2006 Archive: What's New on the Web Site

Old Chester, PA: What's New on the Web Site

January - December 2006 Archives

Date	What's New...
12/28/2006	"Pop's Everlasting Christmas Gift", a very timely addition from the pen of David Komarnicki. Thanks David once again for your generosity in sharing your talents and your Chester memories with us!
11/16/2006	Several new web sites have been added to our "Chester" links.
10/30/2006	Many thanks to our very loyal photographer, Caroline, for capturing the events of Saturday's opening of the Delaware County Historical Society's Museum & Library in pictures and for sharing them with us. I have posted the slide show here.
10/18/2006	Thanks to Florence Smalley Knott for sharing a picture of the Good Will Fire Co. Banquet for World War II at the Columbus Center.
10/9/2006	Once again David Komarnicki has captured the mental pictures and memories of his days growing up in Chester in his latest story, "The Jacket". Many thanks to David for sharing his writings here with us!
10/9/2006	Many thanks to Caroline for capturing our 2006 Chester Reunion & History Fair in pictures. I have the slide show posted today.
10/4/2006	Today we welcome our newest sponsor, The Upland Diner, under new management by Phillip Zhao as of 8/15/2006. For those attending our annual Chester reunion, this would make a great dinner stop afterward! Be sure to ask about their Frequent Diner Program!
10/4/2006	New today is a picture that I took on a recent trip of the Ruth L. Bennett Home for Women and Girls and the Wilson Memorial Nursery at 2nd & Reaney Streets. The nursery currently houses a church on Sundays and is also an auxiliary location for some of Freeman Cultural Arts Complex's programs.
9/21/2006	Thanks very much to Mike Shea for sharing a picture of the 1925 Champs St. Hedwig's Football Team. So far, we only have his grandfather, Edward Lejman, identified. Can you help with any of the others?
9/19/2006	Many thanks to Bill Bradshaw for passing along news about the upcoming Sun Village Reunion on October 28 at the Concordville Inn. (Click the link for a printable flyer in Adobe pdf format.)
9/12/2006	Were you greeted on your way to Immaculate Heart of Mary School each day by "Butch", the E. F. White Funeral Home dog? Many thanks to Michael Carr, Carr Funeral Home, for sharing pictures of Butch and the former location at 3rd and Norris. After 1942 this was also the location of Thomas E. Rairdon and Mary E. Carr Funeral homes.
9/4/2006	At our reunion last year, Tom Worrilow, Jr. brought a picture of some unidentified early Chester Police Officers. Can you help us to identify any of these men? I have posted the complete picture as well as close-ups to help us identify these men who served our city some years ago.
9/4/2006	This morning I had an email from the daughter of a lady in our Franklin School Class of 1928 8th grade graduation picture. Her mother, now 92, is still living and doing well. I have asked her to help us identify more of the people in that picture.
8/21/2006	Thanks to Jack Ralston for a picture of the 1944-45 First Communion at Holy Savior parish, Linwood.
8/21/2006	Thanks to Rich Bey for providing some interesting details about the many generators and boilers in the former Boyd Theatre building that currently houses Haven of Hope church.
8/8/2006	Many thanks to Charles “Dutch” Fehl for sharing his Buckman Airport Recollections 1941-1951.
8/7/2006	Many thanks to the Trainer Elementary School Reunions for their assistance in sponsoring the web site! This evening I posted some Graduation Programs (1962, 1965) and a May 1961 newspaper article about their Musical Program (courtesy of John C. Collins) as well as some classmate and neighborhood pictures (courtesy of Sherry Warter Saudargas). See the "More Pictures" section of our Trainer Elementary School page. Don't forget the 2006 reunion coming up on September 23rd - all Trainer residents have been invited to sign up!
6/21/2006	I took advantage of the opportunity to spend the last couple of days in Chester and this afternoon took two current pictures that I thought would be of interest to many: St. John A.U.M.P. Church (formerly St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church) and Haven of Hope church which formerly housed one of Chester's very memorable venues. Can you recognize it today as a church?
6/13/2006	Many thanks to Pam Kitkoski, Rockwall, TX, for sharing a picture of her grandparents, William & Jennie Zagorski, taken in their grocery store, Quality Market, 810 Morton Ave., probably some time in the 1920's.
