PHOTOALBUM

Photo Album

These photos portray the interior of the First National Bank (currently M & T Bank) on Main Street.
On the left is the receiving window with it's impressive woodwork and barred teller stations. On the
right an employee conducts business on a candlestick telephone at his roll top desk.

Bressler's Band, conducted by Hen Bressler, was well known throughout the area.
Here they parade to a lined street. It appears to be Centre Street in Pottsville at
the intersection of Mahantongo Street.

The view is a little hazy but this is a rarely seen view
of the reception desk at the Grand Hotel which once
stood at the corner of Main Street and St. John Street.

...check back for new pictures
to be added regularly....

This picture features Schwartz's Money Back Store on St. John
Street just south of the intersection of Main Street taken August 15,
1934. On the left is the ad for their Grand opening in January 1932.

Here are a pair of pictures taken at the intersection of
Columbia Street and Berne Street. The ice house is
evident to the rear of both photos. On the photo above,
the warehouse for Bittle's store is in the foreground
and a delivery truck across the street. The autos in the
picture on the right may help date the photo.

Harry Naffin, former owner of Messner and Hess, used to take pictures of buildings in town before
they were torn down. Here are two he took. On the left is the American Legion hut in September of
1968, located on the current site of the High Rise on Parkway. The George Butz home is seen on the
right on the corner of Garfield Avenue and Center Avenue. It was removed around 1970.

LAST UPDATED WITH REST
HAVEN IMAGES, NEW STREET
SCENES AND OLD CHURCH
PICTURES ON JUNE 27

As a side note: My uncle related to me that when he was a boy, the town would
close off St. John Street between the bank and Stine's Pharmacy to allow
Bressler's band to give concerts. He stated that prior to beginning, Hen Bressler
would announce, "Kinder, ruhig weil der band spielt", Pennsylvania Dutch for,
"Children, quiet while the band plays".

The Schuylkill Haven Police Department on May 30, 1962:
Row 1: Gloria Shirey,Boyd Hale,Lorin Honicker,Mayor
Bast,Sterling Moyer,(?) Bittler
Row 2:Nick Lascala,Murray,Clyde Manbeck
Row 3: Clayton Bashore,Earl Dietrich,Bill Goetz,Cliff
Mengle
(Picture compliments of Sharon Freeman)

This shows a view of the Willow Lake
swimming pool taken about 70 years ago. Note
the sliding boards in the back and the rafts in
the middle of the pool.
(Photo courtesy of Jim and Shirley Gilbert)

One of my favorite pictures, shows the Spring Garden Hotel at the corner of Dock
Street and center Avenue taken in either 1894 or 1895. The hotel is bedecked with
patriotic bunting for some event.

Alpha Mills employees gather on Margaretta Street in front of the factory. From personal
knowledge I can identify the following. Front row: 4th from left Marge Wagner and next to her
Betty Zimmerman. Back row: the men in order from left, Titus Miller,Barton Biever Sr.,Dick
Biever,Jim Harner,Dick Miller,unknown,Bart Biever,Glenn Sattizahn. Zooming in can help you
identify others.

Here is a progress photo of the Post Office as it was
being built on February 1, 1936.

The ice house on Bittle's Dam (Stoyer's Dam) is reflected in the water in this early photo. I have recently confirmed a
story of a long forgotten place at Bubeck Park. Circa 1930, the "Sugar Bowl" was located at the upper end of the present
day park. It was a swimming pool located on the creek flowing into the dam. Access was gained by crossing a bridge
over the "moat". The pool had a bath house, diving boards and a shallow end for children. Water from the creek was
filtered through a large sand filled tank before entering the pool. It was later abandoned and mostly forgotten. My uncle
related the story that the Feeser family had some interest in the business. I recently spoke to Tom Feeser Jr. who talked
with his father, who recalled the pool but could not remember his father Paul's exact involvement as he was only a child.
According to "Bright Spots", Dr. G. H. Moore of town was also involved in having the pool constructed.

