Ambridge memorabilia: Martsolf Furniture Co. advertising postcard, 1912

Martsolf Furniture Co. advertising postcard
postmarked 1912

This lovely postcard, mailed in 1912, advertised furniture, and seems to be directed primarily towards newlyweds.

Marsolf Furniture Co. was one of the earliest businesses in Ambridge, opening in 1904 at a new building on the southeast corner of 8th and Merchant Sts. After the store closed, its building became the location of Caplan Wholesale Grocery.

Here's the back of the postcard:

Back of postcard above

Ambridge memorabilia: parking meter token, Ambridge District Chamber of Commerce

The parking meter token below is somewhat of a mystery.

Ambridge parking meter token
side 1

Ambridge parking meter token
side 2

The reason the token is a mystery is because it indicates it was distributed by the Ambridge District Chamber of Commerce. Only I can't find any information about a "District Chamber of Commerce" in Ambridge PA ever existing.

If I have ever come across a reference to an Ambridge District Chamber of Commerce, I don't remember it. Or thought it significant enough to note.

The only mentions of an Ambridge District Chamber of Commerce I've found during several online searches were by people selling tokens like the one above.

I would have guessed that the token was from the mid-to-late 1950s, when Ambridge businesses were facing strong competition from the new Northern Lights Shoppers City with its 5000 spaces of free parking. But all I've found from that time are mentions and ads of the "Ambridge Chamber of Commerce."

I checked with Bob Mikush, whose family business, Mikush Maytag Home Appliance Center, has been a member of the Chamber of Commerce for generations. He said he'd never heard of a District Chamber of Commerce.

I mentioned the token to Kimberly Villella, the president of the Board of Directors of the latest iteration of Ambridge's Chamber of Commerce, the Ambridge Regional Chamber of Commerce. Kim said that her research of the history of the Ambridge Chamber didn't find an Ambridge District Chamber of Commerce.

So far, Kim and I have found four Chamber of Commerce groups that have been in Ambridge over the years, none with "District" in their names: The Ambridge Chamber of Commerce; The Greater Ambridge Chamber of Commerce; the Ambridge Area Chamber of Commerce; and the Ambridge Regional Chamber of Commerce.

So was the "Ambridge District Chamber of Commerce" on the token a mistake? Or, as unlikely as it seems, could the token possibly be from an Ambridge District of another town like Gary, Indiana?

If you know anything about an Ambridge District Chamber of Commerce, or when the token might have been used, please help solve the mystery and let me know.

Martsolf's Furniture Co. and Caplan Wholesale Grocery

The large three-story building that once stood on the southeast corner of 8th and Merchant Sts., which many of us remember as Caplan Wholesale Grocery, is one of the three Ambridge buildings I'm asked about most often; the others are the Slovenian National Home's triangle building at the intersection of Beaver and Merchant Sts., and the Ambridge Hotel on the northwest corner of 8th and Merchant Sts. All three landmark buildings have been razed, but not forgotten.

"Louis Caplan Grocery Co."
798 Merchant St.
ad
Daily Citizen
August 25, 1954

Before 798 Merchant was Louis Caplan's grocery, the building was home to Ambridge's first furniture store, a branch of Martsolf's Furniture, which opened on March 26, 1904, the year before Ambridge was incorporated.

"Martsolfs" Furniture
Ambridge store opening ad
Beaver Times
March 29, 1904

Here's a Martsolf's Furniture ad from 1929:

Martsolf's Furniture ad
Daily Citizen
August 10,1929
Louis Vukovcan Collection

I've been unable to pin down exactly when Marsolf's closed, or when Louis Caplan's store moved into 798 Merchant, but it was in the 1930s.

The 1931 photo below, which came from the late Eddie Dzubak, Sr.'s collection, shows a June 21, 1931, flood on 8th and Merchant, according to a note on the reverse. The 798 Merchant St. store in the background still has a Martsolf's Furniture Co. sign on it.

Flood at 8th and Merchant Sts.
Martsolf's Furniture store in background
June 21, 1931

Eddie Dzubak Sr. collection

courtesy of Lesabeth Trzcianka and Eddie Dzubak, Jr.

The 1954 ad that accompanied the photo of Caplan's Grocery at the top of this post, indicated the business began in 1927. But as late as 1932, Caplan's grocery was on Duss Ave.

Caplan had moved his business into the 798 Merchant building by 1939, because that year's Beaver County Mercantile Appraiser's Report shows Caplan then doing business there.

People who worked in Ambridge area businesses remember buying a range of bulk supplies, from paper bags to candy and cigarettes, at Caplan's, sometimes having to brave the building's old, rickety elevator to get them.

