LANDMARKS

LANDMARKS

Much as a footstep leaves an impression in the snow for
others to see, history leaves its own traces for the future.
Landmarks are the little things that make a town unique.
While the word generally suggests something big and
impressive, it can be something nondescript. You will see
various spots in town that many of us pass daily without
taking note. See how many of these traces of the past you
recognize.

The night depository for the
original Schuylkill Haven Trust
Company still exists on the front of
the current Uptown Tavern.

Michels is spelled out in tile in the
entranceway at what was recently
Jayne's Flower Shop, former home
to Michel's Ice Cream Shop.

<< Bars still remain on
the windows on the
building behind the
Post Office on Saint
John Street, former
home of Kurtz Jewelers.

The smokestack
remnants at the
borough warehouse on
Haven Street recall the
days when it was an
electric generation
plant. >>

The fading sign from Messner and
Hess can be seen from Wilson
Street. Part of The Jungle
occupies the former home of the
premier five and ten cent store in
town.

The dedication plaque for Rotary
Field as it appears on the ticket
booth on the middle school
parking lot.

...check back for continuing additions

Remains of the walls of the canal
can be seen looking northward
from the bridge to the Island.

Perhaps one of the most recognizable and older
pieces of playground equipment is the
submarine located at the Green Goose
Playground on Jackson Street. It has been
there since at least the early 1960s.

At one time nearly everyone in town
visited the Medical Arts Building on Main
Street. The offices of Dr. Rubright, Dr.
Tihansky, Dr. Dent and Dr. Koch filled the
main floor. The lettering placed on the
facade when new, remains.

The concrete steps are in some disrepair these days.
They provide a shortcut by connecting St. Peter Street
between Union Street and Jackson Street. At one time St.
Peter Street actually existed where the grass lot is now.

If you have a suggestion for a picture in
the Landmarks section, email me at:
landmarks@schuylkillhavenhistory.com

All that remains of the Reading Railroad
signal tower at the Union Street crossing is a
portion of the foundation. The tower can be
seen in a photo on the "Railroad" page.

Here is the builders plaque on the
Columbia Street bridge, placed there
when it was erected in 1921; replacing the
old wooden covered bridge.

The dike along the Schuylkill River was built
many years ago to reduce flooding. The
stones seen along the length of it were
removed form the old canal tunnel near
Landingville and placed there to support
the dike according to one source.

D. D. Coldren's Mill on Columbia Street near the
railroad is now used by the Haven Casket Co. but still
bears the concrete lettering of it's original owner.
Above the name is a marble replica of the owner's
favored white dog, Czar.

The twin entrances at
the front of the former
East Ward Elementary
building on Union
Street with food for
thought.

Boyer's Market on West Main Street
retains the cupola with weather vane
on it's roof from when the building
was home to an A & P store.

Fenstermacher's Tin Shop had been a part of town for a long time.
Operated by Charles Fenstermacher on Columbia Street, it supposedly
had one of the last outdoor toilet facilities in the area.

Saint Ambrose Catholic Church was once located on Dock
Street as was the rectory. Both buildings are seen here. The
plate on the front of the old church shows the congregation
was established in 1851.

At left is a marker for Saint Matthew's Lutheran Church, built in 1859 and remodeled in 1886, seen near the
top of the church on Dock Street (now home of the Calvary United Pentecostal Church.
At right is a similar marker for the Messiah Church of the Evangelical United Brethren, built in 1861 and
remodeled in 1899, seen on the front of the church at 215 east Main Street (now home of the Covenant
United Methodist Church.

At one time, one of the largest employers in town, the Walkin Shoe Company was located on Columbia
Street and Parkway. It is now being revitalized for multiple uses. The image at left shows the main entrance
with the company sign and dated plate still intact. At right, the concrete name of the company still remains
on the front of the structure.

The image above on the left is the plate on the bridge leading from Dock Street to the Island. Known as the
Broadway Bridge, it was built in 1930. At right is the concrete name plate for the old Reider Shoe Company
on West Main Street, now an apartment building and business location.

The image below shows the remnants of the old electric
substation near the railroad bridge. More than once, power was
out in town due to curious squirrels being electrocuted in a
transformer. At right is what was known as the "cinder path"
when I was a boy. It served as a shortcut from the downtown to
Caldwell Street and the Berne Street area.

Below at left is the entrance to what was once the town jail in the basement of the old town hall on Dock
Street. The picture is taken from the Island side of the river. Metal bicycle licenses as seen at right were
issued there if you qualified.