This view looks west at the railroad crossing at Main
Street. River Front Center (formerly Troutman's
Hardware) now occupies this spot. Note the rail
crossing shanty at the right with crossing gate.

Photo courtesy of Jim and Shirley Gilbert)

Here are two images of Bast Mill on Berne Street located
where the Berne Street playground now exists. Above is a
picture from 1898. At right, the picture was taken from the
Columbia Street bridge about fifty years later.

This picture from taken form the lot at the former Earl Stoyer car dealership
(now the Losch Wash) looking south toward Columbia Heights. The area is
much less developed with homes then today.

This view is looking in the general direction of the picture above but from
an earlier time. The ice house is seen on what was the known as Bittle's
Dam (Stoyer's Dam).

At the request of my good neighbor, Bright Kantner, here are two views of the Irish Flat in
September 1968 in the midst of redevelopment of the Island. On the left is a view of Jacques
Street and on the right is Broadway.

This is a view of the Earl Stoyer car dealership at Berne and Columbia Streets.
Losch Plumbing and heating now occupies the building. I am unsure of the date
but perhaps a visitor can date it from the cars on the lot.

The four pictures surrounding this text were taken in September of 1968. Buechley's Lumber
Yard on the Irish Flat is seen here before redevelopment began.

This picture taken in August 1900 shows a bridge that
crossed the canal on Parkway. By this point, the canal
was no longer in use and was being filled in allowing the
bridges to be replaced with streets.

NOTE: MOST OTHER PAGES WITHIN THE SITE
CONTAIN MANY MORE DIFFERENT PICTURES

This picture shows a piece of fire fighting apparatus belonging to the Rainbow
Hose Company. The picture is taken under the old railroad arch on Dock Street
above Haven Street and looks north toward Center Avenue. Zooming in on this
image enhances a great deal of detail down to the name "Rainbow" on the frame.

Photo courtesy of Carol Campbell

In 1908, local entrepreneurs established the "Fairmount Addition" which today is
known as the Avenues. Above is a map printed from a brochure printed to lure
potential home builders. Zooming in on this image greatly enhances the detail.

This aerial view of downtown Schuylkill Haven was taken in March 1973. Note
buildings no longer around: the Reading Company freight station (now a parking lot),
the Yoder building (parking lot next to post office), the former state police barracks
and restaurant (now the car wash closest to Main Street) and row homes next to the
former Schuylkill Hose Company on St. Peter Street (burned down in the early 1980s)

This image captures the destruction of the March 8, 1932 fire
that destroyed the Hotel Grand at Main and St. John Streets.

The local contingent of the Ku Klux Klan march their way down Parkway
in Schuylkill Haven. This may be from the 1925 175th Anniversary
Parade. Note the KKK pennant on the mule in the front and the hooded
horseman behind him.

This 1912 picture of Meck's Mill at the corner of West Main Street and Parkway
shows little difference from its current appearance.

This is a view of the I. B. Heim General Store on the
corner of St. John and Union Streets. Harry Naffin
related that visitors to the store would be greeted by
the owner with, " I. B. Heim who be you." The building is
today an apartment building.

These two images show the aftermath of the blaze at the Faust apartments.
On March 31, 1965, a fire destroyed the Faust apartments at Union Street and Tennis Avenue. The
building was once the Sharadin Mill. The fire started about 7:15 and all three fire companies
responded. Five families lost everything in the blaze. While cars in the adjacent garages were
safely removed, two school buses were burned. Several explosions occurred including one that
sent a cake pan out a window, striking Borough Manager Bob Gehrig on his hard hat though not
injuring him.
In recent conversation with Harry Naffin, he related his involvement in the story. He responded as
a volunteer and while standing with Chief Carl Feger noticed that the fire was not venting. Feger
told Harry to get two axes stating they would then climb a ladder to the roof to cut vent holes.
Harry said just as he returned with the axes to begin the task, an explosion hit that blew the roof
up into the air before settling back on the walls. If Harry had been quicker, they may have been up
there when the blast hit.

