Local History - Local Heros - Local Lore

Featuring books of historical interest and significance to Western Pennsylvania’s Lawrence County.

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book cover for lawrence county memoirs by jeff bales jr
Lawrence County Memoirs: The Archive Vol 1
CLICK HERE for description and ways to order 

NOW IN STOCK for local pickup

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book cover for chuck tanner and the pittsburgh pirates
Chuck Tanner and the Pittsburgh Pirates
CLICK HERE for description and ways to order 

NOW IN STOCK for local pickup

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303 squadron

NOW IN STOCK for local pickup

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the auschwitz volunteer beyond bravery book
THE AUSCHWITZ VOLUNTEER: Beyond Bravery
CLICK HERE for description and ways to order 
OTHER RECENT TITLES OF INTEREST
book cover from the beginning by dirisio
From the Beginning, Tales of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania
CLICK HERE for description 
book cover cascade park western pennsylvania's rural escape
Cascade Park: Western Pennsylvania’s Rural Escape
CLICK HERE to read a description
book cover of new castle's urban renewal through the eyes of john hitch
New Castle’s Urban Renewal: Through the Eyes of John Hitch
CLICK HERE to read a description
book cover of zambelli, first family of fireworks
Zambelli: The First Family of Fireworks

CLICK HERE to read a description

book cover a civil war husband 100th pennsylvania roundheads
A Civil War Husband

CLICK HERE to read a description 

book cover of adams book of memories by adam pivovar
Adam’s Book of Memories
by Adam F. Pivovar
cover of book peppino as told by joseph devivo and edited by curt meine
Peppino: Stories of an Italian Boy Who Came to America
cover of bella giornata and elbow grease
Bella Giornata and Elbow Grease: Remembering Papa and Mama, the Sparanos of New Castle, Pennsylvania
This Man’s Castle: A Collection of Sports Columns from the 60’s to Present
cover of book titled Stage and Screen - The Historic Playhouses of New Castle, Pennsylvania
Stage and Screen – The Historic Playhouses of New Castle, Pennsylvania: Featuring the History of the Warner Brothers’ First Theatre
cover of haunted roads of western pennsylvania
Haunted Roads of Western Pennsylvania
cover to the book bands, growing up in the 50's as an untalented musician in an italian-american town
Bands! Growing Up in the 50’s as an Untalented Musician in an Italian-American Town
cover of book centenarians
Centenarians: One hundred 100-Year-Olds Who Made a Difference
cover of the book family secrets and lies - before bonnie and clyde there was gramma and glenn
Family Secrets & Lies: Before Bonnie and Clyde There was Gramma and Glenn
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Images of America: Scottish Rite Cathedral
cover of perelman book
New Castle’s Kadunce Murders: Mystery and the Devil in Northwest Pennsylvania
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Just You and Me God: Vietnam October 1967 – October 1968
book cover of historic new castle neighborhoods wallace avenue to grant street and downtown
Historic New Castle Neighborhoods: Wallace Avenue to Grant Street & Downtown
book cover of historic new castle neighborhoods north jefferson and north mercer street hill
Historic New Castle Neighborhoods: North Jefferson & North Mercer Street Hill
book cover to kitchen keepsakes cook book
Kitchen Keepsakes (Cook Book)
book cover history of neshannock presbyterian church volume II 1924 to 1999
The History of Neshannock Presbyterian Church Volume II
1924-1999
Bridges To The Past: A Pictorial History of Lawrence County
book cover for all the summers were golden
All the Summers Were Golden: A History of Cascade Park
book cover to new castle & mahoningtown
New Castle and Mahoningtown
book cover for pennsylvania folk art of samuel plank
Pennsylvania Folk Art of Samuel L. Plank
Ira D. Sankey
Sankey Centenary Celebration
book cover to kurtz family of lawrence county
The Kurtz Family of Lawrence County
Detailed BOOK DESCRIPTIONS and ADD to CART buttons
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303 squadron

303 Squadron

Author: Arkady Fiedler
Publisher: Aquila Polonica
240 pages with 368 pages / 6×9″
nearly 200 black and white photos, maps and illustrations

“About as exciting as it gets. A must read.” — THE WASHINGTON TIMES

“Vividly captures the drama, the danger, and the spirit of the times.” — College & Research Libraries News

  • Winner 2011 Benjamin Franklin GOLD Award HISTORY and SILVER Award INTERIOR DESIGN
  • Selection of the HISTORY BOOK CLUB® and the MILITARY BOOK CLUB®

Chronicles the extraordinary achievements of 303 Squadron during the Battle of Britain. “303 Squadron …. Polish fighter pilots whose superb skill in the air helped save England during its most desperate hours. They were the highest-scoring Allied fighter squadron in the Battle of Britain, downing three times the average RAF score while incurring only one-third the average casualties.”

