Nixon Hotel ~ Famous Guests

William Bendix, Actor

Thanks: Beau Olsen

Young Butler ~

Our strength.

Photo: Bruce Fratto

BHS Football Results ~ 2010

                                                           Photo: goldentornedosports.net
BHS 00 [L] - New Castle 25
BHS 00 [L] - North Allegheny 48
BHS 14 [L] - Canon-McMillan 19
BHS 07 [L] - Pine Richland 35
BHS 06 [L] - Shaler 30
BHS 00 [L] - North Hills 34
BHS 00 [L] - Mars 40
BHS 13 [L] - Erie McDowell 42
BHS 17 [L] - Seneca Valley 41

Alva Hill ~ Butler Architect

Ralph Burt, Dick Rittelmann, John Kosar and Alva Hill 

Alva Hill [right] was the founder founder of the Butler architecture firm, Burt,Hill. He started with the firm in 1952, along with Ralph Burt. Although Burt-Hill is now a multinational firm (and is being acquired later this year by a Canadian firm), the largest office still is in Butler, employing roughly 150 people here.

Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Hill was an accomplished pilot fighting in World War II flying a P51 Mustang fighter plane. Consequentially, Mr. Hill met Mr. Burt during the war and returned to their hometown of Butler to make architectural history.

The Butler Theater ~

The Butler Warner Theater on Jefferson Street was torn down [1960] to make room for PNC's drive-through bank.

New Monroe Street Bridge ~

Looking towards Jefferson Street.

Photo: Robert Emigh

Old Butler ~ Excavation ~ Preserving ~

They tore down the old Army-Navy Store to make a parking lot for Young's Funeral Home across the street and this is what we see now on the side of the building.

Photo: Dick Vernon

Preserving and beautifying. September 2010

Photo: Bob Orsborn

Elm Court ~ The House We Never Saw

The fountain at the Polk Street entrance . . .

. . . we felt regal when we sat here and wondered.

The Lowrie/Shaw House ~ Behind the Court House

This house was built by Walter Lowrie, Butler's United States senator, in 1828. The house and its furnishings were bequeathed to the Butler Historical Society in 1986, by Isabelle Shaw, a descendent of the Sullivan family, owners of the house since 1839.

Car Show 2010 ~

Photo: DeWayne Johnston

Car Show 2010
Butler is a car town: Home of the Jeep 

Center Avenue ~

Back in the streetcar days. 

Thanks: Don Eury

High School Classroom ~

Thanks: Barbara Bloom

The Swinging Bridge ~

Photo: Barbara Bloom

At the end of Diamond Street taking you to Pullman Park ballfield.

Butler Architecture ~

Court House, view from the back.

Photo: Barbara Bloom

Pullman Park ~

Pullman Park, built in 1934, was used for minor league baseball for twenty years until the Pittsburgh Pirates farm team left in 1951. The ballpark saw many famous faces during its professional baseball days, including Lou Gehrig, Whitey Ford, and Joe DiMaggio who played for a farm team of the New York Yankees.
As of 2009 Pullman Park is the home of the Butler Blue Sox.

Penn Theater Lineup ~ 1941

Thanks: Beau Olsen

35th Annual Butler Road Race ~ 2010

Keeping up, getting ahead . . .

Photographer Don Carlson ~ BHS '38

The Piper Cub crash near Butler is only to show you what can happen when something goes wrong - the pilot did not survive.
- Don Carlson

Photographer Don Carlson ~ BHS '38

RAY ANDRE GENERAL TIRE - A picture I took for advertising purposes with Ray (standing) showing the new snow tires to a potential customer (actually my close friend Vin Cooper who I persuaded to pose for the pix).
- Don Carlson

Ernie's Esquire ~ Rt. 8 South

Was once a select, elegant restaurant for Butlerites.