The former Borough Hall on Dock Street looks much the
same today as it did here in this early 1950's view.

The intersection at Union and St. John Streets after a heavy
snowfall in 1920. Heim's store is on the left, the steeple of the
Methodist Church that once stood on St. John Street is seen up
the street. The home behind the trees on the right is the location
of the library today.

The new State Highway Garage (PennDot)in Schuylkill Haven was
dedicated on October 1, 1938. This picture was taken that day. One of
the distinguished guests at the ceremony was Governor George H.
Earle. At left is the cover of official program for the ceremony.

In the April news stories in Years Gone By on this
site, it was noted that the charter for this business
was granted in 1907. It was located along the Reading
Railroad tracks west of the Union Knitting Mill.

This view is on Union Street looking west from St. Peter
Street at the current location of the Schuylkill Hose Company.

This picture taken in 1908 shows North Garfield Avenue looking
north from the area of Center Avenue. The angle suggests it
may have been taken from the railroad tracks of the
Pennsylvania Railroad.

Theses two images are taken at the intersection of Union
Street and Saint Peter Street. The picture above looks down
Saint Peter Street from Jackson Street with the still
remaining steps on the left, the now gone street in the
middle at the bottom and the old Grace Evangelical Church
where the Schuylkill Hose Company now stands. The former
Pflueger home on the hill built by the Meck family is seen on
the right, much as it looks today. Both pictures are from 1905.

This photo depicts homes and the roller skating rink on West Main Street.
The rink is on the right and is the current location of Boyer's Market. The
homes are still there. The rink burned down on June 30,1919. The homes
and the rink were built by noted Schuylkill Haven carpenter, Paul Naffin.

Here are two more pictures from the Irish Flat before redevelopment caused
their removal. At left is Yenosky's Café and on the right are family homes.

This set of four pictures witnesses the end of the P. T. Hoy building and the adjacent Abe's
Workingman's Store at the corner of Main and Saint John Streets in August of 1964.

The two photos above show the current municipal
parking lot on Wilson Street when buildings still
occupied the site. The third picture shows a home
that was torn down behind the Messner and Hess
building to allow for the expansion of the store.
The scenes are from May of 1966.

On June 12, 1960, members of the Schuylkill Hose
Company received their new fire engine which
meant this old Seagraves would be sold to MaryD.

On Easter morning in April of 1960, fire destroyed all
the buildings between the Pennsylvania Bank and the
railroad tracks. This set of pictures details the event.

At left is the building that once
occupied the space between the
Gordon Reed Insurance Agency and
the Bast and Detweiler Funeral
Home. It housed a dress shop
owned by Rosalia Fleming. Below,
the building is being torn down.

Two 1973 era aerial photos of Schuylkill Haven
show the Stoyer's Dam area on the left and the
Parkway with the Hi-Rise on the right.

This is the building owned by Elias
Ziegenfuse, furniture dealer and
undertaker. It was located where the
Stabingas Funeral Home on Main Street
is now. This picture is from 1898.

This panoramic view of Schuylkill Haven appeared as the cover of a trifold brochure
printed sometime around the Second World War as far as I can determine. It was filled
with various information and statistics meant to draw potential businesses and residents.

The five photos below are aerial views
taken over Schuylkill Haven in 2004.
Detail in each picture is enhanced by
clicking on the individual pictures.

Above is the down town
area with the center point
near the intersection of
Main and Saint John Streets.

Above is the area near High,
Market and Margaretta
Streets with the Alpha Mills
near the center and the old
Argo Plant near the top.

Below is the center of
town looking east
from Berne Street at
the bottom toward the
Avenues near the top.

Below is the Haven Casket
Company and the Liberty
Street area.