Product Name: 303 Squadron

ORDER for LOCAL PICK UP ONLY: $22.25 USD (includes sales tax)

book cover of adams book of memories by adam pivovar

Adam's Book of Memories

Author: Adam F. Pivovar
Edited by: Anita DeVivo
Copyright: 2014 Adam F. Pivovar
Publisher: Comprehensive Printing Solutions
Paperback: 240 pages

Excerpt from the Forward: Curious. Odd Funny. Worth thinking about….I have certainly been amazed and entertained by the stories and people I remembered and wrote about. I hope you will enjoy my meomories, too.

Excerpt from Class Notes, Youngstown State University Fall 2015: “The books takes a lighthearted view of the western Pennsylvania region where Pivovar grew up, along with some of his world travel experiences.”

Product Name: Adam’s Book of Memories

ORDER for SHIPPING ONLY: $28.20 USD (includes shipping & handling)

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book cover for all the summers were golden

All the Summers Were Golden: A History of Cascade Park

Author: Beverly Zona – 72 pages

“So bucolic a setting deceives modern-day visitors into thinking that few passed here before, but the story of Cascade Park is one of savvy businessmen and colorful characters; it’s left a legacy of great riches, and often, opportunities lost.” This book includes many excerpts from oral history recordings done by Zona and Lawrence County Historical Society interns. Photographs of the park dating back to the 1890s are also featured.

Product Name: All the Summers Were Golden – A History of Cascade Park

ORDER for SHIPPING ONLY: $14.50 USD (includes shipping & handling)

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the auschwitz volunteer beyond bravery book

THE AUSCHWITZ VOLUNTEER: Beyond Bravery

Published by: Aquila Polonica
460 pages / 6×9″
over 80 black and white photos, maps and illustrations

“One man volunteered for Auschwitz, and now we have his story…” —THE NEW YORK TIMES, Editors’ Choice
Winner: PROSE Award for Biography & Autobiography
Winner: Benjamin Franklin SILVER Award for Autobiography/Memoir
Featured Selection of the History Book Club®
Selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club® and the Military Book Club®

Pilecki’s most comprehensive eyewitness report on Auschwitz, suppressed by the postwar communist regime in Poland for nearly fifty years, is being published here in English for the first time.
Product Name: THE AUSCHWITZ VOLUNTEER: Beyond Bravery

ORDER for LOCAL PICK UP ONLY: $29.15 USD (includes sales tax)

Watch THE AUSCHWITZ VOLUNTEER Book Trailer (runtime 00:02:30 min)

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  1. Early Schools
  2. East New Castle Independent District,
    Pollack Township to Consolidation
  3. North Street School
  4. Prosperity Brings Surge in School Construction
  5. Ne-Ca-Hi
  6. World War I – The Teens and an Unusual Harvest
  7. Enter the Roaring 20’s
  8. Ugly and Uninvited – The Depression Comes to New Castle
  9. The War Years
  10. Bobby Socks and Fallout Shelters1
  11. 1960’s
  12. 1970’s
  13. 1980’s
  14.  1990’s
  15. History and Progress – A New Millenium
  16. Hickory Township
  17.  Little Beaver Township and Enon Valley
  18. Mahoning Township
  19. Neshannock Township
  20. New Beaver Borough (Big Beaver Township) and Wampum
  21. North Beaver Township
  22. Perry Township
  23. Plaingrove Township
  24. Pulaski Township and New Bedford
  25. Scott Township
  26. Shenango Township
  27. Slippery Rock Township
  28. Taylor Township
  29. Union Township
  30. Washington Township
  31. Wayne Township and Ellwood City
  32. Wilmington Twp. And New Wilmington
  33. Parochial Schools and Other Schools

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Back to School: A History of Lawrence County's Educational Development

Author: Robert A. Presnar

Follows the educational process in Lawrence County from the first school in 1804 to the present.

FEATURES

  • Documents education in Lawrence County – 1804 to present
  • Photos of students & classrooms, Contains many photos, donated by members and friends, of students and classrooms throughout Lawrence County’s history.

Number of Pages: 283
Publisher: Lawrence Co Historical Society

Product Name: Back to School Book

SOLD OUT

Entertaining & Easy Read

cover to the book bands, growing up in the 50's as an untalented musician in an italian-american town

Bands! Growing Up in the 50's as an Untalented Musician in an Italian-American Town

Author: Joe DeVivo
Copyright 2003

From The Herald, Sharon, PA: “…tells a story that most people can relate to, as it weaves through reminiscences of western Pennsylvania as an Italian-American and as a mediocre musician. Memories of Friday night football games, adventures in Pittsburgh, thoughts of Iron City beer, sausage sandwiches and language differences make up the 52 mostly-short chapters of the humorous, coming-of-age story.”

Excerpt from Dedication, page ix: “….Because while it cannot be denied that there was little glory in our lack of accomplishment, the world should know that there was a great deal of joy in our trying.”

Product Name: Bands! Growing Up in the 50’s as an Untalented Musician in an Italian-American Town

2021 REVIEW 

The Red Hook Star Review, June 9, 2021, wrote a wonderful article about this book and music director, Janice Aubrey, the author’s sister. Click HERE to read the review titled “Growing Up as an Untalented Musician in an Italian American Town.”

