Ambridge parade on First St. 1955

Ambridge Golden Jubilee's Miss Greater Ambridge, Helen Witek
National Electric float
intersection First and Merchant Sts.
background: Karas Place, Balkan Restaurant, 291 First St.

Patrick Escoto* let me scan some photos that belonged to his late father, Phillip "Pippy" Escote.* Among the photos were some from a parade along what I recognized as Ambridge's First St. before the the neighborhood was razed, beginning with the Marshall Alley buildings in the mid-1950s, then more extensively in the early 1970s, when the entire area was cleared for redevelopment. 

The photos didn't give the date of the parade, or identify the parade participants or the spectators.

However, I am pretty certain that the photos were of Ambridge's Golden Jubilee parade on July 2, 1955, even though I haven't been able to find photos showing the same participants in the news photos of the parade that Ambridge's Daily Citizen called "a massive spectacle."

My best clue so far that these photos are of the Golden Jubilee parade is the Miss Greater Ambridge parade float above, on which Helen Witek, who was chosen for that honor as part of Ambridge's Golden Jubilee celebration, was riding with her court.

None of the different majorette or drum major uniforms in any of the photos match the ones worn at Ambridge High School in the mid-1950s according to photos in the 1954, '55, or '56 Bridger yearbooks. But there were many many marching units in the parade. Recognize anyone?

The very long parade was staged along the 100 and 200 blocks of First St., and then north on Park Rd. But the parade officially started at the intersection of First and Merchant Sts., which once began between the 200 and 300 blocks of First St. So the lucky residents of First St. got to see the parade before those watching elsewhere in Ambridge did.

If you can provide identifying information (people, float sponsors, businesses), or memories of the parade traveling up First St., please leave a comment.

Here are the rest of the Escoto parade photos in no particular order:

All photos in this post are courtesy of Patrick Escoto.
 

Firetruck
parade traveling along the 200 block of First St.
a row of Marshall Alley buildings on right
on left: Grosdeck's Clover Farm Store, 290-292 First St.

8th St. Toppers float
 making the turn from First St. onto Merchant St.
In background:
Canteen Luncheonette, 300 First St.,
Blossom Grill 296 First St.

Motorcyclist and police cars traveling east on 200 block of First St.
in background at end of street: American Bridge Co.

1916 model car
unidentified driver and passengers
right side: Karas Place, Balkan Restaurant, 291 First St.

Unidentified kilted bagpipers
right side: Karas Place, Balkan Restaurant, 291 First St.

Unidentified Navy flagbearers
200 block First St.
far background, end of street: American Bridge Co.

Conway Airport, Ben Mauro Co. Aviation Division entry
unidentified passenger
200 block First St.
on right: Karas Place, Balkan Restaurant, 291 First St.

Unidentified majorettes
buildings in background: 100, 102, 104, 106 Merchant St.

Taylor's Dairy truck with unidentified clown
200 block First St.
on right: Karas Place, Balkan Restaurant, 291 First St.

Ambridge B.P.O. Elks float
in background: Karas Place, Balkan Restaurant, 291 First St., 
to the right: end units of two rows of Marshall Alley buildings

Unidentified majorettes and drum major
unidentified location

CIO Local 1211 entry
making turn from 200 block First St. onto Merchant St.

Unidentified drum major and majorettes, unidentified spectators
unidentified location

Unidentified majorettes
in background: Karas Place, Balkan Restaurant, 291 First St.

Unidentified color guard and band
200 block First St.

Hot Tamales
representing American Bridge Co. and CIO Local 1270
200 block of First St.

Unidentified rider
Hot Tamales, American Bridge, CIO Local 1270 float
CIO Local 1270 car
on right:
Jimmy's Place, 294 First St.
Blossom Grill, 296 First St. 

Fraternal Order of Eagles 1365
200 block First St.
row of Marshall Alley homes on right

Pittsburgh Mercantile Co. float
on right:
Karas Place, Balkan Restaurant, 291 First St.

Unidentified rider
background: Jimmy's Place, 294 First St.

United Polish Societies entry making turn onto Merchant
On right: Blossom Grill, 296 First St.
buildings on left: on corner: 101 Merchant St.; behind, 303 and 305 First St. 

