Did you live in Wilson (1960 - 1970)

I am looking for anyone who grew up in Wilson during the 60's and attended Walnut Avenue. I moved away a long time ago and would love to hear from you.

Come on people. I know that someone who stumbles upon this website had to have grown up in Wilson during the time period mentioned. Personally I did not. I did live in Wilson in 1990. My first apartment to be exact. It was located on Pennsylvania Avenue, and I was told that the building was a library at one time. I have fond memories of that apartment, because I was pregnant with my first child at the time. He is now 18. Boy how time flies.

Speaking of Wilson, CHS Grad gave me some ideas about revitalizing the city. One of them being to start a Charter School. As I passed through Wilson today I thought that the old Walnut Ave school would be perfect. I don't know what kind of shape it is in on the inside, but the structure is still sound and strong. If a charter school were to become a reality, I think that it would be perfect and wouldn't change a thing about the exterior. It definitely has a lot of character. It probably just needs some tender loving care on the interior. Just a thought.

Thank you MarPay for the response. I am FormerWilsonite, and used the identity to attract attention to my post. I am not surprised that the building is still standing - that all brick structure is built like a fortress!

CHS Grad's idea of a charter school is an excellent one. Maybe you can use your persuasive powers to get the school board to sponsor the initiative.

Although I grew up on the hill, I had plenty of memories of Wilson. I played high school basketball for a church league and we played our games in Walnut (I think). If it had a gym and showers, that was the place. If you were in the shower and somebody flushed the toilet the water would either scald you or become ice cold.

The school would be a great location for a charter school. If you decide to move in that direction, MarPay, this is my offer: I will consult free of charge. I'll help guide you through the red tape and give you some tips that might help. Once you get going, drop me a comment on my blog and I'll answer you in an email. This is a chance to give back to the community.

To start, stop by the Municipal Building and find out who owns the property. If it is the city and if it is not being used, your next step is to see if they might be willing to lease it to a non-profit for $ 1.00 per year. Just chew the fat at this point. Tell them you're not looking for a commitment, you're just fact finding. The worst that could happen is they call security and throw you out. ;-)) If they show any interest, I'll tell you what to do next.

Any other Clairtonians out there willing to step up and help your city?

Keck's owns Walnutave. School. I still live here. I heard that it is in bad shape. I went there until 1967.

Yes. I lived there a house away from the school on 3rd street in the 1960 -1970. I had the opportunity to buy the old school building last year for under 100K as well as the Church building on the same street about a block or so up from there. Still not interested after looking inside of it and seeing how much money it would take to make it sound and publicly useful. Was told it was used as a school book depository and storage center for many years.
I came back to Wilson in the 1970's but left the area to go to school and find work and such. I was considering coming back to buy a house or building and start up a some kind of extended family and friends and business. This Great Depression is still going on and Clairton-Wilson is a financial mess. I have ideas on how to revitalize it.
Anywho.... Wilson might want to succeed or separte itself from Clairton and create a closed, gated community. Recruit people to live there looking to form a new kind of "small town" feel. There are many of us former Wilsonites and small towners looking for a place to re plant our roots but not in some gang banger dying town filled with racial strife and class warfare. Oh, well.

To 3rd street Wilson / college prof:

What year did you enter school? I started in 1960, and some of the teachers I remember are Ms. Jones, Ms. Cochrane, Ms. Gilpatrick, Ms. Robb, Mr. Warcola (cool cat with the vette). I lived on Division Avenue, and my girlfriend was Cheryl Randolph (I think she lived on 3rd street). I also was great friends with Maddy Persighetti, Cheryl King and Jerry Campalongo.

I had Mrs. Robb and Ms. Gilpatrick. I lived on Carnegie originally I live on N. 6th now. I knew Maddy but I graduated from DRA in 1969.

When I came back to Wilson, I tried to do tutoring at CHS.

I came back to Wilson after living in Elizabeth and Large. My mother was sick so I came back to Wilson. I travel to the beautiful Northside every day. No small community is safe anymore.

As I said I tried tutoring at CHS. The students weren't interested.

Is Kecks still in business? There used to be a bowling alley right down the street where you could play duckpins.

Wow! Kecks Restaurant! I haven't thought of that place for years. That is where they had our dinner for entering the National Honor Society. Actually it is now a Judo/Hapkido dojo run by John Beluschak. My brother took lessons from him years ago when he started his business. He has been in business for quite some time at the old Kecks restaurant location.

