Profile: Joe and Becky Pennypacker - Austin Pride Committee

 Joe and Becky are the civic-minded individuals who spearhead The Austin Pride Committee.

The Austin Dam Ruins is in the background.

The Austin Pride Committee is involved in many projects here in Austin, Pennsylvania. The most popular is the Annual Fireworks.

Make your plans to attend now as July 6th will be here before you know it.

The Austin Dam Show 2024

 Where: The Austin Dam Memorial Park, Austin, Pennsylvania

Date: August 23 at 12 PM to August 25 at 3 PM.

Tickets on sale soon.

A tribute to everyone who has past away due to tragic events involving The Austin Dam

Veterans of the Vietnam War From Austin, Pennsylvania Updated

                                               

Ron Hostetlar

Roger Burgett

Charles S Crosby

Clem Crosby-RIP

John Dynda

Bernard-Mike Fowler

Barton Greeley Jr.

Robert Hunsinger - RIP

Clark Lerch

Richard L Logue

Roger D Nichols

Blair Shupe

Blair Shupe

William L Wheaton

Raymond Van Horn

Fran Burgett

 

  

Rob McKeirnan, Vietnam SeaBee 1968 - 1969

Profile: Lyle Dynda Making A Difference In Austin PA

 

Lyle Dynda

Lyle is a graduate of the Austin High School and a retired Chief Petty Officer of the United States Navy.  

He is now the Commander of the local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 7810 and President of the Vets Club.

Lyle was a Navy Seabee  and is a hands-on leader.

During his term the VFW has purchased an adjacent property and is undergoing a major renovation and expansion.

VFW Post 7810

VFW Post 7810 has donated thousands of dollars to local non-profit organizations.

There has been a substantial increased interest in the annual VFW Voice of Democracy Scholarship contest.

Kerry Ehrensberger, Brooke Tubbs, and Lyle on the right.

The VFW Post 7810 has won All-American Designation for two (2) consecutive years.

Commander Lyle Dynda is Keeping Austin Proud.

 

1911, The Austin Flood written by Paul Heimel

 

Friday, February 13, 2015

A Book Every Austinite Should Own: 1911 The Austin Flood by Paul W. Heimel

Paul W. Heimel

This book can be purchased by stopping by the E.O. Austin Home/Historical Society Museum, One Town Square, Main Street, Austin, Pennsylvania 16720.

Or, calling 814-647-8358.

Mailing address is: P.O. Box 412

Cost is $16.95 plus shipping.

Austin Man Is Celebrity Concert Pianist

 

Alfred Borelli - Celebrity Concert Pianist

The organ pictured above is located in the E.O. Austin Home/Historical Society Museum on Main Street, Austin, Pennsylvania.  It is believed that Mr. Borelli learned to play the organ/piano on this instrument.

Alfred Borelli.

• Born in Conrad
• Graduated from Austin High School
• U.S. Navy Veteran
• Graduate of Bucknell University
• Celebrity Concert Pianist
• Successful Cartoonist
• Author

Read about the life and times of Alfred Borelli in "East Fork Revisited: A Memoir".

On sale at the E.O. Austin Home/Historical Society for $16.00, or, orders can be placed by calling Ronnie Ebbert at 814-647-8358.  Add $5.00 for shipping and handling.

Beware of People Bearing Gifts

 

Gift Horse or Trojan Horse

Many people who spoke at the Austin Borough Council Meeting on Tuesday, February 3, 2014, recommended the borough council not to rush to a decision on accepting or rejecting the Agreement presented to the borough containing a restricted use clause prohibiting the property from being used as financial institution at no time in the future, and maybe, waiting a week or two before making a decision.

When the issue came to a vote, the following individuals voted to accept the Agreement as presented:

1. Bucky Blainier
2. Victoria Setzer
3. William Solomon
4. Jesse Valenti

Those voting against were:

1. Nathan Burgett
2. Bernard "Mike" Fowler
3. Fred "Joe" Fowler

Let's examine the following:

Austin Borough has a population of about 550 people.  There are approximately 240 water and sewer hook-ups.

The Austin Borough wrote off nearly $20,000.00 in past-due water and sewer accounts in 2013.  I don't have the figures for 2014. yet.

The Austin Borough lost about $20,000.00 operating the water and sewer plants in 2014.