Below is Stoyers Dam and
Bubeck Park looking down
from the Schuylkill
Mountain area

PARKWAY

Parkway, located off of the western end of Main Street is considered an
eye pleasing part of town. Below are five images of the area from the
past. Note as written on one view, it was previously called Canal Street.

The two views above show homes on Parkway, some of them recognizable today.

These two images look on Parkway southward from Main Street. Several sources tell me the
cannons were collected during a scrap drive for World War Two but were never destroyed and
may yet be stored somewhere.

Looking south from the intersection with Columbia
Street, the Walkin Shoe Company is on the right.

TRAVELING DOWN
MAIN STREET

The following set of post cards shows Main Street in various
time periods from east of Green Street to Parkway. Each
view is described and dated when possible below the image.

Main street looking east from Green Street in
1906. Note the dirt street and deep gutters.

**Note - Clicking on images to zoom greatly enhances details.

Looking west from Haven Street in 1913. The
home on the corner is still there.

Looking east from Dock Street in 1910. The
church and parsonage on the left remain today.

Looking west from the vicinity of Dock Street in
1910. Buggies are transportation of the day.

This view looks west down Main Street from
Saint Peter Street toward the railroad.

A similar view later in time. Some of these
buildings are there today.

In 1907,these stores lined the north side of
Main Street between Saint John Street and
the current funeral home.

Years later, more change is evident in this
view looking west from Saint Peter Street.

This 1907 view shows buildings on the south
side of Main Street nearing Saint John Street.

Another 1907 view looks east from the Reading
Railroad crossing below Saint John Street.

In 1917, the view east on Main Street is similar
to ten years earlier with trolley tracks visible.

The view again from the Reading Railroad
crossing but in 1929.

The intersection of Main and Saint John
Streets with the Hoy building on the corner.

Automobiles now line the Main Street in this
view of the business district.

Two Schuylkill Haven landmarks, the Hoy
building at left and the Hotel Grand at right.

The beautiful Hotel Grand in 1906.

Trees line Main Street just below the railroad
tracks looking toward Parkway.

This 1909 view shows an unpaved Main Street
from just below the railroad looking west.

Here is yet another view looking west below
the Reading Railroad crossing on Main Street.

Our final Main Street view shows the home at
the corner of Parkway and Main Street in 1903
much as it looks today.

Here are two pictures of the Columbia Street bridge. On the left it is seen during its days
as a covered bridge. Note the Columbia Hotel, later the VFW to the left. The 1929 view on
the right shows the current bridge, much the same as then but with light posts on each end.

Schuylkill Haven was once the home to the Rio movie
theatre which was located on Saint Peter Street near
Union Street. This program is from 1940. The cash
prize is $200 since according to the back cover, Abner
Miller was not present to win $150 the previous time.

The picture above shows the Parkway Restaurant. It is taken from the
cover of a menu which causes a less then perfect image.

As you leave Schuylkill Haven traveling south on Berne Street, you
travel up what is known as the Schuylkill Mountain. A nice overview
of the town is visible from the top. It is said that at one time, when
the mountain was less wooded, burning crosses were occasionally
observed compliments of the local Ku Klux Klan. The top left image
shows the road up the mountain under construction. At top right, the
view shows the road going down into town. To the left we again see
the road descending into town. Below is the road going up the
mountain with the side road on the left leading into the storage yards.

BIRD'S EYE VIEWS

Many early postcards featured "bird's eye views" of towns. These
pre airplane aerial views gave viewers an overall perspective of
an area. Below are various views of this type of Schuylkill Haven.

This 1925 angle is looking from the Market Street/Saint
Peter Street intersection west toward Long Run. The
Walkin Shoe factory is seen in the middle left of the card.

This 1910 image shows Stoyer's Dam and West Columbia
Street looking north from Columbia Heights. Note the
barns in town and the undeveloped orchard area.