6/2/2006	Many thanks to Mary E. Rivera for sharing several pictures of this past December's St. Nicholas Pageant at Holy Ghost Ukrainian Catholic Church. It's wonderful to see so many children at this very active parish enjoying taking part in the traditions of their ancestors!
6/1/2006	Many thanks to Jim Babenko for sharing a picture of the Holy Ghost Ukrainian Catholic Church May Fair c. 1971-1972. Let me know if you can you identify any of the others in the picture.
5/26/2006	Many thanks to Theresa DeCostanza for contributing pictures and an article about the Ange Lenzi Trio, frequent performers at Chester's West End Boat Club. Theresa's father, Tony "Bambi" DeCostanza (CHS 1944) [Obituary] was the drummer for the trio.
5/2006	Many thanks to Fr. Richard C. Chapin, former Vicar of St. Luke's Episcopal (Eddystone) for getting in touch with me and sharing a great deal of information about the Mission. I have recently added a picture and a historical sketch.
3/25/2006	More today from The Delaware County Advocate: Buckman Airport - October 1940 Chester Hospital May Market - June 1942 Delaware County - Home of Big Leaguers - April 1942 Youth Council of Ohev Sholom Synagogue Center hosts a group of soldiers and sailors during World War II - June 1942
3/19/2006	From The Delaware County Advocate: PMC Commencement, June 1942 - June 1942 Highland Gardens Groundbreaking, March 1942 - April 1942 Hitching Post to Parking Meter, Tales of Transportation in Delaware County Since the Horses Hey-Day - April 1942 (an excellent article with lots of great information and pictures!)
3/14/2006	A Chester Hospital Nursing School brochure (including 9 pictures) from late 1920's or early 1930's (courtesy of Vi Burkhard, daughter of Mrs. Catherine (Miller) Everson, Class of 1933)
3/14/2006	Over the years, a number of people have reminisced about working at A.H. Wirz, Inc. Today I have posted an excellent article about the company including pictures of several employees from the October 1940 Delaware County Advocate. Reminder: If you also worked for Wirz (or any other of Chester's larger industries), be sure to follow this link to sign in on our list of known former employees.
3/9/2006	Added today from the Delaware County Advocate: Hummer & Green 10th Anniversary Dinner (October 1940) General Steel Castings' Athletic Association (Bowling) (October 1940) New Century Club Meeting (July 1942) Children's Aid Society 35th Anniversary Celebration (July 1942)
3/8/2006	More added today from the July 1942 Delaware County Advocate: Irvington Hills Thurlow Acres (never heard of Thurlow Acres? That was the original name but was later changed to McCaffery Village!) Also from the October 1940 issue: Crozer Theological Seminary
3/6/2006	Quite a few very familiar Chester names and faces in our latest addition from the July 1942 Delaware County Advocate: a group of Kiwanians picnic at Brinton Lake; also today, from the same July 1942 issue, several pictures from Goff Brothers fish market on Commission Row.
3/4/2006	Once again The Delaware County Advocate (courtesy of Harvey Martin) has provided another treasure of pictures of the December 1941 Delaware County Dinner held at The Yellow Bowl. Nearly all of the ingredients were produced right in Delaware County, PA!
2/24/2006	Thanks to Harvey Martin for sharing more pictures and some articles from an October 1940 Delaware County Advocate. Unfortunately, the article does not identify by name one of our area's earliest fast food stands at the corner of Fairview Rd. & MacDade Blvd, Bill Bruehl's - The Milkshake King and we have pictures of two employees, Arlene Schreffler and Helen Stevens as well as "Big Bill" himself. Can anyone help us out with the name of the stand? Also some Ukrainian children from St. Mary's demonstrating traditional dances at the Miller-Flounders farm. Also a July 1940 view of Shoemakerville Hill (Providence Ave. looking toward Chester)
2/12/2006	A few months ago I had the pleasure of meeting the daughter of George Hoven, composer of "It's No Sin". She very gracious shared with us a great deal of material about her father, his music store, the song, and The Four Aces which I have posted today. George Hoven's biography, obituary, "It's No Sin", Al Alberts - The Four Aces story.
For earlier additions to the site, check the "What's New" Archives: 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005