|
Stop/Restart the Music |
Send Mail to the TurtleMaster |
July 2001 -- This page is dedicated to the memory of a long time friend of mine who was a native of Turtle Creek and was the inspiration for and major contributor to this web page. He left us in July 2001 and will be sorely missed by all whose lives he touched over the years.
|
Turtle Creek Tales
Stuff About a Borough 1 in Western PA!
|
|
Save TCHS
February 17, 2006 -- Latest News from the Commitee to Save Turtle Creek High School:
- There is an ongoing project to pursue the application for historic building status with Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation.
- The Committee is pursuing fact-finding on renovation projects and financial issues relevant to our basic goal of retaining TCHS in Turtle Creek.
- The Woodland Hills School District at its February 4, 2006 meeting announced that the it has decided to form an Ad Hoc committee to study proposed renovation/construction issues at East Junior High School:
- The deadline to apply is February 17; the wording on the announcement is "We are seeking representatives from all communities; all volunteers may not be selected."
- Please contact the District Office at 412-731-1300, ext. 0161, for an application.
- If you can help; please volunteer.
- The Committee is thinking about having a fund raiser to bring our group back together and to help finance our efforts. If you have suggestions about this; please contact one of the Committee members.
- Thanks for everyone's support and remember that "Together We Can Make a Difference."
- Contact Bob Mock (412-780-6637) or Connie Morenzi (412-829-1869).
Previous CTSTCHS News
- One outcome of the WHSD Board meeting on December 7, 2005 was that the board will have their architects look at TCHS (East) with the plan of renovating the building.
- The HHDSR architects plan to make a presentation at the second WHSD Board meeting in January 2006.
- CTSTCHS will continue to meet; there will be another Town Meeting; the date has not been set.
- In the meantime, CTSTCHS will be working to initiate the application process for the historic building designation.
- The crowd that attended the Town Meeting on November 30, 2005 was estimated at 250, the participants were very vocal, and everyone gained a lot of information about the WHSD plans. Thanks to everyone for their support.
Our Proud Past:
- Turtle Creek High School has served our community proudly for 88 years. Opening in 1917, thousands of students came from great distances throughout the region to attend Turtle Creek Union High School
- Turtle Creek High School provided a wonderful education for our residents. Among the thousands of graduates are celebrities, community leaders, doctors, nurses, business and military leaders, sports heros and tradesman.
- Turtle Creek High School underwent a extensive renovation which was completed in 1978 at a cost of $3,291,595.00.
- In 1981 Turtle Creek was merged with other local districts to form the Woodland Hills School District.
- Today, Turtle Creek High School is known as East Junior High and serves 330 students (grades 7 & 8) from the Woodland Hills School District.
Our Present:
- The Woodland Hills School Board voted in Jan 2005 (a split decision) in favor of demolishing Turtle Creek High School
- The Woodland Hills School Board has indicated that a"TAX INCREASE" will be required to build a $20 million dollar DUPLICATE of Turtle Creek High School (minus a swimming pool) for 330 students.
The Committee to Save Turtle Creek High School (CTSTCHS) believes:
- Turtle Creek High School is the last beautiful building left in our town
- Turtle Creek High School has great historical significance
- Turtle Creek High School is structurally sound and in good condition
- It is impossible to raze Turtle Creek High School and build a duplicate for less than the cost of renovating it
- Woodland Hills Taxpayers and Business Owners cannot absorb another TAX INCREASE
- The School Board needs to reconsider their decision and develop an alternate use plan for Turtle Creek High School.
Please show your support with an
e-mail or letter:
CTSTCHS
647 Locust St
Turtle Creek PA 15145
Contact CTSTCHS via e-mail at mbobmock@aol.com
Thank you – CTSTCHS
A little history -- The Myth...Turtle Creek Valley was named for the famous Indian chief "Little Turtle".
In the 1780's Shawnee Indians watched as an expedition from Ft. Washington (now Cincinnati), led by George Rogers Clark, headed north through their hunting grounds along the Turtle Creek.
The Reality, courtesy of Conrad Foltyn
...Turtle Creek, PA was not named after the famous Indian Chief Meshikinquah or Little Turtle. Turtle creek was probably named by the Indians because a lot of turtles were found in the creek. Thats what they did back then. Just like Beaver creek (The Beaver River). Lots of beavers, no Chief Little Beaver.
