The Former Centennial Bridge, Center Valley, PA

Center Valley is a tiny unincorporated town that sprig up as a result of the new railroad and local farming. The North Pennsylvania Railroad was built through the area in 1857 and by the 1870s multiple homes were built around the small station, along with a Post Office, and a large farm. The farm would have its goods shipped directly to market utilizing the railroad. Bethlehem Pike, parts of which remain intact, nearly follows the current route of Routes 309 and 378, and was the direct road connection to Philadelphia and the city of Bethlehem. The Allentown-Coopersburg Turnpike was also recently completed, which created a juncture across the creek from Center Valley of two major routes to the two closest cities and a direct connection to Philadelphia. (Library of Congress Photo)

The railroad ran from Philadelphia to Bethlehem, almost parallel to Bethlehem Pike, and was eventually absorbed by the then behemoth Reading Railroad for its Bethlehem Branch. This was a lucrative rail line that not only took passengers, but also carried products to and from Bethlehem Steel, including structural steel that was sent south to build the skyline in Philadelphia, and coal to industries south. Center Valley was a haven away from the gritty industrial areas to the north of it. At one point this village was even called "Milk Town" thanks to the amount of milk that was shipped out of it. Eventually the railroad was turned over the SEPTA and commuter service was terminated in 1981. 

This farming Village and its railroad station needed a direct connection across the Saucon Creek to the important new Allentown-Coopersburg Turnpike and Bethlehem Pike to help connect goods to consumers across the Saucon Creek. The solution to this problem was the construction of the Centennial Bridge, named in honor of our nation's 100th anniversary. This stone arch wagon bridge was built for a sum of 1200 dollars. The practicality of adding this bridge is understandable, but why they couldn't just go down the current routing of New Street and Passer to Old Bethlehem Pike is beyond me. I wish I could have sat in on the petitioning meetings by the locality back in 1875 when they debated building the bridge. (PennDot Photo of bridge)

As someone fascinated with history, and having grown up near this bridge, this bridge always fascinated me. Pretty much the only thing you could see from either end of the bridge within my memory was an orange barricade that said "bridge closed." Anyone who has driven northbound on 309 or driven through the southern terminus of PA 378 has likely noticed one of these barricades. On the other side of the creek, on Station Avenue, you could see the other end of the barricaded bridge at a better angle thanks to a small hillside on the street. According to this Morning Call article, the bridge was closed by PennDot in 1992 due to a crack that was splitting the stone arches. Below you can see the bridge in 1996 after three years of abandonment. This is near the condition it was when it was condemned. (Library of Congress)

The view from underneath (Library of Congress)

The dedication plaque (Library of Congress)

Definitely a strange bridge

The old bridge did not end up collapsing while in abandonment, and the speculated plans for a new bridge that were mentioned in the article did not end up coming to fruition. Prior to closure in 1988, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places thanks to it being a great example of a wagon bridge. The venerable old bridge stood functional for 116 years, and would go on to live for another 21 years when it would be torn down in 2013. The structural cracks that PennDot cited were obvious if you peeked through the barricade. The roadway portion of the bridge, still the same shimmery asphalt as the old portion of Station Avenue leading up to it, was a good half foot to a foot sunken in. Sadly I never took any pictures of the bridge in this state. My assumption is that it was no longer safe to leave this bridge up, so they demolition commenced in 2013. Here is a Google Maps Aerial View of the bridge location in 2012.

Quite a bit of this little village remains intact, including the tradition of agriculture. Desales University, formerly Allentown College, sprang up just down the road from this village. The Victorian homes that remain in this little village are pretty neat. 

The old general store remains. On the left you can see where the railroad once was. It was just recently reclaimed as a rail trail, the Saucon Valley Rail Trail, that is very popular with the area residents. (Google Street View)

 A neat Freihofer's Bread, glass window advertisement still remains in the window of the building. I believe it is now utilized as a residence.

Getting closer to the bridge now. "Bridge Out!"On the left is the original Center Valley Post Office. (Google Street View)

You can see here in June of 2009, the bridge was still intact. It would face the wrecking ball in 2013. Notice the basketball hoop at the end of the bridge. (Google Street View)

The 309 side of the bridge. (Google Street View)

And the after shot from the same spot... (Google Street View)

Below is the view post demolition in October 2013, from near the other end of the bridge on Route 309. (Google Street View)

As someone who is always looking at the origin of old structures and different things, my attention naturally was attracted to this bridge. I grew up not too far from this location. I always recall being fascinated by this bridge. For some reason I did not go and take photos of it when I still lived there. I did not have a camera yet at that time though, so I only have memories of what I could see exploring the perimeter of it. It is a shame to see an old bridge like this get torn down, but it needed to happen for safety reasons. This is how the area of the old bridge looks now on the Station Avenue side. I took these photos in December of 2013. I went home over Christmas time and was surprised to see the old bridge gone. This is one of the more strange abandoned things that I have seen. Maybe it is my personal connection to it that makes me so interested in it, but there was something so unique about this bridge. It is shame that they could not preserve it. I am glad that they made a little park area out of the land, along with placing this memorial. The Saucon Creek is a great trout fishery and it is nice that they opened up some of the land for the public.