Unidentified float and revelers 
First and Merchant Sts.
buildings in background: on corner, 100 Merchant St.; behind, 303 and 305 First St.

Unidentified revelers
First and Merchant Sts.
buildings in background: on corner 100 Merchant St.; behind, 303 and 305 First St.

_____

* Not a typo. Patrick Escoto and his father spelled their last names differently.

Group photo: United Polish Societies Drum and Bugle Corps

Until I started working on this blog, I had no idea that Ambridge once had so many bands!

The United Polish Societies Drum and Bugle Corps was created in 1938. The corps made its public debut in that year's Halloween Parade, dressed in mummer's costumes. Later that year, they marched in their corps uniforms in the Armistice Day* parade in Beaver Falls.

United Polish Societies Drum and Bugle Corps
on Laughlin Memorial Library steps
circa 1938
25th Anniversary Program
United Polish Societies of Ambridge

The United Polish Societies 25th Anniversary Program identifies the band members as follows:

First row: Alfreda Ryzowicz, R. Giska, E. Gadomski, A. Barszcz, S. Barszcz, L. Grzegorek, D. Gadomski, A. Gause, H. Wolicki, R. Tomaszewski, L. Topolski, W. Ryzowicz, J. Lojek, F. Skindzier, Vaclav Klimek, instructor.

Second row: E. Terlewski, E. Kalinowski, F. Jankiewicz, G. Sulkowski, R. Makowski, L. Ostrowski, H. Urbanik, G. Lipinski, S. Gruszczynski, S. Malinowski, A. Kokoszka, D. Rubel, John F. Tomaszewski, president.

Third row: S. Kowalski, I. Bialorucki, R. Lojek, W. Swiniarska, G. Kokoszka, D. Wagner, D. Topolski, E. Pokryzwnicki, D. Tomaszewski, R. Szczepaniak, H. Wisniecwski.

Fourth row: W. Janicki, W. Bajek, H. Barszcz, J. Kosinski, A. Sowa, E. Rubel, V. Janicki, P. Lewandowski, R. Kasper, A. Janicki, H. Kowalski.

Drum Major First Half: Alfreda Ryzowiecz, Second Half: Dolores Tomaszewski. Flags donated by: Stanley Ference, Frank Ference, Stanley Jurkowski, Jr., and J. C. Smalling.

*****

There are a lot of familiar Ambridge family names on that list. I had to laugh, because my spellchecker was really busy, marking all the last names but one as misspelled. The only name my spellchecker approved of was "Wagner."

Vaclav Klimek taught music and led the Ambridge Community Band, Ambridge Symphony Orchestra, and Sewickley Symphony Orchestra, although he made his living as a home builder.

My mother's maiden name was "Gause. My sister who does genealogy is checking to see if the "A. Gause" in the photo might be related to us.

*****

The United Polish Societies of Ambridge was founded in May 1930 with the aim of working in the interest of all Polish people in Ambridge and keeping Polish language and customs alive.

Ambridge's Polish National Alliance, Gr. 1013, and Polish Falcons Nest 182 were the most prominent groups in United Polish Societies. I'm not sure which other Ambridge Polish groups were officially part of the United Polish Societies, but the 25th Anniversary Program has photos of members of the following groups:

Polish-American Citizen Club of Ambridge,
Polish Women's Alliance, Gr. 300,
Polish Army Veterans Post 60,
Women's Auxiliary of Polish Veterans Post 60,
St. Stanislaus Gr. 889, P. R.C.U. (Polish Roman Catholic Union),
St. Stanislaus P.T.O.,
St. Hedwig Society, Gr. 47,
St. Joseph Union, Gr. 58,
Queen Wanda Society, Gr. 2193,
Rosary Society (of St. Stanislaus?).
_____

* Now Veteran's Day

Economy's Grand Historic Pageant, the Centennial Parade, June 7, 1924

Economy Centennial Celebration postcard, front
1924

Economy Centennial Celebration postcard, back
1924

The former village of Economy, established by the Harmony Society in 1824, later absorbed into the borough of Ambridge, celebrated its centennial from Friday, June 6 through Sunday, June 8, 1924. The weekend was full of ceremony and entertainment, but the Grand Historic Pageant--also known as a parade--probably was the most attended event.