Terrapin Creek (now called Terrapin Run) up the Monongahela River was probably named that way too. The map that George Washington used when he was sent to tell the French to leave the Ohio Valley (1753) and later used by General Braddock (1755) already shows Turtle Creek just south of Fraziers cabin and is subsequently noted in Captain Robert Orme's journal (and map) of Braddock's campaign (Also 1755). Little turtle was born in 1752 in Indiana so it would have not been named after him. He being three years old.
Christopher Gist, a member of Washington's party, wrote in his journal on Thursday, November 22nd 1753. "We set out and came to the mouth of Turtle Creek, about twelve miles, to John Frazier's, and he was very kind to us, and lent us a canoe to carry our baggage to the forks, about ten miles."
Turtle Creek, Lebanon Township, Ohio (north of Cincinnati) was, however, named for Little Turtle, War Chief of the Miamis who along with Chief Blue Jacket defeated both General Harmar and later General Arthur St Clair near Fort Recovery, both in Indiana in 1791.
Lebanon, in the heart of Turtle Creek Township, saw its beginnings in 1802. Just west of Lebanon, Union Village was settled. With over 4,000 acres, it was the largest Shaker Community in the "West."
Demographics:
- The population of Turtle Creek is approximately 6556.
- The approximate number of families is 3067.
- The amount of land area in Turtle Creek is 2.541 square kilometers.
- The amount of surface water is 0 square kilometers.
- The distance from Turtle Creek to Washington DC is 185 statute miles.
- The distance to the Pennsylvania state capital is 156 statute miles. (Statute miles are "as the crow flies").
- Turtle Creek is positioned 40.40 degrees north of the equator and 79.82 degrees west of the prime meridian.
Trains are big in Turtleburgh -- The Story of the Turtle Creek Railroad (TCR) layout is based on the idea that Pittsburgh Pennsylvania never amounted to anything because it was too close to Brownsville on the National Road. However, the failure of the Whiskey Rebellion drove the local people to finding another way around the tax and road tolls. The answer was the Turtle Creek, which grew out of the Portage Railroad. The Turtle Creek quickly developed all the best routes into western Pennsylvania so the PRR and B&O upstarts ended up being subsidiaries of the TCR.
Bridges of local interest:
Local sports -- Pinky's Billiards Parlor, 953 Airbrake Avenue
2 (412-823-9670) -- a throwback to the old-time pool halls like those seen in movies like The Hustler, Pinky's is a place where the serious pool player will always feel comfortable. There are eight nine-foot tables -- all in first rate condition -- and one can usually find a game against a quality opponent.
Local heroes -- Here's one who earned the "CMOH."
Dining in Turtle Creek -- If you ever make it to Turtle Creek, be sure to
visit one of the local dining establishments. Casey's Pizza is said to have the best Italian food in the "Crick."
Our proudest moments:
Famous local vocalists -- The Vogues!
The last babe in Turtle Creek -- Used to be available
here. But looks like she has been taken!
The local rag -- All the
news that's fit to print (and some that probably isn't!).
Nearby institutions -- A select few of the Turtle Creek local citizenry have been rumored to have done
time in this place.
Just another borough -- These guys call themselves the "Magic City", but they're really a Boro like Turtle Creek!
The Burbs -- A view of our largest suburb. Its called Pittsburgh.
Local trivia -- We have a gap in our Turtle Creek trivia knowledge. If any viewers know how many turtles run around the top of three of the four sides of the telephone company's central office in Turtle Creek, please send
us an email. We will publish your answers here, provided that's all right with you.
19 October 1999....The knowledge gap is closing! Here's an update courtesy of Tony Ditillo, of North Huntingdon, PA:
"Something I never realized even though I worked in that building for 20 years. On the outside there are 6 walls. The front corners are angled off. So we have turtles on 5 walls. The turtles used to be at the top of the building until they added the 3rd floor in 1978 or 1979."
Stay tuned for more. We hope to have an accurate turtle count and pictures soon!
12 November 1999....The pictures are here.
Scenes for the "Crick" -- The picture on the right is an aerial view of a portion of Turtle Creek showing the location of a few of the Borough's landmarks.
This page was last updated on Tuesday, 25 October, 2005 14:05:08
Use the Stop Button or Mute to turn off the music!
1What's a Borough? -- in certain states of the US, an incorporated municipality smaller than a city. Originally, in the UK, a fortified town organized as and having some of the powers of an independent country.
2Want to know why there's an Airbrake Avenue in Turtle Creek? Here's a
clue!
