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Papa’s World – in this little town – Eldred Pa. – is a big WWII museum – tours stop all the time.

/ Tom / Leave a comment
Main Street – just above the white truck to the left – is a brick-red building – with a huge Army Tank coming out the side – this is the ELDRED WWII MUSEUM!

When I was growing up – this was Fisbees Insurance and the Electric Company in the Cellar –

and right next to it was Slavin’s Furniture store and gas station.

I would roller skate down to the bays and Jack would sometimes buy me a glass coke out of the machine that stood there between the bays.

I do not remember his last name – but he was a really nice man and lived in Bullis Mills.

We also would come down here and ask for old cardboard boxes –

they all had a heavy layer of wax on them and were perfect for grass riding down the hill opposite of our front porch.

WWII MUSEUM

Today – both buildings are joined and form this fantastic museum – dedicated to WWII

and the munitions plant that made explosives for the war.

It has a full-size ARMY TANK that looks like it is busting right out the wall of the side of the building!

My stepfather – John Soules – who was decorated FIVE times with Purple Hearts and Bronze Stars

Once gave me a revolver he was given permission to bring back to the states

He had all the signed documents from the government –

Before he passed away – he asked for it back so he could donate it here!

A few years ago – I walked down and asked to see it once again.

They had it in a safe – and was told it was worth 30 to 40 thousand dollars!

He took that handheld automatic machine pistol off a NAZI OFFICER he had captured who was dressed as a civilian trying to escape.

I was told this pistol was not from WWII but from WWI and was very rare –

one of the first automatic machine guns ever manufactured by the Germans for WWI!

I got to once again hold it!

A reenactment of women working at the munitions plant outside Eldred during WWII is part of the museum.

As you walk through you come upon room after room of scenes such as this.

This MUSEUM is like something you would find in Washinton DC. yet it is here in the very small town

of ELDRED PA. in the mountains of the ALLEGHANY FOREST in WPA!

I do not know the full story of why it is here – but I do know before the PANDEMIC

regular busloads of people would stop every day.

It sits on North Main Street right across from the old fire hall.

A must-see!

Thanks for reading PAPA’SWORLD

Memories of my life growing up in a small town in NWPA called ELDRED!

WHERE EVERYONE KNEW YOUR NAME – the ’50’s ’60’s and ’70’s.

MY SITE: PAPA’S WORLD

MY BLOG: livinglifedoingitmyway.blog

MY CONTACT: fitztdf@aol.com

Papa’s World – Growing up – Eldred Pa. part four

/ Tom / 3 Comments
The men of Eldred

I remember each and everyone of these men –

This was the volunteers for the fire department –

In every facet of my life growing up –

I most likely came in contact with them all at one time or other.

GROWING UP ELDRED PA. part four of Papa’s World.

Fire department
just down the street from my house

This was a busy building – where the men came together –

all volunteers and the ladies auxiliary also met.

And just across the street next to the Post Office was “SLAVINS ” !

Local hangout bar and meeting place for most of these people !

Run by Russ and Tootie Slavin – a local family –

who in each Slavin branch – all very good athletes

and known through NWPA !

I can remember every year – the firemen would come along the curb

in front of our house on North Main Street –

and with chalk would write and mark where each unit was to line up

and this would go all the way back to the Kendall bridge !

The MEMORIAL DAY PARADE marked the end of the school year

and the beginning of Summer !

The Kendall Bridge

I was always told that this bridge was one of only two –

The other I think was in Japan.

It was a two lane bridge – with a road coming off in the middle –

Spanning a railroad track – another road –

and a river running under it !

I do not know if that was true or not –

with a gas station ( Kendall) across from the entrance.

but it is still there today !

The parade back then and today – is always led by the veterans of the town

It seems like that number down through the years never dwindles.

For such a small town – ( 800 to 1000) people

It has provided the military of scores of men

in all the conflicts fighting for their country.

Terry – Ron – Freddie -Paul and Skeet
my brothers close friends

Two are now gone – three remain – four played baseball with my brother

Freddie was in the little league World Series.

Four played for my father

Ron and my father
Clarence Russel Fitzsimmons
known as Bob or Fitz

I was too young – I never went –

But there were families of friends who went every year

To far North in Canada fishing !

We had a old red barn down back –

three stories tall and a stable underneath –

I can still see in my mind

The red front and the big sliding gray door –

and to the left

DOZENS of fish heads nailed up on the wall

Muskie – Pike

Fish that they caught and brought home.

Roger went but I was born ten years younger

I never went but looked at hundreds of pictures !

Thank you for reading Papa’s World part four.

Growing up Eldred Pa.

Part five is next !

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