Alleghany river

Papa’s World – Memories from growing up!

/ Tom / Leave a comment

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!

Welcome to PAPA’S WORLD-

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.

SUBSCRIBE – now at 658 – most I don’t know but are from all over the world.

IT IS FREE!

And take a look at my wife, Sherry’s, website on HEALTH and NUTRITION!

She can be reached inside with email and phone number-

Or if you wish, you can order from this site!

https://sfitzsimmons.juiceplus.com

PAPA’S WORLD – MEMORIES FROM GROWING UP!

Papa’s World – More moments in TIME!

/ Tom / Leave a comment

Here is a view of Eldred. Pa. in the 1900s.

In the middle, the upper is a white church that I bought and made into apartments in the 80s.

In the middle of the picture to the right –

Is the baseball field without the tall telephone pole lights,

Or the basketball and tennis courts.

To the left,

The middle is the area where the elementary school was built –

I attended the fifth and sixth grades.

Beyond the mountains in the upper middle is NYS!

I lived just a couple of houses down on the left side of the white church.

Left center is a large brown building known as Walker’s Machine Shop.

A path ran on the other side through tall pine trees –

and came out into the backyard of my grade-high school buddy, Bobby!

The hill to the right I called BLUEBERRY HILL, and would take cardboard-

And slide down the hill.

It changed from this to what I remembered growing up!

But here is a look back in time before I was born!

A much earlier view of Eldred, Pa., from a different angle.

The Alleghany River runs through the flat land with trees –

And flows North into NYS until it finally turns South-

To Pittsburgh, Pa.

Twice in my early years –

I canoed down that river –

Once with a group that was called THE EXPLOYERS-

An organization beyond the Boy Scouts!

And a second time with our church youth group.

Growing up, it seemed every Spring brought a flood from that river.

Then after the ’72 flood-

Improved flood protection was put in by the Army Corps of Engineers.

I believe this solved the flooding problem.

Growing up, this was the school, grades 1 through 12.

I went four years here, and my last class was on the bottom floor-

I think the set of windows to the left – fourth grade.

I walked from the North end of town to here.

A mile, perhaps?

The HS kids were on the upper floors.

Many fond memories in this building.

Recess was out front, playing in the huge yard with large trees.

The Oak Hill Cemetery was beyond this building on the other side.

And I can remember riding sleds in the snow down that hill.

These are MORE MOMENTS IN TIME FOR ME!

Thanks for reading-

PAPA’S WORLD-

My site: livinglifedoingitmyway. blog

Staying and aging HEALTHY!

http://www.sfitzsimmons.juiceplus.com

Papa’s World – My early years in Eldred, Pa.

/ Tom / 2 Comments

My mother was Pa. Dutch-Irish Catholic – My father was Irish Prostatant –

My mother had ten brothers and sisters – my father had two brothers and a sister.

My mother’s mother married an Irishman – named Aiken – last name – David’s first name.

On my father’s side – the story went that five brothers came over from Ireland – County Tyrone –

it seems once here they split up and never saw one another again.

That was in the 1800’s.

I had an older sister by 15 years and an older brother by 10 years.

Then a sister who died at birth was 5 years older than me.

My younger brother came a little over 4 years after me.

My sister – lived next door to our house and had three children – the oldest was a couple year younger than my little brother.

I am on the left – my niece in the middle( Terri) and my brother Mike.

All three of us grew up together-

By the time I was ten years old – both my sister and older brother had moved on –

Eldred was a small town – 800 to 1000 people –

It seemed I knew just about everyone.

The main street was prone to flooding in the Springs –

It was cool at night – just a fan sometimes or open windows with screens.

It was lush and green but there could be the dog days of August!

My early life was filled with riding my bike – skating on the sidewalks – playing with neighborhood kids.

Smoking corn silk!

Spending hours at the ballpark – throwing apples – sliding down the hill on cardboard –

Going to work with my father – he was a supervisor for South-Penn – Pennsoil.

Playing baseball or football at the park.

Trust came in be home before the street lights came on.

My grandma lived with us – I remember sitting on her lap on the front porch –

Seeing a neighborhood boy walking on the sidewalk across the street on his way to school.

He was two years older than me – and I asked her when it would be my turn to walk to school!

My early years were spent in that small town – not knowing much about the world beyond those

town limits – except when we would go for the Friday night fish fry at the Moose Club in Olean, N.Y.