ORDER for SHIPPING ONLY: $11.30 USD (includes shipping & handling)

ORDER for LOCAL PICK UP ONLY: $5.30 USD (includes sales tax)

cover of bella giornata and elbow grease

Bella Giornata and Elbow Grease: Remembering Papa and Mama, the Sparanos of New Castle, Pennsylvania

Author: Philomena Jurey
Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Linus Press
Copyright: 2002
Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.5 x 8.5 inches

From the Author: This remembrance is the story of two strong-willed, complex individuals and the times in which they lived. It is written with love, and with an understanding that I didn’t possess when I was growing up and saw them simply as my parents instead of persons in their own right, subject to economic and social pressures and to human frailties. Some of their story, especially Papa’s early years, is pieced together from court documents, historical records and information from relatives. Information about Mama’s early years is from her own reminiscences; she was a would-be author.

This is the story of Frank and Fortunata Sparano, owners of a neighborhood hotel and, later, the Francis Hotel in New Castle, Pennsylvania.

Product Name: Bella Giornata and Elbow Grease: Remembering Papa and Mama, the Sparanos of New Castle, Pennsylvania

ORDER for SHIPPING ONLY: $20.84 USD (includes shipping & handling)

ORDER for LOCAL PICK UP ONLY: $14.84 USD (includes sales tax)

Bridges to the Past: A Pictorial History of Lawrence County

2010 – Compiled and Edited by Donald W. Fox

This pictorial history of Lawrence County features 192 pages of history and 460 photographs. The book spans the era from its beginnings through today. It covers topics such as transportation, business, industry, agriculture, religion, education, local military history, and sports. The perfect gift for that hard to buy for relative.[spacer size=”3″]

Product Name: Bridges to the Past – Pict History Lawrence Co

ORDER for SHIPPING ONLY: $27.20 USD (includes shipping & handling)

ORDER for LOCAL PICK UP ONLY: $21.20 USD (includes sales tax)

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Cascade Park

Author: Anita DeVivo & the Lawrence County Historical Society (2010)
200 Vintage Photos / 128 pages

From inception to current uses through the years • Printed in South Carolina on America-made paper and manufactured entirely in America

Since its opening in 1897, Cascade Park has welcomed thousands of visitors to its picnic grove, summer cottages, mineral springs, dance pavilion, swimming pool, baseball field, zoo, boat rides, outdoor theater, fireworks, and numerous other amusements. The park is an unusually beautiful natural setting with Big Run Falls, Cat Rocks, a gorge, rolling hills, shady walkways, and even a ginkgo tree or two. In the 1890s, when it was called a trolley park, crowds of visitors arrived by streetcar. Eventually automobiles took over, and the roller coaster was dismantled to make space for a parking lot. Today automobiles spill out of the parking lot once a year when more than 1,000 vintage cars travel to the Back to the 50’s Weekend, now in its 25th year. This and other family-oriented events continue the tradition of good times in Cascade Park.

The Lawrence County Historical Society’s archives and its John Hitch Collection furnished most of the photographs in Cascade Park. Author Bio: Anita DeVivo is the author of New Castle and Mahoningtown and coauthor of Lawrence County.

Product Name: Cascade Park

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book cover cascade park western pennsylvania's rural escape

Cascade Park: Western Pennsylvania’s Rural Escape

Co-Authors: Andrew W. Henley, MLIS & Gabrielle N. Lucas (2021)

One of the first trolley parks in Western Pennsylvania, Cascade Park, served as the communities’ escape due to the natural beauty that the park exudes. It first began as Big Run Falls, then Sylvan Park, and later Brinton Park before becoming Cascade Park.

On June 10, 2021, Cascade Park was deemed eligible for the National Register of Historic Places by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Historical & Museum Commission (PHMC). This publication was submitted for the re-assessment of the park as a Historic District.

Product Name: Cascade Park: Western Pennsylvania’s Rural Escape

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Centenarians: One hundred 100-Year-Olds Who Made a Difference

Author: Dale Richard Perelman
Publisher: Seven Locks Press
Copyright 1999
Paperback: 172 pages
Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 0.5 x 9.2 inches

Description: From the back cover: “….noted for only for the length but for the depth and breadth of their lives….celebrates the indomitable spirit of humanity.”

Features 23 prominent men and women including Irving Berlin, Alfred Landon, Madame Chiang Kai-shek, George Burns, Rose Kennedy, and Grandma Moses. Includes brief descriptions of 77 other centenarians with lives of accomplishments.

Product Name: Centenarians: One hundred 100-Year-Olds Who Made a Difference

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book cover for chuck tanner and the pittsburgh pirates

Chuck Tanner and the Pittsburgh Pirates

Author: Dale Richard Perelman
Publisher: The History Press

Copyright August 21, 2023
Paperback: 240 pages

Description:

A beloved son of New Castle (in Western Pennsylvania), Chuck Tanner spent a lifetime in baseball both on and off the field. After eight seasons of an up-and-down career as an outfielder, Tanner transitioned to managing the Chicago White Sox and then the Oakland Athletics. But it was his stint as the manager of his hometown team, the Pittsburgh Pirates, that would elevate him to an icon of the game. From 1977 to 1985, Tanner crafted a gritty, talented, Pirate brand of baseball alongside legendary players like Willie Stargell and Dave Parker. In 1979, with the Sister Sledge hit ‘We Are Family’ as their theme song and a raucous Western PA fan base behind them, Tanner’s Pirates captured a World Series title. Tanner was also key in developing the relief pitcher through his work with Goose Gossage.

