Pictures of Clairton in the Early Days
Clairton’s existence began just after the turn of the 20th century when the Crucible Steel Company acquired a large tract along the west side of the Monongahela River, about 13 miles (21 km) south of Pittsburgh. Soon after, the Carnegie Steel Co. (later U.S. Steel) built an integrated steel mill and coke production facility, which eventually became one of the world's largest.
City Engineers November 1927
Halcomb Avenue homes
6-11-28 Homes on Halcomb Ave.
Notice that the trees were just starting.
Mitchell Avenue
Building of Clairton Park's original swimming pool 1929
Finished pool with Float #1 & Float #2. The pool had underwater lights.
Stone bleachers
Refreshment stand
The men responsible for building Clairton Park pool.
Bathers in the pool. Notice all the pollution in the background.
1930: Clairton Park Pool.
Left to right are first cousins: Margaret Barnes Brown Norris, Lona Mae Voelkel Johnson, Emma Grace Hare.
Recognize anyone else?
(Compliments of Joanie Jordan via FB)
Clairton Park entrance construction Sept 18, 1936
Clairton Park Entrance June 3, 1937
Clairton Park entrance July 7, 1952
Parade through Clairton Park
Parade through the park.
Love the Knickers!
Large Group Picnic circa 1915 at Clairton Park
(Compliments of Betsy Norris Banzen via FB)
Although the following video has nothing to do with Clairton, it does have something to do with History and I could just imagine people skating around Clairton like this....Click on the photo and enjoy!
Memorial Hill in Clairton Park
Front: Jeremiah Dick Blackburn, Farnsworth (Mayor), Kirmeyer
Back: John Miller, Van E. Ohl
Jeremiah Dick Blackburn, H. J. Davis, I. A. Nicholas (School Director)
Ernest DeSue, Lloyd Fuge, Ken Stilley, Robert Medvidovich, Robert Baird
Clairton Police Force
Schools
Clairton High School
Fifth Street Elementary School. Located across the street from the High School.
Fifth Street Elementary School from another angle.
Miller Avenue Elementary School. June 11, 1928. One of 6 fine school buildings in Clairton.
Walnut Avenue Elementary School. June 11, 1928. 24 rooms and 1200 capacity Auditorium
Shaw Avenue Elementary School
Class of 1932
The CHS class of 1932 did not have a year book due to the Depression, but Margaret Barnes Brown Norris saved the newspaper article with all the photos. Betsy, her daughter, has kindly shared the clipping with us. (scanned in 9 parts)
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Churches
St Joseph's Church. Reed Street.
This one was torn down and a new church built in its place. Currently called St Clare of Assisi.
Jewish Synogogue, formerly United Presbyterian. Was on the corner of Waddell and Reed Street. This is where the Senior High Rise now sits.
Episcopal Church on the corner of Halcomb and Fifth Street. Notice the wooden steps and sidewalk!
Ascension Byzantine Greek Catholic Church
The original St. Clare Church with the rectory on the left. It was located on Wilson Ave. & burned down ---in the late 30's or early 40's ???
This is the First Methodist Church of Clairton on Waddell. The church sat right behind 5th street school and across the street from Blackburn truck garage. It was sold and a new one was built on Thompson Avenue.
Please help identify church and location. email city_of_prayer@aol.com. Refer to as Church #5
Wilson
Pennsylvania Railroad Station, Clairton, Pa
Thomas Bell Rhine (Betsy's great grandfather), 2nd from left, in the Clairton Works Railroad Yard circa 1920.
(Compliments of Betsy Norris Benzen via FB)
Click on picture for information about the flood. This was known as the Great St. Patrick's Day Flood.
Intersection of State St and St Clair.
Getting ready to put in sewers.
Interesting picture of business men watching workers repair road.
Widening of North State Street November 7, 1946. Intersection of Walnut and 837.
Looking south along N. State Street at intersection of State, Carnegie and Pennsylvania Aves. Approach to new Clairton/Glassport Bridge. 06/11/28
This was before they "straightened" the bridge. Notice the bend at the entrance.
Notice the gas pumps were along the sidewalk.
Notice the sign in the window...Clairton Cokers was the name of a Semi-Pro Football Team.
