George Troutman Residence ~

Bygone Butler architecture. 
Home of George A. Troutman
presently
The Butler City Building

Isaly's at Bon Aire Plaza ~

The Old Firehouse ~

Fire Department and Police Station
Thanks: Beau Olsen

Covenant United Presbyterian Church ~

1813-2013

The oldest church building in Butler is also the city’s oldest congregation. The congregation began formally meeting at the Butler County Courthouse on 

April 7, 1813, with its current home being built in 1862.

Photo: Georgia Sawhook

                                                         As of 2023 --- up for sale: $325,000

Eastland Diner ~ Butler - Erie

Butler Photo: Randy Flowerday

Erie Photo: Barbara Bloom

We went to Erie yesterday and located the former Eastland Diner from Butler. It is now at the entrance to Presque Isle in Erie. It is on display, and walked inside to take pictures [click here].

Center Avenue ~

Thanks: Dave Craig

William Manners~Butler Author~BHS '26

William Manners

† September 6, 1994

Editor, Biographer, Non-fiction Writer, Teacher, onetime boxer.

• Father and the Angels. New York: Dutton, 1947.
• Isn’t it a Crime? New York: Arc Books, 1947.
• One Is a Lonesome Number. New York: Dutton, 1950.
• Wake Up and Write. New York: Arc Books, 1962.
• The Barking Cat Case. New York: P. Collier, 1963.
• The Crying Schoolhouse Case. New York: P. Collier, 1963.
• The Fifty-pound Giant Case. New York: P. Collier, 1963.
• The Talking Pigeon Case. New York: P. Collier, 1963.
• One, Two, three, Go. New York: Four Winds Press, 1967.
• TR and Will: A Friendship that Split the Republican Party. New York: Harcourt, 1969
• Patience and Fortitude: Fiorello LaGuardia: A Biography. New York: Harcourt, 1976.
• The Quick and Easy Vegetarian Cookbook. (with Ruth Ann Mathers) New York: M. Evans, 1978. 

Chestnut St. Inn ~

Always liked the bartenders . . .

Photo: Barbara Bloom

Construction ~

Where Woolworth's used to be. 

Thanks: Barbara Bloom

Butler County Airport Today ~

Donald B. Carlson Sr. BHS '38

† 8 September 2010

Donald Carlson sent me some of the first pictures posted on the Butler Blog. As a tribute to him I have posted the pictures he sent me. Click the label Photographer Don Carlson below. -- Charles

After graduating from BHS Don Carlson worked as a newspaper photographer, while earning his private pilot's license. Anxious to join the service, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps on 7 July 1942. He served as a flight engineer for the 10th Weather Headquarters in the China-Burma-India Theater, flying over the Himalayan Mountains (The Hump) and throughout China, Japan and Korea. He was a member of the CBI/Hump Pilots Association and was a 50-year member of the Butler Masonic Lodge. Don served faithfully with Community Companion Volunteers, a program of Lutheran Home Services.

Bickel's Shoes ~

Thanks: Gayle Barnett Radwanski

View of Butler ~

Looking out from the Court House to the hospital.

World War II Mothers ~

Photo: Melanie Wetzel

Butler Fire Department ~ 1910

Vigilant as ever. 

Route 8 North of Butler ~ The Old Stone House

The Old Stone House

Built 1819

As children we heard frightful stories about what happened here, everything shrouded in mystery.

Charles Troutman Home ~

Home of Charles H. Troutman 

on

Main Street, 1898. 


Now
Thanks: Barbara Bloom

Oesterling & Son ~ Flour Feed Grain

Thanks: Gayle Barnett Radwanski

Don Kelly ~

Born in Butler. 

Third baseman for the Detroit Tigers.
Photo: Wikimedia

Boy Scouts ~

Remember the meetings and the good days we had.

A Butler Physician ~

Dr. Robert T. Eckert

He was the Good Doctor for so many of us.

† 28 April 2014

Pickle Gate Crossing ~

Hansen Avenue crossed the tracks at this location and then rose steeply up to Route 8. Note the bridge over the Connoquenessing in the foreground and St. Andrew Orthodox Church at the left. 

Photo: Barbara Bloom

Photo: Robert Emigh

Calvary Cemetery ~

As viewed from the entrance gate at the very top North Main Street.
Photo: Robert Emigh

Viaduct Inn ~

A favorite spot on the South Side. 
Thanks: Don Eury

Pearl Nitsche BHS '66 ~ Butler Author

Pearl Nitsche, a native of Butler, is an enthusiastic language teacher. She has lived in Vienna for the last 30 years. During that time she has trained thousands of teachers in Austria and other European countries and is in demand as an international conference speaker. She specializes in "nonverbal classroom management" and "brain-friendly learning". 

Guardian Angel ~

School crossing guard: Jane Bradshaw
Thanks: Larry Parisi

Old Armco Entrance ~

Now AK Steel
Photo: Barbara Bloom

Dolce Mia Bakery ~

Welcome to a new bakery and take-out restaurant downtown.
 332 South Main Street 

Photo: Mia's Bakery

West Butler Grocery ~

William and Mary Klovak, owners. Store torn down, 2010. Was located at the bottom of Fairground Hill. 

Thanks: John Pichler

Old Stone House ~

"The Old Stone House" Original Photo
Built in 1822 by John Brown. It was one of the best known of the old post houses during stagecoach days of Western Pennsylvania, located at the intersection of the first two public roads through Butler County - the Pittsburgh-Franklin Pike and the Butler-Mercer Pike.

The Stairway ~

Remember the feeling?

Photo: Barbara Bloom

Road Race 2010 ~

Alameda Park ~ Pavilion

A imposing building at the park where the skating rink used to be.

Little Red School House ~

Constructed 1838

Photo by susankdavids via Flickr

Blatt's and Pickle Barrel ~

Blatt's had all we needed for our bikes when we were kids.
And P.B. was a great spot for pinballers.
Thanks: Pat Gallagher

Montgomery Ward ~

We kids loved Montgomery Ward's because they had some bicycles in the basement that we could feast our eyes on.

Graduation St. Paul's Church ~ 1939

Click on picture to enlarge.

Boy Scout Camp Bucoco ~

Down-to-earth fun days with great fellowship.
Photo: familyoldphotos.com

The Butler Symphony Orchestra ~

In its 65th season. 

Music Director: Matthew Kraemer
Photo: butlersymphony.org

Thomas Clayton Booher ~ BHS '66 ~ Butler Author

Thomas Booher's book The Oerken Leaves is a very good story. The genre is Christian science-fiction fantasy that does not offend or distort Biblical truth. It actually clarifies it.

Knights of Columbus ~

Knights of Columbus

On North Street across from the Junior High School 

Hot Dog Shop ~

June 25, 1957
Photo: Butler County Historical Society

Troutman's

Photo: Paul Johnston Jr. 

The old Troutman Department Store is now a motorcycle shop.

The House We Never Saw ~ Elm Court

The inner courtyard. 

Glenn Crytzer ~ BHS '99

Glenn Crytzer is guitarist and composer. His first full orchestral piece “Nocturne Fantasy” was performed in 2005. His Blue Rhythm Band is a 13 piece dance band which focuses on the music of the late 1920′s through the early 1940′s. and his Syncopators are a jazz band dedicated to the popular music of the 1920s, 1930s and early 1940s.

His latest release for Christmas.

Flooding ~

Looking out towards the submerged Athletic Field. 
Photo: Sam Menchyk