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| The Top Five Teams sweat out the last "Jeopardy" question: Name all the streets and alleys named after people? From the Left: Deb and Kris Kunkle, Steve "Hogan" Ebbert, Mike Mriss and Jimmy Young, and Justin Markell and Scott Nothstein. Off frame to the left was Nancy Shaffer. Contestants could compete alone or in pairs. The Lehighton Fire Department Brothers of the Brush were well represented. Scorekeeper was Nate Rabenold. (A full list of contestants are listed at the end of this post.) Trivia Night photos are courtesy of Lisa Hopstock photography. Click here for her website. |
Parryville had Carbon Iron Works. The Beaver Meadow Railroad was the first rail-line in Carbon County, originating in 1830. Not to mention the paint pigments mined in the Bowmanstown area in the 1800s. The Lehigh Valley Railroad sourced through town in 1855 and Lehighton's Packerton Yard became its main repair facility.
For other Lehighton posts:
~CLICK HERE FOR THE ANSWERS TO THE TRIVIA IN THIS POST
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| A testament to the area's industrial past comes from this 1851 article about a powder mill in Mahoning Township owned by the Dormetzger brothers. |
~Lehighton Sesquicentennial Trivia Night Introduction and sample questions
So it is little wonder with America's industrial apotheosis can be directly connected to the coal and iron that came through town. Evidence of the promise of our town is shown in the naming of five of our streets: Carbon Street, Ochre Street, Coal Street, Iron Street, and Alum Street.
On the second last night of the eight-day Sesquicentennial Celebration this week, eighteen teams squared off in a trivia contest that answered questions about our town and our proud history.
Over 100 questions were developed, however only about forty-five were used. This will be the first of two posts written on this trivia. Following here will be the questions as posed Friday night. However the answers to them will appear in the next post, giving the reader a chance to test themselves.
Besides the committee members like Autumn Abelovsky and Duane Dellecker, the Trivia Night would not have been possible without the volunteer help of many individuals: Rosanne Klotz Hoats, Nate Rabenold, Lori Stubits, Rachel Quinn, Kim Rabenold, Kathy Rhoads Long, Angela Tobash, Olivia Frendt, Izabella Baka, Samantha Banning, Jess Ripkey, Dane Frantz, Nate Petit-Clair, Nathan Kemmerer, Jake Petit-Clair, Alyssa Stubits and Kennedy Quinn.
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| Hosting of the event at the Amphiteahter were Ronald Rabenold and Kathy Rhoads Long. Courtesy Hopstock Photo. |
The focus of the second post will be to cover the information contained within the questions that were not used. All 100 questions (with answers) as well as competitor names will be sealed into the time-capsule bench in front of borough hall to be opened in 2066. I'll be ninety-nine, and judging from the current state of my mind, I am certain all this material will be fairly absent from my mind by then.
1. Who is the current mayor of Lehighton?
A. Scott Rehrig, B. Grant Hunsicker, C. Thomas Mase, D. Cap Bauchspies
2. What day is garbage day in Lehighton? A. Tuesday, B. Wednesday, C. Thursday, D. Friday
3. How many parks does Lehighton have?
A. 3, B. 4, C. 5, D. 6 - (This question was thrown out due to a discrepancy on what a 'park' is...I didn't count "Sixth and Coal" but I can see how many disagreed.)
4. How much does a moving permit cost in Lehighton? A. $5, B. $10, C. $15, D. $25
5. What Lehighton sports team won the 1977 and 1987 District 11 Title?
A. Basketball, B. football, C. Cross Country, D. wrestling
6. Nominated for “Citizen of the Century,” this man was one of the last doctors to still make house calls:
A. Dr. Owen Snyder, B. Dr. Marvin Snyder, C. Dr. Alvin Reber, D. Dr. R. Scholl
7. Which one of the following is NOT an actual benevolent Lehighton organization?
A. International Order of Odd Fellows, B. Loyal Order of Buffalo,
C. The Excelsior Marines, D. Germania Saengerbund ("Zanger-bund")
8. What Lehighton sports team is the only one to win a state championship?
A. Cross Country, B. Tennis, C. Field Hockey, D. Wrestling
(Though the gymanstic team led by teachers Lewis Ginder and Mildred Obert won regionally at least four years in a row which included a trip to Pittsburgh and competed in a national invitational in 1935. Mildred was the granddaughter of town meat-packer Joe Obert and Lewis Ginder was a respected teacher, football coach and along with his wife, ran the popular "Camp Chickawaukee" summer program.)