According to the Centennial Program, the Saturday, June 7, parade was scheduled to begin at 2:30 P.M. on Park Rd., turn east on 1st Street, turn north on Merchant, march to French Point, then proceed to Ohioview Ave., 12th St., Church St, 11th St., Melrose, and finish on 10th St. Since many of the photos below were taken on Maplewood Ave. at 8th St., I'm not sure how accurate that description of the planned route turned out to be.

The June 9 Ambridge Citizen proclaimed the parade, "The greatest spectacle in the history of Beaver County."

The Citizen reported:

As the great procession held in connection with the Economy Centennial passed before the vast throngs that had gathered from far and wide records were being established that placed Ambridge at the very pinnacle in the county chronicles. For size, for originality, for picturesqueness, for beauty, for historical value, the Ambridge pageant and parade surpassed anything that had ever before been attempted in this valley. Over 2,500 persons and over 200 autos and floats formed a procession about three miles long, requiring 45 minutes to pass a given point.

...

The background for the paraders formed a great sight itself. The brightly decorated buildings, with every available window, nook and corner filled with people; many roofs filled with daring spectators, the line of parade on both sides massed with 40,000 people from various parts of the country; every accessible, vacant, lot, filled with automobiles parked during the procession; the Legion's avenue of flags and the American colors everywhere, the town was veritably a mass of color and humanity.

The Citizen said that after the parade had passed, "It required over an hour for the crowds to disperse from Merchant street [sic]."

The parade's tremendous success may have surprised former Harmony Society trustee John S. Duss. When the plans for the Centennial's events, including the ambitious ideas for the parade were discussed in December 1923, the Daily Times reported, "It is the opinion of Mr. Duss, however, that the time is too short to adequately stage such a pageant."

Only a few of the parade photos I've found identify the scene shown, so I tried to match the Citizen's and Centennial program's descriptions with the unidentified photos and to put the photos in order of their appearance in the parade. None of the original photographers for any of the photographs are identified.

The parade was organized into four divisions.

Division A had the Ambridge Police Force; three Legion color bearers (J. R. Armington, Walter Shephard, and Victor Pate); a car with Centennial President John T. Jessen and three women from "the Old Folks Home"; and a float of Uncle Sam and Columbia.

The Citizen said Ambridge Police "Chief P. J. Caul and his force of six" marched. So this may be them; the uniforms look like theirs, but I'd like to confirm that identification:

Ambridge police force?
Economy Centennial Parade
8th St. and Maplewood Ave.
June 7, 1924
courtesy Beaver County Genealogy and History Center

This must be, without a doubt, the "Uncle Sam and Columbia" float. The Citizen identified R. K. Smith as Uncle Sam and Miss Janet Bianchi as Columbia. The location where the photo was taken doesn't look familiar to me. Any ideas?

Uncle Sam and Columbia float
Economy Centennial Parade
June 7, 1924
courtesy Beaver County Genealogy and History Center

Division B represented the area's early history, 1784 - 1824. The Citizen described this division: "Every important event that history records for this section was shown and noted in order of their happenings."

The photo below must be from that division. The photo is very faded, but there's a man in a colonial uniform plus an Indian wearing a headdress on the float. The Centennial program lists the floats in this group. Could the float in front be "Conrad Wersser [sic] raising the British flag at Logstown in presence of the English trader Geo. Croghan and a group of Indians"? (Conrad Weiser was the colonial ambassador to the Indians.) Or perhaps, "George Washington in 1753 in conference with Sachems of the Six Nations, at Logstown"?

"Early history" floats
Economy Centennial Parade
June 7, 1924
courtesy Beaver County Genealogy and History Center

The Citizen mentioned one colonial rider on horseback: General Anthony Wayne portrayed by Dr. C. R. Bonzo. Maybe the below photo shows him.

General Anthony Wayne ?
Economy Centennial Parade
8th St. and Maplewood Ave.
June 7, 1924
courtesy Beaver County Genealogy and History Center

The parade's Division C was the Harmony Society era in Economy, featuring floats depicting daily Harmonist life.

