Local History - Local Heros - Local Lore
Featuring books of historical interest and significance to Western Pennsylvania’s Lawrence County.
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Adam's Book of Memories
Author: Adam F. Pivovar
Edited by: Anita DeVivo
Copyright: 2014 Adam F. Pivovar
Publisher: Comprehensive Printing Solutions
Paperback: 240 pages
Excerpt from the Forward: Curious. Odd Funny. Worth thinking about….I have certainly been amazed and entertained by the stories and people I remembered and wrote about. I hope you will enjoy my meomories, too.
Excerpt from Class Notes, Youngstown State University Fall 2015: “The books takes a lighthearted view of the western Pennsylvania region where Pivovar grew up, along with some of his world travel experiences.”
Product Name: Adam’s Book of Memories
ORDER for SHIPPING ONLY: $28.20 USD (includes shipping & handling)
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All the Summers Were Golden: A History of Cascade Park
Author: Beverly Zona – 72 pages
“So bucolic a setting deceives modern-day visitors into thinking that few passed here before, but the story of Cascade Park is one of savvy businessmen and colorful characters; it’s left a legacy of great riches, and often, opportunities lost.” This book includes many excerpts from oral history recordings done by Zona and Lawrence County Historical Society interns. Photographs of the park dating back to the 1890s are also featured.
Product Name: All the Summers Were Golden – A History of Cascade Park
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Cascade Park
Author: Anita DeVivo & the Lawrence County Historical Society (2010)
200 Vintage Photos / 128 pages
From inception to current uses through the years • Printed in South Carolina on America-made paper and manufactured entirely in America
Since its opening in 1897, Cascade Park has welcomed thousands of visitors to its picnic grove, summer cottages, mineral springs, dance pavilion, swimming pool, baseball field, zoo, boat rides, outdoor theater, fireworks, and numerous other amusements. The park is an unusually beautiful natural setting with Big Run Falls, Cat Rocks, a gorge, rolling hills, shady walkways, and even a ginkgo tree or two. In the 1890s, when it was called a trolley park, crowds of visitors arrived by streetcar. Eventually automobiles took over, and the roller coaster was dismantled to make space for a parking lot. Today automobiles spill out of the parking lot once a year when more than 1,000 vintage cars travel to the Back to the 50’s Weekend, now in its 25th year. This and other family-oriented events continue the tradition of good times in Cascade Park.
The Lawrence County Historical Society’s archives and its John Hitch Collection furnished most of the photographs in Cascade Park. Author Bio: Anita DeVivo is the author of New Castle and Mahoningtown and coauthor of Lawrence County.
Product Name: Cascade Park
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Cascade Park: Western Pennsylvania’s Rural Escape
Co-Authors: Andrew W. Henley, MLIS & Gabrielle N. Lucas (2021)
One of the first trolley parks in Western Pennsylvania, Cascade Park, served as the communities’ escape due to the natural beauty that the park exudes. It first began as Big Run Falls, then Sylvan Park, and later Brinton Park before becoming Cascade Park.
On June 10, 2021, Cascade Park was deemed eligible for the National Register of Historic Places by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Historical & Museum Commission (PHMC). This publication was submitted for the re-assessment of the park as a Historic District.
Product Name: Cascade Park: Western Pennsylvania’s Rural Escape
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A Civil War Husband: 100th Pennsylvania Roundheads
Author: Cynthia Friend Crytzer
Publisher: Comprehensive Printing Solutions
Copyright January 1, 2020
Paperback: 146 pages
Description: A first -hand account of life as a Civil War soldier through the letters of Thomas D. Nelson, Union soldier and member of the 100th Pennsylvania Infantry “Roundheads” from Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. Thomas details travel with the Roundheads, camp life as a Union soldier, people he meets along the way, concerns for the family he left behind, and much more. This vivid account of a Civil War husband and soldier is followed by an epilogue of the fate of Thomas’ wife and daughters after his death in Andersonville Prison. One daughter, Frances Nelson Randolph, married and raised her family in New Castle.
The author has transcribed each letter written by her great-great grandfather.
