Interactive Map Of Monongahela Light Up Celebration

2012 Monongahela Light Up Celebration Map

I should have mentioned this in yesterday’s post but here is a link to an interactive map showing the location of all participating stores, venues and organisations for the Monongahela Area Light Up Celebration. You may want to save the link to your cell phone so you have access to it while you are in town.

2012 Monongahela Area Light Up Celebration This Friday!

Just wanted to let you all know about the Monongahela Area Christmas light up celebration to be held on Friday, November 16th, 2012 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Most local businesses will be hosting open houses and offering treats and discounts. Here’s a list of activities for the evening:

• The Ringgold High School Marching Band and The Dance Company by Lori will lead the Lion’s Club who will deliver Santa Claus from The Slovak Club to his house at First Federal Savings Bank. Grilli’s Studio will be available to take your picture with Santa. All good little children will receive gifts from Santa!
• DJ Derek Galiffa of Galiffa Productions will entertain with holiday music in the Family Dollar plaza until 9:00 p.m.
• DJ Bill Lemon of Disco Inferno will entertain with Christmas music in front of the Chamber office in the 200 block of West Main Street until 9:00 p.m.
• Dave Wingo, previously with The Vogues, now with the duo DNA, will perform acoustic and electric guitar holiday music at Chess Park.
• Luminaries will light both sides of Main Street from Dierken’s Pharmacy in Monongahela to The Twist in New Eagle.
• Christmas Trees donated by Lone Oak Farm will be decorated and lit by Madonna Catholic Regional School, Ringgold Elementary South and community volunteers.
• Free shuttle bus service will be available until 9:00 p.m between Sheetz and New Eagle Bakery.
• Ringgold’s Raz Ma Taz Choir will sing carols throughout the community.
• Hill’s Restaurant will provide free hot chocolate.
• The Monongahela Historical Society will host a bake sale & will be selling Monongahela themed ornaments.
• The Monongahela Area Library will provide entertainment.
• Eat N Park will provide free cookies & hot chocolate.
• The Vintage Valley will have a holiday open house.
• Rabe’s Trading Post will have gift baskets.
• Hacker Shack Computers will have free pastries & hot chocolate.
• Miss Barbara’s School of Dance will perform at First Niagara Bank starting at 6:30 p.m.
• Barbara Mayfield of The Bee’s Nest will decorate all the pine trees on Main Street for Christmas.
• Cindy Cialone of Make Time for Massage will be giving out candy.
• The Monongahela Senior Center will be offering an open house and cookies.
• Mod On Main will be offering free hot apple cider, cookies and a 30% discount on all accessories.
• Chaney’s Natural Wellness will have an open house offering demonstrations, mini-sessions andspecials.
• Just 4 You Gift Shop will have free cookies and selected Christmas discounts.
• My Coffee Shop is offering free hot chocolate and cookies.
• The Dance Company by Lori will perform at: 6:15 p.m – First Federal Savings Bank. 6:45 p.m. – Monongahela Senior Center. 7:00 p.m. – First Niagara & PNC Banks. 7:30 p.m. – Rite-Aid. 8:00 p.m. – Chess Park. 8:30 p.m. – Hills Restaurant and Eat N Park.
• First Baptist Church will present a living Nativity starting at 6:45.
• Studio 242 will host an open house.
• “The Bar” will have elves for the kids and a DJ for the adults.
• Dorothea’s Boutique will have live mannequins, wine & cheese, and 60% off discount.
• Knick Knacks and Paddy Wacks will have refreshments, face painting and give-aways for the kids.
• Madonna Catholic Regional School will have an open house along with crafts and refreshments.
• Favorite Little Things will celebrate their grand opening with cookies, hot chocolate and coffee.

Greek Cuisine Now At Monongahela Farmers Market

According to the Monongahela Farmers Market Facebook page there is a new vendor selling ”… gyros, hummus, grape leaves, spinach pie and lemonade.” According to the author of the post, “The hummus was delicious and the gyros smelled unbelievable.” So on your way home from work why not stop by and pick up Friday evening dinner at the farmers market? Greek cuisine along with fresh locally grown produce can’t be beat! Hours are 3-6pm every Friday evening at Chess Park.

And while you’re at it, go right across the street and check out Judeth Rose Ice Cream Parlor. In addition to ice cream you can order items such as pulled pork sandwiches, french fries and more. The house is beautiful and you can eat around back on the porch. Read more about it in the this newspaper article or better yet check out the Judeth Rose Ice Cream Parlor Facebook page. Saturday August 4th, barbecue pork, beef and chicken – and burgers will be served from 11AM til the food is gone. And stick around from 6-8PM for musical entertainment from Renee and Bill Teck, owners of From the Top Music Shop!