Through extensive research and interviews, author Dale Perelman presents the life and career of Chuck Tanner.

Product Name: Chuck Tanner and the Pittsburgh Pirates

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book cover a civil war husband 100th pennsylvania roundheads

A Civil War Husband: 100th Pennsylvania Roundheads

Author: Cynthia Friend Crytzer
Publisher: Comprehensive Printing Solutions
Copyright January 1, 2020
Paperback: 146 pages

DescriptionA first -hand account of life as a Civil War soldier through the letters of Thomas D. Nelson, Union soldier and member of the 100th Pennsylvania Infantry “Roundheads” from Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. Thomas details travel with the Roundheads, camp life as a Union soldier, people he meets along the way, concerns for the family he left behind, and much more. This vivid account of a Civil War husband and soldier is followed by an epilogue of the fate of Thomas’ wife and daughters after his death in Andersonville Prison. One daughter, Frances Nelson Randolph, married and raised her family in New Castle.

The author has transcribed each letter written by her great-great grandfather.

Product Name: A Civil War Husband: 100th Pennsylvania Roundheads

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photo of dynamite bookj cover

Dynamite! A Blaster's History

Dynamite! A Blaster’s History chronicles J. Nelson McConahy’s personal experiences working at the American Cyanamid’s “powder mill” in Edinburg, Pennsylvania during the late 1960s. A major explosion at the mill in 1964 eventually led to the closing of the plant in 1971. The end results of this dramatic event were the loss of good paying labor jobs in an otherwise economically depressed rural area of the Mahoning Valley and the passing of a way of life that respected family values and relied upon friendships and loyalties.

This book is not so much a story about one man’s memories as it is a story of fellowship and survival in a truly explosive working environment. The author’s personal reminiscences, pictures, and documents pay tribute to all those who lived through those transitional times.

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (June 12, 2015)
Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.3 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 8.2 ounces

Product Name: Dynamite! A Blaster’s History

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book cover to ellwood city

Ellwood City

Author: Everett E. Bleakney, Jr
Paperback: 128 pages
Copyright: 2012

From the back cover
Ellwood City was the concept of 19th Century entrepreneur Henry W. Hartman. In 1889, he formed the Pittsburgh Company to create a town south of the Connoquenessing Creek near the village of Hazel Dell. Local farm properties were purchased, and the town quickly began to take shape. The first major building was the Hotel Oliver. In 1891 the Ellwood Shafting and Tube Company was founded, producing the first seamless steel tubing and establishing Ellwood City as the”birthplace of the seamless tube industry.”

Everett E. Bleakney Jr., a lifelong Ellwood City resident and amateur historian, serves as a board member of the Lawrence County Planning Commission. He was a letter carrier in Ellwood City for 25 years. Bleakney has selected images from his extensive postal archives and has called upon knowledgeable friends to help through this visual postcard journey.

Compilation of vintage post cards / Printed on USA made paper & manufactured entirely in the USA / Postcard history series from Arcadia Publishing

Product Name: Ellwood City

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cover of the book family secrets and lies - before bonnie and clyde there was gramma and glenn

Family Secrets & Lies: Before Bonnie and Clyde There was Gramma and Glenn

Author: DJ Everette
Copyright 2013
Paperback: 228 pages
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.5 x 9 inches

From Back of Book
“Local Author discovers murder, mystery and achievement in family tree Before Bonnie & Clyde in 1934-35, there was Gramma & Glenn”

  • During Prohibition in 1927-29 Gramma and her gang stole autos in one state, robbed fuel stations, banks and grocery stores in another and was involved in many shoot-outs and kidnappings it was said.
  • In 1929 a Police Officer was killed and his partner badly wounded in a gun battle when Gramma and her gang were confronted for robbing a grocery store.
  • Gamma’s four year old son was in the car and observed the murder. He proudly announced to his family, the police and reporters “I Saw My Mom Kill A Cop!”
  • Gamma was the first woman to be executed in the State of PA.

Product Name: Family Secrets & Lies: Before Bonnie and Clyde There was Gramma and Glenn

ORDER for SHIPPING ONLY: $27.20 USD (includes shipping & handling)

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book cover from the beginning by dirisio

From the Beginning, Tales of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania

Author: Elizabeth DiRisio
Copyright 2021 DiRisio
Paperback: 400+ pages
Publisher: Independently Published

DESCRIPTION
More than 400 pages of short stories were generated over the last decade regarding Lawrence County historical items of interest. Stories cover Native Americans, Black history, women’s contributions, steel industrialists, valiant soldiers, entrepreneurs, New Castle’s famous “Coney Island” hot dogs, and the rise/fall of some of Lawrence Country’s rich and famous.

