al Zeffiro, and with Johnny Jenkins of Charleroi with his band provided dancing music the rest of the time, and who was very instrumental in arranging minstrel shows in the valley. 

Once they opened up the park to cars, there was sometimes a muddy mess to get un-entrenched from and riding the trolleys was much easier.

Mrs. Jenkins, involved with the Charwood Girl Scout Organization, being very active in social and civic affairs, saw fit to see the CGSO purchase the pavilion and chartered the ground on June 19, 1946 - they used those grounds till at least the late 1960s and they called it "Charwood". This land was chartered or leased from the Wickerham family and the purpose was to encourage trolley car service.

All of the above parks could be reached by the "Pittsburgh Interurban" street cars and the summer cars were operated on the Charleroi and Pittsburgh line and the West Side Streetcar line - both in operation from 1907 till 1912, and whose MV base was located on the furthermost northern corner of Charleroi, PA. 

What many people do not realize today was how much the Mellon family was involved in helping in the development of Charleroi PA who were leaders in developing the Pittsburgh and Charleroi Street Railroad Railway in 1901 and Mon City Street Railway Co. In 1902, and thereafter all future operations, came under the name of the Pittsburgh Railways. 

Oakdale Park covered a large area that extended from the highway and a long distance down a gentle slope between Centerville and Bentleyville. There was a fence that enclosed the sides of the park and in front of the fence was a row of old abandoned summer streetcars with the wheels removed - for the children to play on and imagine that they were going to many new places. Oakdale was park that was mainly used for family picnics and getting out of town into the country forays, and was almost abandoned when the new ones with more amusement rides were generated - since Oakdale Park only had tables, swings, see-saws, a child-feet propelled merry-go-round, and sliding boards commonly found in town playgrounds. 

It is amazing to think that at one time, by changing cars here and there, a person could travel the length and breadth of the United States by inteurban trolley car systems just as one could utilize the Rail Road with passenger trains.

Another article by R. Mitch Steen - Centennial - picture of Charleroi Trolley Barns - Trolley Parks Served Area Residents During Early Years.- much of the same information as above. 

Beechwood Park had a picnic and recreation area as well as a band stand benches, swings slides.

Charleroi PA once had "Charleroi Beach", with bathing house erected on land fronting the Monongahela River.  This site went through several owners, and each developed it more than the last owner.  People walked, rode a trolley, or came by automobile.  Charleroi Beach apparently lost its popularity with the closeness of Redd's Beach, a.k.a. Nelson's Beach, now known as Pine Cove Swim Club.

Redd's Beach, a.k.a. Nelson's Beach, now known as Pine Cove Swim Club - You can read more about these on other pages.  Many people rode the Trolley to Nelson's, later called Redd's Beach.  Later, personal automobiles meant this commercial swimming pool site needed parking lots to accommodate its customers.

Changes in Transportation

About 1905 is when the automobile began its foray into people’s lives in the US. They were " open air" as many of the first trolleys were.  The automobile gave more people personal control of their plans and destinations.

n the summer, these parks were easily accessed by trolley and the open air "summer cars".  On Sunday afternoons the parks were all filled to overflowing with happy families from the Mon Valley area. 

Researched by Nikki A. C. Sheppick.  Additions made by Judith Florian concerning the "Beaches" in Charleroi PA.

See Photo Index for Pictures of Trolleys in Charleroi PA

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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 Tuesday, May 10, 2011 14:09