Product Name: A Civil War Husband: 100th Pennsylvania Roundheads
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Ellwood City
Author: Everett E. Bleakney, Jr
Paperback: 128 pages
Copyright: 2012
From the back cover
Ellwood City was the concept of 19th Century entrepreneur Henry W. Hartman. In 1889, he formed the Pittsburgh Company to create a town south of the Connoquenessing Creek near the village of Hazel Dell. Local farm properties were purchased, and the town quickly began to take shape. The first major building was the Hotel Oliver. In 1891 the Ellwood Shafting and Tube Company was founded, producing the first seamless steel tubing and establishing Ellwood City as the”birthplace of the seamless tube industry.”
Everett E. Bleakney Jr., a lifelong Ellwood City resident and amateur historian, serves as a board member of the Lawrence County Planning Commission. He was a letter carrier in Ellwood City for 25 years. Bleakney has selected images from his extensive postal archives and has called upon knowledgeable friends to help through this visual postcard journey.
Compilation of vintage post cards / Printed on USA made paper & manufactured entirely in the USA / Postcard history series from Arcadia Publishing
Product Name: Ellwood City
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From the Beginning, Tales of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania
Author: Elizabeth DiRisio
Copyright 2021 DiRisio
Paperback: 400+ pages
Publisher: Independently Published
DESCRIPTION
More than 400 pages of short stories were generated over the last decade regarding Lawrence County historical items of interest. Stories cover Native Americans, Black history, women’s contributions, steel industrialists, valiant soldiers, entrepreneurs, New Castle’s famous “Coney Island” hot dogs, and the rise/fall of some of Lawrence Country’s rich and famous.
Some stories are new and many have been previously published on the Lawrence County Historical Society’s Facebook page and website at https://www.lawrencechs.org as well as the Little Local Paper. Most accompanying photos are from the LCHS collections.
Although extensive, this is not meant to be a comprehensive history on any subject. There are many more areas of interest yet to be explored.
We are pleased to announce that the author, Elizabeth DiRisio, is donating all proceeds to the Lawrence County Historical Society. We appreciate her generosity.
Your purchase of this book helps LCHS continue with our mission of historical preservation.
Product Name: From the Beginning, Tales of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania
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Haunted Roads of Western Pennsylvania
Authors: Thomas White and Tony Lavorgne
Copyright 2015
Paperback: 128 pages / 60 images
Product Dimernsions: 6 (w) x 9 (h)
Description from the publisher: Ghostly travelers are said to wander the lonely roads of western Pennsylvania. A creeping fog rises from Blue Mist Road, and stories of car crashes, lynchings and even strange beasts haunt this isolated stretch outside Pittsburgh. Is it the angry spirit of a jealous husband or a gypsy king who stalks Erie County’s Axe Murder Hollow? Shades of Death Road in Washington County may be host to phantom coal miners killed during a deadly labor dispute. With firsthand accounts and historical research, authors Thomas White and Tony Lavorgne travel the backcountry roads and byways of western Pennsylvania to discover their ghost tales and mysterious legends.
Product Name: Haunted Roads of Western Pennsylvania
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Historic New Castle Neighborhoods: North Jefferson & North Mercer Street Hill
Author: Susan Urbanek Linville
Paperback: 56 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1 edition (17 February 2013)
Language: English
Product Dimensions: 21.6 x 0.4 x 27.9 cm
Author’s Description: New Castle has the third largest historic district in Pennsylvania. The 91-block district contains roughly 450 acres of land holding many ornate homes and mansions, including fine examples of Italianate, Queen Anne Victorian, American Fore-square, Bungalow/Craftsman, Romanesque Revival, and Neo-Classical Homes. This full-color neighborhood booklet includes homes dating as far back as 1859 that were built by merchants, bankers and industrialists.
Product Name: Historic New Castle Neighborhoods: North Jefferson & North Mercer Street Hill
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Historic New Castle Neighborhoods: Wallace Avenue to Grant Street & Downtown
Author: Susan Urbanek Linville
Paperback: 60 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (July 7, 2013)
Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.2 x 11 inches
Shipping Weight: 7.4 ounces
Author’s Description: New Castle has the third largest historic district in Pennsylvania. The 91-block district contains roughly 450 acres of land holding many ornate homes and mansions, including fine examples of Italianate, Queen Anne Victorian, American Fore-square, Bungalow/Craftsman, Romanesque Revival, and Neo-Classical Homes. This full-color neighborhood booklet includes homes dating as far back as 1859 that were built by merchants, bankers and industrialists.
