A forgotten and one time secret Cold War US Mineral Repsitory Near Elrama Pa.

 As you travel  and windup Finleyville -Elrama Road in  the Finleyville  area  from PA837 you will notice a very official looking gate entry up into the hill side known as American Way

While today its in private hands it was once the US Defense Dept Strategic  Mineral Depository  where large piles of Iron Ore , Magnesium, Molybdenum  etc where stored in case of a War breaking out and US would not be able to obtain it.

 Much like the  Strategic Oil Reserves the Government Keeps .

The site was abandoned in 80s after it was determined it was no longer needed and minerals sold off  after so many mills which would have used the reserve had closed down.Including Homestead where much Armored plate was once made .

The gate has since been fixed up and area repurposed and most people traveling the road have no idea the significance this once Cold war storage facility played in protecting the country  I also believe part of it may have also served as Nike Missile or defense site  site  further up the hill were old military type structures that once existed all that's left is the fence

Obviously due to sensitive nature of this subject little is available for public knowledge as it is still a security concern . But their was massive planning when US was threatened by the USSR  we will never know about .

Thank God there was this planning  and was never needed.

Forgotten Horrific Accident that saw the deaths of 2 Pittsburgh Police Officers who where responding to an emergency in Pittsburghs South Side

 As you drive by the corner of 26th street and Sarah street you pass a now vacant corner where a walk up ice cream stand once was stood

They had good ice cream but then closed one day never to reopen and eventually it was torn down.

However few now recall the tragic story this stand played on March  6 1991 when Pittsburgh Police Officers  Joseph Grill and Thomas Herron would loose their lives in a horrifying accident running into the stand after colliding with another pair of officers who where also in chase of a stolen car in Pittsburgh's South Side 

Both pairs did not realize they where both approaching the same intersection and tragedy happened 

https://state-killings-in-the-steel-city.org/2018/12/03/joseph-john-grill-and-thomas-lawrence-herron/#:~:text=Officer%20Joseph%20Grill%20and%20Officer%20Thomas%20Herron%2C%20partners,officers%20in%20the%20other%20vehicle%2C%20were%20seriously%20injured.

 

 Its been 33 years since the accident and they are both missed. I knew both of these Station 7# officers having worked with them as a security guard during a massive power line project by DLC which where where both protecting .

The old station 7# is no longer used except for weekends as a temporary command post  but outside you will find a granite memorial and marker which remembers these 2 brave souls.

Many pass this Old White Barn in North Hills of Pittsburgh . But do you know its history?

 If you have ever traveled up Camp Horne Road in North Hills of Pittsburgh you more than likely passed an old white barn where Camp Horne turns into Mt Nebo Road and Lowries Run Road

But as you look around when leaves are off the tress you see some old remnants in the woods surrounding it . 

 Whats now been long time abandoned was once a beautiful Golf Course  known as Green Valley with a interesting history 

In 1893 after learning to play golf in Massachusetts a local Pittsburgher  John Moorehead jr.  was excited to bring the game here to his native Pittsburgh 

 After setting the game up at several different country clubs   In 1947 on his Family homestead he opened Green Valley  Golf Club which operated till 2003 when it was sold to Allegheny Health networks who originally where interested in building a Hospital on the property but in 2004 a terrible Hurricanes Remnants came thru Pittsburgh Hurricane Ivan and destroyed much of the property .

The hospital was never built and it sits abandoned today you can barely see the barn now that trees have grown up all around it. 

This Beehive had nothing to do with bees and is now closed Forever

 If you ever traveled out US 22 William Penn highway in Delmont you more than likely passed a rundown wooden building and the infamous  Beehive Sign which advertised an adult book store and entertainment venue

The places was always kind of dingy till they did a  small remodel and painting a few years ago and for most part was  out of the public eye except for a couple incidents involving  illegal drugs .

This was one of many adult bookstores and clubs that one time where located in Westmoreland County  

along US 22   the most Infamous and now closed was Climax I and II  further up the road which where forced closed  couple decades back .