Here's a photo that shows Caplan's in the background, also from Dzubak's collection. The circa mid-1970s photo was taken from Dzubak's Arco station, across 8th St. from Caplan's.

Caplan Wholesale Grocery across from Eddie Dzubak's Arco Station
circa mid-1970s
Eddie Dzubak Sr. collection
courtesy of Lesabeth Trzcianka and Eddie Dzubak, Jr.

According to Louis Caplan's grandson, Glen Russell Slater, Caplan worked in his store until his death in 1988, despite his Parkinson's disease. Slater remembered:

I used to love to work in his store when we visited when I was a kid. I loved being there! My mother, Louise, and my uncle, Ralph, used to work there every day after school. My grandmother, Ruth Caplan, worked as the bookkeeper there. It's really sad that it was demolished, and was replaced by a soulless CVS parking lot. My grandfather, grandmother, mother and uncle's life revolved around that store!

After Caplan's death, at least one other business, Capp's, another grocery business, moved into the 798 Merchant building.

The 798 Merchant building was razed, I believe in 2000, to make room for the current CVS parking lot.

I remember the Caplan's building well, although I remember being in it only twice, both visits in the summer of 1970. One time was to buy supplies for my bridal shower, and the second was to buy supplies for the Ambridge Rec Center's summer playground program's penny carnival. The two events were not related.
_____
The name of the furniture company in various ads and articles over the years is given as: Martsolf, Martsolfs, and Martsolf's.

You can see a photo of the intersection of 8th and Merchant in 1922 in my April 24, 2014 blog article, cleverly titled, "Eighth and Merchant Sts., 1922". Slater's memories are in that post's comments.

Peoples Drug Store

Peoples Drug Store
598 Merchant St.
Daily Citizen 
August 25, 1954

Peoples Drug Store was once on the southeast corner of 6th and Merchant Sts. In the mid-1960s, that building became the location of a Thrift Drug Store.

So far, the most frequent memories of the Ambridge Peoples are of the "snaking" green marble soda fountain and its milkshakes, cherry cokes, and Reymer's Blennd. Plus the candy counter and magazine rack. Which makes sense, since many of the memories are from people who would have been kids when Peoples was in Ambridge.

Earlier in its history, the building had two store fronts, 578 and 598 Merchant. Here's a postcard circa late 1910s - early 1920s looking south from 6th and Merchant. The nearest building on the left is the Peoples Drug Store building in the photo above.

500 block Merchant St. looking south from 6th St.
postcard
circa late 1910-early 1920s
Beaver County Historical Research & Landmarks Foundation

The Ambridge National Bank, Horlick's sporting goods and tobacco store, Barrett's drug store, Katcher's Music, and Katcher's Furniture all occupied one of the storefronts in that building before Peoples moved in.

Here's a Peoples Drug Store ad from 1960:

Peoples Drug Store
ad
Beaver County Times
April 26, 1960

There's a Peoples Drug Store Christmas ad in my December 24, 2015, post "Ambridge Christmas toys ads, 1960."

As of now, I don't know when Thrift Drug closed, but in 1993, DJ's Skate Shop opened in that building. After DJ's closed in 1998, Keystone Rehabilitation Systems, which provided physical and occupational therapy, and, more recently, Let's Get 2gether, an events facility, have occupied that building.

If you know when Peoples Drug Store or Thrift Drug closed, or of other businesses which were once at 598 Merchant, please leave a comment.

Here's what 598 Merchant looked like in March 2014:

598 Merchant St.
March 30, 2014
credit: Nancy Knisley

Here's the August 2016 street view:

598 Merchant St.
Google street view
August 2016

Ambridge memorabilia: the "meat man" and his bus

I am especially fond of today's Ambridge memorabilia item for several reasons, including the fact that I first saw it during one of my earliest visits with Bob Mikush to talk about Ambridge history.

Bob started showing me some of his Ambridge memorabilia, and when he brought this out, the following conversation ensued:

Bob: Bet you don't know what this is.

Me: It's the meat man's bus!

Bob: How old are you?!

Which made me laugh. Old enough to remember the meat man's bus which had made quite an impression on me when I was pretty young.

Mobile Meat Market ashtray
circa 1940s - early '50s
owned by Bob Mikush

When I was growing up in Ambridge in the 1950s, residents didn't always need to go to the store to buy fresh food items, sometimes they came to you, if not to your door, then at least to the curb on your block, via a variety of trucks. Having sellers regularly come to your block made life easier at a time when most families had only one car which the wage-earner took to work--if the family owned a car at all.

