A US Navy Ship which was commsioned in Pittsburgh but never saw water

I was a boyscout in early 70's when our  troop got to visit the US Naval Reserve Center in Pittsburgh's Oakland section between the then Carnegie Mellon campus and  US Coal Mines research center buildings .

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19550512&id=2DkxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7GoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1331,3202278

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1144&dat=19550511&id=jTAgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3E0EAAAAIBAJ&pg=5850,3742695

It was designed inside the building to simulate an actual ship and in the front of the building was a mock up of a ships command center and hull which was visible thru large front glass window  and was commissioned as the USS Oakland . Some time in late 80's the site was sold to Carnegie Mellon University as was the Coal Mine research facility and the naval reserve center moved out to North Versailles .

the Oakland facility was torn down and replaced by the buildings you see in the picture above.

 

I have been trying to find a picture of the building but have been unsuccessful so far  maybe some one reading this article has one and would be willing to share.

 

 

Early 50's attraction in Butler County featured Real Live Circus Animals and down the road was McDonalds Farm our ever vanishing road side attractions

Located off US 422 & Keck Road was a place known as Circus Town USA managed by Pete Keffalas

It consisted of congregated metal buildings painted in a circus theme and at one time held live circus shows.  Started in early 50's it lasted a decade before it closed

and rotted to point the land owner tore what was left of  it down around 2011. when they rebuilt the US422 and Pa 38 Interchange 

I remember as a kid riding pass the brightly painted yet fading metal buildings  and always wondered about the abandoned place and at one point the Pittsburgh Press ran an article all about it and how it was going to partly disappear with the realignment of an intersection.
Seems a family got the idea to run the place as a road side attraction and in fact they had real circus type animal acts people could see  but with ever increasing costs to keep the place running and ever increasing rules on maintaining the animals and fact insurance carriers no longer wanted to write policy's for such places they slowly all started falling away and closing.  Now there where plenty of rumors a wild animal got loose and killed or maimed some one  but this was never the case with Circus town  a panther did get loose one time and was quickly recaptured  .
How ever a lion did get loose at Luna park in Pittsburgh Oakland section which was one of the things condemning that park.

There is very little you can find in the way of pictures or history on Circus town as is the same case with Old McDonalds farm which was a  large petting Zoo along US 422 outside of Butler as well it was still running into early 70's  near Big Butler Farm Show  grounds when it abruptly closed and is now a concrete forms plant.

It had a large barn and many fenced in areas with all kind of animals you could pet.
But again details on the place and pictures are very hard to find.

These are just 2 of many road side attractions now lost to memory  and now mentioned in old tales and rumors of what once was.
While many road side attractions had a very seedy notorious side these 2 did not appear to be so.

Update 2 missing Pittsburgh mens bodys found days apart in Ohio river

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2015/03/26/2-missing-pittsburgh-men-dead/

A Tragic fire in 1995 which Killed 3 Pittsburgh Firefighters a young man convicted in their deaths and now a New trail is being ordered

It was a horrifying situation as 3 Firefighters perished in a February 1995 fire in Pittsburgh's Homewood /Brushton section. It was even more horifuing  when it was announced to be an Arson fire.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=799&dat=19950211&id=dGEzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZVIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2965,4991373&hl=en

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19970207&id=w_wyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0W8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4594,4358291&hl=en

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19950215&id=mPNSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=q4IDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4741,8312786&hl=en

Ultimately a young man  17 yr old  Gregory brown Jr.would be accused and sentenced to life in prison and his mom Darlene Buckner  convicted of insurance fraud.

But from the very start of this case things have not been adding up
https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2519&dat=19970219&id=oyZdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yloNAAAAIBAJ&pg=1716,2381438&hl=en

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19960507&id=_tZRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=w28DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4213,5672318&hl=en

Because of these discrepancy   The Innocence Project became involved because they believe justice was not done in this case.

http://www.wpxi.com/news/news/local/appeals-court-upholds-new-trial-firefighters-1995-/nkb9s/

While the Fire Investigator hired by the insurance agency that covered the home felt it was possibly related to a defective natural gas pipe line  The City and Federal Investigators  felt it was Arson and pursued it as a criminal case.

A new trail was ruled and then immediately   appealed by Allegheny County DA which the appeal has been overturned and unless further appealed will proceed .

One big thing this new trial will be hinged on is the Fire Investigation Techniques used at the time. 
as it has been revealed in Arson Case Re-Trial after Re-Trial how the Investigation techniques used 
even today are flawed  often called junk Science and even with modern science are being challenged  and there are many questions as to how the case was handled and the fact paid informants where used and not revealed .You better believe the DA is worried the young man will be found innocent  If this young man did set the fire and killed the 3 firefighters I say Fry the SOB  and let him rot in prison . If not then right a wrong and set him free. This trial is going to open up many old wounds but they can not properly heal if justice was not properly done. Lets settle it and all the rumors which have been swirling around the fire community  ever since the fire happened .