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Friday, June 29, 2012

Major General Robert L. Smolen ~ Knoch '70


Air Force Maj. Gen. Robert L. Smolen, who grew up in Butler, oversees the nation's arsenal of nuclear weapons. He is the deputy administrator for defense programs at the National Nuclear Security Administration. He sees to the safety and reliability of the nuclear weapons stockpile and the readiness to test and develop new warheads, if required. 
† 18 May 2014

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Fixing Up ~

Smith's Flowers
Corner of Main and New Castle Streets
Photo: Robert Emigh

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Saturday, May 05, 2012

Friday, April 20, 2012

Chester Aaron BHS '41 ~ Butler Author

Prolific author of novels, stories, and memoirs, Chester Aaron was born in 1923 in a Butler. He saw combat in World War II, and was with the troops that liberated Dachau. Following publication of his first novel in 1967, he was an x-ray technician at Alta Bates Hospital in Berkeley, CA. Later he joined the faculty at Saint Mary’s College. Over the last twenty-five years, he has become known worldwide for the ninety varieties of exotic garlic he grows on his farm in Sonoma County.

Friday, April 06, 2012

Rich Saul BHS '66

  †  15. April 2012


Magnet '66
 Rich and his twin brother, Ron, starred on BHS football team. After playing in college they went on to play in the NFL.

Sunday, April 01, 2012

The Neighborhood Bar ~ Vero's

Nestled on E. Locust Street between Elm and Monroe Streets near Butler Catholic (St. Paul's) School, Vero's Bar was a staple on the east side of Butler for over 50 years. Fred Vero, not the one that was Mayor in the late 1970's, but his grandfather, received one of the first liquor licenses in Butler County after prohibition was repealed in 1933. A section of the front of their home was enclosed, and a local bar was born. This establishment spanned three generations of Veros. Fred's two sons, Sam (and wife Sis) and Leonard (Hank) operated it for many years, the Sam's son Fred (also not the mayor from the late 1970's) ran it until it closed in the late 1980's.
Thanks : Mark Swift

Friday, March 23, 2012

Beloved Butler Citizen ~

Photo: Butler Eagle
+ 23 March 2012
Abie Abraham
Butler's Hero


Saturday, March 17, 2012

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Aland's Penny Store ~

Aland's Toyland
We all loved this store.



Thursday, February 23, 2012

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

St. Peter's Episcopal Church ~

This church located on East Jefferson Street was established in 1818 and building of the church was begun in 1895. Andrew Carnegie presented an organ, said to be the last one given by him as an outright donation.  
Photo: Barbara Bloom

Sunday, February 05, 2012

Vietnam War Memorial ~ Our Gratitude

"To Those Who Died...
Honor And Eternal Rest,
To Those Still in Bondage...
Remembrance and Hope,
To Those Who Returned...
Gratitude and Peace"
Photo: Barbara Bloom

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Doughboy Park ~


In Honor of the Boys of

Butler County

Who Served Their Country
And in Memory of Those Who
Made the Supreme Sacrifice
In The World War 1914-1918

Inscription on the monument


This park is located at the intersection of Cunningham St. and New Castle St. on a small strip of land.
Photo: Barbara Bloom

Friday, January 20, 2012

Franklin Glass Swimming Pool ~ 1938

Text under the above picture: 
The Franklin Glass Beneficial association's new recreational center at the city limits on Ziegler Ave. extension road, have provided cooling touches to the brows of many a feverish youngster. Above is shown the swimming pool which has been rebuilt this year. The water is 10 feet deep at its greatest depth. A new chlorinenator keeps the water pure at all times. The above picture was snapped on a recent hot afternoon.
Thanks: Bill May

Friday, January 13, 2012

Butlerites ~ Let's Hear What You're Doing ~ Where You Are !


Please tell us about yourself, where you are and what you're doing and about your ties with Butler.


[E-mail address - so others can contact you? But not required.]

Saturday, January 07, 2012

Rick Santorum ~ Attended BHS ~ Rep. Presidential Candidate

In a 1994 Butler Eagle interview when he was running for his first Senate term Rick Santorum said he had fond memories of Butler "the greatest place in the world to grow up, for so many reasons". [Iowa Caucus speech Jan 4, 2012]  
Photo: Businessinsider.com

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Friday, December 16, 2011

James Hollock ~ BHS '66

"Over the past dozen years I have worked on a book, one of true crime and arguably the most notorious and recalled criminal episode in Western Pennsylvania history." James Hollock.


Saturday, December 03, 2011

Friday, December 02, 2011

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Butler High School ~

How many have walked up this elegant staircase?
Photo: Barbara Bloom

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Butler Eagle Building ~



We have been reading the revered Eagle since 1903.
This art deco ofice building was constructed in 1924 by Harry Wimer.
Photo: Barbara Bloom

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Bret Michaels ~

Born in Butler, Bret Michaels is a musician, actor, director, screenwriter, producer and reality television personality. He first gained fame as the lead vocalist of the glam metal band Poison.


Saturday, October 08, 2011

The Phillips Mansion ~ Rt. 8 South

Photo: Chuck Schneider

Once Ernie's Esquire Inn but now called "The Mansion".

 It is an elegant venue for weddings, parties, corporate events. 


Saturday, September 24, 2011

Maridon Museum ~

The Maridon opened on May 8th, 2004. It is the only museum in the Western Pennsylvania region with a specific focus on Asian Art and Culture coupled with German Meissen porcelain. The museum — both the objects and the buildings that house them — is the gift of Mary Hulton Phillips.
Photo: Barbara Bloom

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Saturday, September 03, 2011

Dight's Diner ~

Photo: Ron Dylewski 
The American Roadside.com
At the corner of Washington and Jefferson Streets. In 1953 it was bought by Bill Morgan who set up his first restaurant here.

Friday, September 02, 2011

BHS Football Results ~ 2011


Photo: GoldenTornadoSports.net
BHS 24 [W] 14 New Castle
BHS 07 [L ] 49 North Allegheny
BHS 16 [W] 06 Canon-McMillan
BHS 00 [L ] 35 Pine Richland
BHS 06 [L ] 34 Shaler
BHS 00 [L ] 38 North Hills
BHS 10 [L ] 42 Mars
BHS 07 [L ] 42 Erie McDowell
BHS 21 [L ] 47 Seneca Valley

Friday, August 26, 2011

Product ot Pullman Standard ~

A Pullman Standard railcar that has returned home to become a historical marker. It sits in front of the new transit authority bus station in the center of the Pullman business park. It was built at the Pullman Standard's Butler Plant in June 1974 (plant closed in 1982 and was demolished in 2005) and is a covered hopper car that carried grain. It was donated by GATX, transported back from Canada, restored in New Castle and sent back to Butler in Feb 2011. A more fitting memorial that just a plaque to the old plant and its workers.
                                             Photo and text: Robert Osborn