Among the people who regularly brought food to our house or block, I remember the United Dairy milkman, the "egg lady," Gutowski's bakery, plus the huckster who sold fruit and vegetables. And the "meat man."

While milkmen weren't uncommon in that era, a butcher on a bus was. In my house, he was known as "the meat man."

One of the other reasons I was so excited when Bob showed me the "Mobile Meat Market" ashtray was because virtually no one I'd talked to about growing up in Ambridge in the 1950s remembered the meat man's bus, even older neighbors. When I mentioned my memories of the meat man's bus, most people were either skeptical, or they outright scoffed.

Yet my memories of going onto the meat man's bus with my grandmother seemed genuine, especially memories of the interior: the bus smelling of raw meat; a wooden chopping block; cleavers and knives hanging from hooks; meat being brought out from a refrigerator; and sawdust covering the floor to sop up blood. All I really remember about the meat man himself was that he wore a white apron that was stained with blood. I also have a vague memory of the meat man sometimes having a helper on the bus working with him.

I remember going for a Sunday drive with my family--remember those?--up Glenwood Ave. towards Ridge Rd. and driving past a house with the meat man's bus parked on the side. I was so thrilled! Wow, that must be the meat man's house! To me, the meat man was a celebrity.

Weird the things that stick with you 60 years later.

When Bob showed me the Mobile Meat Market ashtray, I felt vindicated. I had proof the meat man and his bus once existed.

More recently, I came across this ad in the Holy Trinity R. C. Croatian Church dedication program from 1950:

Mobile Meat Market ad
Holy Trinity R. C. Croatian Church dedication program
December 17, 1950

Ambridge trivia: Did you know...? #8 Wooden coins

For Ambridge's 1955 Golden Jubilee, merchants handed out not just wooden nickles, but also wooden dimes and quarters.

I've never seen one of the Golden Jubilee wooden dimes or quarters, have you?

Examining wooden coins
Ambridge Golden Jubilee
Beaver Valley Times
June 22, 1955

Times caption:

WOODEN NICKELS INITIATED -- W. L. Cain, president of Ambridge Economy Bank, and Kay Kokoski, "Miss Ambridge Golden Jubilee" who is a teller in the bank, examine wooden coins, official money of Ambridge Golden Jubilee. The money will be handed out by merchants in the form of change. It is redeemable in Ambridge, Economy and Mellon National Banks. It comes in three denominations, nickles, which are red; dimes, which are blue, and quarters, which are green.

A photo of a Golden Jubilee Wooden Nickel is in the July 17, 2015, post "Golden Jubilee: Old Fashioned Bargain Days."

Decoration Day 1948 ad, Gray's Auto Store

Memorial Day was once called Decoration Day, since traditionally, that was the day the graves of military veterans were decorated in honor of their service.

So I had mixed feelings about posting this Gray's Auto Store ad, celebrating what should be a solemn day of remembrance with a sale of auto parts. But, I decided that the ad documents what the holiday has become for many Americans, a day to shop for bargains.

I'll post a more fitting photo on Memorial Day, but in the meantime, take a look back in time at auto supplies--and prices--in May 1948.

Decoration Day ad
Gray's Auto Store
453 Merchant St.
Beaver Valley Times
May 27, 1948

Ambridge memorabilia: Ambridge Has It All!

Ambridge Has It All!
promotional pin
mid-to-late 1950s?

This "Ambridge Has It All!" pin belonged to the late Edward (Eddie) James Palsa, who grew up in Ambridge before moving out West. He attended Divine Redeemer Church and School and Ambridge High School (class of 1962). The pin was sent to me by his son, James Palsa, who lives in California.

I don't know for sure how old this pin is or what it was promoting. Bob Mikush, my go-to-guy for information about Ambridge memorabilia, says that he thinks the pin was given out by Ambridge merchants after Northern Lights opened in 1956, reminding shoppers that they didn't need to travel to Baden to shop for anything.

The Stork's Nest Easter ad, 1949

The Stork's Nest Easter ad
Beaver Valley Times
March 17, 1949

The Stork's Nest sold higher-end infants and children's clothing. The store was owned by Sally Rubenstein and her husband, Moe Rubenstein, the legendary Ambridge coach for whom the Ambridge High School athletic field is named.

At the time of the ad, the store was at 632 Merchant St. In August 1955, the business moved to 650 Merchant.