Sometimes even a movie at the theater down the street from that Club.

“OLD YELLOWER” comes to mind.

Playing “JACKS” on our front porch with neighbor children and discussing –

“Grandpa on Lassie died” – real life.

Those were my early years and so much more I remember – another time and another place.

I worked for 48 1/2 years – all except one of those years for the same company.

Today I am far removed from that area and town –

although my two sons still live in that area.

I have a couple of great nieces and their children still there and a niece still there.

Everyone in my immediate family is now gone.

But I have memories of those early years and it seems I can still see those streets I roamed in my mind.

Now in my senior years – my memories are still bright and I write them down in case they dim.

That little town of Eldred, Pa. still holds a special place in my heart –

someday I shall return – instead of walking the streets, I shall drive.

Visit the graves and see the ballpark – gaze at the house I grew up in – my great nieces live there now which means that house has been in my family now for over 80 years.

Thanks for reading my little memory of my early years – with my wife – who also grew up some 40 miles from there in a little town of Swedish descent called Mount Jewett, PA.

Visit my blog on my ongoing memoir of our family lives.

PAPA’S WORLD – my site: livinglifedoingitmyway.blog

Papa’s World – My schools growing up in Eldred, Pa.

/ Tom / Leave a comment

This is the school I attended until fourth grade in a little town just South of the New York State border

in Eldred, PA. In the midst of the Alleghany Mountains and the Alleghany River.

It was a small town – perhaps 1000 people – most I knew and most knew me.

This at that time was grade 1 thru 12 – made of wood constructed sometime in the 1800’s I believe.

The windows in the front first floor where I attended first grade – and those trees were huge when I was there.

It was then that three towns and the township combined to form the Otto-Eldred school district –

a new elementary school was built and I attended fifth and sixth grade there.

The new elementary school – right across from the ballpark – tennis courts and playgrounds,

I rode my bike to every day during the summer.

The school is still there to this day – 60-plus years later and looks much as it does here.

Here is the town as it looked during the Hurricane of 1972 which became known in our area as the FLOOD OF ’72!

Twelve feet of water on the main street – we were trapped in the area for almost two weeks as no way in or out.

The little town is also known for its WWII museum – and has bus tours – put it on your bucket list as something to see out of the way in a little town where everyone knows your name.

Otto-Eldred High School – located in Duke Center some 7 or 8 miles away.

Today – the population is way down – we had over 100 kids when I graduated in our senior class of 1967.

Today I believe there is far less than that in the senior class.

But my four years here are full of memories – childhood friends some of whom I still see and are in contact with.

Thank you for reading PAPA’S WORLD – my site: livinglifedoingitmyway.blog

IN THE ALLEGHANY MOUNTAINS in the valley sits a little town called Eldred, Pa.

MY SCHOOLS GROWING UP IN ELDRED, PA. PAOA’S WORLD livinglifedoingitmyway.blog

Papa’s World – attending school in Eldred Pa. – little community in the Alleghany mountains!

/ Tom / Leave a comment
One thing I learned

My very first memory of school – sitting on my grandma’s lap on the front porch –

“Grandma – when can I go to school”? I asked.

We had just watched a neighborhood boy walk past on the other side of the road –

His name was Denny and I later found out he was two years older than me!

So – I am thinking I was about four years old and I can still see him in my mind and me asking her.

The old Eldred school

I attended this old school until the fourth grade!

It was at that time – we merged with Duke Center – Rixford and Eldred to form OTTO-ELDRED.

At this time a brand new elementary school had been built right across the street from the ballpark!

I would not have to walk a mile to school in the mornings!

But – I remember that old school and my teachers and the classrooms.

The very first class was in the front and face the main street and I had Mrs. Shields.

We started off spelling the normal way – sounding out the words –

but soon after – we switched to the new way – MEMORY!

That went on for a couple years but it left me and others I know – very poor spellers.

The Alleghany River
The floodwaters of 1972

Across the main street and the railroad tracks – lays what we called THE FLATS!

And just beyond that the Alleghany River!

It seemed growing up part of life in the Spring were floods!

In 1954 or 1955 or thereabouts –

I was told not to go near the water flooded on the main street – I was maybe 6 years old.

But – I had made a raft and was sailing it on the main street – standing up and poling my way around

in about two feet of floodwater.

Unbeknown to me – a photographer from the local Bradford Era Newspaper – took my picture!