This is a 1911 view looking north from the far end of
South Berne Street. Zooming in allows one to see the
covered bridge on Columbia street, the Bast mill on North
Berne Street and the outdoor toilets behind the homes.

A young man in 1908 points toward Schuylkill Haven from
somewhere above Garfield Avenue. Note the railroad
tracks and overpass. St. Ambrose church on Dock
Street is in the very center.

Looking down from the Schuylkill Mountain over Schuylkill Haven,
the covered bridge at Columbia Street is visible on the left.

Another view from near South Berne Street
looking toward town.

This early photo looks towards Cressona. The Reading car
shops are visible on the right middle section of the card.

This view from North Berne Street gives a nice overview of
Schuylkill Haven.

A BANK OF CHANGING
FACE AND NAME

The bank at the corner of Main and Saint John Streets was established there in 1904 as the First
National Bank of Schuylkill Haven. It later became the Pennsylvania Bank and later underwent more
name changes until becoming the M and T Bank today. At upper left is the bank as seen in 1909 and
above right, the same bank in 1917. The picture at below left shows a new structure in 1937 and
below right, the bank resembles its current state.

The two pictures below show the arch of the Pennsylvania Railroad where it crossed Dock
Street at the intersection of Haven Street. At left, a horse drawn buggy is seen in this early
1900's view while at right early autos are seen in this 1930's view.

At one time, Schuylkill Haven generated its own electricity.
The current borough warehouse on Haven Street was the plant
where this took place. At left is a picture of the building when
it was the generating plant. Above is the Post Office on Main
Street, a few years after construction.

At left Is Columbia Street when it was a tree lined street, looking
west from Parkway. At right is the Broadway Bridge, leading to
the Island or the "Irish Flat" as it was known at one time.

This is the original building of the Schuylkill
Haven Trust Company which later housed
Stramara's Sub Shop and now the Uptown
Tavern.

This photo shows the business of
William J. Saylor Jr., plumber,
supposedly on Main Street in
town. A note on the card says,
"still doing business at old store,
Bill". The location is at 214 East
Main Street.

The following seven photographs are all related to the P. T. Hoy building at the corner of Main
and Saint John Streets, where Brok-Sel now is located. These pictures were kindly provided by
Lewis Hoy, descendant of P. T. Hoy, as were the following two. They were taken by his father,
Lewis H. Hoy, except where noted.

The Hoy property in 1902 looking north along Saint John Street from the
barn and stables toward the store. The young boy walking along the
sidewalk near the barn is Rudy F. Hoy, Lewis H. Hoy’s brother, the man
who ran the store from 1920 until its closing. The Hoy property
consisted of the entire block with the exception of a small parcel
between the Hoy Building and the Hoy barn and stables. In the 1930’s
the Dr. Lessig home was built on that parcel. P.T. Hoy acquired an
existing building on this site. The front portion was demolished to permit
construction of the new store and above, 2 ½ stories of living quarters,
which were constructed shortly before 1900. The older rear portion was
retained from the earlier structure which contained a “lodge hall” used
for many years by the GAR post. This older portion had a unique feature
of having a first floor below street level, the result of the filling and
raising of Main and St. John Streets. to the level of the P&R Railroad
tracks at the crossing. The framing of older store fronts could be seen in
the basement. A portion of the west end of the old building was also
incorporated into the Hoy living quarters. This area is identified by the
porch along the sidewalk, the location of the front door and the
downstairs parlor window. There was a grand parlor on the second
floor fronting on Main St .

Also from 1902 is this image of
Pottsville Union Traction’s Pullman
built car in front of the store on
the Saint John Street side. Note
the beer wagon unloading at the
Hotel Grand. The arc light hanging
over the street is significant. This
was the first electric light in the
town when the power plant in
Schuylkill Haven went into
service. Lewis H. Hoy as a boy was
present at the inaugural “throwing
of the switch” at the power plant.