The old hotel at the corner of N. State and Walnut in Wilson.....where the new Wilson American Citizens Club building is now.
Robert Barnes Brown (Betsy's grandfather) circa 1915 in front of Voelkel's Market on State Street in Wilson. He was a butcher!
(Compliments of Betsy Norris Banzen via FB)
Clairton Hill
Intersection of St Clair and Miller Ave. Notice the Trolley which took passengers from 837 to 7th St. The conductor was Mr Koontz
Corner of St Clair and Miller Avenue. Clairton Inn. The name was then changed to Penn Clair Hotel.
Post card. Trolley is on St. Clair Avenue and the intersecting street is Miller Avenue. 1924. (Compliments of Joanie Jordan via FB)
1930 and there's a gas pump in the middle of the street. Obviously, the artist was having a field day. Look at the changes between these two post cards!
(Compliments of Joanie Jordan via FB)
This building was physically moved from the Corner of Miller and St Clair to build the new Union Trust Company.
It was moved further down St Clair Ave on the opposite side of the street. Below is a recent picture of it side by side with the old picture.
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The new Union Trust Company Bank on the corner of Miller and St Clair.
Corner of Miller and St Clair
Capital Theater on Miller Ave. The movie playing was Menance of the Mute (in 5 parts). Admission was 5 cents and 10 cents.
Clairton Pool Parlor, Park Ave Hotel.
St Clare school was eventually built on the lot on the right.
Corner of Miller and Wilson Ave
Roll of Honor
Roll of Honor. Corner of St Clair and Miller Avenue.
St Clair and 7th St Oct 1958
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St Clair and 7th St Oct 2012
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Sedor Dairy on St Clair and 7th St Oct 17, 1958
7th Street Oct 17, 1958 (from current day Rite Aid perspective). Sedor Dairy on left, Esso gas station on the right.
This is 7th & Worthington. Worthington is on the right. The house sits where the stop light is currently at the end of Worthington.
This is before Marracinni's was built.
This is the same house as in the picture above. On the back of the picture was the assessed value of house and lot and a good will offer. (Total 1800.00)
I'm guessing the city bought this house to widen the road.
This is the bottom of East Drive (by the missle). The posted sign on the telephone pole says "STREET UNDER CONSTRUCTION TRAVEL AT YOUR OWN RISK"
December 28, 1945
This is 7th St (Desiderio Ave) heading towards Woodland Terrace. This is the triangle where the missle resides now.
This monument now resides in the lot pictured above.
July 20, 1943 Woodland Terrace
(Now Century Townhomes)
My Grandfather's garage.
The race car on left has sign on front...PITTSBURGH SPEEDWAY 1947 CHAMP.
The race car on the right says...NEW KENSINGTON SPEEDWAY 1946 CHAMP.
(Compliments of Cathy Nickolich White)
Another picture of a race car & Hudson with my Grandfather (Nick Nickolich) in between. (Compliments of Cathy Nickolich White)
Clairton Works Baseball Team 1921 Second from left is Robert Barnes Brown (Betsy’s Grandfather) and far right is Fred Rhine (Betsy’s Great Uncle)
(Compliments of Betsy Norris Banzen via FB)
1931 W.P.I.A.L Champs - Clairton High School Banzen Left to Right Top Row George Woodman, John Swetka, Eddie Johnson, Ken Stilley, John Snizik, William Wyke Bottom Row William Stokes, Leroy Sellers, Mike Kalcevich, Albert Meeleis, George Pavlack, Andy Berchok, Dick Horn (Compliments of Betsy Norris Banzen via FB)
Thanksgiving Day Football Game 1931
(Compliments of Betsy Norris Banzen via FB)
War Time
This is Our JeepArticle taken from 1944 CHS Year Book
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Clairton coal bridge span collapse 2/11/52.
Wide World photo printed in Engineering News Record, 2/21/52.
(Compliments of Joanie Jordan via FB)
On the far right of the lower left photo is my grandmother, Bess Rhine Brown, my great grandmother, Carrie Kimmick Rhine with my aunt, Edith (Pudge) Brown Brown, and my uncle, Robert Boyd Brown, in front.
(Compliments of Betsy Norris Banzen via FB)
