HAPPY HOLIDAYS IS S UE 1 V O L UM E 2 Wi n te r 2 0 0 9

SIGNAGE
HOIDAY SPIRT IN ASHLAND
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
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FROM THE CHAMBER

ASHLAND TIDBITS
BOROUGH NEWS
DID YOU KNOW ?
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Around
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Ashland
SUPPORT OUR BUSINESSES AND
BUY LOCAL!

ASHLAND DOW NTOW N, INC.

OUR MISSION
Ashland Downtown, Inc. seeks a vibrant, attractive downtown by
preserving its architectural charm, promoting economic vitality and
marketing its historic and cultural resources.
Happy Holidays
Hopefully everyone is staying warm and
enjoying friends and family’s company
over these winter months. Ashland’s
annual Old Fashioned Christmas came to
a close on 12/13/08. It was another great
time for the community to come together
and enjoy an evening out on the town.
Thank you to the businesses for staying
open extra hours to help make this eve-
ning successful. Santa and some of his
reindeer joined us for the evening’s ac-
tivities. Thank you to Good Shepherd
Lutheran Church choir for singing your
hearts out. The Live Nativity was a hit
again which was sponsored by “Lift Your
Spirits Performing Arts ”. The hot
chocolate and cookies tasted better than
ever this year. The horse and carriage
ride was popular with the young and old
at heart. Thank you to everyone for com-
ing out to make this a special evening
once again.
Ashland Downtown sponsored a Holiday
Decorating Contest this year for Ashland
HOLIDAY
S PIRIT I N
ASHLAND
residents and businesses. The winners were an-
nounced at Old Fashioned Christmas.
The six categories were:
• Best Use of Lights-
Winner-Robert Paulinkonas Jr, Jackie Moro
• Best Traditional Decorating-
Winner-John, Cynthia, and Chris Meyers
• Most Original, Creative and Imaginative-
Winner-Kris, Lisa, and Kris Jr. Wolfe
• Best Whimsical Display-
Winner-Warren, Carla, and Savannah Harter
• Best Door Decoration-
Winner-Lou and Patty Rader
• Best Business or Storefront Holiday Display-
Winner-Dr. Kenesky Chiropractic Office
Thank you to the judges who did a magnificent job.
As always, please contact me at 875-3571, or visit the
ADI office at 733 Centre Street regarding any ques-
tions you have.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Gregory W. Fisher, Ashland Main Street Manager

Signage
Heart ‘N Home By now you have probably seen some of the façade improvements in town. Not
only do we assist in façade improvements , we help with signage as well. To the
left are two entities who have taken advantage of this opportunity. The first is
Heart’N Home gift shop at 1000 Centre Street. The second sign is from the Ash- Ashland
land Area Historic Preservation Society. Below are excerpts from the design Community
guidelines from www.upperschuylkill.com that are encouraged changes.
Calendar
ENCOURAGED ———————————————–——————
Replacing, repairing or installing signs Exploring bold and vibrant colors, still
February 18
that are appropriately scaled for your according to the good graphic design St. Catherine Medical Center
buildings and storefront. practice, as a method of distinguishing American Red Cross Blood Drive
Maintaining and restoring historic signs. a sign while relating the sign to the
Exploring very creative graphics and storefront design and business type or
materials that maintain high standards in project. Washington Fire Company Auxiliary
legibility and character. Painting window signs that act as a Selling lottery calendars for February
Building flexibility into signage and secondary signage location or that 2009
Components to allow for changes or provide an additional level of
upgrades. information about the businesses,
Installing signs on the sign band, windows, such as store hours or types of Washington Fire Co. No. 1
doors, awnings or other architecturally services. Selling 2009 lottery calendars
appropriate location. Recommending three-dimensional, (Jan.1—Dec. 31)
Establishing a sign band on buildings that fixed signs that include an icon of the
may not have a clearly demarcated area business type, business name and/or
for signs. logo.
Using durable wood, painted plastics, Illuminating signs from behind. Bethany EC Church
metals, or pre-fabricated pin mounted (Backlit box signs are strongly 1st Saturday of every month at 10AM
letters. discouraged.)
Ashland Area Give Away Free Clothing to Community
Installing painted metal or wood signs. Using neon signs to indicate a
Historic Preservation Installing fin or blade signs, projected business name or trade, but not to
from the building wall, to identify a advertise products or sales. St. Joseph’s Hall
Society Complying with signage regulations of
business to those passing by walking or Every Friday Bingo at 6:30PM
traveling parallel to the storefront. Borough