Harmony Society haymakers float
Economy Centennial Parade
8th St. and Maplewood Ave.
June 7, 1924
courtesy Beaver County Genealogy and History Center

The 1826 Economite fire engine was borrowed from the Carnegie Museum for the occasion.

Economite fire engine
Economy Centennial Parade
June 7, 1924
courtesy Borough of Ambridge

Mrs. John S. Duss, one of the last trustees of the Harmony Society, and John Duss, Jr. rode in the Duss coach.

Coach carrying Mrs. John Duss and John Duss, Jr.
Economy Centennial Parade
June 7, 1924
courtesy Borough of Ambridge 

Division D was the "Modern Ambridge" section, with Ambridge officials followed by bands, floats, decorated trucks, and marchers from schools, organizations, industries, and businesses.

Several local fire departments participated in the parade, but only one had a name ending in "sdale" as shown on the truck in the photo below, Leetsdale.

Leetsdale Vol. FD firetruck and firefighters
Economy Centennial Parade
8th St. and Maplewood Ave.
June 7, 1924
courtesy Beaver County Genealogy and History Center

The next photo may be Ambridge's Hook and Ladder Co., No. 1. While this photo is unidentified, the fire truck looks very much like Hook and Ladder Co. No. 1's in a photo in the Centennial program.

Ambridge Hook and Ladder Co. No. 1 ?
Economy Centennial Parade
8th St. and Maplewood Ave.
June 7, 1924
courtesy Beaver County Genealogy and History Center

The Kemena Lumber Co., located at 10th and Merchant Sts. in 1924, built a tiny house on their float, "complete in every detail, even to the gardens and lawn in front of the porch on which sat little Virginia and Frank McCabe," said the Citizen.

Kemena Lumber Co. float
Economy Centennial Parade
8th St. and Maplewood Ave.
June 7, 1924
courtesy Beaver County Genealogy and History Center

According to the Citizen, the American Bridge Co. float "represented a railroad bridge span, complete in every detail."

American Bridge Company float
Economy Centennial Parade
June 7, 1924
courtesy Borough of Ambridge

I can't even guess at the identity of this band, one of a number of local bands that marched. Nor can I identify the street shown. Does the street look familiar to anyone?

Band (unidentified)
Economy Centennial Parade
June 7, 1924
courtesy Beaver County Genealogy and History Center

The Citizen described the Ambridge Woman's Club float as decorated with 5,000 Richmond roses and said the women riding on the float represented the club's activities: "Alberta Budd represented the Spirit of Woman's Club; Zilpha Miller, the nurse; Dorothy Kelley, an injured child; Mary Bittinger and Betty Fitzgerald, the library; and Mildred Schermerhorn, health. Mrs. Thos. D. Norris drove the float."

I'm still trying to identify the building behind the float. The brick street narrows down the location a bit to "not Merchant St.," and the trolley tracks should narrow it further. Perhaps Park Rd. or 1st St.?

Ambridge Woman's Club float
Economy Centennial Parade
June 7, 1924
courtesy Borough of Ambridge

The list of Ambridge organizations participating in the parade was extensive. The photo below shows the Patriotic Order Sons of America.

Patriotic Order Sons of America

Economy Centennial Parade

June 7, 1924

courtesy Beaver County Genealogy and History Center

The Citizen says the Loyal Order of Moose float: "decorated in lavender and white, represented Mooseheart and Moose Haven homes; the former by a number of children and the latter, an elderly couple at a desk." The scene was shot at the Moose Palace building, formerly at the northeast corner of 13th and Merchant Sts., destroyed by a fire in 1937.

Loyal Order of Moose float
Economy Centennial Parade
Moose Palace, 13th and Merchant Sts.
June 7, 1924
courtesy of Lorianne Stangl Burgess

According to the Citizen, 400 students of St. Stanislaus parochial school "marched in the formation of the American flag." The children in the flag's staff wore yellow hats; those in the stripes wore red and white hats; and those in the canton (the rectangle with the stars) wore blue and white hats. The photo below might show some of the students.

St. Stanislaus parochial school children?
Economy Centennial Parade
8th St. and Maplewood Ave.
June 7, 1924
courtesy Beaver County Genealogy and History Center 

I have no idea who this group of girls carrying U.S. flags represented.

