Photos submitted by Jeannie Smith.  Her Great-Granfather was Fred Young, the first Police Chief.  Her Grandfather was an amateur photographer and took many photos in and around the town.

These were taken in 1922 by my grandfather, George Mack. I still have the original Kodak camera that took these photos!

The photos are of a baseball field and bleachers that was located near the sewage plant (to its left)  and across from the U.S. Steel Coke Works office building. You can see many of the smokestacks in the background. I remember too, as a young child, going to a circus or carnival on these same grounds. That would have been back in the 1950’s.

My grandfather was 22 years old when he took these photos and he was employed in the Benzol plant where his step-father, Mr. Elliot was the superintendant at the time. My grandparents, newly-weds George and Mabel, lived in Wilson then (having moved from Sharon, PA) and latter moved to VanKirk street where they lived in several different homes until they finally settling at 907. My grandfather eventually became the Clairton Works paymaster where he worked until he passed away in 1961. Both of my parents Catherine Mack and Joseph Patrick were born and raised in Clairton and moved to Jefferson borough after marriage, where they lived until their deaths.

Though I never lived in Clairton, I certainly have roots there and know the town and its history well. I currently live in Jefferson Hills and am a live-long resident now in my 60’s.

I hope others enjoy the photos and another link to Clairton’s past.

Best regards,
Joe Patrick