Remember New Ken nightlife

Steve P. and I swam in the creek too. A place called Rearicks Fording at the time. There was a bridge down the creek about 100 yards.
My granfather was killed in the coalmines in Jefferson Co. in a town called Adrian around 1910.I knew many coalminers that worked Harmarville and Barking. Did many a boilermaker with some of them on payday.

Tom R wrote:

Any coal miner sons or daughters in the group. My grandfather worked in the Kinlock mines. Here's a link to a cool web site about western Pa. coal miners. Remember the Titanic?

"Do I remember the Titanic" that place had some darn good looking women there .Olderndirt can back me up on that.am I right or wrong BOB ? Tom were you familiar with the Benn sisters? They were pretty good looking girls.I came from a coal mining family who worked mines in Barking- Logans Ferry-Harmarville -Harwick- Indianola so I guess you can say I knew some miners.My Dad was recording secretary for local 6566 for many years.

The Benn sisters sounds familiar but I can't say I knew them. A neighbor when I was growing up was Rudy Benn. He ran a boat repair place right next to Martin School. Does anyone remember the guy who used to hang around 5th and 9th streets? He had no legs, almost up to his hips. Moved around with his hands on a leather pad.

That was Happy Yute. I believe he was run over by a train. I remember seeing him often around Springdale and New Kensington and saw him in downtown Pittsburgh once.
Does anybody remember Madame Fae? I don't know if she was ever a real madam but she had quite a prestigious clientele as a hairdresser. She had a little place on Barnes St called Fae's Powder Box. I think she lived in it in later years, maybe until the mid-80s.

stevep wrote:

There was 2 or 3 bars in KInloch-Heredas & MOrningstar was 2 of them but the bar popular with the miners was Barking Bens or some called it Sues.It was owned by John Regoli's mother Sue.It was located near the Parnassus triangle .She later married Sam Tamburro.That name should ring a bell with the New Ken. sports buffs.I think he had something to do with one of the bowling alleys in New Ken.One story about Ben's that my Dad told me was when the songs "Big John" & "Sixteen Tons" came out that is all that was played in there until they were wore out & had to be replaced.Hey Olderndirt!!!!! can you remember how many Red Ball sneakers we wore out walking & hitchhiking to Melwood Park, Willows in Oakmont,Chrystal Springs & Baustert's Beach.How far back did you go to these pools Tom?

More memories!! I was told that my grandfather was one of the partners who owned the Melwood park pool. I was a kid when I was first taken there. Swam there a lot. It is the only swimming pool I ever saw that had sloping sides. There is a picture of Harry Tamburo on my site when he was on the East All Star team (I'm not sure, but it was either 1945 or 1946.) He is between Joe Latona and Sonny Ciancutti. I grew up with those guys before I moved to Springdale. You can see the photo at: www.parsec-santa.com/NewKensington/ I put most of those pages up in 1999.
Went to the Springdale 2000 All Class Reunion; drove to New Kensington and bought a pair of shoes in the same store on Fifth avenue where my Mother always took me for my shoes. It was just above Ninth avenue and it looked the same. Enough memeories. Hard to stop me when I get going.

Here is another blast from the past. Does anyone remember the burning gas well. I remember my Dad taking me there. He grew up in McCain Plan and I guess the area around the well was their stomping grounds. The well was capped when the bypass was constructed.

Tom R ??? You lived near Martin School, I believe you know my two older brothers from Beamer Ave.

neighbor wrote:

Tom R ??? You lived near Martin School, I believe you know my two older brothers from Beamer Ave.

You are? email me at planner1949@yahoo.com

Atlantan wrote:

That was Happy Yute. I believe he was run over by a train. I remember seeing him often around Springdale and New Kensington and saw him in downtown Pittsburgh once.
Does anybody remember Madame Fae? I don't know if she was ever a real madam but she had quite a prestigious clientele as a hairdresser. She had a little place on Barnes St called Fae's Powder Box. I think she lived in it in later years, maybe until the mid-80s.

Hap did'nt have any lower body but he worked hard at the Texaco station in Cheswick pumping gas, he got around pretty good on that dolly.He made many trips into Pittsburgh.I think some time ago they had an article in one of the Pittsburgh area newspapers about him while he was still living.Madam Fae is another character that would fit into a book about New Ken.She was quite a site driving around town in her Cadillac convertible.She looked like an older Tammy Faye Baker.

Who remembers the hobby shop on 10th? I was an avid collector of model cars so that was a favorite haunt. Also all the car dealers which were fun to visit in the days of the annual model change. Glenn Buick, which also sold Ramblers. Jeromes sold Cadillac and Oldsmobile as well as Volvo and Fiat in the late 50s-early 60s. There was a Dodge dealer by the bridge, I think.

Olderndirt wrote:

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You're right...I was friendly with Benny who was the son of one of the brothers. I think he helped out some at the Inn.

I see you were friends with Ben Meledandri. I worked for his uncle Greg at the Rustic Inn from 1976 to 1984. Then I came out here to Minneapolis and worked for Ben and his brother Ron for about three years. I think I learned more about business from the Meledandri family than I did in four years of college. Greg is like a second father to me. He's still doing well and in excellent health for 86 years old.