Some stories are new and many have been previously published on the Lawrence County Historical Society’s Facebook page and website at https://www.lawrencechs.org as well as the Little Local Paper. Most accompanying photos are from the LCHS collections.

Although extensive, this is not meant to be a comprehensive history on any subject. There are many more areas of interest yet to be explored.

We are pleased to announce that the author, Elizabeth DiRisio, is donating all proceeds to the Lawrence County Historical Society. We appreciate her generosity.

Your purchase of this book helps LCHS continue with our mission of historical preservation.

Product Name: From the Beginning, Tales of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania

ORDER for SHIPPING ONLY: $37.10 (includes shipping & handling)

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cover of haunted roads of western pennsylvania

Haunted Roads of Western Pennsylvania

Authors: Thomas White and Tony Lavorgne
Copyright 2015
Paperback: 128 pages / 60 images
Product Dimernsions: 6 (w) x 9 (h)

Description from the publisher: Ghostly travelers are said to wander the lonely roads of western Pennsylvania. A creeping fog rises from Blue Mist Road, and stories of car crashes, lynchings and even strange beasts haunt this isolated stretch outside Pittsburgh. Is it the angry spirit of a jealous husband or a gypsy king who stalks Erie County’s Axe Murder Hollow? Shades of Death Road in Washington County may be host to phantom coal miners killed during a deadly labor dispute. With firsthand accounts and historical research, authors Thomas White and Tony Lavorgne travel the backcountry roads and byways of western Pennsylvania to discover their ghost tales and mysterious legends.

Product Name: Haunted Roads of Western Pennsylvania

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book cover of historic new castle neighborhoods north jefferson and north mercer street hill

Historic New Castle Neighborhoods: North Jefferson & North Mercer Street Hill

Author: Susan Urbanek Linville
Paperback: 56 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1 edition (17 February 2013)
Language: English

Product Dimensions: 21.6 x 0.4 x 27.9 cm

Author’s Description: New Castle has the third largest historic district in Pennsylvania. The 91-block district contains roughly 450 acres of land holding many ornate homes and mansions, including fine examples of Italianate, Queen Anne Victorian, American Fore-square, Bungalow/Craftsman, Romanesque Revival, and Neo-Classical Homes. This full-color neighborhood booklet includes homes dating as far back as 1859 that were built by merchants, bankers and industrialists.

Product Name: Historic New Castle Neighborhoods: North Jefferson & North Mercer Street Hill

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book cover of historic new castle neighborhoods wallace avenue to grant street and downtown

Historic New Castle Neighborhoods: Wallace Avenue to Grant Street & Downtown

Author: Susan Urbanek Linville
Paperback: 60 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (July 7, 2013)

Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.2 x 11 inches
Shipping Weight: 7.4 ounces

Author’s Description: New Castle has the third largest historic district in Pennsylvania. The 91-block district contains roughly 450 acres of land holding many ornate homes and mansions, including fine examples of Italianate, Queen Anne Victorian, American Fore-square, Bungalow/Craftsman, Romanesque Revival, and Neo-Classical Homes. This full-color neighborhood booklet includes homes dating as far back as 1859 that were built by merchants, bankers and industrialists.

Product Name: Historic New Castle Neighborhoods: Wallace Avenue to Grant Street & Downtown

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cover of book titled history of mahoning presbyterian church lawrence county pennsylvania 1798 through 2019

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HISTORY OF MAHONING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania 1798-2019: The Tent Hall Church

Authors:  Elizabeth Hoover DiRisio, James “Jay” Moore, and Daisy Crespi

Book Description (provided by the author): This work includes a thorough history of this frontier congregation that began worshiping there in 1798, originally known as Tent Church and Tent Hall (because they worshiped in a tent). Located very near the Ohio border, the Mahoning Church has been in continuous operation for over 220 years. Originally formed as an Associate Presbyterian, the book follows the congregation’s journey through various denominations over its long history. The compilation follows the lives of its preachers and congregants. 

Extensively sourced, it also contains historical church records of baptisms from the early 1800’s, and burials in the adjacent cemetery from 1811. The cemetery was first referred to as McBride’s Hill and Tent Hall and is the final resting place for at least four Revolutionary War Soldiers.

A beautifully written memoir of Daisy Crespi, a student from the old Tent Hall School, also forms a part of this comprehensive work. The old Tent Hall School, established around 1808, stood for years on the church property and photos of various classes are included.

A must for any genealogist researching early Mercer County and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania ancestors, as well as those in neighboring Lowellville and Poland, Ohio.