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The Former Burgwin Pool in Hazelwood, Pittsburgh

So I was driving through Hazelwood and noticed the old Burgwin Pool and Bathhouse. It was captivating and strange to see a pool in this sort of condition.

Flashback to 1939. The pool is opened with lots of fanfare including a parade, speeches, and a dedication. The nearby Burgwin Elementary school (now closed) was built by the WPA (Works Progress Administration) as a part of FDR's New Deal program. The bathhouse was built in a semi art deco style.

It appears that quite a few neighborhood improvements were occurring at this point. Back then, this neighborhood was a gritty industrial area, with steel mills located front and center. 

With some archive searching, it appears that the pool was closed in 2004.

So this is what ten years of abandonment does to a pool. 

 Plan on going off the deep end? Someone placed some wooden pallets on the end of the pool in what appears to be a MacGyvered diving board. I don't think you want to take the plunge into the weeds though. 

It is a shame to see a huge neighborhood like this not served with a pool. The results of abandonment though are pretty interesting to look at.

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Postcards: A look back at Reading Circa 1950s or 1960s

I stumbled upon this awesome period piece from Reading, PA. It is a folder of postcards that are all connected. From what I can gather, it appears to be from the 1950s or 1960s judging upon the cars. Several hints, including certain businesses and names exist, but I have not found much conclusive regarding the exact dates. We know it is from before 1976 because the Reading Railroad still existed and it mentions Reading being the third largest industrial center in the state of Pennsylvania. You can see throughout the postcard that these were much better times in Reading. There were no abandoned storefronts and we know there were quite a few more companies based out of the city. Western Electric had a very large plant here, similar to the not too far away city of Allentown. Now empty industrial buildings riddle the city. The city is slowly bouncing back, but this is a city that has lost several of its largest employers over the last 20 years. To build context, this city has faced the same plight as other mid-sized Rust Belt cities like Allentown, Johnstown, Altoona, Wilkes Barre, Scranton, Akron, Youngstown, New Castle, McKeesport, and others. 

Below is the cover of the folder thing. Nobody mailed it so it is more difficult to pin down the exact date as you can sometimes tell through a postmark.

 Below is the backside of the folder, with a very cool look from the center of town at 5th and Penn.

 Below you can see some (sadly) dated information about this once thriving industrial town.

 Below is one of the most fascinating buildings, the Reading Pagoda, built at the top of Mount Penn overlooking Reading. It was built in 1908 for a hotel and restaurant. The plans fell through and it was donated to the city in 1911. Anti-Japanese sentiment in the Japanese Internment era in World War II led to calls to tear the building down, but protection of the building prevailed.

 Here you can see the thriving downtown of Reading with several department stores, including Pomeroy's and the Berkshire and Abraham Lincoln Hotels. The Berkshire is now an apartment building and the Abraham Lincoln still exists as a Wyndham. 

 Below is a really cool place dedicated to the memory of those who are often overlooked in any community, volunteer firefighters. The Fireman's Memorial Bandshell is located in the city park and houses musical performances to this day.

 This beautiful building is the Reading Hospital, also still in existence.

 Below is the Mt. Penn Observatory tower, still around and now known as the Mt. Penn Fire Tower. It  is 120 feet tall and it overlooks Reading and the Schuylkill River Valley as it makes its journey to Philadelphia about 60 miles southwest of Reading.

 Here is the view of the Albright College campus.

Overall, we can see the many different assets that Reading has and with a light industrial base slowly coming back and a growing population, hopefully Reading can claw its way out of the vacuum that came from previous industry vacating the region. Most of these buildings and attractions still exist in one form or another. With preservation and a growth in employment in the region, Reading has a solid foundation for a comeback. 

GAP Trail: McKeesport Connecting Railroad Bridge

This bridge once served the McKeesport Connecting Railroad that connected the McKeesport Tube Plant with the Duquesne Works across the Mononogahela River. This bridge was only wide enough for a single track and measures 324 feet long. 

 The view approximately 49 feet down to the river. You can see the surface they put over the original beams

 The view across to the McKeesport-Duquesne Bridge. I always enjoy the view going across on that bridge.

 Another look at the trusses. Everything I can find says that the bridge dates back to 1890.

 This dedication plaque on one of the beams says 1891. 

 It is awesome to see this 124 year old bridge flourish in a new use. Just in the time I stopped to take photos, I saw dozens of folks cross the bridge. I am sure that at one point or another there were considerations to take this bridge down. Now it is thriving as a thoroughfare for the awesome Great Allegheny Passage Trail, providing a hub for recreation from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C. The roundhouse that we talked about yesterday is located near the bridge. Perhaps we could see a cool little museum and rest station in the building for the trail? Maybe a nice place to duck into in the middle of a storm? I think there is lots of potential along the McKeesport waterfront to create a thriving center for recreation and employment for the Mon Valley. 