Photographer Don Carlson ~ BHS '38

REFRESHMENT STAND - located at the Butler County Fair in 1940. (Don worte: "I can provide more info. if you are interested in it.")
- Don Carlson

Photographer Don Carlson ~ BHS '38

TROUTMAN'S DEPARTMENT STORE -  a picture of the newly remodeled young women's department c.1940 taken for an advertisement in the local newspaper. The manager was Floyd Allen and my dad, Carl W. Carlson, was the credit manager. The 3 story and basement building is still standing on the corner of N. Main St. and W. Cunningham St.
- Don Carlson

Photographer Don Carlson ~ BHS '38

BUTLER AIRPORT - small planes lined up at the old Butler Airport which was located along New Castle Road just across from Deshon Hospital and is now the location for a shopping center. Bob Headland was one of the early promoters of aviation in the Butler area. (I flew in and out of this airport and Pgh/Butler airport in the early 40s before enlisting in the Air Corps.)
- Don Carlson

Hot Dog Shop ~

Hot dogs on the grill.

Thanks: Dave Zaccari

The Old Terrace Drive-In ~

This is all that is left of the Old Terrace Drive-in, 5 miles north of Butler on Route 8.
Photo: Dewayne Johnson

William J. Perry ~ BHS '45

William Perry, former Secretary of Defense, in Butler's Bicentenial parade.

March 12, 2000

[Photo: Paul Johnson]

Miller's Florsheim ~

Brian Minto ~ Onward, Upward

Titles Held
WBO NABO Heavyweight Title (2009)
Pennsylvania Heavyweight Title (2008)
WBA Fedecentro Heavyweight Title (2007-2009)West Virginia Heavyweight Title (2004)

Latest Update

View from the Top ~

. . . from the top of South Main Street.

Pullman Standard Car Manufacturing ~

We sent railroad cars out across the nation.

Our War Dead ~

For us to remember . . .

Rube Waddell ~ Famous Butler Pitcher

Rube Waddell: Butler’s Outrageous Southpaw
By Eric D. Duchess

A biographical sketch of the eccentric left-handed pitcher from Prospect who is the only Butler County baseball player in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

This book received the Freedom Foundation Award in 1997.

Athletic Butler ~

In 1979 nearly 1,000 runners competed in the annual 10,000 meter Road Race.
Click picture to enlarge.

Williard Hotel ~

For a long time our esteemed hotel on South Main Street.

A True Butlerite of 78 Years ~

Gene Zarnick

has written

Recollections of a Childhood in Butler

Read

Morgan's at Bon Aire ~

Back in the '60s before the big shopping centers opened.

Click on the picture to enlarge.

Richard Strange ~ Butler County Symphony Conductor

†December 2009

Richard Strange was conductor for the Butler symphony from 1965 to 1974. He was our third permanent conductor.

Near the Court House ~

They had live colored chicks in the window at Easter time.

Cooper Cabin ~

Built by the Cooper family around 1810, the cabin was an original county homestead. It was enlarged after the Civil War and family descendants remained in the cabin until 1963.
It is located 9 miles south of Butler on Cooper Road near Cabot off Route 356.

Auto Club of Butler County ~

Stoughton's Beach ~ Slippery Rock

How we pestered our parents to take us to Stoughton's Beach for a day at the pool.

WISR ~ Radio Butler

WISR
 In 1941 David Rosenblum founded and named it after his father,

[W] [I]saac [S]amuel [R]osenblum.

The Diehl Baking Co ~

The Diehl Baking Co in Butler, Pa. started on May 20, 1910 and built the present building at the corner of Monroe and Center Ave in 1914. The business was sold to Mr. Chantler in 1940. The bakery continued in business till 1949. [Isaly's next door]

Photo: Dave Craig

Richard Fudoli ~ Musician ~ BHS '54

Mitch playing at our cemetery.

"It's purely about the art. I'm not looking for recognition. It just seemed to me a nice place to play and close to my home," Fudoli said. "People know I'm up there for a reason. They hear it in the air. It's a gift, and I'm trying to give it back."

from: The Butler Eagle

From the Pittsburgh Post Gazette

St. Paul's Steeple ~

Climbing Butler's Summit

St. Paul's Church

Photo: Robert Emigh

The Day They Moved a House ~

A house on Main Street.

Photo: Robert Emigh

Butler Literature ~ Stewart O'Nan

Stewart O'Nan's prizewinning novel Snow Angels is set in Butler.

New Monroe Street Bridge ~

They call it Lookout Point Bridge.

Photo: Robert Emigh