The four images below all relate to the Reading Railroad that ran through town. At top left is the
remains of the spur trestle that crossed the Schuylkill River from the rail yard into the old canal dock
area. The next two pictures show both ends of the bridge itself from along the river. The last view is of
the overhead signal bridge in the yard.

Below are two buildings that once housed auto dealerships in town. At left is the former home of Haven
Motors on Columbia Street, built in 1934, which housed a basketball court on the second floor. At right is
the former home of Dinger Chevrolet on Saint Charles Street.

MOM AND POP GROCERY STORES

Neighborhood grocery stores were once a staple of the community. Family owned and commonly called
"mom and pop" stores because they were run by the husband and wife owners, they were plentiful in
Schuylkill Haven as they were everywhere. Eventually large supermarkets sounded the death knell of these
enterprises. Below is a selection of ten previous locations of that type store in Schuylkill Haven.

My first experience in a neighborhood
grocery store was at Schaeffer's at 200
North Berne Street. Initially run by
Herman and Carrie Schaeffer, who
lived in the building, their son Clark
and his wife Jean eventually took
over. I remember the glass candy case
to the left as you walked in, filled with
penny candy which the Schaeffer's
would place in a small bag as you
selected your choices. Jack Hain's
chips and pretzels were sold there as
were Mr. Red chickens. There was a
large red Coke cooler toward the back
near the meat counter. It is now a
private home.

Marcus Bittle ran Bittle's Groceries at 333 West
Columbia Street. My only visits were when I was
fishing in Stoyer's Dam. The building has long
been occupied by Kustom Kraft Upholstery.

This grocery store was located on South Berne
Street and was owned by either a Schaeffer or a
Dewald. I can not recall but do remember Beulah,
who attended Saint Matthews, my church, as
running it at one time. It is long abandoned.

Heffner's Meat Market was located at the rear of
325 Columbia Street, behind Bittle's. I remember
visiting as a toddler with my father buying freshly
butchered meats. I still recall the aroma of the
store and the ring bologna they made.

The 1955 town directory lists 549 Columbia
Street as the home of Onushco's Grocery
Store. I have no memory of the store but am
told it was open into the sixties.

20 Saint John Street was the home of
Horning's Superette, lasting into at least the
late seventies. I recall them being known for
fresh cut meats by the owner, Elmer Horning.

Klahr's Grocery Store was located at 428 Dock Street
and was run by I believe a brother and sister,
Heister and Ruth. Located across town from my
Market Street home, my occasional visits were in
search of the newest baseball cards.

Naffin's store was located on Haven Street across
from the current middle school. Originally owned
by Gus Naffin, he was one of the children of town
entrepreneur, Paul Naffin. It was open yet while I
attended the school in the mid seventies with a
small selection of candy and snacks.

Hornberger's store was located at 317
East Main Street and run by Paul and
Christine Hornberger. A large selection
of penny candy lined one side of the first
aisle on the left with the other side being
ice cream and popsicles. The owners
were very friendly and I visited often.

My favorite and most frequently visited store was
Reppert's at the corner of Margaretta and Union
Streets. Owners George and Rita Reppert were very
nice people and were one of my "regular" customers
for snow shoveling. The store had a center counter
with glass cases on two sides. The meat counter was
in the back with cold soda cans underneath which the
owners would happily open with a can opener once
purchased. This was my the neighborhood hot spot
for newly issued baseball and football cards. The
brown area in the front with two windows was the
entry centered between two large glass enclosures.

PICTURES OF FORMER LOCATIONS
OF SEVERAL OLD BUSINESSES AND
REMAINS OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY
RAILROAD STORES JUST ADDED

BUSINESSES OF THE
PAST

Ed Orwig ran a shoe repair shop at this location
at 122 East Union Street. I remember taking
shoes there to be resoled. The Orwigs were
another one of my regular snow shoveling
customers.

This tiny shop at Saint Peter Street was
long the home of Haven Pizza, owned by
Sterling and Dolly Moyer. They offered a
wide array of subs, pizza and sandwiches.
Shop capacity was about six people but I
still recall the aroma of those delicious
cheese steaks.

This building on Saylor Street once was home to
Hill farm Dairy, long a popular spot for ice cream
and milk shakes. Owned by the Schwartz family for
many years, it was a popular place for teenagers
and families alike.

LEHIGH VALLEY RAILROAD

The two images above show remnants of the Lehigh Valley Railroad in Schuylkill Haven. On the left is the
remains of the bridge abutment located behind Reiley and Sterners on Centre Avenue. On the right is the
remains of the bridge abutment on the southeast corner of the parking lot at the Cressona Mall.