Beaver County Genealogy and History Center

Professional wrestling became a popular sporting event after World War II. It became an established form of local tv programming, with "Studio Wrestling" that aired on WIIC-TV11, Pittsburgh. Sponsoring a wrestling event became a necessary fund-raiser for such groups as the East Rochester Volunteer Fire Department on Saturday, May 5, 1962 at the Rochester High School gym, beginning at 8:45pm. The main event featured hero Baba the Giant against villain The Crusher. Baba, at 6... ft. 10 in., was a Japanese wrestler who toured America during 1960-1966. He was highly respected by fans wherever he wrestled and won many championship titles. Baba''s opponent was The Crusher, born Reginald Lisowski, at 5 ft. 11 in. The Milwaukee WI native was barrel-chested, bleach-blonde, beer-drinking and gravel-voiced, who often referred to his foes as "turkey necks." Also featured on the Rochester ticket was an Australian tag team match, pitting villains Pee Wee Lopez and teammate Farmer McGruder against heroes Frenchy Simard and Little Boy Blue. Tickets in advance could be purchased from Thrift Drug at Rochester and Northern Lights; Pedaline's Superette, Rochester; Richley's Market, East Rochester; Farmer's Barber Shop, Freedom; Bender's Pharmacy, Monaca; Rowse's Drugs, Beaver; Wolfe's Pharmacy, New Brighton; Moretti's and College Hill pharmacies, Beaver Falls; or from any East Rochester volunteer fireman. General admission in advance was $1.50; and $2.00 or $2.50 for reserved seating. The Times did not report the outcome of the Rochester matches. (From the History Center's Beaver County Times archive, Saturday, April 28, 1962.)

From the History Center's yearbook collection -- a page from the 1915 Freedom Swastika. It was the first year that Freedom's students attended high school at the Liberty School on Fourth Avenue. It was a three-story brick building that housed at least 16 classrooms. Fire escapes were located on both sides of the structure. Liberty School served the communiity for 45 years, when Freedom's students were relocated into the brick school building next door. Vacant since 1960, Liberty was razed by construction crews in April 1962. Today the site where Liberty School once stood is a vacant lot.

Performing at the Lyceum was the quartet of Kline, William C. and J. Ed Ott and Nicholson, from Beaver Falls. Published in The Daily Tribune, February 21, 1907.

From the History Center's microfilm archives of The Daily Tribune, Wednesday, February 20, 1907... Coming to the Lyceum Theatre, 502 Seventh Avenue, Beaver Falls -- a special engagement of "Little Dolly Dimples" a two-act musical that would eventually debut on Broadway the following April. It starred Dainty Grace Cameron onstage with a cast of 60 members. Also on the bill was Kline, The Ott Brothers and Nicholson, an instrumental quartet from Beaver Falls. The men played s...lide horns about the size of cornets, but resembled trombones. Admission ranged from 25 cents to $1.50. The Lyceum was a Vaudeville house when it opened in 1902. As the motion picture industry grew, the 900-seat theater started showing silent movies. In 1928 the theater was remodeled and a sound system was installed for showing talking pictures. The Lyceum was renamed the Rialto, which eventually closed around 1967. Today the property where the Lyceum once stood is vacant.

At the beginning of the 20th Century, America was engaged in the Spanish American War, an attempt to liberate Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines from Spanish tyranny. From February 1899 to July 1902, Major General Elwell S. Otis and his American troops fought during the Battle of Manilla. This photo from the Research Center's archives, pictures a time of happiness and patriotic pride in 1902, when the Beaver Valley fighting boys came home from the war. The festive parade took place along Third Avenue in downtown New Brighton.

REMINDER The Beaver County Genealogy & History Center switches to its scheduled winter hours effective December 1: Sunday through Wednesday -- closed... Thursday, Friday and Saturday -- 10am to 3:30pm These hours remain in effect until April 1, 2021

From the News Tribune microfilm archives, Saturday, August 13, 1949... a report on Beaver County's four-day weekend celebration of America's victory in Japan that ended World War II. Friday's gala featured the presentation of a charter from Conway VFW Post #6713 to its sponsored Boy Scout Troop #468, followed by a patriotic theme concert from the Monaca Cornet Band, under the direction of Jimmy Sebastian. The musical group, founded in 1899,still exists today. A Victory parade was held Saturday and concluded with a special air show on Sunday at Conway Field..

Photocopy of a photograph taken circa 1940, downtown Freedom. Freedom once had a thriving business district along both sides of Third Avenue, PA Route 88. Then in 1967, when the highway widened to four lanes (now designated PA Route 65), the Freedom bypass was created, taking with it the entire retail section along the west side of Third Avenue. Pictured is the west side of the 600 block of Third Avenue. where shoppers could visit Jurich's Electric Shop, Rexall Pharmacy & Ice Cream Bar or Isaly's store.

A century ago, America had a presidential election pitting Warren G. Harding against James M. Cox. It was an interesting event. The Great War had ended, the Spanish flu was behind us and for the first time women headed to the polls to vote. This article appeared in The Daily Times, Aug. 31, 1920 ...

