This & That 1/28/2014

This & That

By Jack Coll

1-28-14

     Welcome to this week’s edition of This & That, for those of you not familiar with this column these are bits and pieces of information I pick up along the way while researching other projects.  Below are a number of tid-bits mostly from local newspapers and just things on my mind.

2014

     I see where the Atlantic Casino just closed in Atlantic City, it was formerly the Hilton Casino and was the last, or first casino along the boardwalk depending which way you were going.  The Atlantic wasn’t the first casino to close their doors as a matter of fact six other Atlantic City Casinos have called it quits since casinos arrived in Atlantic City in 1978.  I was just wondering if you could name three of the six casinos that have closed.  I’ll answer that question a little later on in the column.

July 28, 1899

Conshohocken Recorder Ad

 

Special for Sixty Days

Best Set of Teeth

For $5.00

Fitzgerald’s

Dental Parlors

Corner Fayette St. and First Avenue

Conshohocken Pa

Over Stewart’s Grocery Store

Every Tuesday and Friday

8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Filling Teeth…………..50 cts and up

 

 

October 19, 1948

New Officers For K of C

Local Council Holds Annual Installation

     Edward A. Decker, 345 Spring Mill Avenue was installed as Grand Knight of Conshohocken council Knights of Columbus, Sunday night in council’s headquarters Second Avenue and Fayette Street. 

     Thomas Daly was inducted as deputy grand knight; Robert Carroll, Chancellor; John Schank, Financial Secretary; Edward Gavin, Treasurer; Edward Fitzgerald, Lecturer; and William Conley, Advocate.

     Joseph Nugent was installed as warden; Charles Herron, inside guard; and Ralph Colanzi, outside guard.  John Tole retiring grand knight was named a trustee for three years.

     Charles Finnin of Norristown district deputy was in charge of installation.  A social program followed under the direction of Edward A. Fitzgerald.

1959

Conshohocken Little League moved their playing field to Mary Jane Sutcliffe Park after playing the first four seasons on West Third Avenue behind the CBC Club.  The Annual Banquet was held at SS Cosmas and Damian Fraternal Hall located at Third Avenue and Maple Street.  Willie “Puddin Head” Jones, former Philadelphia Phillies star and current Cincinnati Red’s third baseman was the guest speaker.  It was also announced that in the spring of 1960 Little League would expand the amount of teams in the Conshohocken organization from four teams to six teams.

 

March 6, 1936

Conshohocken High School to Graduate Class of 84

     So large is the class of 1936 of Conshohocken High School that if the usual allotment of tickets for the commencement exercises is accorded graduates only thirty seats will remain to be distributed among school officials, faculty and the public.  The seating capacity of the auditorium is 618.

     The class of 1936 constitutes 84 young men and women the largest in the history of the school.  Previous classes held below 60.  Heretofore each graduate was accorded seven tickets faculty members one or two if married, school directors one or two leaving some available for the public.

       Because of the large class therefore, the school board decided to cut the ticket allotment to each graduate to six at last night’s meeting.

     The increased number also presented a sartorial problem to the board.  There are not sufficient gowns on hand to clothe the graduates academically for the commencement.  As a change in the color of the academic gown is anticipated at the school and already a fund has been created for this purpose, it is deemed unwise to spend further money on the purchase of the gowns, if they will not long be used.  The board decided to rent the necessary gowns for the purpose.

March 31, 1966

Marble Hall Pool To be Auctioned

     William Streeper, owner and operator of the Marble Hall Swim Club on Ridge Pike in Lafayette Hill, will retire after twenty-five years successful operation of this popular Whitemarsh Township Recreation spot.

     Scheduled for sale by McPherson, Incorporated, Philadelphia real estate auctioneering firm, on April 29, 1966 at 2 p.m., the property will be sold to the highest bidder at auction.

     The sale of “Marble Hall” will consist of a 50 by 100 foot concrete swimming pool, large parking area, men’s and women’s lockers accommodating six hundred people, picnic and recreation area’s, plus caretaker’s residence.