Paperback: 445 pages
Publisher: Independently published (December 23, 2019)
Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 1 x 9.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds

Product Name: HISTORY OF MAHONING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania 1798-2019: The Tent Hall Church

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cover of images of america book

Images of America: Scottish Rite Cathedral

Authors: Rob Cummings and Dale Perelman (both 33rd degree Masons)
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
Paperback / 128 pages / Publication Date: 2018

DESCRIPTION from the publisher: Contains archival photographs.
The Scottish Rite Cathedral, easily the most prominent edifice in Lawrence County, overlooks the city below and consummated the dream of 6,000 dedicated Masons in 1925. Home to nearly a dozen Masonic organizations, the building contained the largest stage between New York and Chicago and the earliest cantilevered balcony in Pennsylvania. The 2,800-seat auditorium hosted notable performers like Johnny Cash, Benny Goodman, Reba McEntire, Jerry Seinfeld, and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Its kitchen and dining rooms served meals to more than 1,800 at various times. Unbelievably, the construction of the Scottish Rite Cathedral required 2,000,000 common bricks and 600,000 face bricks, and the insurance company appraised the building at a replacement value of more than $65 million.

Product Name: Images of  America: Scottish Rite Cathedral

LIST Price: $21.99
ON SALE PRICE

ORDER for SHIPPING ONLY: $26.20 USD (includes shipping & handling)

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book cover

In Hot Pursuit: The Hidden History of the Underground Railroad in Lawrence County, PA

FREE Shipping to USA Addresses

Coauthors: Susan Urbanek Linville and Elizabeth Hoover DiRisio, include stories about abolitionists and conductors who operated in Lawrence County during the years preceding the Civil War. In Hot Pursuit also highlights the Free-Black community, the importance of area ministers in rebuking slavery, and the county’s national participation in the fight against slavery.

Paperback: 200 pages
Publisher: Pokeberry Press; 1 edition (July 1, 2016)
Product Dimensions: 8 x 0.5 x 10 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds

Product Name: In Hot Pursuit: The Hidden History of the Underground Railroad in Lawrence County, PA

ORDER for USA SHIPPING ONLY: $26.20 USD (includes USA shipping & handling)

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cover of just you and me god book

Just You and Me God: Vietnam October 1967 - October 1968A

Author: Dan Martwinski
Author’s Description: “A” Company, 1/52 INF, 198 Light INF Brigade were deployed to the I-Corp area, the most northern part of South Vietnam. Their mission was to find and engage the NVA. “A” Company would participate in four major battles during this time period. The company would encounter the enemy a hundred or more times. These engagements would last several minutes, days, or longer. Forward outpost required twenty-four- hour vigilance, placing mental and physical stress on the company. Sleep was a blessing, food was a gift, and ammo was an emergency. Morale was a challenge, mental attitude an endeavor, success was indisputable. We would and did prevail. We were, we are, and we would be a brotherhood forever. This book is an account of my tour in Vietnam. Written primarily for my children. I hope it will be of interest to others as well.

Paperback: 69 pages
Publisher: Independently published (October 25, 2019)

Product Name: Just You and Me God: Vietnam October 1967 – October 1968

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book cover to kitchen keepsakes cook book

Kitchen Keepsakes (Cook Book)

Author: Lawrence County Historical Society

Product Name: Kitchen Keepsakes (Cook Book)

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book cover to lawrence county

Lawrence County

Authors: Anita DeVivo and Anthony P. Walczak

Copyright: 2007
Paperback: 128 pages

Lawrence County was named for naval captain James Lawrence, who gave the famous command “Don’t give up the ship” during the War of 1812. His command became a slogan for western Pennsylvanians in the early 1800s when what was to become Lawrence County was divided between Mercer County and Beaver County. In 1820, residents started to protest the inconvenience of conducting business in two jurisdictions and proposed a new county to unify the community. They did not give up the ship. Finally in 1849, Lawrence County was authorized. The new county was rich with rolling hills, rivers, forests, and fertile land. Limestone, iron ore, coal, and clay supported burgeoning industries.

Lawrence County illustrates the effect of these industries on the area through more than 200 vintage postcards and photographs. Also illustrated are the Old Order Amish and places such as Possum Hollow, Breakneck Bridge, SNPJ, and Energy.

Author Bio: Anita DeVivo, a resident of Lawrence County, is the author of New Castle and Mahoningtown. Anthony P. Walczak, a lifelong resident of Lawrence County, is a dedicated collector of postcards, Native American artifacts, and other local memorabilia.

Over 200 vintage postcards & photographs / Illustration of Old Order Amish as well as Possum Hollow, Breakneck Bridge, SNPJ, & Energy

Product Name: Lawrence County

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book cover for lawrence county memoirs by jeff bales jr
book back cover for lawrence county memoirs by jeff bales jr

Lawrence County Memoirs - The Archives: Vol 1

Author: Jeff Bales, Jr

Copyright: 2024
Hardcover: 570 pages, black & white with a 10-page color section
Published by:  Maple Press, York PA

Lawrence County Memoirs – The Archives: Vol 1 is a 570 page book that provides both written and pictorial historical recollections about Lawrence County PA. 

Feature stories include Cascade Park, Sons of Italy Parade, Bob Hope Gets His Start, Enon Valley’s Fort Wayne Train Station, Reis-Brown Mansion. 