By accepting this Agreement from Northwest Savings Bank, the Austin Borough lost "only about $1300.00" in water and sewer fees and property taxes annually.

A citizen who spoke at the meeting Tuesday night reminded those present that the Austin Area School District would lose also about $1500.00 yearly.

The Austin Area School District needed additional funding in the neighborhood of $230,000 to operate this school year.

That's what we lost!

Now, let's look at some of the things that we gained.

Additional heating, electrical, insurance, maintenance and landscaping expenses to name a few.  How much? This question was never asked or answered at the meeting. If it was, I missed it.

Wouldn't it have been prudent to know this before acting so hastily to accept this Agreement?

Note:

One ole fella at the meeting stated that if it was him, and we did not accept the Agreement that night, he would be there with a bulldozer the next day leveling the building.

Two people spoke emphatically about how dirty the borough office was.

The Founder and Director of the E.O. Austin Home/Historical Society Museum spoke, recommending we accept the Agreement and make a borough office out of it. The Northwest Saving's Bank employee who was present at the meeting stated the same.

Time will tell whether this  gift horse turns out to be a trojan horse.

The Five Star Museum In Austin, Pennsylvania

 

E.O. Austin Home/Historical Musuem

If you like looking at Old-Time pictures, or, historical exhibits in general, then you must come visit The E.O. Austin Home/Historical Museum on Main Street here in Austin, Pennsylvania.

I advise that you allow two (2) days for the visit.  One day to browse around the museum looking at all the Exhibits on display; and, the second day to view the hundreds of photographs the museum has on hand detailing Austin's History from the late 1800s to present.

You will be able to see Austin develop into a boomtown, becoming the largest community in Potter County.

View the aftermath of fires and two (2) major floods.  The flood of 1911 being the second worst in the history of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, second only to the one experienced by Johnstown.

And, experience the creation of the E.O. Austin Home/Historical Museum from start to finish.

Personally, I am impressed with the informational and educational tour given by Denise "The Story- Teller" Owens.  Denise is knowledgeable about various and sundry details regarding Austin and the people who made an imprint in Austin's History.  So, do yourself a favor and call before you visit to ascertain when Denise is working.

Again, there are hundreds of old photographs like the one's above at the museum.

Two Heroines Who Saved Many Lives on September 30, 1911, Austin, Pennsylvania

 

Two Heroines Who Saved Many Lives on September 30, 1911, Austin, Pennsylvania

Friday, February 13, 2015

A Book Every Austinite Should Own: 1911 The Austin Flood by Paul W. Heimel

Paul W. Heimel

This book can be purchased by stopping by the E.O. Austin Home/Historical Society Museum, One Town Square, Main Street, Austin, Pennsylvania 16720.

Or, calling 814-647-8358.

Mailing address is: P.O. Box 412

Cost is $16.95 plus shipping.

The Austin Disaster, 1911 Narrated By Willie Nelson

 

Willie Nelson Narrates The Austin Disaster, 1911

Willie Nelson, Austin, Pennsylvania

If you have visited or are familiar with the history of Austin, Pennsylvania, then you know of the 1911 Flood which destroyed the town, and, in which, 78 known people lost their lives.  One of those people was a Willie Nelson, who was a grocer and Democrat Party leader in the community.  Willie was also an outspoken critic of the unsafe manner in which the concrete dam was being built and was often referred to as The Jeremiah of Austin. Willie and his wife lost their lives in the flood.

Professor Gale Largey from Mansfield University grew up in St. Marys, Pennsylvania.  During his youth, he would ride up to Austin with his grandfather to view the dam ruins which still stand today.  When Professor Largey decided to put together a documentary on The Austin Flood, Willie Nelson, the singer from Austin, Texas, was the obvious choice to narrate the documentary.  Gale and a contingent of people from Austin, Pennsylvania, traveled to Austin, Texas, and after a number of meetings spanning a number of days, Willie agreed to do it.  The documentary is named The Austin Disaster, 1911: A Chronicle of Human Character.  A DVD of this entertaining and interesting documentary can be purchased at The Austin Dam Gift Shop, E.O. Austin Home/Historical Society, by mail calling the museum at (814)647-8358, or, at local businesses here in Austin, Pennsylvania.

Willie Nelson, Austin, Texas