J. C. Penney 1929

J. C. Penney Co.
601 Merchant St.
Daily Times supplement, August 10, 1929 ?
Louis Vukovcan collection
courtesy Jackie Vukovcan

Many of us have fond memories of the J. C. Penney store at the corner of 6th and Merchant Sts. shown above circa 1929. But that wasn't Penney's first Ambridge location. Before the 601 Merchant St. building was built, Penney's did business at 531 Merchant St.

I still don't know when Penney's moved into the 601 Merchant St. building. A January 1917 Sanborn Insurance map indicates that a three-story building was planned for the northwest corner of 6th and Merchant Sts. with two store fronts, a larger one at 601 - 603 Merchant and a smaller one at 605 Merchant. Above the stores, the second floor would have offices, and the third would house a club of some type.

I don't know if the buildings eventually built at 601 - 603 and 605 Merchant were based on those plans, but it took a while for a building to be constructed on that corner. According to an article in the April 4, 1924, Daily Times, the Penney's store was among the building projects, totaling about $1 million dollars, then ongoing in Ambridge. The Penney's ad in the 1924 Economy Centennial program book, Economy of Old, Ambridge of Today, still has the 531 Merchant address.

[Update March 20, 2016, Maria Notarianni pointed out that the 1924 Economy Centennial program book has an ad for the real estate office of John F. Maloney at 605 Merchant. The ad gives information about Maloney's construction of a new building for Penney's. And also some complimentary words about Maloney, which I'm including because they made me smile:

Mr. John F. Maloney, a member of Council and one of our most influential citizens has in the past few years erected more than three hundred homes, which have been sold to people on easy terms.

He opened his first office in 1902, corner Seventh and Glenwood, but his increasing business made larger quarters imperative, and he is now located at the corner of Sixth and Merchant Streets. At the corner, adjoining his real estate, he has now under construction a modern, fire-proof store and apartment building, consisting of a large storeroom on the first floor for the J. C. Penney Co., and eight apartments above, which will have every modern convenience. Each of these apartments will have an incinerator, refrigerator, electric range, tiled bath room with built-in fixtures, Gates' reversible windows, and are finished in a most attractive manner. A feature which will be much appreciated in Ambridge as well as by the occupants of the building will be a roof garden.

As a pioneer in promoting the welfare of Ambridge in every way, Mr. Maloney has few equals.

If I'm remembering correctly, in the 1950s and '60s, Penney's sold merchandise in the first two floors plus a mezzanine and the basement. The first and second floors were connected by a large staircase. The second floor was girls' clothes. Susan Bacon Holowaty reminded me that that's where girls went to buy the lovely (yes, that's definitely sarcasm, mine, not Susan's) one-piece gym uniforms we had to wear in that era. At one time, we also went to Penney's for Girl Scout uniforms and paraphernalia. That's also where my mom bought my underwear, which you didn't need to know, but I thought I'd throw that in.

I loved watching the pneumatic tubes woosh money and receipts between floors, high-tech store entertainment for kids in the 1950s.

If I'm not remembering the store layout correctly, or if you want to add more details about the store that you remember, don't hesitate to leave a comment below.]

Even after Penney's opened a larger, more modern store in the new Northern Lights Shoppers City in 1956, the Ambridge store stayed open for over two more decades. I've been unable to find out when the Ambridge store closed, but it appears ads listing both stores stopped at some point in 1968; after that, ads mentioned only the Northern Lights Penney's. If you know when the Ambridge Penney's store closed, please leave a comment.

This is what the former Penney's building looked like in 2014. Although the sign says Sol's, that business had already closed in January 2014. The building appeared to be vacant the last time I visited Ambridge in 2015.

601 Merchant St.
March 30, 2014

Ambridge Christmas toy ads, 1960

Where in Ambridge did you see the toys that you put on your Christmas wish list? And which ones did Santa bring you?

And remember when aluminum Christmas trees were trendy? So modern!

Here are some of the Ambridge stores that sold toys during the Christmas season.

Toyland ad
Ambridge American Hardware
536 Merchant St.
Beaver County Times
December 20, 190

Christmas gifts ad
Big Bargain Barn
1025 Merchant St.
Beaver County Times
November 24, 1960

Christmas gifts ad
Central Drug Store
607 Merchant St.
Beaver County Times
December 8, 1960

Christmas gifts ad
G.C. Murphy
561 Merchant St.
Beaver County Times
November 24, 1960

Toy sale ad
Peoples Drug Store
Beaver County Times
December 8, 1960

Christmas toy ad
Sears
653-655 Merchant St.
Beaver County Times
December 1, 1960

Toyland ad
Sun Drug Store
625 Merchant St.
Beaver County Times
November 26, 1960

Toy City ad
Tile City
801 Merchant St.
Beaver County Times
December 14, 1960

Northern Lights, Christmas shopping season 1960

Northern Lights in Baden was packed with shoppers during 1960's Christmas shopping season. Even though the parking lot was huge, trying to find an open parking space could be hard.