GAP Trail: McKeesport Connecting Railroad Roundhouse

(Note that this article is from five years ago, I have fully recovered out of hard work and luck)
Today I decided to test my strength bicycling. As you may or may know, due to an injury last summer, I developed a chronic nerve condition that makes motion painful. Walking and standing vary in where and how much my right foot and ankle decide to hurt. It is not that bad, but I was unsure about my status in bicycling again. In my typical manner, I went into it full throttle and opted to get onto the trail at the old pumphouse for the Homestead Plant, on the far end of the Waterfront. The pumphouse is a lovely old structure that houses exhibitions and serves as a parking area to launch off on a journey on the Great Allegheny Passage trail. The GAP trail goes from Pittsburgh to Cumberland, Maryland where it joins with the former C&O Canal Towpath and makes its way all the way to our nation's capital, but not before it passes places like Kennywood, the post-industrial Mon-Valley, follows the Yough River to Ohiopyle, and reutilizes spectacular former railroad infrastructure. I was not sure if my journey would last five feet or if it would go for a while. Thankfully it actually hurts less to bicycle than stand or walk, which surprised me a lot. I ended up going 15 miles each way. I did not make too many stops because it would have taken ten hours if I stopped for everything I wanted to take a picture of.

My first stop was to check out the Phantom and Thunderbolt in action at Thunderbolt. The vantage point is right down hill from the world's tallest terrain coaster, the Phantom's Revenge with its 228 foot and 85 MPH drop. Then we will head to the McKeesport Connecting Railroad Roundhouse.

The massive element after the even larger second drop of the Phantom, along with the Thunderbolt, the other cliff traversing coaster in this shot.

 Such a great element. I think the third drop is just phenomenal. 

 The most breathtaking part of the ride is this massive second drop. This cliff diving giant is like no other.

 Now for what I set out to post about: The former McKeesport Connecting Railroad Roundhouse. This roundhouse dates back to 1906 and judging by the disrepair of the building, it has been closed for decades. The railroad it once served closed in January of 2013. This is one of the few remaining National Tube Plant on this end of the property. Several large buildings still remain vacant but some development is starting to occur, making me hopeful that more employment is heading to the area. There is a MUCH smaller operation these days on the other end of the property, but the complex is no where close to when this plant was humming as a part of President Roosevelt's "Arsenal of Democracy." 

 Oh yeah! Looks like a point of entry! NO WAY! As much as abandoned buildings fascinate me, I will not enter any for it is both dangerous and illegal. Any photos you see of defunct places will always be from the outside of the building.

 The door is open. I wonder who we can notify to get the glass repaired, anyone have a contact number for the owner ;-)? 

All kidding aside, I really hate to see folks neglect buildings like this, especially when places like Steamtown in Scranton, PA have their roundhouses fully restored and operational.

I hope someone either restores this roundhouse or finds an alternative reuse. You should go check it out though and explore the Great Allegheny Passage Trail because there are so many awesome things along it. 

The old Philadelphia Spectrum: A look back

I apologize for being quiet on this blog for a while. Work has been hectic and weekends have been full of amusement park fun. Follow these links to see our reports on our other blog from Knoebels and Kennywood. Additionally, I was also interviewed by NPR for our book "Great Pennsylvania Amusement Parks Road Trip". Needless to say, things have been pretty busy.

Anyways, I was looking through my old photos and found this old photo of the old Philadelphia Spectrum.

I miss this old arena. I am too young to remember seeing a Flyers or Sixers game at this old arena, but I did catch a few concerts and random events. I always enjoyed going into this arena. Sadly this venue was torn down a few years ago, but the legacy remains. Ten NHL and NBA championship series were held at the Spectrum, and it is also one of the few arenas that has held both a Stanley Cup Championship series and NBA Championship series. Overall, the building boasts four championships from the Flyers and the Sixers, including the Flyers consecutive championships in 1974 and 1975. The building last saw professional sports action in 1996. The Rocky statue from Rocky III once stood in front of the arena. The building was said to be the location of several major fights in the Rocky movies, with another classic venue, the L.A. forum, being the actual site of filming. Several NCAA tournament series were held at the arena, including the Final Four.

The name was actually meant as an acronym for Sports (or South Philly) E for entertainment C for circuses, T for theatricals R for recreation and UM for "um what a nice building." This place was built to be a world class showplace. It held hundreds of concerts by pretty much any popular band you can think of from the late 60s to the 2000s. Tom Petty played at the Spectrum 11 times, Rush played 17 times, Billy Joel played at least 25 times, Springsteen 30 times, and the all time leader, the Grateful Dead, played at the Spectrum 43 times! The Spectrum was a must-stop place on any major tour.

The building's replacement, the Corestates err........First Union.......errrrrrrr Wachovia.....errrr Wells Fargo Center is very nice. I wish they had continued to keep the Spectrum as a secondary showplace and sports venue as they did for 14 years, but I guess all good things have to come to an end sometime.