Schuylkill Area Community Founda-
tion (formerly Ashland Trust) has
developed a plan to renovate and
landscape the upper tier at the
Mother’s Memorial in Ashland and
has received some help from the
Ashland Antler Lodge (the Junior
Elks). They held a car wash and tag
day on Wednesday, July 30th and
fifteen Antlers helped to wash cars
and distribute tags from 6:00 to
8:00PM.
In spite of severe thunderstorm
warnings and light traffic, the Antlers
were able to raise $233.12 for the
benefit of the Mother’s Memorial
and are currently planning another
fundraiser.
Don’t miss visiting Pioneer
Tunnel and the Anthracite
Museum of Mining this summer
Log onto When the Borough is expecting 3 inches or more of snow, a snow emergency will be an-
www.pioneertunnel.com
for this year’s schedule.
nounced and there will be no parking on Center Street and Hoffman Boulevard so that Penn-
Dot can plow curb to curb on the roadway.
Did you know? Ashland Area Historic Preservation Society
In 1857, the first council meetings for
the newly incorporated Borough of
Ashland were held in the Mahanoy
House. This hotel, on the southwest
corner of Seventh and Centre Streets,
was built in 1855 and was acclaimed
to be the largest hotel in Pennsylvania
at the time. Several years later, it was
renamed the Repplier House. The
Reppliers were partners with William
J. Moodie in coal operations. From
1875 until 1923, John B. Price and
Sons had a dry goods store on the first
floor with professional offices above.
In 1923, H. Fred Laurer made it a
“modern” apartment house. On April
24, 1925, F. W. Woolworth opened a
store there that operated until the late
1960’s. It was then the Pinko furni-
ture store. In 1973, Flash Family
Discount opened a store there. Dollar
Bizaar rented the storeroom from
2000 until 2006. The building is the
oldest brick structure in Ashland
Ashland Downtown, Inc.
733 Centre Street, Ashland, PA 17921
570-875-3571
www.upperschuylkill.com
Mother’s Memorial F ROM
Project THE
CHAMBER
The Ashland Chamber of Com-
merce has been busy with their
The North Schuylkill Elementary managed the Mother’s Memorial
Fund since December 1988 when the Capital Campaign to raise
School was also involved with the
program, as students were encouraged Mother’s Memorial Anniversary money for the new Christmas
to write essays about their mothers. Celebration Committee established decorations. The new lights
The committee se- the fund. According to were hung this year and com-
lected the top entries. “The Community Foundation is the agreement, the princi-
pal is invested and annual ments have been positive. The
They were read by looking forward to the 2009
the students during Mother’s Day program to celebrate earnings are used for the
old candle style lights were in
the program. “The maintenance, upkeep, use for about 40 years and it was
all mothers, the completion of the
Community Founda- landscaping project and to recog- beautification, repair and hard to see them go, but repairs
tion is looking for- renovation of the
nize the community of Ashland for
Mother’s Memorial and were becoming more difficult to
ward to the 2009
Mother’s Day pro- their dedication to the Mother’s of the Memorial site. make. We hope the townspeople
gram to celebrate all Memorial” are enjoying the new “Christmas
Contributions to the
mothers , the comple- Mother’s Memorial Fund are ac- tree” style decorations. Besides
tion of the landscaping project and to cepted at any time and in any amount.
a town wide mailing to solicit
recognize the community of Ashland If you have any questions, please
for their dedication to the Mother’s donations, cans were placed in
contact the Schuylkill Area Commu-
Memorial”, stated Eileen Kuperavage, nity Foundation office at (570) 624- various businesses throughout
Executive Director for the Schuylkill 7223 or you may e-mail your tax the town to provide a place for
Area Community Foundation. deductible donation to 216 S. Center anyone from out of town who
The Community Foundation has Street, Pottsville Pa 17901. may shop here to donate if they
want. The donations have been
surprisingly generous. A little
over $8,000 has been collected
BOROUGH NEWS to date.
The old decorations were to be
Ashland Borough Council would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Safe donated to any town who wanted
and Happy New Year.
them. So far, no town has
wanted them, so any individual
The Council has authorized free parking for the month of December at the parking meters. who wants one is welcome to
Please refrain from parking at the corners or double parking as these offenses will still be contact George at 875-0329.
enforced by the Police Department.
O LD
F ASHIONED
CHRISTMAS
2008
and now stands unoccupied. In 1867, the borough built the stone
Station House at Fifth and Chestnut
Council meetings were moved to the
Thomas Kinney public house at 1108 Streets to house the fire engine, a coun-
Centre Street in 1860. Peter F. Burke cil meeting room and a lock-up. The
purchased the hotel in 1863. Kinney sat
contract for the building was awarded to
on council from 1860 to 1864. From
Jared Daniels for the sum of $1,950.
about 1888 to the late 1940’s, the build-
ing housed a bakery last known as Frank Rentz furnished the marble stone,
Schlegel’s Bakery. inscribed “Station House Erected 1867,”
James Cleaver’s “New Cleaver’s at a cost of $12. The fire equipment was
Hall”—a brick structure located just east moved to the Washington Hook and
of Cleaver’s store at the intersection of
Catawissa Road and Centre Street— Ladder Company at tenth and Chestnut
was also a meeting place for early coun- Streets several years later. New cells
cil meetings. That building was also the were ordered for the lock-up in 1914. In
first location of McConnell’s Hardware 1930, an addition was put on the north
store until they moved to 919 Centre
Street in 1890. Simon Levine operated side of the structure for an office, draft-
a clothing store there until 1917, when ing room and concrete fireproof vault.
Harry Gellert moved “The Home Store” The building served as Borough Hall
from 515 Centre Street. The building until 2007, when the offices were moved
was razed in 2003.
to the Museum of Anthracite Mining at
Eighteenth and Pine Streets.
OUR VISION Join the Downtown
Team!
Ashland shall promote its architecture to both residential and commer- ADI Monthly Meetings
cial opportunities. Ashland will also enhance and market its historical 1st Monday—Design
and cultural resources for tourism. Located at the intersection of routes 2nd Monday-Economic Restruct.
54 and 61, Ashland will serve as a western gateway into the region. 3rd Monday—Board of Directors/
Ashland shall build upon its potential for tourism by connecting local Organization
historical and cultural sites through a coordinated transportation and 4th Monday—Promotions
consistent “way finding” system within the region. Ashland shall become
the arts and heritage hub of the Upper Schuylkill region. Borough Council Meeting
Help us achieve our Vision for Ashland...become an ADI volunteer!
2nd Wednesday of the
Month