This is the window exhibit of the Hoy store, Saint
John Street side. This window was used to display
new products that were being introduced at the
turn the century. The salesmen would spend a
week living at the Hotel Grand and samples of
food items would be made available at the counter
behind this window. In this window among several
items appears to be a Pinocchio figure. To the
right there is a woman in the background smiling.
Lew believes this to be his Aunt Helen, his father’s
sister. Lew never met his aunt, as she died giving
birth about 1924.

The interior view of the store, which handled all
products such as dry goods, lamps, and any
necessities. The woman in the photo is Christine
Hoy, Lewis Hoy's father's older sister. The store sold
flowers at Easter and always had barrel molasses
available. The molasses barrel with the crank pump
was located immediately to the right upon entry from
the Saint John Street door as was the counter. Note
the gas lighting fixture. This was the first store in
Schuylkill Haven to have complete electric lighting,
installed by Lew’s father when he was General
Manager of the store, perhaps around 1908.
Because the building was wired, the store also had
one of the first electrically operated cash registers
with an internal accounting system and printed tape
receipt. This device lasted until the store's closing.

The Hoy parlor (in the “older” first floor section of
the building), date uncertain, but after the store
and home were wired for electricity. These
electric trains were well known to residents of
Schuylkill Haven just prior to WW I. They were
displayed in the store for several years at
Christmas time (the first electric toy trains in the
town). They were an exceptionally appealing
attraction to mean to draw people into the store.
When first displayed they were tended by a young
man whose father was the engineer on the
Reading’s “Flyer”, Trains #92 (southbound) and
#97 (northbound), the fastest trains to and from
Philadelphia. The engineer’s name was Moyer.
His son later started Moyer Electric in Pottsville .
He was then a school student and manned the
train exhibit after school.

At left, a view taken from the Hoy property looking toward Main St. and the Hotel Grand during a
snowy day. Note the Hoy hitching post. The Hoy store had the first motor truck to operate 12
months of the year in Schuylkill County . For this reason it had the first public gasoline pump in
town. At right, a scene of the Hotel Grand corner during a snowstorm in 1920 taken by the East
Penn’s claim agent John A. Mower of Sch. Haven, when a major effort was involved in getting
the line open. This car was acquired second-hand from Lehigh Valley Transit Company.

At left, another Mower photo shows the cleared trolley tracks
near the Saint John and Liberty Streets intersection circa
1920. Above is Dock Street looking north between Main
Street and Paxson Avenue.

ARGO MILLS

This set of five photos is from the Library of Congress
archives. They show the Argo Knitting Mill on Margaretta
Street near Market Street. The pictures are from 1953. The
building is now part of Alpha Knitting Mills.

Churches of Schuylkill Haven

Here is the Methodist Church when it was
located on Saint John Street. It was
relocated to Saylor Street after burning
down in the early 1980s.

This 1911 picture shows Saint James
Episcopal Church at the corner of Dock
Street and Paxson Avenue looking much as
it does today.

This 1937 image shows Saint Ambrose
Catholic Church and rectory on Dock Street.
The new church is located on Randal Street
and the old church is now apartments.

Originally called Strunck Memorial Hall and
looking much the same today, it remains the
home of Saint John's UCC Church at the
corner of Dock and Main Streets.

This 1910 postcard shows the United Brethren
Church on Main Street near Margaretta Street
along with views of the old parsonage and the
new parsonage which remains today.

Here is Saint Matthew's Lutheran Church as
seen in 1910 looking down Dock Street from
Main Street. It later merged with Christ
Lutheran after the latter burned down
creating Jerusalem Lutheran Church.

In 1906, Grace Evangelical
Church was located at the corner
of Saint Peter and Union Streets,
the present location of the
Schuylkill Hose Company.

Christ Lutheran Church was
located on the ground
occupied by Jerusalem
Lutheran Church on Dock
Street until fire destroyed it.