The Catasauqua Playground Celebrating 100 Years!!

Since this weekend was the 100th year celebration for the Catasauqua Playground I wanted to re-publish two blogs I wrote back in 2011 - I was laid off at the time and spent some time researching the history of Catasauqua.  On Friday night I was down at the park to hear the Large Flowerheads.  Deb Mellish did give a little of the park history - so it made me look back - please enjoy this blog from June 2, 2011 -

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So, I just rediscovered a great place in Catasauqua and that is the Catasauqua Public Library. Got myself a new Library card, haven't seen my old one for over 25 years probably. But, I wanted to do research on the Catty Swimming Pool and couldn't find the information online so it was off to the Library. I must say I will be stopping in more often they have a lot of James Patterson books, who I love to read and since I am not working and I am almost through the books I had piled to read, it will be a great place to go.

Anyway, I found what I wanted and so much more. Here we go. John and Lesher Yeager sold 15.728 acres of land for $3,145.60 to the newly formed Catasauqua Park and Playground Association, with the stipulation that the area remain as a playground for 30 years. In 1921 the Association bought the area known as "the Dips". Bascom and Sieger Construction was hired in to do the work of building a playground and on July 3, 1916 the playground opened with 2 basketball courts, 4 tennis courts, 2 volley ball courts and a band shell.

A hand dug lake which was dammed below Bridge Street was built. The lake was 600 feet by 100 feet and was 5 to 6 feet deep.

During the post war years the park and playground where the hub of the community.

The only disappointment was the lake, the water was good for a couple of years, but then it began to drain. It became muddy after rains, it developed sink holes and eventually turned into a marsh, which kids loved to muck through.

There was a park curfew at 9:00 PM, the whistle from the water works would blow and it was time to go.

Improvement came to the Catasauqua playground in in the form of funds from the WPA Program (Works Projects Administration) and the Borough used these funds to develop the playground.

The Works Progress Administration (renamed during 1939 as the Work Projects Administration; WPA) was the largest and most ambitious New Deal Agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects. It fed children and redistributed food, clothing, and housing. Almost every community in the United States had a park, bridge or school constructed by the agency, which especially benefited rural and Western areas

There are TWO (we all know the pool was one, but what was the other?) great projects that were built by the WPA at the playground, and I will discuss them in my next blog and with that...... it's another day in Catasauqua.

Concert in the Park

Well, summer has officially begun for me.  No it's not because it has been 90 degrees for the last two days.  No it's not because I put the air conditioners in and no it is not because it is Memorial Day Weekend - it's because I saw my first Concert in the Park.

A friend from my school days, Tim, told me to check out the band Reaction, that they would be playing the first Concert in the Park.  So, I woke Parke up and made him go with me.  He was napping because watching me carry and put in the 3 air conditioners tired him out.  Anyway - we headed down to the Catasauqua Playground.  It is a really short walk for us but it did help me get to the number of steps I want in a day on my fitness band-bonus.

We found a great spot at the top of the hill with a clear view and a breeze.  It was a vantage point to people watch and listen to the band. Great thing about the Amphitheater is that the whole area is in the shade by 7:00 PM

The band Reaction is a classic rock cover band.  The music is tight, I will give them credit for that. AND they definitely need to learn the first part of Free Bird, I have the feeling that the range might be too low for their lead singer, Luis Rivera.  He has a voice more like Axl Rose than Ronnie Van Zant and it is definitely a great rock voice.  The guitars, base, lead and rhythm are fantastic and the drummer is not bad at all, although I was not a big fan of his singing, Parke pointed out that he had the lyrics wrong.  That happened a couple of times, but unless your a purest like Parke it didn't really seem to matter.

They did songs from Cheap Trick, Journey, Kiss, Doobie Brothers and much more.  As the night went on they just seemed to get better and better.  We left after their second set.  Parke slept through supper so he was hungry.

There website is http://www.reactionrocks.com/home.html in case you want to check them out. They are also on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/reactionrocks/?fref=ts.

All in all I give them two thumbs up and a shout out of thanks to Tim for pointing me in their direction. 

To the Band - learn the first part of Free Bird - let the drummer sing it. 

And now as I drink my first Margarita of the season - another sign Summer has begun for me, let me say this, "If I leave here tomorrow would you still remember me? For I must be traveling on now 'Cause there's too many places I've got to see....and that's another day in Catasauqua...rock on!

Friday Nights at the Catasauqua Amphitheatre

Two Friday nights ago we finally made to it one of the concerts in the Park.  We took Petey, our dog, for his first concert.  What a great night it was - weather wise, dog wise and friend wise.