A small part of the parking lot
Northern Lights Shoppers City
Beaver County Times
December 8, 1960.

Times caption:

BUSY PLACE AT CHRISTMAS -- Cars jam the big parking area at Northern Lights Shoppers City these days as Beaver County folks prepare for the Christmas season.

In December 1960, Northern Lights, which had opened its first stores just in time for Christmas shopping in 1956, had over 50 stores, many new to the area, including some that were part of popular chains. Stores, modern and bright, were open late every night. Parking was free, no meters to feed, and no parallel parking was required. Plus Santa arrived by helicopter! It's no surprise that Ambridge businesses were feeling the pressure.

Christmas shopping ad
Northern Lights Shoppers City
Beaver County Times
November 24, 1960

Now, the Northern Lights parking lot is mostly empty spaces and potholes. Many of the stores are vacant. The big Penney's building that was once its centerpiece is gone, and a road to a Walmart runs through where it used to be.

Christmas lights, Merchant St. 1960

This is the 500 block of Merchant Street at night in December, 1960, looking north towards 6th St.: a canopy of big, colorful Christmas lights, lighted wreaths with bells, brightly lit stores open for evening shopping, and parking spaces crowded with shoppers' cars.

Christmas lights
500 block of Merchant St.
Beaver County Times
December 8, 1960

Times caption:

AMBRIDGE AT NIGHT -- The Christmas spirit prevades (sic) downtown Ambridge this holiday season with the colorful lights spreading a warm glow over the community's business section.

On the left hand side of the photo, you can see the lighted sign for Fashion Hosiery, 551 Merchant. Beyond that, the store with the huge lighted window was G. C. Murphy, 561-565 Merchant. Further north, there's the S & S Shoes sign, 599 Merchant.

On the right, the sign with "JE" was Krauss Jewelers, 546 Merchant.

The slow, difficult clean-up after 1950's big post-Thanksgiving snowstorm

The early predictions about how long it would take to clean up Ambridge's 26 inches of snow were just about as accurate as the predictions about 1950's post-Thanksgiving weather had been. So, not at all.

(If you missed the post about the surprise, record-breaking snow, you can read my November 28 post by clicking here.)

Although, given that on Monday, November 27, Ambridge's Daily Citizen reported that the digging out was going well and "well advanced in most communities," that Ambridge's main and secondary streets were open, and that side streets were expected to be "accessible" soon, those who lived, worked, or shopped in Ambridge might have expected a swift return to life as usual in the area.

After Monday, it became apparent that digging Ambridge out would take longer than first expected.

On Tuesday, November 28, the Daily Citizen published the photo below showing the snow-covered 500 block of Merchant St. looking south. On the far left, you can see Gusky's Home Furnishings, 550 Merchant and Krauss Jewelers, 546 Merchant.

500 block of Merchant St.
after the big snow
Daily Citizen
November 28, 1950

The Citizen's original caption for the above photo read:

CONDITIONS ON MERCHANT ST. are far from normal as the above photo suggests. While traffic is livelier today, there are few vehicles. Roofs are being cleaned of the excess snow. More buses are operating and the situation is developing to the normal stage.

Tuesday's Citizen reported that more streets were "passable," and Ambridge Street Commissioner Joseph Matzzie said, "We ought to have everything well under control within a few days. We are over the hump but not yet out of the woods."

But some neighborhoods were still snowed-in. Contractors Sigmund Gavlik and Stefan Blanarik and Stefan's son Steve, had taken it upon themselves to clear Ridge Rd. Ext.

A.M. Byers announced that the payday scheduled for Wednesday, November 29, would be postponed until Friday, December 1, since banks were closed.

Buses were running, but not necessarily via their usual routes or schedules.

The snow presented economic opportunity to people willing to shovel, especially shoveling roofs.

Clearing roof of snow
Daily Citizen
November 28, 1950

The Citizen's caption for the above photo of men clearing snow from a roof read:

ROOFS BEING CLEANED OF DEAD WEIGHT of snow is giving employment to scores of persons charging $3 per hour, some owners of Merchant St. buildings have paid out $50 for removal. Still the work continues as many are fearful structures will collapse because of the pressure. Borough officials have requested prompt removal of the whiteness without delay from flat roof structures. 