Also in this volume: O’Toole-Barber Murder Case, Hill View Manor, Bob Hope, Johnson Bronze, Boxer Emmett Rocco, Wampum Schools, Old Black Bridge, Hitchhiker DeVon Smith, Ben Franklin JHS, St Agatha’s Catholic Church, Tindall Cemetery, Lawrence Savings & Trust, Croton Honor Roll, Battery B, Standard Brewery, St Nicholas Church, Margret Henry Home, Loose Nuts Club, JFK Visit, Mahoning Trust Robbery, and much much more.

ISBN 979-8-218-43007-8

Author Bio: Author, Jeff Bales Jr., born in New Castle, attended 9 schools on four continents by the time he graduated high school. He returned to New Castle in 2009 where he fell in love with his own town and began gathering photos, articles and stories. Finally, after many years, he has published the first of several volumes.

Product Name: Lawrence County Memoirs – The Archives: Vol 1

ORDER for SHIPPING ONLY to PA Addresses: $92.42 USD (includes PA tax, shipping & handling)

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New Castle and Mahoningtown

Author: Anita DeVivo
Copyright: 2006
Paperback: 128 pages

Founded in 1798, New Castle was a small borough located at the confluence of the Shenango River and Neshannock Creek. Mahoningtown, a small borough located just south of New Castle, was a thriving community founded in 1836. The two towns boasted flourishing industries, and in 1896, a trolley line was created to run between them. In 1898, Mahoningtown officially became the seventh ward of New Castle. By that time, New Castle was a third-class city, and railroads and steel were the areas major industries. Eventually many important products were manufactured here, including both Castleton and Shenango China, which were used in the White House.

New Castle became known first as the tinplate capital of the world and, later, as the fireworks capital of the world. The stunning postcards featured in New Castle and Mahoningtown document the fusion of these two communities. Among the memorable views are the diverse scenery and amusements of Cascade Park and the parade for baseball manager Chuck Tanner, who led the Pittsburgh Pirates to their fifth World Series.

Author Bio: Anita DeVivo, a resident of New Castle, grew up in Mahoningtown. An editor by profession, she has published books, journals, and the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. She is a member of the Lawrence County Historical Society and the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania.

History of New Castle, once tinplate capital of the world and now the fireworks capital of the world / How Mahoningtown became the 7th ward of New Castle / Parade photos of baseball manager Chuck Tanner, who led the Pirates to their 5th World Series.

Product Name: New Castle & Mahoningtown

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New Castle’s Kadunce Murders: Mystery and the Devil in Northwest Pennsylvania

Author: Dale Richard Perelman
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: The History Press (November 18, 2019)
Product Dimensions: 6 x .03 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 1 pound

Product Name: New Castle’s Kadunce Murders: Mystery and the Devil in Northwest Pennsylvania

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book cover of new castle's urban renewal through the eyes of john hitch

New Castle’s Urban Renewal: Through the Eyes of John Hitch

Author: Lawrence County Historical Society (with contributions by Gabrielle Lucas, Alexandru Georgescu, and Sara Small)
Publisher: Pleasant Hill Historians
Paperback: 74 pages

Description: During the 1960s and ’70s, urban renewal was the reaction to the series of decades of deferred maintenance. As properties began to be classified as “blighted”, they were thought to harm the city’s infrastructure and economic opportunity. Cities across the United States applied for federal assistance to revitalize their communities. Programs through the newly formed, United States Department of Housing and Urban Development financed the development of these areas.

New Castle, Pennsylvania was one of the first communities in Pennsylvania to apply for these funds. Beginning the work to develop a comprehensive plan of action, New Castle’s Redevelopment Authority began to acquire properties through eminent domain and other avenues in order to redevelop the city. Although, as work began, the number of displaced individuals grew, specifically within African American and Black communities.

These impacts are seen to this day.

Size: 8.5 x 8.5 x 0.25

Product Name: New Castle’s Urban Renewal: Through the Eyes of John Hitch

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Pennsylvania Folk Art of Samuel L. Plank

Limited First Edition
Copyright: 1994

Product Name: PA Folk Art of Samuel Plank

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cover of book peppino as told by joseph devivo and edited by curt meine

Peppino: Stories of an Italian Boy Who Came to America

As told by Joseph DeVivo (1903-1993) / Edited by Curt Meine

Description: (from the editor) Joseph DeVivo was nine years old in 1912 when his family left his native village in southern Italy and immigrated to the United States. Sixty-seven years later he recalled his boyhood days in Italy and his passage to America in a series of evocative stories.

Paperback: 61 pages
Publisher: New Horizons Pub Co (May 8, 2003)
Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.3 inches

Product Name: Peppino: Stories of an Italian Boy Who Came to America

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Ira D. Sankey

Sankey Centenary Celebration

First Edition November 1941

Proceedings of the Centenary Celebration of the birth of Ira D. Sankey together with some hitherto unpublished Sankey correspondence. Includes contemporary newspaper accounts concerning the gift of the YMCA building by Mr. Sankey to the City of New Castle. Also, includes black and white photographs.

Publisher: The Lawrence County Historical Society.