Girls with U. S. flags

Economy Centennial Parade

8th St. and Maplewood Ave.

June 7, 1924

courtesy Beaver County Genealogy and History Center 

The Ambridge Savings and Trust Co. float "represented its Liberty Bell savings accounts, with Miss Liberty (Miss [name unreadable]) sitting by the Liberty Bell," the Citizen said.

Ambridge Savings and Trust float

Economy Centennial Parade

8th St. and Maplewood Ave.

June 7, 1924

courtesy Beaver County Genealogy and History Center 

The Citizen reported, "The Ukrainian Nationality of Ambridge had a large turnout."

Ukrainian Nationality of Ambridge marchers

Economy Centennial Parade

8th St. and Maplewood Ave.

June 7, 1924

courtesy Beaver County Genealogy and History Center 

The Citizen described the J. M. Breen's Furniture float as "a bower of ferns and palms" and playing the role of a newly married couple who furnished their home at Breen's were Virginia Goerman and William Goerman.

Breen's Furniture float
Economy Centennial Parade
June 7, 1924
courtesy Beaver County Genealogy and History Center

I wish I had photos of some of the other business participants' entries like the Briola Brothers ice plant's truck "loaded with large cakes of ice, in which had been frozen fish and fruit." Or the Ambridge-Economy Bottling Works truck which dispensed free pop.

Be on the lookout for memorabilia from the Economy Centennial parade. The Citizen noted, "Most of the business firms represented in the parade threw souvenirs of all descriptions all along the route of the parade."

Update: Sept. 29, 2016

More parade photos!

First, four photos from the Old Economy Village Archives:

Father Rapp's coach was borrowed from the Carnegie Museum for the occasion. It would have been at the beginning of the Harmony Society section of the parade. According to the Ambridge Citizen, 18 men in silk coats and high hats formed the guard of honor.

Father Rapp's coach
Economy Centennial Parade
June 7, 1924
Old Economy Village Archives

Float depicting Harmony Society Women spinning
Economy Centennial Parade
June 7, 1924
Old Economy Village Archives

The Citizen reported, "The old Economy milk wagon with the daily bulletin, announced the loss of a 'hen with red band on left leg.'"

Economy milk wagon with daily bulletin
Economy Centennial Parade
June 7, 1924
Old Economy Village Archives

Another photo of the Economy haymakers float:

Economy haymakers float
Economy Centennial Parade
June 7, 1924
Old Economy Village Archives

Two photos belonged to the late Eddie Dzubak, Sr. and are posted courtesy of his children, Lesabeth Trzcianka and Eddie Dzubak, Jr. :

The Knights of Columbus contingent had 65 (85? hard to read microfilm) marchers as well as a float showing the landing of Columbus.

Knights of Columbus
Ambridge Council No. 1780
Economy Centennial Parade
June 7, 1924
Eddie Dzubak, Sr. Collection

The Citizen reported that "St. Michael's Russian Society had 70 members in line."

Beneficial Russian Society of St. Michael of Ambridge
No. 121 of R.B.O.
Economy Centennial Parade
June 7, 1924
Eddie Dzubak, Sr. Collection

The final new photo, published in the August 25, 1954, Ambridge Daily Citizen, shows some of the crowd watching the Economy Centennial parade at 4th and Merchant Sts. and provides a view of some of the east side of the 400 block of Merchant. Look at the men hanging on the utility pole on the far left!:

Wagons and floats
Economy Centennial Parade
4th and Merchant Sts.
Daily Citizen
August 25, 1954

Daily Citizen caption:

Pictured above is one of the original United Dairy white horse and single wagons which participated in the Economite Centennial Parade during the summer of 1924. The picture was taken at 4th and Merchant Sts.

_____

Many of the photos above credited to the Beaver County Genealogy and History Center were taken at the intersection of Maplewood Ave. and 8th St. The brick house with front porch in the background is still there, now the Anglican Church in North America Provincial Office, 800 Maplewood. The porch is now enclosed. The large three-story building behind the house is the Ambridge Hotel, Merchant St., built in 1905, razed in 1964.

As big and grand as the Economy Grand Historic Pageant may have been, Ambridge's Golden Jubilee parade, described as a "mammoth spectacle", held in 1955, topped it in number of units and length.