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| Obert married George Fritzinger of Mauch Chunk in 1936. He graduated from Bucknell with an engineering degree and worked for PP & L. Obert attended LHS and Sargent School of Physical Education in Cambridge Mass as well as doctoral studies at Columbia Universtiy. She was well traveled to places in Europe as well as our west coast. |
9. In the 1950s, this civic group started a fundraising campaign to fund the Lehighton Memorial Library:
A. the Masons, B. the Elks, C. the Lions, D. Loyal Order of Buffalo (Remember the gumball machines with Ford gum? That was the original fundraiser...one of these gumball machines is still in use at the Lehighton Boulevard Drive-in.)
10. The Lehighton Lions also sponsored what annual event starting back as far back as 1949. It continued at the Lehighton Fair into the 1980s.
A. Bicycle races, B. Demolition derby, C. Miss Carbon County pageant, D. pie-eating contest
11. Which of these Lehighton businesses was known to employ the most people:
A. The Packerton Yard, B. Scotty’s Fashions, C. Blue Ridge Pressure Castings, D. Baer Silk Mill
12. Which of the following could you purchase at Kirkendall’s on South Second Street?
A. ice cream, B. bicycles, C. shoe repair, D. tombstones
13. Which of these current Lehighton businesses has operated the longest:
A. Zimmerman’s Dairy, B. Blue Ridge Pressure Castings, C. Lehighton Hardware, D. Dunbar Bottling (Hint: This question may also be open for discussion as the Zimmerman's Dairy first started in Mahoning Valley, those years were not included in this logic, so this question too should have been thrown out. Of "B," "C," and "D," the correct business was started in 1925.)
14. Though this is the 150th year of its incorporation as a borough, Lehighton was actually founded prior to the Revolutionary War, over 250 years ago. Who founded this first settlement?
A. Col. Jacob Weiss, B. Ben Franklin, C. George Whitfield of Nazareth, D. Moravian Missionaries
15. Who made the tastiest chicken in all of Lehighton, known as “chicken in the rough?”
A. Your mother, B. the Boulevard, C. Getz’s, D. Kleintops
This ended round one and we had to say goodbye to our lowest scoring teams. Before they left the were given the chance at a “parting gift” question:
Approximately, how many fire hydrants does the borough of Lehighton have?
A. Less than 50, B. 50-100, C. 100-150, D. More than 150 (Contestants did not get choices to pick from. The winner of a Sesquicentennial mug was Tanner Eckman.)
The top 15 teams advanced to the next round.
Round Two:
16. Which Lehighton business once produced the iconic and highly sought after 'Hurst' shifter handle:
A. Hersh Iron Foundry (down on the 'flats') B. Knepper Airplane Manufacturer (Iron St)
C. Blue Mountain Machine(originally started at Graver’s Pool) D. Blue Ridge Pressure Castings
17. What store in downtown Lehighton was the first and only business in Carbon County to have both an elevator and escalator:
A. Brights’ Dept Store, B. Cohen’s, C. Greenberger’s, D. G.C. Murphy
18. This auto dealer was first on Iron St, then moved to First St, and lastly on Route 443:
A. Hahn & Son, B. Kovatch, C. Moyer and Haupt, D. Serfas Motors
19. This early auto dealer suffered a devastating fire in May of 1918:
A. Hahn & Son, B. Otto Kropf Studebaker, C. Moyer and Haupt, D. Serfas Motors
20. This Lehighton man had a stand-out football and basketball career at Lehighton, became the quarterback at Syracuse University and is presently offensive coordinator at Michigan State University.
A. Pete Barclay, B. Dave Warner, C. Tom Kresge, D. John Armbruster
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| Not only did T. A. Snyder buy the Michigan State building, but other buildings from the Pan-Am Expostiion in Buffalo New York were brought here to create a resort area of the Flgstaff Mountain in an effort to build ridership on his trolley line. Click here for more on Snyder. |
21. Theodore A. Snyder bought a mansion at the Pan American Exposition and had it reassembled near the Grove and was considered our grandest home until it burned. The home was called:
A. Windmere, B. Builtmore, C. Mahoning Court, D. Colonial Court
22. Which of the following year was Lehighton said to have reached its peak population:
A. 1940, B. 1960, C. 1970, D. None of these
23. What was Lehighton’s peak population:
A. 5,500, B. over 6,500, C. Over 7,000, D. Over 8,000
24. Lehighton lies on this line of north latitude of the equator:
A. About 25, B. 35, C. About 40, D. 55
25. This Lehighton bottler died in 1945. He was overweight and one inch too short to be enlisted in WWI. But after hanging around the recruiting station for over a month, his “mirthful spirit” caught the eye of a major and they took him overseas.
