Photos of the Month

Bloomsburg Elks Lodge, decorated for Christmas, 1948. The Lodge was located on Market Street, in the former Tustin Mansion. The building is currently the home of the Bloomsburg Regional Technology Center. The Elks have relocated to Old Berwick Road.

Available just in time for Christmas, is an old book with new look. For those who don’t already own a copy of Pioneer Families of Northern Columbia County, which was originally published in 2001, now you can get a new revised edition, with added photos, a handy index, and a colorful new cover. Click on the Shop/Publications tab to place your order!

Robbins-Ikeler Homestead, Robbins Rd., Mt. Pleasant Twp. (Corner of Millertown Rd. & Robbins Rd.) Lady is Emma Ruckle McMichael, wife of Harry. She was born November 5, 1873.

Pictured from left: Grammy Cotner, Jean Appelman, Maw Terwilliger, and Phyllis (Appelman) Rhodomoyer on the Appelman Family Farm at Buckhorn. The Farm was located just over the hill from the Old Buckhorn Fire Hall. Phyllis is now 96 and is a resident at Signature Health Care, Bloomsburg. Grammy was her great-grandmother, Jean was her mother, and Maw was her grandmother. Circa 1935.

Laytar Brothers Supermarket, 401 W. Front St., Berwick. Left - Paul Laytar, Right - George Laytar. Photo #42-0144

In 1901, T. L. Gunton Marble & Granite used a horse-drawn wagon to transport their heavy loads after removing them through a large garage door right on Main Street. This business was located at 113 W. 2nd St., the current site of the West End Ale Haus. Photo #04-0153.

This small unassuming two-story off-the-beaten-path brick building was once the home to the Gem Steam Laundry. Later it was a small grocery store, and more recently it was home to an ethnic restaurant. Located at 232 Iron St. (corner of Pine Avenue), the Shearer Grocery Store is shown above in 1966. Photo #38-0061.

This building was once the place farmers went to buy feed for their livestock and was the inspiration for Clue #12 in the Scavenger Hunt. It was near David Waller's house and across the street from the Sanitarium building (both buildings now gone). Fire took the top half of the building, but the bottom remains. Today it is still a store but you won't find livestock feed there. It is 601 Market St., the current home of W. W. Bridal. Photo #01-0274.

This building was the first home of the Bloomsburg Hospital, built by Joseph Ratti. It still stands at 450 Spruce Street and was the answer to Clue #8 in our Scavenger Hunt. Photo #08-0086.

This 1912 photo shows Samuel R. Bidleman's store which was featured in Clue #4 in our recent Scavenger Hunt. This building was originally a hotel (Exchange Hotel), which also held many small shops on the ground floor, including a barber shop, a cigar store, and Samuel R. Bidleman's store, where he sold books, stationery and wallpaper. It was remodeled after a fire. Its restaurant was once THE place for gluttons (the groaning board at the Magee Hotel). A: 24 West Main St.