I was born on 5-7-1949.

I spent the first 30 years of my life in a little town –

Known as ELDRED in Pa.

Above are historical photos from 1889!

It is Main Street and looked much like this in my years of living there.

Even the flooded streets!

Every Spring – the river known as the ALLEGHANY –

Would rise from the runoff from the melting snow.

Spring rains would leave Barden Brook –

The little Creek – Stream in the middle of the town-

Swollen and overflowing its banks as the river slowly backed up!

It was a way of life for years and years.

One year, I was told not to go down the street and into the flood waters.

But – I DID!

I made a crude raft and had a long pole as a paddle.

The water was only a couple of feet deep –

So it was more like placing the pole on the hard surface of the road and slowly –

Inching my way through the water.

I was proud of myself until the morning the Bradford Era newspaper came out!

There I was –

Long pole in hand and am standing on my homemade raft.

Captured for my family to see that I did not listen and went sailing on –

Mainstreet of little Eldred, Pa.

When confronted with the picture –

I could only shake my head yes –

Not knowing if I would “GET THE BELT” or retrieve.

I was sent to my room – no dinner –

But – it became a family moment to laugh about years later –

And my mother saved that picture from the newspaper.

Here is an early picture of Eldred, Pa. –

Where I grew up!

The baseball field –

Had tall telephone poles with “LIGHTS” as I grew up.

Not shown here – and a chainmail fence that ran along the Elm Street side.

The home plate and the backstop were to the right center of this picture.

The outfield by those tall telephone poles was where –

The boys would have pickup tackle football games.

We would gather to watch the “TOWN TEAM” baseball games.

This was made up of grown men from the town and the surrounding township.

Most of the towns had such teams.

My father was the manager as I was growing up!

And Sunday afternoons were spent here at the park or traveling to other towns.

The park was my destination on my bike in those early years.

I had to be home before the street lights came on –

But also at dinnertime.

I had many grade school friends who lived close by.

And when I was in the fifth grade-

The new Elementary school opened just across the street from center field of the ballpark!

I remember watching ball games and the home run of the ball hitting the lawn of the school.

And if memory serves me right-

I faintly remember someone placing one on the roof of that school!

Back before I was born –

It was a busy little town.

Today – sadly –

Most of the stores are vacant.

Big box stores – Amazon, UPS, and Dollar Generals or Dollar Trees –

Have put them out of business.

At one time, there was a busy bus stop as shown here,

A train station that unloaded and picked up passengers.

Three car dealerships as I was growing up.

Gas stations in town and at either end entering the town.

Bars – restaurants –

Clothing stores and general stores, and drugstore.

Lively churches –

A movie theater and bowling alley!

Legion and VFW!

Masonic building and firehall.

Doctor and dentist’s office.

A little town set amidst the Allegheny Mountains and the river that ran North into NYS and then back to Pittsburgh.

I actually canoed down that river twice!

My first four grades were in this building-

Which I presume was built in 1835!

The high school gym sat on Edison Street behind the bank and close to the Ford dealership.

This building was made of wood and must have been a huge town project when it was built.

I did not realize just how old it was when I went to school there.

Grades one through twelve.

Many memories of playing outside in the front under huge oak and maple trees.

Watching the older kids on the front steps.

These are memories I have of growing up in a little town –

Near the NYS border, some 65 miles South of Buffalo.

Roller skating the sidewalks of North Main Street-

Then I ride my bike all over town and head for the ballpark.

Go to Slavins Furniture and ask for cardboard boxes.

They were waxed back in those times-

And cut open and spread out

Sliding down the hill across from our house, where the antenna for TV was.

I called it BLUEBERRY HILL!

These are but some of my many memories I have of growing up!

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My blog site: livinglifedoingitmyway. blog

A place of my memories – family and friends.

Youth- marriage and life in Pa.- NYS – NVA and now N.C.

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PAPA’S WORLD – MEMORIES FROM GROWING UP!