Product Name: Historic New Castle Neighborhoods: Wallace Avenue to Grant Street & Downtown
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In Hot Pursuit: The Hidden History of the Underground Railroad in Lawrence County, PA
FREE Shipping to USA Addresses
Coauthors: Susan Urbanek Linville and Elizabeth Hoover DiRisio, include stories about abolitionists and conductors who operated in Lawrence County during the years preceding the Civil War. In Hot Pursuit also highlights the Free-Black community, the importance of area ministers in rebuking slavery, and the county’s national participation in the fight against slavery.
Paperback: 200 pages
Publisher: Pokeberry Press; 1 edition (July 1, 2016)
Product Dimensions: 8 x 0.5 x 10 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
Product Name: In Hot Pursuit: The Hidden History of the Underground Railroad in Lawrence County, PA
ORDER for USA SHIPPING ONLY: $26.20 USD (includes USA shipping & handling)
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Lawrence County
Authors: Anita DeVivo and Anthony P. Walczak
Copyright: 2007
Paperback: 128 pages
Lawrence County was named for naval captain James Lawrence, who gave the famous command “Don’t give up the ship” during the War of 1812. His command became a slogan for western Pennsylvanians in the early 1800s when what was to become Lawrence County was divided between Mercer County and Beaver County. In 1820, residents started to protest the inconvenience of conducting business in two jurisdictions and proposed a new county to unify the community. They did not give up the ship. Finally in 1849, Lawrence County was authorized. The new county was rich with rolling hills, rivers, forests, and fertile land. Limestone, iron ore, coal, and clay supported burgeoning industries.
Lawrence County illustrates the effect of these industries on the area through more than 200 vintage postcards and photographs. Also illustrated are the Old Order Amish and places such as Possum Hollow, Breakneck Bridge, SNPJ, and Energy.
Author Bio: Anita DeVivo, a resident of Lawrence County, is the author of New Castle and Mahoningtown. Anthony P. Walczak, a lifelong resident of Lawrence County, is a dedicated collector of postcards, Native American artifacts, and other local memorabilia.
Over 200 vintage postcards & photographs / Illustration of Old Order Amish as well as Possum Hollow, Breakneck Bridge, SNPJ, & Energy
Product Name: Lawrence County
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Lawrence County Memoirs - The Archives: Vol 1
Author: Jeff Bales, Jr
Copyright: 2024
Hardcover: 570 pages, black & white with a 10-page color section
Published by: Maple Press, York PA
Lawrence County Memoirs – The Archives: Vol 1 is a 570 page book that provides both written and pictorial historical recollections about Lawrence County PA.
Feature stories include Cascade Park, Sons of Italy Parade, Bob Hope Gets His Start, Enon Valley’s Fort Wayne Train Station, Reis-Brown Mansion.
Also in this volume: O’Toole-Barber Murder Case, Hill View Manor, Bob Hope, Johnson Bronze, Boxer Emmett Rocco, Wampum Schools, Old Black Bridge, Hitchhiker DeVon Smith, Ben Franklin JHS, St Agatha’s Catholic Church, Tindall Cemetery, Lawrence Savings & Trust, Croton Honor Roll, Battery B, Standard Brewery, St Nicholas Church, Margret Henry Home, Loose Nuts Club, JFK Visit, Mahoning Trust Robbery, and much much more.
ISBN 979-8-218-43007-8
Author Bio: Author, Jeff Bales Jr., born in New Castle, attended 9 schools on four continents by the time he graduated high school. He returned to New Castle in 2009 where he fell in love with his own town and began gathering photos, articles and stories. Finally, after many years, he has published the first of several volumes.