Washington Wine Jazz And Pops Festival Aug. 4-5 At Mingo Park

A friend of mine notified me about the Washington Wine Jazz and Pops Festival August 4-5 in Mingo Park. Seven groups will be performing in addition to the Washington County Orchestra. Seven wineries and four food vendors and two jewelry and craft vendors will be participating. This is the second year for the event. Last year 1200 people attended and I expect many more will attend this year since the first event got great reviews. (Read this article about last years event in the Union Finley Messenger)

Mingo Park Map

Here’s a great map of Mingo Creek County Park. Click here to download the .pdf file of the map. Keep a copy on your iPhone for future reference when out at the park.

Improvements To Mingo Park Bicycle – Walking Trail

Washington County is making substantial improvements to Mingo Creek Park with the installation of a new trail alongside the main road in the park. Most of the trail is now paved with 4 new bridges to be installed as soon as weather permits.

Bicycling on the main park road has been unsafe for years with the lack of berms, sharp corners, limited sight distances (see photo 1) and no speed limit enforcement. It was safer to ride the huge berms along route 88. Cost of the improvements will amount to $546,000.

It’s money well spent considering that hundreds of people will use the trail all year-round. Compare that to the cost of the Aquatorium renovation which will cost $1,200,000 for a structure which is only used about three times a year when it isn’t under water or covered in mud.

The Race Track – AKA Armstrong Field, Ringgold Soccer Field In Monongahela PA

I am working on an upcoming blog post and could use your help. Do any of you have any information or memories about the area known around Monongahela as the “Race Track” aka Armstrong Field? Currently located there is a soccer field, a softball field and on the southern end is Cox’s arena.

Here is a link to a great article in the Union-Finley Messenger with information about the Cox arena and Armstrong Park. To summarize the article:

• In 1874 the Monongahela Valley Agricultural Association purchased the 25 acre plot known as the “Driving Park”. The association sponsored fairs featuring horse racing.
• Later, the “Monongahela Driving Park Association” sponsored harness racing. Betting was allowed and thousands attended.
• Later the area became known as the “Monongahela Speedway” as harness racing gave way to automobile racing. In 1936 “Deb Miller drove a Miller Special at an average speed of over 70 miles per hour which broke all records at that time for dirt track racing.”
• During World War II victory gardens were planted there.
• Shane and Kate Cox currently sponsor equestrian events most weekends throughout the summer. You can contact Shane and Kate at thecoxarena@aol.com

I found a few old newspaper articles that mention this area and I’ll post a few stories this week.

Blizzard of 2010

I was too tired to go out and take pictures of the Blizzard of 2010 after getting stuck in Donora, digging my car out twice and then hacking down a tree that fell across rt 837 to get back home to Monongahela. Upon arriving home I then had to remove 20″ of snow from my awnings to keep them from collapsing then shovel and salt the sidewalks (I live on a corner lot) and then finally dig out a place for the car so I could park it! (not to mention sit in front of a propane heater for 2 days waiting for the electric to come back on)

Oh well, time to stop griping and enjoy this terrific video shot just about 2 miles from my house at the Joe Montana bridge at the intersection of rt 88 and rt 43. Folks from around here will recognize the bridge at 3:43 in the video. At least somebody got to enjoy the snow! [edit: you will see a black box when you click the image below. Just click through and you can view the video on the youtube site.]

This intersection is turning into quite a recreational area. Drive by in the summer and you will usually see quads and motorcycles climbing the hill.

Easy Bicycle Route From Monongahela To Bentleyville PA

Riding under route 43

Curious about where Stoggletown is and how it got it’s name? Ever notice the tall brick smoke stack behind Cox’s market and wonder why it was built? Interested in Redds Mill and wonder where it is? If so check out the map below and discover an easy scenic bicycle route following Pigeon Creek from Monongahela to Bentlyville.

You will find only two moderate hills along this route. A person who bicycles occasionally can easily climb them but a beginner might want to push. Total length from the Sheetz Store in Monongahela to the Pilot Truck Stop in Bentleyville is 8 miles.

View Larger Map

Click on the icons to view pictures and information of various points of interest along the route. You can zoom in and see a surprising amount of detail. Try clicking on the “+” and “-” signs to zoom in or out. You can also drag the image to move the map around.  Click here to view a larger version of the map.

Review of the Monongahela River Buffs Museum

River History Museum in Monongahela PA

There is a little museum on 2nd street, between Railroad and Main Streets called the Monongahela River Buffs Museum. It’s been there a few years and I notice the sign occasionally but I’ve never paid a visit. I found a great review about it on Ten Mile Creek Country. There also is a  nice story about it in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. I will definitely visit in the near future and post a few pictures here.

The museum is at 175 Second Street, above the Span-Taylor Drug Store and one half block from the river. Meetings are held on the third Tuesday ( April thru November) at 7:00 pm and the facility is open on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month from 1 to 3 Pm. It may also be visited by appointment. Their mailing address is Mon River Buffs Assn. PO Box 401, Monongahela Pa. 15063. They can be reached by email atfolmar@zoominternet.net. Dues for membership are 5.00 per year.

Here’s and easy way to see when the museum is open from your car on Main St:

open ............................................ closed

Just glance down Second St. toward the river and see if the sign has been extended.