Product Name: Sankey Centenary Celebration

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cover of book titled Stage and Screen - The Historic Playhouses of New Castle, Pennsylvania

Stage and Screen - The Historic Playhouses of New Castle, Pennsylvania: Featuring the History of the Warner Brothers' First Theatre

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; FIRST edition (July 8, 2016)

Brief Description: (from the author): A detailed history of the theaters, both stage and screen, of New Castle, PA covering the time period from the 1800s to present day. Includes a detailed and definitive history of the Warner Brothers’ first theater, the Cascade, along with its sister theaters, the Bijou and Cascade Vaudeville.

Author: Elizabeth Hoover DiRisio (co-author of “In Hot Pursuit: The History of the Underground Railroad in Lawrence County Pennsylvania“)

Product Name: Stage and Screen – The Historic Playhouses of New Castle, Pennsylvania: Featuring the History of the Warner Brothers’ First Theatre

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book cover history of neshannock presbyterian church volume II 1924 to 1999

The History of Neshannock Presbyterian Church Volume II 1924-1999

Author: Members of the Congregation serving on the history book committee
Copyright: 1999
Hardback

From the Preface: Written to add to the first one hundred twenty five years of church history so eloquently chronicled by the Rev. Hubert Rex Johnson, eighth pastor.

Product Name: The History of Neshannock Presbyterian Church Volume II / 1924-1999

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photo of neshannock presbyterian church circa 1999
book cover to kurtz family of lawrence county

The Kurtz Family of Lawrence County

Author: Robert A. Presnar

History of a Local-World Renowned Family. A Kurtz family member was one of the first four lawyers admitted to the bar in 1849 when Lawrence County was formed from Mercer County to the north and Beaver County to the south.

Product Name: Kurtz Family of Lawrence Co

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This Man's Castle: A Collection of Sports Columns from the 60's to Present

Author: Bob Vosburg
Copyright: 2005

From the Introduction
While there is much history in the pages ahead, it is presented in a more subtle form through a collection of over 200 of my columns written mostly in the decade of the 60’s when I was sports editor of The News and alesser number which came later when I was managing editor. In place of just hard facts, you will find more opinion and analysis in this book, which is the kind of writing I enjoyed most and missed most when the time came to call it quits.

Product Name: This Man’s Castle: A Collection of Sports Columns from the 60’s to Present

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book cover of zambelli, first family of fireworks

Zambelli: The First Family of Fireworks

Author: Gianni DeVincent Hayes
Copyright: 2003

Excerpt from the Front Flap
The Zambelli family is one of the wordl’s largest exhibitors of fireworks. Here is a tllk at how this Italian family came to America in search of a better life and through hard work and determination achieved extraordinary success in the pyrotechnics industry….Readers will discover how and where fireworks are made; what goes on behind the scenes at a fireworks show; and what bigger and brighter fireworks will ignite the future.

Received 15 Five Star reviews on Amazon!

Hardcover: 180 pages
Publisher: Paul S. Eriksson
Product Size: 8 x 0.8 x 10 inches
Item Weight: 1.34 pounds

Product Name: Zambelli: The First Family of Fireworks

ORDER for SHIPPING ONLY: $16.60 USD (includes shipping & handling)

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book cover to litte lawrence

sold out

Little Lawrence For Little People: A Children's Book

Written & Illustrated by Robert A. Presnar. A Children’s History Book. Little Lawrence is a book to be enjoyed and shared by you and your little one. It is a project designed to get children to begin thinking about their role in shaping the future. In their tiny hands, they hold the key to tomorrow. Let us nurture and support them. Let us encourage their learning and inspire their creativity.

Little Lawrence is about brown faces and white ones. It is about ribbons and catcher’s mitts. It is about ties and dirty work boots. It is about linguine and perogies. It is about Crescent Place in Ellwood City and 5th Street in West Pittsburg. It is about a drive down 60 and a walk along the Slippery Rock Creek. Little Lawrence is about me – and – it is about you.

Product Name: Little Lawrence For Little People – A Children’s Book
NO LONGER AVAILABLE (07/28/2016)

cover of book lawrence countys fines. a look at the world war two era
Stock Photo

sold out

Lawrence County's Finest: A Look at the World War II Era

Author: Raymond I. Keffer, EdD
Copyright: 2000 Publisher: New Castle News
Hardcover: 253 pages – 18 chapters: text & photos
An illustrated history of the participation in World War II of local residents of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania.
Item weight: 4 lbs
Product Name: Lawrence County’s Finest: A Look at the World War II Era
Price: 21.99  SALE PRICE: 15.99 + S&H

book cover to scooter days and other days

sold out

Scooter's Days ... And Other Days 

Author: Bob Vosburg

A History of Sports in Lawrence County Pa from 1922-1971

Product Name: Scooter’s Days & Other Days
Price: 19.99 + S&H

book cover to glorious tradition, a football history of new castle high school

sold out

The Glorious Tradition: A History of Ne Ca Hi Football

Published by the Lawrence County Historical Society

Product Name: Glorious Tradition: History of NeCaHi Football
Price: 8.50 + S&H

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