Tarentum, PA Photo Gallery by edmund j. kowalski at pbase.com

Tarentum, PA

Last week, mid-July 2006, I did a walking tour of the old central business district of Tarentum, Pennsylvania. This is a rather historic community on the Allegheny River, 20 miles northeast of Pittsburgh and 2 miles from where I grew up. In the 1950s and 1960s the place was bustling with commerce... kind of sad to see how it is now.
The weather was very hot and hazy.
Camera: Pentax ME with f:1.7 / 50mm lens.
Konica Minolta VX 200 print film.
All images are Š2006 E.J.Kowalski.
Click on thumbnails to make bigger.

corbet_street1.jpg	corbet_street2.jpg	praha1.jpg	praha2.jpg
tarentum_station.jpg	thompsons.jpg	wall1.jpg	wall2.jpg
lock_street1.jpg	lock_street2.jpg	reading_room.jpg	tarena.jpg

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Osceola		17-Jan-2012 00:00
I would like to see pics of Morgan st

Suzanne		15-Nov-2011 10:30
I miss Harry's Pizza from the 60's when I lived in Natrona Hgts w/my grands. Raised in Chicago but Harrys Pizza was the bomb

Guest		31-Oct-2011 15:03
Who remembers Burkey's, The Greek's, Meeting at the phone booth on Corbett street, and can you ever forget Harry's Pizza?

Yvonne		12-Oct-2011 16:29
Tarentum is about to lose some more landmarks on Corbet St. I can only assume you are of the Kumer's Bakery Kowalski's. One of the buildings to be removed is the old bakery building. I talked with a man who recently was in the building. He said that aside from the fact that there is a hole in the roof, the upstairs apartment looks ready to move into. He said all of the pine paneling is still in place. I am hoping that some of it will be salvaged, and not destroyed. There is to be a large office building put onsite that will include among others Lloyd & Lindquist. Some things do come full circle. Enjoyed the pics.

janie (dickey) hill		12-Oct-2011 14:01
I was born & raised in Fawn Twp., my Grandparents lived on Brackenridge Ave in Brackenridge, & some of my earliest (& fondest!) memories are of Tarentum! 'Going shopping "downtown" with my Mum, @ GC Murphy's & Michaels! 'Buying my "Buster Browns" @ Karps' (& riding the "hobby horse" there!)...and all the tinsel, lights, "the bells" "candy canes" "stars" & "Santa faces" (lights) that hung from the lamp posts on Corbet St @ Christmastime! ( as well as waiting in line to sit on Santa's lap & get pictures taken!...his trailer sat down the street from "Shenkans"!) 'Going to movies @ the "Harris" & the "Manos"!! I cherish my years @ THS (7th-10th) grades, before moving to the "new school"! THe parades down Corbet to Dreshar Stadium for the games, & packing "Isalys'" FULL of people AFTER the games!..The championship Tennis teams & the Basketball CHAMPS of 1968!! I remember the Riverside Park, "phoebe", the canon, the memorial...& walking to the Tarena!! I try to stop back whenever we get back from Ohio to visit! 'Though much is now gone or greatly changed, I will ALWAYS cherish my memories! Thank You, Ed, for your beautiful pictures, & for sharing them with us!

Guest		18-Aug-2011 16:00
Ed - It is spelled Kummer's Bakery. It is going to be torn down soon. Your cousin

Fran Conroy Shirey		11-Jun-2011 20:09
Ed, Nice pictures of Tarentum, and some interesting comments from guests. I am looking for pictures of old movie theatres in Tarentum - Nixon Theatre, and also the Tarentu Opera House. Does anyone have pictures of both the inside and outside? I would really appreciate receiving copies of them. My e-mail is fcshirey@gmail.com Fran Conroy Shirey

Albert		27-Nov-2010 20:02
The lock_St.jpg house was torn down a couple of yeats ago. It was unoccupied for years and after the front porch collapsed, the Borough had it torn down. The thomsons.jpg used to be Chapman's Drug Store. They had a soda fountain. reading_room.jpg used to be Saint Barnabas Episcopal Chuch which moved up to Brackenridge Heights many years ago. Larkins lived in the white brick house just past the Tarena in picture tarena.jpg. For many years Mrs. Larkin was who you called when you needed an ambulance

Doris		23-Oct-2010 06:43
I grew up in Tarentum and graduated in the class of 1950. I lived on Bridge st. I live in Flordia now. I was home in Sept and walked the streets and the park. I remember the Murphys store and worked there while I was in High School. The area has run down a lot but it still has some beautiful areas. It will always be in my heart has home. I still have family living in the area. I took some pictures of the Hight School but the front of the building and steps are changed. Remember standing on those steps before the bell would ring for us to go in to class. It was a great place to grow up. Thanks for the great pics.