Monday, Ambridge school officials had said they planned to open schools on Wednesday. But by Tuesday, they realized that they didn't know when school could or would resume. On Tuesday, the Citizen reported that public and parochial schools in Ambridge would remain closed "indefinitely." All school activities and special functions were canceled or postponed.

But no school meant playing in the snow, assuming kids could get out their doors, and the snow wasn't over their heads. Parents were reminded that children should not ride sleds on streets with busy intersections like 4th, 5th, and 14th Sts. at Duss Ave.

On Wednesday, November 29, Burgess Walter Panek reportedly said that "all possible measures" were being taken to clear the streets of the huge snow banks. Harmony Township reported that it was using bulldozers and graders and working "around the clock" to clear the snow there.

The Citizen reported that bus lines were jammed, and service was "far from normal."

But you know conditions might be improving in Pittsburgh, at least enough for essential activities, when it was announced that the twice-postponed Pitt - Penn State football game was going to be played on Saturday, December 2, although at Forbes Field, not Pitt Stadium, as Pitt had been unable to get the equipment needed to clear some 2,000 truck loads of snow from its stadium.

By Thursday, November 30, there was some good news: H. H. Robertson had resumed operations, and Laughlin Memorial Library, closed for six days, would reopen the next day, December 1, and no fines would be charged for November 24 through November 30.

By this time, the 400 block of Merchant had been cleared. The 500 block was supposed to be cleared next, but then Ambridge announced it might clean the 700 block first. One problem: Ambridge's snow removal had been hampered by the State Highway Department's commandeering of the Gavlik Co. equipment Ambridge had been using, and Ambridge was reduced to using only its own equipment.

A lot of snow remained, even on Merchant St. This photo shows the huge banks of snow piled up in front of Davidson's Department Store, 510 Merchant St. On the far right of the photo is the Economy Bank of Ambridge, 500 Merchant. Note that the parking meters have been cleared. Priorities!

Snow piled in front of Davidson's Department Store, Wed. Nov. 29,
510 Merchant St.
Daily Citizen
November 30, 1950

Original caption:

PLENTY OF SNOW REMAINS--This photo was taken in the 500 block yesterday in front of the Davidson store. It shows there is plenty of "back-breaking" work to be accomplished before Merchant St. is cleared of the whiteness.

The photo below was taken in front of the Sears store at 653 - 655 Merchant, but the Sears store isn't in the background. Maybe the photo was taken from the Sears side of Merchant looking towards the opposite side of the street. Hard to tell with all that snow. I don't know what "Market" is behind Russell Peck the shoveler. Anyone recognize it? Wish the Market's sign was easier to read. 

Russell Peck shoveling snow
600 block Merchant
Daily Citizen
November 30, 1950

Citizen caption:

RUSSELL PECK, Glenwillard, shoveling snow on a truck in front of the Sears & Roebuck store on Merchant St. 

The Prince Theatre, 638 Merchant, was "closed until further notice" according to the Tuesday, November 28 Citizen. I don't know if it was open at the time its marquee was being cleaned of snow.

Walter Addison cleaning Prince Theatre marquee
Daily Citizen
November 30, 1950

Citizen caption for photo above:

WALTER ADDISON, 310 Park Rd., caught in the act of shoveling snow from the marquee of the Prince Theatre Building on Merchant St.

Shoveling snow on Merchant St.
Daily Citizen
November 30, 1950

Citizen caption for photo above:

DICK CONANGE, 559 Merchant St., had a job on hand removing snow on Merchant St. Looking on is Bill Davis, 643 Glenwood Ave.

While buses were running on Merchant, getting on one could be a challenge as this photo taken in front of Krauss Jewelers, 546 Merchant, shows:

Waiting for a bus in front of Krauss Jewelers
546 Merchant St.
Daily Citizen
November 30, 1950

Citizen caption for the above photo:

WAITING FOR A BUS -- People in a narrow area on Merchant St., cut through the snow, stand patiently awaiting transportation to take them home.

Still, snowbanks could be useful:

Mary Kacharin and Joan Artista
snow seat
Daily Citizen
November 30, 1950

Citizen caption for photo above:

MAKE USE OF SNOW -- Mary Kacharin, 104 Pine St., sitting on a snow bank of all places, on Merchant St. Standing is Joan Artista, 1027 Bernadine Ave. 

Not just the shovelers benefited from the snow:

Sol's Harry Neft
Daily Citizen
November 30, 1950

Citizen's caption for photo above:

 LOOKS LIKE GOLD -- stated Harry Neft of Sol's Auto Store as he helped to unload a prize truck-load of tire chains. Assisting are Leonard Copus, wearing cap, 342 Pine St. and Milton Hertneky, 1018 Beaver Rd.