 

July 3, 1959

 

Where To Dine

The Aztec Lounge

At the Ridge Bowling Academy

Ridge Pike Norristown

 

The Bull Tavern

Route 23 & 83 Phoenixville

Two miles from Valley Forge Park

 

Bungalow Inn

Rt 422 Jeffersonville

“On The Way to Valley Forge”

 

Collegeville Inn

Germantown & Ridge Pikes

Collegeville

 

Durante’s Italian Restaurant

1101 Markley Street

 

General DeKalb Inn

DeKalb Pike (Rt 202)

Just outside Norristown

 

Green Acres Inn

Rt 73 above Rt 202

Center Square

 

Peacock Gardens

Route 202 and 23

King of Prussia

 

Riverside Inn

Route 29 Graterford

 

Spring Mountain House

Schwenksville

 

Valley Forge Hotel

28 East Main Street

Norristown

 

 

2014

Let’s Answer Our Atlantic City Casino Question

Casinos of Yesteryear include:

 

The Sands

Playboy Casino

Atlantis Casino

Trump’s World Fair

Golden Nugget Atlantic City

Trump Castle Hotel Casino

All my casino friends out there knew that!

 

 

May 10, 1962

Lee Shipment For South Vietnam

     Lee Rubber and Tire Corp. Conshohocken shared in $1,805,491 order for truck tires and tubes sent to South Vietnam under the United States foreign aid program, it was announced at the Agency for International Development (AID).

     The Conshohocken plant’s part in the order for American made products amounted to $110,705 for tires and tubes.  The full amount which includes freight charges was for 260 trucks and spare parts.

     The purchase by Vietnam made the vehicles available to the country’s civil guard as part of a public safety program being given assistance by the United States an AID spokesman said.

     The agency said the terms of the US foreign assistance agreement provided that American suppliers have an opportunity to bid on contracts from the foreign country.  All items shipped bare a distinctive color emblem to inform the people of the assisted nation that the goods are sent through the U. S. AID program.

 

From 60 Years Ago

I was just wondering how many people remember Conshohocken businesses from

1954

 

Re-Nu-It Cleaners

639 Spring Mill Avenue

 

Town Cab Company

12 East First Avenue

 

Dan’s Garage

North Lane & Butler Pike

 

Felix Jemionek

Tailor & Cleaner

17 West Elm Street

 

Kehoe Brothers

Hardware

109 Fayette Street

 

D’Annunzio Jewelers

40 Fayette Street

 

William H. Wallace

Jewelers

200 Fayette Street

 

Dougherty’s Pharmacy

4^th Ave. & Fayette Street

 

Benedict Brothers

Service Station

701 Spring Mill Avenue

 

Next To New Shoppe

The Arenas

124 West Elm Street

 

Freas’ Grocery & Luncheonette

Butler Pike and North Lane

 

Ferraioli’s Esso Station

426 Old Elm Street

 

Kuniewicz Groceries

1972 Butler Pike

 

Wm. A. Dugan

Stationery

50 Fayette Street

 

Greco’s Market

Eighth Avenue and Maple Street

 

Allen’s Service Station

West Conshohocken

 

Mary Anna Shop

804 Fayette Street

 

Anthony’s Men’s Shop

125 Fayette Street

 

Walter Olszta

TV’s & Gifts

Imported Gifts and Toys

RCA Victor

“45” Record Player

41 Fayette Street

 

(Sure hope you enjoyed that little walk down memory lane)

 

 

April 17, 1936

To Operate Traffic Lights Here Daily

     The traffic lights on Fayette Street at First Avenue and Elm Street, which have been previously operated only on Friday and Saturday evenings were placed in service this morning and will be operated daily from now on from 6:30 a.m. until 1 a.m.

     The change in schedule was ordered by acting Burgess Charles Cauvel and the public safety committee of town council as a precautionary measure on account of the increased traffic in Elm Street due to the closing of Ridge Pike between Harmanville and Norristown, while the bridges on the pike spanning the two railroads are being rebuilt.

     Since the closing of the Ridge Pike most of the automobilist detour through this borough by way of Elm Street rather than using the narrow Steel Plant Road from the Ridge to the continuation of Elm Street through Plymouth Township.

 

     If you enjoy these little tid-bits and short stories, a book called “The Tales of Conshohocken and Beyond” is full of them.  You can purchase a copy of the book at Coll’s Custom Framing at 324 Fayette Street while supplies last.

 

See ya in a week or so!