Feltsville PA

Some of us folks back here in NEPA have been asked about another get together. If you are interested in something during 2017 or later, post a comment here or email/call one of us.  Jim Z.

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A growing group of interested people have been meeting during 2013 to plan a 'reunion' of sorts. This group numbers about 25 already and many others have stated interest in such an event. It wouldn't be surprising at all to have a few hundred attendees if all goes well. (Maybe even more?)

We at www.feltsville.info will try to keep people updated as plans evolve. For now, people interested in info or who want to express their interest and/or intent to attend such an event, can use this sites email address to contact the appropriate people.We are working with them and will route these emails to the right place.

Also you can help by routing this info to others whom you know and may be at a distance in cyber-space so they can 'check in'.

Feel free to 'check in' here by posting your name and if you like, more info about where you are or have been since the glory days in Felt's Patch ;-)

Thanks, Jim Z.

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NEPA is pretty cold and dreary in winter. January and February are the worst. Noone from Feltsville went to Florida for the winter. Maybe they got as far south as Wilkes-Barre. Nearly everyone heated with coal, often only the cooking stove in the kitchen and maybe a 'heatelator' in another room. They did get hot and threw off a lot of heat but the houses were pretty drafty and not insulated. Some people  bathed once a week in a galvanized tub in the kitchen (near the stove for heat and hot water).

The coal stove ashes came in handy to throw on sidewalks and the road when it snowed. Cars had a lot of trouble climbing even modest hills back then. 4th street was the toughest in the patch, especially with cars parked on both sides. If you were fortunate you could afford recapped snow tires from American Auto or Dean Phipps. Well, actually deepnding on what year you think about, many people had no cars at all and depended on foot or the occasional bus to go to "town".

"Russian" Christmas on January 7 extended the season of celebration, though most families in the 1950s and before probably only observed one Christmas and regarded the other one as 'not real'. Later as families intermarried and grew to celebrating multiple holidays...one of the benifits of 'diversity' in the patch in the 1950s and after.

Those with outhouses for a bathroom had it especially tough...

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St. George's and St. Mary's churches were the only two churches in "Felt's Patch". They were both relocated to new buildings as  result of the mine subsidence and government purchases of the patch.  In 2012 both churches were still active but with dramatically fewer parishioners. 

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1. Two churches (St. Mary's and St. George's)
2. Three grocery/general stores (Ecker, Hudzina, Kavulich)  
3. One newstand/candy store (Sepa)
4. Five bars/clubs (Kavulich, Potkul, Ruddy, Semion, St. George's Club)
5. One mortician (Semian)
6. No medical professionals
7. One grammar school,  grades K-6  (Garfield)
8. Approximately 500 residents in 75 homes (?)
9. No playgrounds or public recreational facilities
10. Many open fields and lightly wooded areas

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