Product Name: Lawrence County Memoirs – The Archives: Vol 1
ORDER for SHIPPING ONLY to PA Addresses: $92.42 USD (includes PA tax, shipping & handling)
ORDER for SHIPPING ONLY TO USA Addresses (excludes PA): $87.62 USD (includes shipping & handling)
ORDER for LOCAL PICK UP ONLY: $84.80 USD (includes PA sales tax)
New Castle and Mahoningtown
Author: Anita DeVivo
Copyright: 2006
Paperback: 128 pages
Founded in 1798, New Castle was a small borough located at the confluence of the Shenango River and Neshannock Creek. Mahoningtown, a small borough located just south of New Castle, was a thriving community founded in 1836. The two towns boasted flourishing industries, and in 1896, a trolley line was created to run between them. In 1898, Mahoningtown officially became the seventh ward of New Castle. By that time, New Castle was a third-class city, and railroads and steel were the areas major industries. Eventually many important products were manufactured here, including both Castleton and Shenango China, which were used in the White House.
New Castle became known first as the tinplate capital of the world and, later, as the fireworks capital of the world. The stunning postcards featured in New Castle and Mahoningtown document the fusion of these two communities. Among the memorable views are the diverse scenery and amusements of Cascade Park and the parade for baseball manager Chuck Tanner, who led the Pittsburgh Pirates to their fifth World Series.
Author Bio: Anita DeVivo, a resident of New Castle, grew up in Mahoningtown. An editor by profession, she has published books, journals, and the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. She is a member of the Lawrence County Historical Society and the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania.
History of New Castle, once tinplate capital of the world and now the fireworks capital of the world / How Mahoningtown became the 7th ward of New Castle / Parade photos of baseball manager Chuck Tanner, who led the Pirates to their 5th World Series.
Product Name: New Castle & Mahoningtown
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New Castle’s Kadunce Murders: Mystery and the Devil in Northwest Pennsylvania
Author: Dale Richard Perelman
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: The History Press (November 18, 2019)
Product Dimensions: 6 x .03 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 1 pound
Product Name: New Castle’s Kadunce Murders: Mystery and the Devil in Northwest Pennsylvania
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Sankey Centenary Celebration
First Edition November 1941
Proceedings of the Centenary Celebration of the birth of Ira D. Sankey together with some hitherto unpublished Sankey correspondence. Includes contemporary newspaper accounts concerning the gift of the YMCA building by Mr. Sankey to the City of New Castle. Also, includes black and white photographs.
Publisher: The Lawrence County Historical Society.
Product Name: Sankey Centenary Celebration
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Stage and Screen - The Historic Playhouses of New Castle, Pennsylvania: Featuring the History of the Warner Brothers' First Theatre
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; FIRST edition (July 8, 2016)
Brief Description: (from the author): A detailed history of the theaters, both stage and screen, of New Castle, PA covering the time period from the 1800s to present day. Includes a detailed and definitive history of the Warner Brothers’ first theater, the Cascade, along with its sister theaters, the Bijou and Cascade Vaudeville.
Author: Elizabeth Hoover DiRisio (co-author of “In Hot Pursuit: The History of the Underground Railroad in Lawrence County Pennsylvania“)
Product Name: Stage and Screen – The Historic Playhouses of New Castle, Pennsylvania: Featuring the History of the Warner Brothers’ First Theatre
ORDER for SHIPPING ONLY: $28.20 USD (includes shipping & handling)
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This Man's Castle: A Collection of Sports Columns from the 60's to Present
Author: Bob Vosburg
Copyright: 2005
From the Introduction
While there is much history in the pages ahead, it is presented in a more subtle form through a collection of over 200 of my columns written mostly in the decade of the 60’s when I was sports editor of The News and alesser number which came later when I was managing editor. In place of just hard facts, you will find more opinion and analysis in this book, which is the kind of writing I enjoyed most and missed most when the time came to call it quits.
Product Name: This Man’s Castle: A Collection of Sports Columns from the 60’s to Present
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Zambelli: The First Family of Fireworks
Author: Gianni DeVincent Hayes
Copyright: 2003
Excerpt from the Front Flap
The Zambelli family is one of the wordl’s largest exhibitors of fireworks. Here is a tllk at how this Italian family came to America in search of a better life and through hard work and determination achieved extraordinary success in the pyrotechnics industry….Readers will discover how and where fireworks are made; what goes on behind the scenes at a fireworks show; and what bigger and brighter fireworks will ignite the future.
Received 15 Five Star reviews on Amazon!
Hardcover: 180 pages
Publisher: Paul S. Eriksson
Product Size: 8 x 0.8 x 10 inches
Item Weight: 1.34 pounds
Product Name: Zambelli: The First Family of Fireworks
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