 

The adult Book stores and clubs where numerous all thru Allegheny and Westmoreland but Technology caught up with them  and in some cases the law. Liberty ave in Pittsburgh was polluted with them and was a famous Red light District till the massage parlor wars broke out and all the clubs , book stores and adult theaters are gone leaving only the old Edison hotel  gentleman's club left .

Recently the infamous adult bookstore on Route 51 in Elisabeth closed  as well as 2 adult stores in Butler county after pressure from community groups forced them out in 80s.

Between the Internet and Porn Hub and Amazon and Wish  you no longer need to go to an adult book store to buy overpriced movies and adult toys .

So young men and lady's will never know the thrill of sneaking into one of these places in the middle of the night.  

Of course several  so called Gentleman's  Clubs have opened so not all is lost.  lets face it their nothing more than Titty Bars . But if that's the kind of entertainment you like so be it.

But the golden age of red light districts is over in the tristate .

Secret Societies that started in Pennsylvainia and Ohio you may never of heard of

 While the Mollie Mcquires a Secret Society of Coal Miners in Eastern Pa known for violence against their Employer .The Coal Mine Owners

Their where several that where formed for the good of man kind . During the Industrial revolution in America some to protect workers and others to protect newly arriving Immigrants to help them assimilate living in America. Life insurance and death benefits where a big part of-these organizations

to help family's survive after a husband died at work or health issue  some have gone on to become enormous beneficial organizations offering insurance including  NSS Life   the National Slovak Assoc. and GBU Life which is the  German Benefits Union

One such secret society  was the Ancient Order of United Workman  which started in Meadville Pa in a former church  approx  year of 1868

By 

By John Jordan Upchurch  a mechanic on the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad 

being dissatisfied with the previous benevolent association he belonged to  

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

Seeing all the things he saw wrong with previous organization he set out to correct those things and provide better benefits to members including higher death benefits payouts 

as Employers of the time did not provide this benefit to workers family's 

 

The organization still exists to this day known today as National Fraternal Congress of America.

 

 

Another organization which started in Cincinnati Ohio

is

The Improved Benevolent and protective Order of Elks of The World

Which also still exists to this day

Was started by Arthur James Riggs and Benjamin Franklin Howard in 1868 

after they where both denied membership to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks because they where black 

 

 But they where not about to put up with this racism and started an Elks open to all 

the group still exists to this day and is flourishing  compared to the former all whites only group

https://www.ibpoew.org/

Strange scene you see as you go thru Scenery Hill Pa on The national Road US 40

 As you take a leisurely stroll along US 40 the National Road thru Fayette  County and approach Scenery Hill   you come across a most unusual sight a RV camper on top of an old Corn Silo that was part of a farm .

But whats it doing up there and how did it get up there .

Well there's some urban legends like t drove to fast up the hill an launched onto to it to a tornado putting it up there.

 Well the truth is the family that owns  the property put it up there with a crane and did it just for fun and have people say what the heck

at Christmas time they have lights on it and in summer its sometimes replaced with a  outboard motor boat.  which sits behind some bushes on the property

 

 

 So if you ever are on US 40 keep your eyes open for it

Upcoming Paranormal events

 

SHAME ON THOSE WHO CRITICIZE FREE OR NEAR FREE PARANORMAL EVENTS

 I am going to Piss off many in the Paranormal Community Too Bad  . You have a problem come talk to me man to man about it .and don't slink away like a snake and talk behind my back.

  I here plenty from those who do not like certain groups who hold free events because they want to see and hear  Out of town Speaker and buy from fancy out of state vendors. Well that's fine and dandy then hold your own event . I don't care if you think the free events cheapens the Paranormal experience it does not .

There are plenty of Working Class Poor and Older Citizens on fixed incomes come to  our events and Young Family's

Yes that's right Young Family's with kids who we should be encouraging to be the next paranormal enthusiasts.. How many family's do you see at higher paid events ?