Linnie		27-Jul-2009 20:15
Nice pics. We still walk around Tarentum when we go "home".Sure wish we could go back in time and fix all the houses and neighborhoods back the way they were! Wanted to ask if anyone remembers anything of natrona, mainly (back in the 60's) there were wooden steps from the top of Natrona St. that went down the hill to the Highlands HS. I heard there are still a few of the old steps that remain. My grandparents lived in Tarentum when they first came to the USA, then in Natrona.

Guest		13-Jan-2009 09:38
Ed, Great pictures. My family lived in Tarentium m ost of their lives and my mom and dad graduated from Tarentum High School in 1950. I remember Kuhmers (sp?) bakery and Isaly's as a kid in the 60's. I used to climb on the cannons in the park by the river. Thanks for the great shots and bringing back some great memories. Paul Blake

Guest		24-Jul-2008 12:59
I grew up in Tarentum as well. It was a wonderful place with wonderful people. The said fact is the town has gone down hill even more since these images were taken. Will the town every come back? ...

Elizabeth		14-May-2008 19:03
Tarentum is my hometown. I loved the tree-lined streets, especially the one I grew up on. I miss G.C. Murphy's, the lunch counter inside. I miss the best bakery I ever knew that was down by the park. I miss the pizza place around the corner from the drug store next to the movie theater, which I also miss. I loved that park along the river, the yearly fire station sponsored street fairs with the great fresh cut fries! I miss walking around a busy downtown Tarentum. I used to spend all weekend at the Tarena! Isalys really did have the best ice cream! The food at McCools restaurant was also very good. I had a savings account in the one savings and loan and I remember the tasty subs at Mr. Sub. I spent hours upon hours at the Tarentum Library and at the YWCA. I also used to work at the Tarentum Station when it was an Italian restaurant back in the 1980s. I miss Tarentum so much.

Russ		11-Apr-2008 18:11
My family used to vacation in Tarentum when I was a kid 45 years ago. I will never forget the Isalys downtown which had the best ice cream cones in the world and, of course, Klondikes. We used to visit a family there who lived on 1st Ave right across from the park. Tarentum became like a second hometown for me. The memories I have of Tarentum are now to me priceless. Thanks for the pics. I love them. Wish there were more old pics available.

Barb (McMahon) Lorensen		15-Mar-2007 18:08
Ed Hi there! WOW what a walk down memory lane for me.. I was born in Tarentum. I remember all these places..I now live in Missouri . My Grandmother lived on the second floor of Thompson's Drug Store. I worked in the Praha as a cook when it was run by Ed and Marge. So many great picture's you did a wonderful job thanks Barb

Marietta		04-Aug-2006 14:10
Great memories of the Tarena in Tarentum. Really like the picture.

edmund j. kowalski		03-Aug-2006 19:26
I shot these near midday. I shot them when I was there, and always try to do the best with the time and place I have... Ed

Guest		02-Aug-2006 19:05
This set shows some improvement overall, Ed. I see you've started to shoot when the sun is lower to the horizon for more dramatic effect. That's a good technique. Please keep at it.

edmund j. kowalski		31-Jul-2006 22:54
Not sure if that is the house. There were two on that block, one overgrown, one not... see "tarena" picture... Ed

Guest		31-Jul-2006 16:25
I did not realize you took these pictures when you went with Teri. I think the Lock Street house is the one that is a registered landmark.It belonged to Marti Larkin's mother-in-law who just died. Was it the one right beside the Eureka station? Mavelle (?) Larkin was the dispatcher.......J

marilyn		31-Jul-2006 14:59
Beautiful pictures Ed! We are so lucky to live near such a nice area.

Phil S.		30-Jul-2006 21:21
Nice pictures as usual. Looks like ivy is doing well in Tarentum even if the economy isn't.

Don Turowski		30-Jul-2006 16:52
One additional comment re: your picture of the Tarentum Station...it is now a noted restaurant in the area. The building is well-restored to the type of station that was prevalent all over the Western PA landscape in the 40's and 50's. Natrona (your hometown) had a bustling station at one time that was almost identical to the Tarentum locale.

Don Turowski		30-Jul-2006 16:49
Tarentum is a typical old town American location for sure, Ed. Lately, it has become a central point for medical offices for doctors in the area....quaint area for a doctor's office.

Jim Abel		30-Jul-2006 04:50
Looks a very nice place Ed, Typical American

Alexander		30-Jul-2006 04:33
Ed, I love "Lock Street2" and the "Wall" photos! Well done! Your photos are incredibly sharp. I can see the details of every leaf.

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