It should be no surprise that alleys behind businesses had sizable snow problems too:

Bobby Knause next to snowbank
alley behind Penney's
601 Merchant St.
Daily Citizen
November 30, 1950

Citizen's caption for photo above:

BOBBY KNAUSE, 12, 328 Park Rd., a DAILY CITIZEN carrier is pointing to the large pile of snow in the alley, rear of the J. C. Penney store.

I don't see any pointing by Bobby, but maybe the pointing was very subtle.

When you didn't have to shovel it or travel through it, the snow and icicles were beautiful.

Zion Lutheran Church parsonage covered with snow
Eighth St. and Maplewood Ave.
Daily Citizen
November 30, 1950

Citizen caption for above photo:

WINTER SCENE -- The icy finger of winter paid a visit to Zion Lutheran church parsonage at Eight and Maplewood Ave., when the old fellow made his rounds here.

As the photos show, Ambridge still had a way to go with its snow clearing efforts. More photos and an article about the final clean up efforts to come.

1950's big post-Thanksgiving snowstorm

No one saw it coming. There was no warning. No one was prepared. No one knew to stock up on bread, milk, and toilet paper.

The weather forecast for the day after Thanksgiving was for "snow squalls," windy, and colder.

Snow reportedly started falling in the Ambridge area on the morning after Thanksgiving. Friday's Daily Citizen headline was "Surprise Snowstorm Hits District, 3 in. fall, more tonight."

The "more" turned out to be right.

By the time of Friday's morning commute, road conditions were already bad, and travel was slow and difficult. Several minor accidents had been reported. And the snow was still falling.

Traffic snarl in snowstorm
State St., Baden
Daily Citizen
November 24, 1950

Original caption:

LET IT SNOW! LET IT SNOW! LET IT SNOW! And that just what it is doing today in Ambridge and the district. With a cold wave and winds propelling the whiteness from the west, the actual fall is yet to be determined. Starting at shortly before 6 a.m., the skies were overcast during the morning hours. Traffic was snarled and many people were late for work. The above scene was snapped on State St., Baden, showing extent of the traffic jam.

The Citizen reported that buses, as well as cars, were hampered by the slippery roads, and hundreds of workers were late to work that morning. Nothing was moving at all in more rural areas. The fact that the sudden snow wasn't predicted meant many cars didn't have snow tires or chains, and pedestrians weren't properly dressed for a heavy snowfall.

The snow kept falling.

Friday's Post-Gazette said in an article about the coldest weather of the season arriving in the area that day, "Snow accompanying the new cold wave is not expected to be heavy." That prediction about the snow turned out to be a tad off.

By the time workers left their shifts in the afternoon, they were stuck where they were. The buses had stopped running. Cabs weren't running. Even if drivers could dig out their cars, the roads were now impassable. Walking was difficult, if not impossible, with deep snow now covering sidewalks. And the snow was still coming down.

The Citizen's Friday forecast for Saturday was "more snow and cold."

And indeed, there was more snow.

The Citizen didn't publish on either Saturday or Sunday, but Saturday's Pittsburgh Press predicted a record-setting snowfall of 12 inches.

The Post-Gazette Saturday morning edition headlined "SNOWFALL NEARING 15 INCHES, Worst Storm in 6 Years Snarls Traffic for Hours. Street Car, Auto and Bus Travel Paralyzed Here." And more snow flurries were predicated.

The Post-Gazette reported the snow had fallen steadily for nearly 20 hours. That combined with high winds and temperatures that had fallen one degree every two hours, had created ice coated streets and "mountainous snowdrifts."

And how were conditions in Ambridge? The headline of the Daily Citizen on Monday, November 27, 1950, read "BURGESS DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY."

It looks like snow still may have been falling in the photo below. The photo was taken on Fourth St. near Merchant St. The building to the left would have been the Nicholas Grill, 401 Merchant. Later, the building became the Red Bull Inn, and is currently apartments. In the background, you can see the rear of what was then Holy Trinity Church at 415 Melrose Ave. [update November 29, 2015: The Holy Trinity building was brand new at the time and would be dedicated on December 17, 1950.]

Thanksgiving weekend big snow
Fourth and Merchant Sts.
November 1950
photo courtesy of Butch O'Keefe
used with permission

Snowfall in Ambridge was reportedly 26 inches, but drifts were significantly higher. Still, the Citizen reported that the digging out was going well and "well advanced in most communities." Ambridge's main and secondary streets (supposedly) were open, and side streets were expected to be "accessible" soon. State highway help had not shown up yet, and bulldozers from American Bridge Co. and Spang-Chalfant were among the vehicles being pressed into snow clearing service.