Young working class family's can not afford $10  at the door a family of 5 that would be $50.00 that's half a days wages for a working poor family .Let alone cost of gas to get there and then try to even buy lunch . If the event is Free that $50.00 they would have spent  can change a kids life  at ours so maybe they can take a trinket or t shirt  home and get a hot dog .

I have had several family's come up to me and seeing all the very expensive gear I have at my talks which I would not have if I did not do the high end troubleshooting I do  and get paid well using it . Asking how they can as a family get more involved in the Paranormal experience on a working mans budget. 

Its easy to  say just go to this website and buy this and that  . But when your having a hard time just feeding and clothing your family  how do you afford extras .

I know what its like to grow up poor my dad was a mill worker and had a small Electrical business on side to provide for us . There where sometimes weeks I did not see my dad who worked swing shift Because he worked at mill then wired homes on side  and not only did I have to overcome that I grew up with Learning and Physical Disabilities I also had to deal with as well and was constantly teased as a kid..

I never had brand name clothes and shoes like my class mates I wore K Mart clothes and Tokyo  Toughie tennis shoes and work boots  Still wear Walmart brand because brand Name clothes are just a name nothing more and few name brand clothes i do have where birthday gifts  . I did not have mommy and daddy  money to go to Concerts and other nice things I had to work for everything I had .

That's why unlike my class mates who did not further their education thinking they where going to work at the mill . I went into the trades I knew I could provide for myself and wife who also has disabilities .  But when I came out of school the mills where going down in 70s and there where no jobs that's why I started My own business and struggled many years to make a go at it till A mobsters Son took notice of my work and  helped me build up my business and how to run it properly because he liked what Electrical work I did for him and his friends

Now I understand there are expenses when running a show. There's hall rental ,banners advertising etc etc that's why you need to charge.

I also understand there are those who charge to speak that's fine I do not charge I very much enjoy what I do  if i get an Honorarium payment to help with gas that's great if not no big deal

  I run a business I understand overhead and why you have to charge   a reasonable fee . But do not criticize those who can not afford a $10.00 or $20.00  or more fee  Be glad your educated and not in their shoes . 

With the way Inflation is tearing away at family budgets  to feed their families I do not know how those on fixed budgets are surviving . Just look at all the homeless living in tents in downtown Pittsburgh.

I  do Forensic Electrical Inspections on the side for insurance company's so I get to go to Million Dollar Homes to a poor families wooden company home in the Mon Valley  with the cheapest policy they can afford  I see struggles you do not. It is time to take off the Rose Colored Glasses and all work together if you do not want to see this great Hobby for many of us go away because of the infighting .

Don't like something then do something to change it and make the world a better place and stop the criticizing/ 

 

  

Photography Buffs , Videographers Movie makers or Industrial Spy's? who was Filming the Clairton Coke works and why

 

 I was on my way to Uniontown and was across the river from the Massive Clairton Coke Works 

in Clairton when I spotted something disturbing and notified the plants Security Force 

There where 2 Chinese adult males with very sophisticated Camera equipment zoomed in and watching the coke works operations .

Now you see Amateur Photographers like myself all the time taking pictures like the one above  its a neat thing to photograph . But we do not have $20k cameras with extra powerful zooms on them.

https://www.psp.pa.gov/Pages/See-Something-Send-Something.aspx

 https://www.dhs.gov/see-something-say-something/reporting/pennsylvania

Now the strange part they had no vehicle which means they where dropped off by someone  but who?

Its a very long walk to the nearest Bus Stop .

and usually anytime some one is taking photos they have a car and if they are professionals they have markings on their vehicles to indicate who they are and they dress like professional videographers 

But not these 2 who threw up all kind of red flags . maybe there doing something innocent but better to be safe than sorry

Where they Industrial Spy's very well could be that's why I called the plant and let them know. 

Its now secret that China has machinations on the USA 

and our DOD and other agency's are warning of an Black Swan Attack. 

like they say See something say Something . When it does not look right report it. 

 

https://www.psp.pa.gov/Pages/See-Something-Send-Something.aspx

 https://www.dhs.gov/see-something-say-something/reporting/pennsylvania