MayPay,

I know John Beluschak because I went to school with his sister Debbie. She was probably the first girl that ever kissed me when I was in about the third or fourth grade. She and I walked to the park (the rear entrance from 4th street)and just beyond the winding hill entrance was a lodge on the left hand side - she led me into the old dusty building where she planted a wet one. Very innocent. Anyhow, I had heard that John had become very proficient in the martial arts and had made a local name for himself. This is a great example of a man who came from very little (I remember the mother but not a father) and improved himself by staying in Clairton!

I didn't know that he had a sister. I know his brother Greg. He was a few years older than me. He works for the city's parks and recreations department.

I went to wilson school after moving to the area in the 60s..I went 1 year and then they moved the school kids up to the highschool....i had Mrs Bridges as a teacher..Loved Kecks , their pies were the bomb..I was also knew all of the above people mentioned...I remember getting milk out of the basement 5 cents a carton for lunch..also the drug store down the street had a soda fountain..most of the time I sneaked there and ate crackers and pop for lunch!

Curinga's was at the bottom of Walnut, The bank was on the opposite side of the street.Across State street was Rich's barber shop and Carla's flower shop. Up the street was Haines grocery store. Next to the store was a flight of steps to Summit Way.

At the bottom of Walnut, on State, was Helmsteders - the only place in Clairton that sold Boy Scout uniforms.

At the top of the hill in a big house lived Mr. Martel who taught at CHS - chemistry I believe.

Across the street from the mill gate was a bar that is still there.

One night while visiting my Mom, we'd had dinner and I was in the mood for a glass of wine. The only places that I knew for sure were open were on State Street - the bar across from the mill gate (plenty of beer but no wine), and one somewhere around Boston Diner. They looked at me like I was nuts and the bartender said, "I have some white Zin that I keep for the ladies." I had a beer.

Thanks for the memory-joggers. I would have never remembered the names Curinga's or Rich's Barber Shop. I actually used the Barber Shop across the street from the Post Office - the old gentleman used to give me a buzz cut per my old man's instruction - can anyone help me out with the name? The bar of choice for my father and his mill buddies was Tony Garcias (next to the post office). Was there a Haskels? My second cousin (Kenny Locklin) ran Rabs sportswear on the hill after the original owner retired (Kenny was his son-in-law). I can remember getting iron-on Bears and Steelers jerseys from Rabs. I remember my first date at the Capitol on the hill. The movie may have been "The Blob" but I am not certain. Wasn't there a First National Bank on State Street? Also, what was the name of the newstand that sold the Clairton and Pittsburgh papers on State Street? I think we called it "The Newstand." There was also a pool hall on State Street where I spent all my newspaper deliver money. Someonone mentioned the great fish sandwich in a local restaurant. There was a bar right outside the entrance of the park (where the street turns into 885) that made some great fish sandwich's up until very recently. My father visited about a year ago, and the owner said he would be giving up the business after many decades / generations.

Can anyone tell me if they know where any of the following childhood friends of mine may be today? All attended Walnut Avenue with me and would have been 1973 Clairton H.S. grads:
Jerry Campalongo - best friend
Cheryl Randolph - first girlfriend
Maddy Persighetti - friend
Kathy King - friend
Peggy Patellis - friend
Larry Hileman - friend
Johnny Carr - friend
Vicky McDivitt - friend
Beyond these close friends, I had very many acquaintances, mainly because everyone played together either at school, or at the "playground" on 3rd steet - I can still remember the swings and playing checkers (why didn't they ever clear the broken glass out of the ground?). Everyone knew everyone, and everyone walked to school. In the winter I would break icycles off the side of a building and eat it on the way to school. Finally, does anyone ever remember a local band called the Arondacks that cut a 45 called "Class of 69?" One of the members had a day job as a fireman in the Wilson fire department. It was a guitar musical, except for a break in the middle where a lone voice says "69." I think it came out in 1967.

Kenny Laughlin married Nancy Orsini, Rab Orsini's daughter. Rab owned the Clairton Sport Shop. They were high school sweethearts. Kenny lost a couple of toes in a lawn mower accident when he was a youngster. He passed away unexpectedly in April 2001. I believe the Clairton Sport Shop is still being run by Rab's younger daughter.

The bar/restaurant by the Park entrance is T & D's. See the string about places to eat for more information, I didn't know Tom was closing but he is in his late 60s and has been working in the food business since he got out of high school. He is very close to his kids, one of whom owns a tire store on 51. He and his wife deserve to retire but the world (at least the world of Clairton) will miss his fish sandwiches.