Atlantan wrote:

Who remembers the hobby shop on 10th? I was an avid collector of model cars so that was a favorite haunt. Also all the car dealers which were fun to visit in the days of the annual model change. Glenn Buick, which also sold Ramblers. Jeromes sold Cadillac and Oldsmobile as well as Volvo and Fiat in the late 50s-early 60s. There was a Dodge dealer by the bridge, I think.

I think the hobby shop was "Connors Hobby Shop"?
I seem to recall that the dealership at the bridge was "Ken Auto"? Belli Plymouth was on 5th Ave near the tracks between New Ken and Arnold

Doug Stearman wrote:

<quoted text>
I see you were friends with Ben Meledandri. I worked for his uncle Greg at the Rustic Inn from 1976 to 1984. Then I came out here to Minneapolis and worked for Ben and his brother Ron for about three years. I think I learned more about business from the Meledandri family than I did in four years of college. Greg is like a second father to me. He's still doing well and in excellent health for 86 years old.

So Ben's in Minn...He went to Arnold and I went to Ken Hi but we both frequented the teen social scene in the 50's. I didn't know his brother.
All of the brothers were very nice people. Happy to hear that Greg is doing well.
The last time I was in the Rustic, there were a few drunks carrying on and I felt so sorry to see how the crowd there changed. I suspect the place closed shortly after that. If I recall, that was back in the 70's.
What business did Ben get into??

I have a question: There's a 3 story building located on the corner of 9th St. & 4th Ave. at the red light, it's located across 9th St. from the current Parkvale bank and across 4th Ave. from the current Central City Plaza...does anyone know any of the history of this building? What used to be in the building? I know there was a dentist on the 2nd floor until sometime in the 80's. I think the building was built in 1910.

I've been reading all the posts....what intersting information. I wasn't around for the good ole days you guys are talking about, but it sounds so intersting.

Thanks for any information you might have.

San wrote:

I have a question: There's a 3 story building located on the corner of 9th St. & 4th Ave. at the red light, it's located across 9th St. from the current Parkvale bank and across 4th Ave. from the current Central City Plaza...does anyone know any of the history of this building? What used to be in the building? I know there was a dentist on the 2nd floor until sometime in the 80's. I think the building was built in 1910.
I've been reading all the posts....what intersting information. I wasn't around for the good ole days you guys are talking about, but it sounds so intersting.
Thanks for any information you might have.

In the forties I remember a bar on the southwest corner of fourth Ave and ninth st.and a real estate office on the southeast corner - there was a funeral parlor in that building with an entrance on fourth ave. There was a baker on the west side of fourth avenue and a parking lot that was part of the New Kensington Auto Parts. which was across from the trade school. I will remember the names sometime when I am in bed, falling asleep. they are escaping me for the moment.

xnewken wrote:

<quoted text>Hap did'nt have any lower body but he worked hard at the Texaco station in Cheswick pumping gas, he got around pretty good on that dolly.He made many trips into Pittsburgh.I think some time ago they had an article in one of the Pittsburgh area newspapers about him while he was still living.Madam Fae is another character that would fit into a book about New Ken.She was quite a site driving around town in her Cadillac convertible.She looked like an older Tammy Faye Baker.

I knew Hap very well. When I lived in Springdale in the late forties, he was living somewhere near Shoop's restaurant on Pittsburgh Street. He was a great guy. He used to work at Shoop's, if I remember correctly. I know he was on the other side of the counter many times. Shoop's and Wenzel's across the street were my hang-out places when I wasn't shooting pool in one of the two pool halls across the street from each other on Pgh St.

My sister waitressed at the Kenmar for years I do believe she knew your uncle.
shadyplain@yahoo.com

Well I spent hours reading all of this and I just loved it all! As a child I remember talk and rumors.
I got taken by the fake niece too sorry!
But my sister did indeed waitress at the Kenmar and there was one night a week I am told she was the only one allowed in the dinning area when "meetings" were going on. I remember the night the big house burned down too we went to see that. Then there was the I think Merriweather boy (I think that was is name) if I remember right he was murdered in New Ken for seeing the daughter of one of "the boys". My uncle was a police officer in New Ken for years his name was Walter Sharkey it is said he started out as a bootlegger. Anyways thanks for all of the "stories".

There used to be a small store just off of 7th Street named Sharkey's. Any relation?

Parsec Sam wrote:

<quoted text>
In the forties I remember a bar on the southwest corner of fourth Ave and ninth st.and a real estate office on the southeast corner - there was a funeral parlor in that building with an entrance on fourth ave. There was a baker on the west side of fourth avenue and a parking lot that was part of the New Kensington Auto Parts. which was across from the trade school. I will remember the names sometime when I am in bed, falling asleep. they are escaping me for the moment.

Thank you for the information. I was surprised to hear there was a funeral parlor in the building. I know Mayor Bevin owned this property, as well as the building attached to the back of it on 4th Ave., that is now Liberty Tax Service. I'm curious about this building, because my husband & I recently purchased it and have been renovating it. I enjoy history and this building definitely has history and character. We are opening up a Coffee Shop/Cafe on the first floor of this building. It's almost completed and will be opening very soon. This is what New Ken needs and it's a good start towards bringing New Ken back to what it should be. We are very determined indivuals and it will succeed. We are looking forward to purchasing and renovating more buildings in New Ken in the future. There are nice buildings with history and character that just need to be renovated and cared for. Once I have my web site set up and completed by adding the before, during & after pictures, I will post the link so you can see it.