A. Mahlon Kistler, B. Eugene Baer , C. Eugene Small, D. Lewis Dunbar
(Lewis Dunbar was a wagon driver a confections business in the 1920s and up to the 1930s. He wanted to enlist in WWI, but was an inch short (5'3") and was about 100 pounds overweight. He didn't take 'no' for an answer. Living in Ohio and married to a local girl there at that time, he hung around the recruiting station for a month until finally a major couldn't resist his “mirth” and humor. He attended a 1935 national Legionaries' convention and made the papers as the nations heaviest veteran at 285 pounds, with a 65 inch waist (at 63 tall!). Naturally plagued with illness including diabetes, he died of a coronary in 1945 at the age of 56.)
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| From the 1931 LHS yearbook. |
26. What was the year of Lehighton’s first founding by the Moravians?
A. 1707, B. 1737 (year of Thomas Penn’s Walking Purchase), C. 1746, D. 1755
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| Joseph Semanoff was a veteran of WWII in the 101st Airborne and was Carbon's state representative to the General Assemply. His son Gene served in the Air Force and Gene's son Peter is a Captain in the Army today. Gene's daughter Major Alison serves as an Army doctor. Another son of Joe Semanoff, Greg, did two tours in Vietnam with the combat engineers. Greg's son, Mike Semanoff, was in the 82nd Airborne in the 1990s. |
27. This Lehighton business man was said to have accidentally brought smallpox into the community in 1903 causing a general quarantine of southern Lehighton:
A. James Blakslee, B. Moses Heilman, C. Theodore Snyder, D. Eugene Baer
28. Who made Lehighton’s famous “Grandma’s Potato Chips” on Bridge St:
A. Orville Shoemaker, B. Gordon Bennett, C. George Freeby, D. Mel Gilham
29. Prior to representing Carbon County as our state representative in the 1970s, what was the profession of Lehighton’s Joseph Semanoff?
A. mechanic, B. teacher, C. grocery store owner, D. hotel owner
30. Who was a state qualifier in wrestling and went onto West Point and finished as a NCAA National Runner-up in college. He is currently a teacher in Lehighton:
A. Denny Semmel, B. Rick Long, C. Charlie Bachert, D. Dave Warner
After this question, only the top five teams remained to play a round of "Jeopardy." All five of these teams scored at least twenty points, the highest advancing team had twenty-five points. The topics were: "Sports," "Famous," "Borough," "Corner 'Stores'," and "Current Events."
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| Even though it was a "Jeopardy" board, Alyssa and Kennedy worked as "Vanna White's" removing category markers during game play. Courtesy of Hopstock Photo. |
There were five questions in each category numbered in graduated difficulty from one to five. These points were added to previously earned points. Not all the questions were selected, but all of them are listed here. Questions that were not used in competition will be marked with an '*.'
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| Guided by Mildred Obert and Lewis Ginder, the Lehighton Gymnastics teams of the early 1930s went unbeaten in regional competition and even went onto compete nationally. |
SPORTS:
*#1. The 1976 Boys Basketball team went undefeated in the inaugural Centennial League, winning 21 games before losing in Districts. However, they lost their season-opener to whom?
*#2. What Lehighton athlete sits in the Top 70 scorers of all time in Pennsylvania Basketball history with 2,234 points, this was in a 1980s career without the 3-point line. (#63 on the list is Wilt Chamberlain!)
#3. This Olympic athlete from Weissport held the world-record in the butterfly and trained at Graver’s Swimming pool.
#4. This man once played for Lehighton’s semi-pro baseball teams in the late 1890s for $5 a game eventually made it into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. (He was a lawyer by trade from Pittston and was known to have entered to words into our lexicon: "Atta-boy" when someone does a good thing as well as "Ee-yah!" He was known as an incessant picker of grass from his first base coaching post. Made the Hall for his managing, coaching, and playing.)
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| A family of fair-goers in the early 1960s. The photo, from the Morning Call archives of Ralph Kreamer lists "Mr and Mrs Thomas German with daughter Brenda Dianne. |
#5. What sport came to an end in the borough with the two fatalities in two separate incidents at the Carbon Fair?
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| Franz Kline had a little fun drawing this sketch in the 1931 LHS yearbook describing a day in November when he and Harold Rabenold took a day off for "nature study." Using some Pennsylvania Dutch humor of "I vonder vare dot rabbit vent to." |
FAMOUS:
#1. Arguably the most famous person to come out of Lehighton, he was best known for his abstract art, he painted the Legion mural.