I was caught – standing on my homemade raft – poling my way around the main street –

ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE BRADFORD ERA!

But – I also shared that front page later in life with my dad!

He made a bet on the heavyweight champion of the world fight and picked

FLOYD PATTERSON – the bet – the loser would wheelbarrow the winner down Mainstreet

To Slavin’s Bar – my dad won and made that same newspaper front page being pushed by HERKY!

A WWII bomber pilot who had been shot down and made it to the allies’ lines!

The brand new Eldred Elementary School

This sits right across from the ballpark and tennis courts –

I was the first class in there in the fifth grade – Miss Cawley!

Mr. Harrington was my sixth-grade teacher and Principle!

Many games of RED ROVER RED ROVER please send ???? over!

Was played right there on that circle drive in front of the doors.

Later in life – I walked my youngest son down to those front doors and inside to enroll him in Kindergarten – and standing in the lobby with all those parents he reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a bunch of dirt and worms!

He had stopped on our walk and without me knowing – stuffed his pocket with dirt and worms!

THAT I shall always remember!

OTTO – ELDRED H.S.

We were bussed every day from the seventh grade on seven miles to school in Duke Center, Pa.

Three communities combined to have one single H.S. but each community had its own

grade schools and one township grade school.

We had to find our own way home after sports practices if we did not ride the bus.

My good buddy and I – later in H.S. road with his dad to school.

We had a science teacher called CB SAWYER – who had his own music system in his lab.

He would play up to date 45 records of music between classes all day long.

His favorite back then was PAUL REVERE AND THE RAIDERS – “GLAD ALL OVER”

and it was everywhere in the hallways – piped through the loudspeaker system!

OTTO-ELDRED H.S.

I have always said someday I would like to go back and rewalk those halls to that blast of music!

It was across from here I watched a fight between two seniors – and I was one of a hundred people!

I still see it in my mind and they were about three years older than us.

Their names were Ron and Jim!

My senior picture

Thanks for reading PAPA’S WORLD – livinglifedoingitmyway.blog fitztdf@aol.com

My yearbook the year we graduated – June – 1967

Papas World – a small kid in a small town – growing up!

/ Tom / 3 Comments
There is a small community
in North Western Pa.
Just a few short miles
from the New York State Border
Situated in what are called
THE ENCHANTED MOUNTAINS
of The Alleghany Mountain Chain

Rolling green hills now -once as large as the Rockies

millions and millions of yearsago

now considered as just “Foothills”

Back in the late 1800’s
or early 1900’s

The small community is well

a place where every one knew your name

you parents and exactly where you lived!

Coming into town on North Main Street
from the border of NYS
sits a junction known locally
as The Kendall Bridge
The Alleghany river runs beneath it
as does the Rail road tracks and trains
A span comes off it
and a road runs under it.
The Kendall Bridge
looking Northward
to the foothills of the mountains
and New York State

The age to drink was 21 in Pa.

But 18 in NYS!

Traveled this road many times

to legally have a beer! LOL

And believe me – the adults knew!

Main Street
Eldred Pa.
and one of the reasons
we moved South
SNOW !!!!!

The post office to the left – the old red fire hall

to the right as I grew up.

And the building up farther in brick

The doctors office & the dental office

and also the Masonic Lodge!

I spent a lot of time there

Dental and Doctor!

Today the leading business
of incoming funds
The Historic World War ll Museum

A full size tank bursting through the wall

a Museum that also encompasses the next large building

Tour buses stop every day!

It is a quality sight to behold!

This little town had many WWll heros

Purple hearts -medal of honors

And I knew everyone of them!

King Street
my stomping ground
when we slept outside
after curfew at 10 PM.
Running and hiding
raiding gardens
Just growing up!
The park where I played baseball
tackle football
and flag football
Softball
And everyday rode my bike to!
The park below the tracks
where in my 20’s
we all chipped in and helped to get it started
and mowed and tuned into a softball field!
Playing our home games here
and holding many tournaments
The Catholic church I attended
as a small child
confirmed in
Another small church
on King street

My older sister Donna on the right and my cousin Patty

Donna helped raise me

as she was 15 years older

and lived right down the street

and later on next door!

My best friend
Bobby Goodman’s house
spent many a night there
on the porch sleeping out
and he at mine
we did not want to sleep inside!

My sister Donna -caught us one night

we had gotten into my parents whiskey!

And she came outside and there we sat on the curb in front

of her house and mine.