U.S. Marine officers pictured at the Washington DC Marine Barracks, 1896. On the extreme right is Rochester native 1st Lt. Joseph H. Pendleton. He was influential in pushing for a Marine training post on America's west coast, which opened in 1942 as Camp Pendleton. (Photo from USMC Division Archives)

Photocopy of a photograph from the Research Center's Ciani collection... Perhaps you have an ancestor in this group of men -- workmen for the Pennsylvania Railroad at Conway Yards, taken circa 1900. Pennsylvania Railroad was a major rail line who served the mid-Atlantic region. Founded before the Civil War in Philadelphia in 1846, the railroad operated 11,600 miles of track. ... In 1968 Pennsylvania acquired New York Central Railroad and became Penn Central. The rail system filed for bankruptcy in the 1970's and by 1976 merged with Consolidated Railroad (Conn Rail). Conway Yard was built by a subsidiary of Pennsylvania Railroad in 1884, stretching from Freedom to Baden along the Ohio River. The railroad began expanding the yard in 1953 and It was considered the largest freight yard in the world from 1956 to 1980. Conway Yard contains 181 miles of track within 568 acres, with a storage capacity of 11,000 cars. Nearly 80 trains pass through the yard daily.

This meme is from a few years ago. Change your clocks this Sunday, November 1.

Yes, there was a radio station in Rochester. WBVP went on the air in May 1948. Then in July 1949, WRYO at 1050 on your dial began broadcasting from studios in North Rochester (Rochester Township). The station was a low powered daytime station, operating from sunrise to sunset. The station transmitter and tower were nearby. WRYO also operated a remote news studio in Aliquippa and Ambridge.... This ad was published in the Beaver Valley Times, February 23, 1951 edition, promoting the 5 o'clock news with reporter Chuck Barrett.(The call letters in the ad are misprinted) The news was sponsored by Economy Super Markets, with stores in Beaver Falls and New Brighton. WRYO was one of nearly 500 affiliated stations of the Liberty Broadcasting System. The radio network was founded in 1948. It's money making program was the series of recreated major league baseball games. Announcer Gordon McLendon read play by play reports from a Western Union ticker tape, augmented with convincingly real sound effects. The network came to an end in 1952 when the major league teams created blackout areas that prohibited broadcast coverage in certain areas. Shortly before the demise of LBS, WRYO ceased operating in January 1952, and was acquired by WBVP. The tower came down and was relocated on Marion Hill. The 1050 khz frequency was then assigned to WBUT-AM in Butler PA.

From the Research Center photo archives' Ted Masson collection... A World War I-era professional photo portrait from the Geyser Photo Gallery, Rochester, an unidentified young girl in a sailor-style outfit. Perhaps her boyfriend or brother was serving in the U.S. Navy.

From the Center's photo archives, donated by Jack Goddard, taken 2008. One of America's popular entertainers is singer/dancer/actress Madonna. Born Madonna Louise Ciccone in Bay City MI, it was an emotional shock when her mother died from breast cancer, when Madonna was only five. Young Madonna turned to her paternal Grandmother Ciccone, who lived in West Aliquippa at the pictured residence, for solace and emotional support. She stayed in close contact with her grandmother through her teenage years, before heading to New York City in 1978 to pursue her dreams in show business.

From the microfilm archives of the Evening Tribune, a front page article dated Thursday, April 3, 1902... The federal New Brighton post office building opened, at the corner of Third Avenue and Tenth Street. According to the paper, "Everything used in its construction the very best that money could buy -- Not only massive and beautiful, but is convenient in every way." Former postmaster D.R. Corbus had the honor of raising the flag to the staff atop the building. The 48x84 ...structure stood 40 feet high. The walls above ground were made of stone, terra cotta and Darlington gray brick. The lot was purchased for $15,000 and the post office was built "at a cost of $00,000 [misprint]." Building contractor was Campbell Building Co., Chicago. Charles M. McDanel was New Brighton postmaster at the time. The structure featured indoor wiring and utilized steam heat. Entry to the post office lobby was through a revolving door at the Third Avenue entrance. The lobby and vestibules were waistcoated with highly polished red Vermont marble, with terrazzo floors of white marble chips and cement. The facility was deemed fireproof. The building eventually became outdated and the New Brighton post office moved into its present-day facility on Eleventh Street.

Retail commerce in West Aliquippa, circa 1910. From the West Aliquippa photo collection, donated by Fred and Margaret A Walters. The building, center, is that of Fred Walter's Wholesale Liquor Sales, on Main Avenue. Assuming that is Fred and his wife standing in the doorway. The men at the wagons must be preparing to haul beverages to Woodlawn's finest bars, hotels and taverns. Note the sign at the corner of the building advertises Mutual Union Beer, a local beverage mad...e in town by Mutual Union Brewing Co. Beginning operation in 1907, Mutual offered other brands, including Aliquippa Beer, Pennsy Select Beer, Pilsener Beer and Porter Beer. The brewery remained in business until Prohibition went in force in 1920. On the extreme right next door is a glimpse of West Aliquippa's movie house that ran many silent pictures. Both buildings still stand today.. ..

In 1961 Beaver's Ft. MacIntosh Club celebrated it's fiftieth anniversary with a special dinner at Beaver United Methodist Church, followed by an open house at club headquarters on College Avenue. The familiar Beaver landmark formerly was the home for Beaver College's presidents. The Ft. Mac Club was chartered as a fraternal and social organization in 1911 and met initially above Third Street storefronts. It's present day clubhouse was acquired in 1926, once Beaver College h...ad moved to Jenkintown PA. The building, built in 1862, features a balcony on the second floor and a lovely cupola on the rooftop. The former residence was remodeled when the club moved in, to provide facilities that include reading and lounge rooms; tv, radio and card rooms; billiard and pool tables; and four bowling alleys. At the time of the anniversary membership was 150 men plus the women's auxiliary. A membership drive was underway in 1961 to increase that figure to 170. House rules prohibit gambling and alcoholic beverages.