The photo below shows the conditions on the 600 block of Merchant St. Visible are Charles Men's Wear, 639 Merchant St., Isaly's, 643 Merchant, and Edel's Children's Shop, 647 Merchant.

Thanksgiving weekend big snow
600 block of Merchant St.
Daily Citizen
November 27, 1950

The Daily Citizen caption for the above photo read:

Many vehicles stuck in the deep snow and ruts on Merchant St. during the heavy snow storm. Cars were stranded in practically every street of the town. This truck was given an assist by others to get away from the curb.

Thanksgiving weekend big snow
600 block of Maplewood Ave.
Daily Citizen
November 27, 1950

Original Daily Citizen caption:

THIS SCENE SHOWS the effects of the storm in the 600 block Maplewood Avenue.

Industry kept going. All Ambridge area plants and mills except for H. H. Robertson were operating, although many employees were still digging out.

Thanksgiving weekend big snow
American Bridge Company
Ohio River Blvd.
November 1950
photo courtesy of Butch O'Keefe
used with permission

The photo below shows another view of Merchant and Fourth Sts., looking east, up the hill towards Duss Ave.

[Updated November 29, 2015:
I believe, but am not sure, that at the time,

The three-story brick building at 398 Merchant St. was the Hess Hotel, later the Fox Hotel. (Confirmed by Butch O'Keefe). If you know for sure, please leave a comment.

Also, if you know the identity of the businesses in the building to the far right that says "upholster(ing?) on the window and "Furniture Service" on the sign above the window, the next building to the east that may say "Barber Shop" on the window, or was at the southwest corner of Fourth and Merchant, please let me know.

According to Butch, the building to the far right that says "upholster(ing?) on the window and "Furniture Service" on the sign above the window, was Walgoria Upholstery & Furniture Repair. Butch says the building at the southwest corner of Fourth and Merchant was Laman's Wallpaper and Paint. The business between Walgoria and Laman's that may say "Barber Shop" on the window, remains unidentified. If you can identify it, please let me know.]

Thanksgiving weekend big snow
Fourth and Merchant Sts. looking east towards Duss Ave.
November 1950
photo courtesy of Butch O'Keefe
used with permission

Most stores in Ambridge were closed, but food stores that managed to open were busy. The photo below showed the line in front of the Kroger's market on Saturday, November 25. At the time, Kroger's was at 625 Merchant St. Later, a Sun Drug Store occupied that building, currently the location of the River Valley Tang Soo Do Academy.

"Prospective customers waiting outside Kroger store"
625 Merchant St.
Saturday, November 25
Daily Citizen, November 27, 1950

In the photo of the 500 block of Merchant St. looking north, you can see Davidson's Department Store, 510 Merchant on the right, and the AmBee Shoppe's oval sign at 517 Merchant.

Thanksgiving weekend big snow
500 block of Merchant St.
November 1950
photo courtesy of Butch O'Keefe
used with permission

All borough employee leaves had been canceled, as had garbage and ash collection. (Yes, ash from coal furnaces used in homes and businesses, not trash.)

Public and parochial schools were closed too, but were expected to reopen on Wednesday, November 29. While school entrances were said to have been cleared, the roads weren't cleared for buses, and teachers were snowbound in their homes.

1950 Thanksgiving weekend big snow
Ambridge High School
Bridger yearbook, 1951

1950 Thanksgiving weekend big snow
area between back of Ambridge High School and Stadium
Bridger yearbook, 1951

A single lane had been cleared up Breitenstein Rd. as far as Ridge Rd. and then to Wilson Ave. Harmony Township police and employees of municipal departments tried to reach isolated homes to deliver medicine, bread, milk, and other needed supplies. "Their only pause in the 'missions of mercy' being for short meals," the Citizen reported.

Some buses were running on Monday. Woodlawn and Southern was "maintaining schedules." The Beaver Valley and Ohio River buses hoped to be operating by Tuesday.

Burgess Walter Panek asked those shoveling sidewalks and roofs not to throw snow into the streets and to make sidewalk paths wide enough for pedestrians to walk.

According to the U.S. National Weather Service, the November 24 - 26, 1950, snowstorm is still the largest snowfall on record in Pittsburgh, with an official depth of 27.4 inches.

Next: the cleanup after 1950's Thanksgiving weekend big snow.