The Catasauqua Amphitheater is situated at such a great spot at the bottom on the three dips - it's own natural arena.    It makes me wonder - are the three dips man made?  I know that the WPA Playground Project of 1935 was used to construct the pool and pool house, but what about the three dips?

Anyway - lets talk about the summer concert series - we went to hear the Toga Party Band.  They were fun - music was good.  Every Friday night from May 29 to September 4 there is a different band.  Take your blanket, some food and drinks and perhaps chairs and your night is complete.  Heck I even saw a table set up,

People were talking, some were dancing.  Children were running around playing.  It was a lot of family friendly fun.  I wasn't sure how Petey would be at his first concert.  We sat on the hill next to the walkway that leads down to the pool.  Boy, I forgot how steep that hill is.  My old lady knees had a hard time making their way down the hill, but we don't go down the hill far.  Petey is either very cute or scary depending how you view pitbulls - I was tickled when one boy asked if he could pet him - Petey loves it. And, better yet,  a Sunday School student of mine, Kylie and a friend stopped by for some hugs and kisses from Petey - Kylie has met Petey before,  Petey did growl at the band when the music started but he got use to it pretty quick.

We had plans to go last Friday night to see Steel Creek, but unfortunately some dog I know decided to put his head up some skunk butt, needless to say I didn't want anyone to pet Stinky Pete.  This week I have an Iron Pigs Game so I will miss James Supra Band, but I have a few more weekends left to get back to hear some more music.

I give Catasauqua a two thumbs up for their summer concert series.  If you are looking for something free and fun to do on a Friday night - check it out ....and that's Another day in Catasauqua.

Kicking off Old Home Week in Catasauqua

HEY HEY  HEY BOBBY McGEEEEEE -

Oh sorry - still rocking out to the Large Flowerheads.  They kicked off Old Home Week with a free concert at the Catasauqua Amphitheater tonight and it was great.  Parke and I walked down and met with bff's Cathy and Jaime - I think Cathy and I sang Jaime out of the park because she left a little early.  But Cathy, Parke and I - well mostly Cathy and I, sang, played air guitar, air drum, and our air green tambourine to all the great music.  (Parke did sing to Born to be Wild)
The Large FlowerHeads were wonderful - they did three sets starting at 6:30 pm and ending at 10:00 PM - we certainly got our monies worth.  Oh wait, it was free, even better yet.  Sons of the American Legion were grilling hamburgers and hotdogs at really cheap prices, all around it was a great,  fun, family friendly way to start this week's event.

Good size crowd to see the Large FlowerHeads

Even got a visit from bff, Cyril,
who is in town visiting.  Good to see you Cyril - so glad you stopped by!

One Debby Downer was that the Catty Cops were giving parking tickets out to some of the cars parked in the grass down at the pool - really Catty.  Do you think the police were handing out tickets to the carriages parked in the wrong spot or to the horsies pooping back in 1914?  We get to celebrate this great occasion once and parking was rough - give the people a break.

I saw one drunk who said something about the 70's and something about beer to me, I don't know what he said but it was funny just because he was drunk.

Anyway - there are more events Saturday

Saturday June 28, 9am - 3pm MainStreets Downtown Block Party &
5K Race On Bridge St.

Sponsored by Catasauqua Main Streets business association, the day begins with a 5K Race in conjunction with Run Lehigh Valley; the race begins and ends on Bridge St. Bridge Street will be lined with vendors, food and activities; all local businesses are invited to setup at the event. Music during the event includes Phat Boys from 9am-noon, and the Blackbird Society Orchestra from noon-3pm, sponsored by the Gas House Dance Hall. There will be memorabilia displays at the Library, and we hope to capture the stories of the towns’ past through videography in the Bridge St Gallery.

Saturday June 28, 6pm @ Willow Brook Farms

The 28th is capped off with a Square Dance and barbeque at the old stone barn at Willow Brook Farms. There will be wagon tours of the farm beginning at 5:30. Music will be provided by Diane Hartzell (caller) and the Contra Deceptives with Mr. Peifley as a featured guest caller!

Note:Due to Fire Code Regulations, the dance & BBQ will not be in the old stone barn, but will be outside at the lake by the kilns.
Directions: Enter off of Howertown Road at Fuller Drive, just south of the Willow Brook Golf Club. At the end of the tree-lined drive, turn right onto the narrow paved road (there will be a barrier for thru traffic). Parking will be at the end of the road. 

OMG - I WOULD JUST LOVE TO GO TO THIS- Mr. Peifley calling!!!!  I also would love to hear him play the Chicken Fat song to!!!!

Well Catasauqua, great start - can't wait for all the events this weekend and next.  Watch for my blog as I hit the events.

and that's Another day in Catasauqua