After so many questions

I had her almost convinced we were not drinking

Bobby not saying a word!

A car came down the street and we were in its headlights

And that is when Bobby got sick

and threw up in front of her!

Later she laughed and laughed

and always reminded me we did not fool her!

My brother in law Bill – was the police chief

and always took care of me and my friends

as long as we did not get into trouble or do anything bad.

Back after the war
Eldred had a top notch
soft ball team
made up of many who came back
from the war.
My best friend Bobby’s father
is at the bottom right
I knew almost all these men
later in life!
They almost were all my fathers friends!
Most of us joined The Explorer’s
when we were 16
and took many a trip
to Pro games
here we took a three day canoe trip down the river
which when I was in my mid 30’s
I – along with our pastor
took a youth group down the same river
Bobby – far left and then me
Oak hill cemetery
Where in winter
we would ride our sleds
down the hill
between and around
the tombstones!
The high school
where I graduated in 1967
Known then as it is today
OTTO – ELDRED H.S.
Home of the TERROR’S
Our team on the varsity
Bobby is number 83
and I sit to his left
number 65
Those were the best of years.

Thank you for reading Papa’s World

WHERE FRIENDS MEET THE FAMILY!

My Site

livinglifedoingitmyway.blog

A small town growing up
ELDRED PA.

Papas World – when I was young – roller skating!

/ Tom / Leave a comment

Good day everyone –

ever get a tune in your head

over and over again?

” I HAD A PAIR OF BRAND NEW ROLLER SKATES “

Before I had my new WESTERN FLYER BIKE

I had a pair of Roller Skates!

” AND YOU HAD A BRAND NEW KEY”

Now – I just know you won’t be singing that little song! LOL

I am dating myself here – but – when I was 6 or 7 –

that is what I had – Roller Skates

and I would strap them on

and up and down the sidewalk I would go

and believe me – those sidewalks were land mines!

Great big Maple trees grew alongside them

causing them to crack – become crooked

and you needed to be a expert to navigate them!

” I HAD A BRAND NEW PAIR OF ROLLER SKATES”

Growing up in a little town in NWPA called Eldred.

Hours and hours I would skate up and down the street.

We lived on main street

heading East and West through Pa.

Going West to the border of NYS

Or East toward the far reaches of Pa.

All through the Alleghany Mountains

Lands of the Senaca nation.

I was a skinny thing –

so skinny my Mom wouldn’t let me take off my T shirt!

The blue veins stood out among the bones

she was afraid people would think

she wasn’t feeding me !

But – I ate and ate – see where I am today! LOL

I had one destination I would skate to down town

It was a Service Station / Furniture store

Called SLAVIN’S!

And it had a huge open paved area in front!

That was as far as I was allowed to go.

The other direction was Prouty’s saw mill!

This was it
Slavin’s service station
furniture store

I would hit that big open black top and was in heaven

after the mine field of the sidewalks!

Right behind that car was the service bays

and “Jack” – he worked in those bays.

And he befriended me

If you look close – between the bays

was a glass bottled COKE MACHINE!

And he would motion me over

And put in I think 5 cents and buy me a Coke!

I had to drink it there and he did not do it all the time!

We never had ” POP” as I called it!

And it was a treat for me.

My sister and brother in law – Donna and Bill

lived upstairs in the building next door

My Mom would walk my brother Mike and me down the street

at 5:45 am. each week day as she worked and my father

worked on the oil fields as a supervisor for South Penn

My mother worked for Alcas known the world over today as

Cutco Knives –

she retired from there as did my dad ( who died from cancer in 1969)

My Mom lived to be almost 98 years old!

We walked down in the cold Winter mornings

and climbed up those long stairs

seemed like 30 steps to me!

We would lie down – my brother in law had already

gone to work at the White Hawk Beef Company in town.

He later became the chief of police and mayor

Drove semi truck for Viko

which became Ethan Allen at the far side of town.

My sister would get us up – and feed us breakfast

and then we would walk to school.

” AND YOU HAVE A BRAND NEW KEY”

Sherry and Tom
http://www.sf.juiceplus.com

Thank you for reading Papa’s World

A little bit about me

” I HAVE A BRAND NEW PAIR OF ROLLER SKATES –

AND YOU HAVE A BRAND NEW KEY”

” LA – LA – LA- LA———LA”

livinglifedoingitmyway.blog

WHERE FRIENDS MEET THE FAMILY