The 85 Flood. Greene County PA

The interesting thing about the flood of 1985 was not only the flood itself,but the fact that the pool (normal level of the river) was lowered to facilitate removal of the runaway bardges that got stuck in the dams.We got to see what the Monongahela would look like if it were not dammed up.In the upper right photo,the original Lock 6 gate can be seen resting in the mud.
These are a mix of prints and scanned 35mm slides from my Dads collection.He worked for the Army Corps of Engineers for 41 years.Needless to say,we didnt see much of Dad in late Nov early Dec 1985!More pix to come...

Back to Bud's

Although most are familiar with the Greene County Museum in Waynesburg, there is another little known spot full of as much local history as you can stuff in a garage.  Between Crucible and Carmichaels, Pa sits one of the coolset spots I've ever had the pleasure of visiting.  Bud Bradmon's body shop if so full of local history and just cool stuff, it would take several visits to see it all.  Bud says "You gotta get in the corners and look!" He isn't kidding.

Initially, you notice the cars.  The Hudson in the garage is a must see!  The vintage gas pumps and soda machines are the next eye catchers.  Signs from local business adorn the fence and walls.  You'll be saying "Hey, I remember that" more than once, I assure you.

Once inside, the neck spasms begin.Items from the past decades are everywhere you look.  Model airplanes, soda bottles, record albums, photos, vintage toys, memoribila from local businesses...it's quite amazing.  Even the King himself sits in a soda shop booth ready to share a peanut butter and banana sandwich! But theres more..

Its the items bud has cataloged in his office that are the most interesting.  Map books from as early at the 1700s,  items such as gasolene ration cupons from the war era and even his paycheck stubs from his job as a teenager! Bud raked in a cool $18 a week!
Now, before you American Pickers start emailing me..I'm prety sure Bud isn't interested in selling anything.  Actually, local residents who know Bud bring him items to add to the collection. We even took him some trinkets from the Nemacolin Mine trip. Business items from the Carmichaels, Nemacolin, Crucible and Rices Landing areas are what he treaures the most.  Whats cool is, you not only get to see his collection, but get a history lesson behind it.  Bud is a wonderful man who offers up a hot cup of coffee and insight into things and places the upcomming generation may never know.

Check out the video for a small tour.




If you stop by Bud's garage, make a donation and sign the fire truck.  The donations will go to the Ronald McDonald House, a charity near and dear to Buds family.  "Back To Buds" is gonna be a regular feature here on SWPARE...Look for a story in the Greene Saver, too.  And remember, if you find a cool old sign or bottle, take it to Bud, he'll find a spot for it!  When I go back, I'm taking my Dad...I wanna sit back and listen to those stories!  

wow... Joseph 'Jock' Yablonski bumper sticker. Found in a pile of debris at the Abandoned Nemacolin, PA mine.

Found this intact today at the old Nemacolin Mine. If you don't know the history behind this...CLICK HERE.


They made a HBO movie about it back in 1986. Read about it HERE.

ACT OF VENGEANCE  

Click Here for a photo set of the mine, or HERE for a video tour of the site today.

Nemacolin Mine

Closed in 1986 and sealed in 1988,the Nemacolin Mine was owened by the Buckeye Coal Company.Said to be the largest mine in the US in 1919 and second most productive in Greene County by 1940,litte remains of this once busy mine.I figured I would get the blog back on focus today and head down to check the remains.
Today,we went as a team,which I strongly recommend on this type of venture.Evan(a fellow local history buff) and Danielle(our bodyguard and far superior photographer)headed in for a great morning of rural exploration the way it should be!
Our time was limited,but we plan to return soon.Here are some pic of the mine,enjoy.(thanks to www.coalcampusa.com for the info)




























To see a nice birds eye fully interactive map of this mine Click Here  For some reason, I can not embed a live map using Safari for Mac.  Use the controls on top of map to zoom and rotate.

