Thousands have passed this little known marker in Armstrong County Pa. which tells a tale of a now long forgotten and lost Indian village

As you drive along PA 66 also known as River road between Leechburg and Parks Twp when you pass the Bowling Alley and drive in theatre on the right hand side is an old grinding wheel

with a well worn plaque on it which tells a trail of travelers to an established Native American Indian village which once sat near where a waste treatment plant now sits

http://akvalley.com/history/native/kot/kot.shtml

Most Villages lasted only thru the  summer seasons and moved on come winter  so this village was one of the few established villages which stayed year around.
Its inhabitants more than likely moved to one of the reservation areas set up after the great Allegheny uprising which saw native Americans defeated in a battle in near by Kittaning.
My 5th great Uncle Moravian Preacher and Indian Agent for the government  John Heckewelder  knew the area as  well

This township was named from the river which skirts its southern border. Kiskiminetas, says Heckewelder, is corrupted from Gieschgumanito, signifying, make daylight. Its etymology is: Gisch-gu---day; gisch-que---today; gieschapen---it is daybreak; manitoon---to make. It was probably the word of command, given by a warrior to his comrades, at night, to break up camp and resume the journey, or war-path. It is said in McCullough's Narrative, that the Indians called this river Kee-ak-ksheman-nit-toos, signifying cut spirit. Heckewelder's etymology and definition are more satisfactory to the writer.  Credit to pa-roots.com

http://www.pa-roots.com/armstrong/smithproject/history/chap10a.html

The more you study native Americans in Western Pa. the more you learn  learn how a mostly peaceful people where forced to fight back when invaded by the white man .  and their history's and traditions trashed and forgotten. All those treaty's my Great uncle set up to have them broken .

Paranormal Event not to miss

Yes its that time of year again for the Hill-Con Paranormal event at Hill View Manor and its bigger and better than ever with more vendors speakers and attractions including an portable escape room  click link below for more info I will be there with t shits and stickers for sale find me at the Oakmont Paranormal Society  table

http://www.hauntedhillviewmanor.com/hillcon2017/

Buried Treasure left behind after Flooding and Coal Mine Disaster Tragedy's a very good possibility

Buried Treasure you say Matey ?
Well it is very possible small amounts of buried treasure is in fact all over the tri-state area. from buried union gold during the civil war to criminals who stashed goods away to even small caches hidden away .
Take into consideration all the tragedy's that have happened where there where mass casualty's like Johnstown and even the St Patrick's day flood of 1936 and great mine disasters such as Darr and Monogah .

In all these case's you had many early immigrants  who came to this country and who did not trust banks and secretly hid away money and valuables some times in their homes many times buried out in a back yard many times not even the closest relatives knew about it and many came by themselves to America so no one but the person who buried it knows about it , and in some of these cases with entire family's destroyed such as Johnstown  no one knows where the treasure was buried by a family member .

The treasure could well be a small cache of Paper Money, Coins, small jewelry etc. all waiting to be found which is why it is so much fun to take metal detectors around old coal mining and mill towns never know what you will find.
Even in the past few decades they are still finding buried artifacts like a decomposed rail car from the Johnstown Flood  so anything is possible including find a dead body .
Plus you hear story's all the time about contractors working in old homes finding stashes .

So dream on yes there very well could be gold in those hills , old structures and old foundation remains  just waiting to be found.

But always remember to do so respectfully and obey all laws .

A forgotten Coal Mining Tragedy in Pleasant Hills involving Black Damp which killed a young Police Officer and 2 young boys

As a kid growing up in Carrick section of Pittsburgh in 60's my neighbors up the hill the Heinikies
had an old opening in their back yard which was part of an old coal mine operation which had closed during the depression and was partially filled in we use to play  in .
No one ever gave it a thought but eventually it was filled in and you would never know it was there today.
 Most coal mining in Allegheny County stopped after mines shut down during the depression or shortly after WWII and all  underground coal mining  stopped with closing of Russelton , Harmar  in northern Allegheny county and New Field Coal mine in Penn Hills  in 80s.

With so many old coal mines closed and sealed off you would never give it a second thought something deadly was at play .
But thats exactly what played out one sunny afternoon when some young boys went to play in an old coal mines workings.
 What we did not know and what 2 young boys playing in a old coal mine depression and police officer who would lose his life trying to save them was these old coal workings can produce a dangerous substance known as Black Damp a invisible gas with no smell which displaces all the oxygen  in the air.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackdamp

It was a brite and sunny day September 12 in 1979 when some young boys would go playing at one of there favorite sites an old coal mine shaft behind the Jefferson Hills  Cemetery in Pleasant Hills  not knowing it would be their last .

A call to emergency dispatch at Pleasant Hills would see a young Officer Breisinger  on the scene first and he would find 2 young boys laying in the shaft not moving he would go into to try and rescue them and succumb to the gas himself several days later.

https://www.odmp.org/officer/2222-patrolman-albert-james-breisinger

The shaft would be filled in and forgotten  and a memorial to the officer and boys  now sits beside the municipal building largely forgotten tragedy with a huge warning to all those who dare venture into old  abandoned coal mine working railroad tunnels etc

http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM665V_BREISINGER_MEMORIAL

 Local Explorers at the memorial

Down a Dark Narrow Alley some where in Kittaning leads to a door and the Smallest Stage East of The Mississippi and one of the finest Country Music venues in Pa.

Some times you find the best food and entertainement in some of the strangest of places in Pa.
this is the case with the 1380 AM  WTYM Country Music Dinner Jam which featured the smallest stage east of the misisipi.

 On certain saturday nights you went down a small narrow dark alley and entered thru a double door  which is located behind the Kittaning Newspapers offices which are part of the small Family Life dynasty created by David Croyle  which includes WTYM 1380 AM , Family Life Church and Family Life TV and internet channel .

Once inside you would find a unique small space with small kitchen and tables and chairs  a small stage made from an old pallet and some of the finnest local Country &Western Mucic Groups
 Like Sayer Stepp seen in link below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RaY7U4hN6U

But the music was not only the finest but some of the best home cooked dinner ou will find anywhere  from a kitchen run by a couple of local ladies who are some of the best dinner makers anywhere .

Plus as a bonus there is a yearly Country music jam held right at the WTYM tower on Bunker Hill across the river from Kittaning.

Check the WTYM Facebook page for upcoming events and when next Country Dinner jam will be held.which they where on hold last I heard