Table of Contents
Acknowledgements 9
Introduction 11
Part I Settlement and Growth in the Mahoning Valley
Church Congregations Provide Glimpses into Ethnic Legacies of Youngstown Neighborhoods Rebecca Rogers 13
Eastern Speculators Saw Potential in Hinterlands of Western Reserve Rebecca Dale 23
The Enduring Legacy of the Rayen School John Patrick Gatta 26
Youngstowner's 1950 Manuscript Brings Brier Hill's Italian Community to Life John B. Severino 29
Part II Industrialization and the Steel Valley
Youngstown's Fortunes Rose and Fell with the Steel Industry James M. Allgren 35
Remembering Renner: Youngstown's Most Famous Brewery Tom Welsh 40
Oak Park: Youngstown's Progressive Housing Experiment Mark C. Peyko 45
Despite Apparent Benefits, WPA Program Was Fraught with Controversy Mark C. Peyko 48
"Little Steel Strike" Became Defining Moment in Youngstown Labor History Marie Shellock 53
Part III Sports, Recreation and Pop Culture
Youngstowner's Ice Cream Invention Sticks with Us Mark C. Peyko 57
Youngstown, the City that Produced the Warner Brothers Tom Welsh 60
Sinatra Plays the Palace: Witchcraft-Even in 1942 Mark C. Peyko 66
George "Shotgun" Shuba and Jackie Robinson: "A Silent, Seminal Moment in Baseball History," Christine Davidson 68
Part IV Prominent Citizens, Legends and Local Disasters
Colonel George D. Wick, Prominent Figure in Local Steel Industry, Lost on Titanic Miriam R. Klein 73
Don Hanni: Remembering Mahoning County's Bombastic Democratic Party Boss Tom Welsh 78
The Final Days of Youngstown's Palace Theatre Mark C. Peyko 85
Time Runs Out for Jeannette Blast Furnace Mark C. Peyko John Rose 88
Part V Arts, Community andCulture
Stambaugh Auditorium, a Philanthropist's Gift to the People of Youngstown Mark C. Peyko 95
Butler Institute Was First Museum Devoted to American Art Tom Welsh 98
Brier Hill: Portal to a Better Life in America Marie Shellock 104
Downtown from the Seventh Floor of the Realty Building: Recalling Life in 1940s Youngstown Lee Meadows 107
"Miss Network Difficulty" Calmed the Troubled Airwaves in the 1950s Christine Davidson 109
Part VI Mahoning Valley Icons
Volney Rogers Created Mill Creek Park for Enjoyment of Future Generations Rebecca Dale 113
Crying Fowl and Looking for Clues: The Canfield Fair Rooster Turns up Missing Mark C. Peyko 117
Last Ride at Idora Park, by Ron Flaviano 118
Schwebel's Giant: Matriarch Proved to Be Key Ingredient in Youngstown Bakery's Success Rebecca Dale 125