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| In addition to Dunbar Bottling, there was also Ripkey's "Carbon Bottling Works" in the alley of South Ninth between Iron and Mahoning. |
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| Ripkey carried Horlacher's that got it start with father and son Fred and George at Bridge and First Sts Lehighton before moving to Allentown. |
#2. Lehighton’s Fair was well-known state-wide. Where was it in the 1870s-1890s?
#3. Lehighton Moxie outsold Coca-cola in the early 1900s. In the 1930s and 1940s Lehighton was one of two places this soda was produced. Name the other city.
*#4. This regionally famous beer got its start at Lehighton’s First and Bridge Streets in the late 1800s/early 1900s with father and son Fred and George.
#5. Most widely known for playing drums with Paul McCartney’s “Wings,” this Lehighton native also played for Janis Joplin, James Brown, Art Garfunkel, and Billy Joel.
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| In what only can be described as a bizarre piece of news, William Hammel was threatened by a lynch mob for his refusal to buy a war bond even though the drive was over. It is unknown if his decision was based on economics or some other objection. |
BOROUGH:
#1. How many cemeteries are there in the borough?
#2. In 1880, which occupation was claimed by the most Lehighton residents? Doctors, barbers, cigar makers, ministers, or painters?
#3. Name the shortest street in town.
#4. Who is the current supervisor of the Lehighton Water Authority?
#5. Who is the current supervisor of the Power Dept?
CORNER "STORES" (not just stores):
*#1. Koch and Everett partnered in furniture and appliances at the site of the former Trainer’s Grocery Store at Third and Cypress. What was their business called?
#2. The steep hill of Coal St is named after this business.
(As a bonus questions, give William Hammel's occupation before he started his store?)
#3. The Mandour family (Joe, Ed, George) ran what two well-known Lehighton businesses on two different downtown corners.
*#4. Larry Markley’s Nationwide Insurance agency is the current site of a corner grocery store, Lehighton’s longest family run grocery store, into 1998.
#5. Who ran an Atlantic gas station on the corner of 7th and Mahoning from the 1930s to the 1980s?
CURRENT EVENTS:
#1. Who is Lehighton’s tax collector?
#2. Name the organization that saved the Lehighton Baer Memorial Pool?
#3. Who is Lehighton’s Fire Chief?
#4. Who is the longtime bugler for the UVO, cemetery care-taker, and well-known for his Perseverance jazz band? (His band played in the amphitheater following Trivia Night.)
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| Son of a silk mill owner in New Jersey, Baer's son Carlos married Florence Teets. It was Carlos who arranged for the lands of southwest Lehighton to be made into a recreational area. Carlos and Florence were uncle and aunt to current town resident Carlos Teets. |
*#5. Who is the current owner of Mallard Markets?
#1 - Danny Stubits – Retired
#3 Olivia Frendt and Jess Ripkey - Students
#5 Steve Ebbert - THIRD PLACE FINISHER
#6 Tanner Eckman
#15 Suzy and Lyle Cordes – Teacher and child/student (daughter of Lehighton Electronics Austin Blew)
#20 – James Young/Michael Mriss – HVAC Technician/OPS Mgr & Asst Fire Chief - FIRST PLACE FINISHERS
#22 Susan Cook/Jordan Cook – Wilkes College & LAHS Student
#24 – Justin E Markell & Scott Nothstein – Senior 911 Dispatcher/Equipment operator - TOP FIVE FINISHER
#27 – Mary Strohl & Karen Reichard (Snyder sisters) – Lehighton Tax collector and Borough police secretary
#29 – Nathan Kemmerer & Jake Pettit-Clair - LAHS Students (They marked “Hoodlums” as their occupation!)
#32 – Nancy L. Shaffer – retired - TOP FIVE FINISHER
#44 – Sam Banning and Isabella Baka – Students LAHS
#69 – Duane and Barb Dellecker
#46 – Nick and Logan Yaro – Students
#50 – Nicole Beckett – Borough Manager
#55- Jean Everett – Retired bank teller
#57 – Kris&Deb Kunkle/Superintendent of Public Works - SECOND PLACE FINISHERS
#60 Dane Frantz and Matt Pettit-Clair – Students
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DON'T FORGET:
Answers will appear in the next blog post in a few days!
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| All of the Top 5 contestants can be seen in this photo: Nancy Shaffer, Deb and Kris Kunkle, Steve Ebbert, Michael and Jim Young, and Justin Markell and Scott Nothstein. Mriss & Young finished first followed by the Kunkles and Ebbert. |
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| This picture was used by TV-13 for their parade coverage intro and is my favorite picture of my grandfather who founded Haas' Store in the early 1930s. |
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| Cal Haas' son Robert at the meat counter in the middle 1970s. Bobboy took over the store in the 1960s and ran it until 1998. |
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| Add caption |
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