Bud Bradmon

Bud Bradmon is a man who lives near Carmichaels,Pa.He has,from what I understand,is an awesome collection of memoribilia from the area.He is also doing some awesome charity work with the fire truck in this pic.
Mr.Bradmon wasn't there today when I snapped this pic,but rest assured...I'm gonna go back.Can't wait to see his collection and sign the truck for charity.Look for a post on this....soon.

Point Marion,Pa

I drive through Point Marion just about every day,but have recently began to notice a few lost gems that have survived the years.The scars of buildings long gone paint a picture of a once bustiling town,which seems to be all too common along the Mon river.Slabs of concrete and empty lots were once busy spots in this town.Its the few that remain that we need to admire,before they,too are gone.
I snapped these shots on a cloudy Saturday morning in November.I can't help but wonder how busy the streets were 50 or 60 years ago.People Christmas shopping?Getting their cold remidies from the Rexall?Perhaps a foutain soda? The store which owns the building with the signs is actually still in business as a furniture and applience store.Hopefully,I can get some shots from inside one day,before its an empty lot,too.I'm due for a new washing machine,soon.I'm gonna go there and buy it.Keep your business local,and take your kids when you do.So they'll have something to remember.

Call me the slacker!!

Not many updates latley,and nows usually the best time for checking stuff out,so hold tight.I'll be back with updates on cool stuff..Heres a shot of the railroad bridge that crosses 88 at the nothern end of the Rail Trail heading from Rices Landing to Fredricktown.I don't know if the trail will expand this way or not...cool bridge,though.

Airplanes in the River

The tale of the ill fated B-25 bomber that crashed in the Monongahela River in Jan 1956 is well known in sothwestern PA lore.Discussions of its removal from the river the night of the crash and the alleged government cover up have been hashed over in the taverns of Pittsburgh and the surrounding area all too many times.Untill recently,I,too, was one of the believers the plane was towed out during the night and carted off on awaiting flat bed trucks.However,I'm not so sure.
Within the last year,I've learned of another twin engine bomber that crashed in the muddy Mon within 3 months of the B-25.This plane crashed near Grey's Landing PA.Details are here:

http://www3.gendisasters.com/pennsylvania/11921/masontown-pa-navy-bomber-crash-mar-1956

So..what dose this have to do with the B-25,you ask? Well..after learning of the second plane crash,I couldn't help but wonder how many people have the two crashes confused.I mean,c'mon..two similar military aircraft,crashing in the same river..about 60-70 miles apart within three months!? I can't help but wonder how many witnesses to the B-25 removal,were actually at Greys Landing.
Recently I talked with my Uncle Biff,who was a fresh riverboat Capitain when the second plane crashed into the Mon just south of my hometown.He was there for the removal of the second aircraft which took an extended ammount of time.The bardges the planes was loaded onto were guarded 24/7 during the whole operation.The recovery was done during daylight hours and was anything but stealth.Keep in mind,they knew where this plane came to rest,unlike the B-25.
So,this makes one even more skeptical of the "overnight removal" of the B-25.Anyone who is familar with the Monongahela River in winter knows it moves...fast.During the flood of 1985,I watched full coal bardges fly downstream at lightning speed.So,imagine how fast an airplane (or parts thereof) would disappear.
So,as I type this,I must offically state my position as a believer that that the B-25 bomber is still in the Mon.I just don't see the logic of a plane being removed in the dead of night...in the winter,covertly.Even if there was mystery cargo..why dig up the whole plane?
I doubt any positive proof will ever be found either way.The Freedom of Information Act should have declassified any documentation to its removal.As far as I know,the "official"stance on this per the government is the plane was never recovered.Its been over 50 years,so the chance of any plane parts being recovered are probably nil.So I guess all thats left to do now is calculate the odds of two planes crashing in the same river,three months apart!Let the conspiricy theories begin!! Remember,you heard it here first!!