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pvtshoebox t1_jbf10f0 wrote

Fun fact:

In 2012, Monessen had ZERO public toilets open before 8AM.

I know because, when I drove ambulance, my partner and I had an 8AM pickup there and we left PGH around 7. We got there with 15 min or so to spare, but no bathrooms anywhere.

The convenience shop would not let us in.

The fire station would not let us in.

Monessen - the public urination capital of PA.

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Jef_Wheaton t1_jbfkaq1 wrote

There's rarely anyone in the fire station, since it's all volunteer. I service their air compressor, so I have the door code since Lieutenant LaMont won't open the door for me.

(He's a cat.)

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pvtshoebox t1_jboaqoc wrote

Someone came to the door and asked if there was an emergency. We explained the situation and we were denied. I was shocked - my female partner more so. We were from a private ambulance company.

In all honesty, we used the patient's bathroom at their house. If it were just me, it might have been different, but I thought that would be unfair to my partner

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dr_xenon t1_jbf2tfv wrote

https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/monessen-building-collapse/

Watch out for falling buildings.

It’s a shame what’s happened to that town. In the 50’s and 60’s it was booming. My mother graduated from Monessen High school in the 50’s with about 300 students. Now they barely have 50.

Robocop and Striking Distance were both filmed in Monessen.

Tom Savini has a special effects school at Douglas Business there.

Frances McDormand graduated from Monessen HS.

The Coolio song “I Remember” has the line “runnin through the streets of Monessen PA.” He wasn’t from here, but someone in his band was.

That’s all I can think of for now.

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FiveNations54 t1_jbf4acd wrote

There's a big push in Westmoreland now for code enforcement/blight remediation, so hopefully Monessen gets swept up in that.

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dr_xenon t1_jbf81rj wrote

It’s easy to say “just tear down all the old buildings”, but there’s a big expense in tearing it down and acquiring the property from the owner. Local government can’t just take your property. If the owners keep paying the taxes, you have to make a deal with them to keep it. Brownsville is the same way.

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Excelius t1_jbfj5xm wrote

There's established procedures for that kind of thing, the bigger problem is money. Demolition isn't cheap and a lot of small towns can't afford it without outside help.

Probably every couple of weeks you'll see a story in the Tribune Review about some town in Westmoreland County using state/county funds to tear down some blighted properties. It's very common.

Here's one from last week regarding Vandergrift. Here's one from Greensburg in December. Arnold tore down ten buildings last year, New Ken tore down a dozen in 2021 and another ten in 2020.

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Bucs-and-Bucks t1_jbfpqg6 wrote

One of my goals in life is to spend as little time in Monessen as possible. Doing pretty good at that over the past 15 years now.

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tonytroz t1_jbfhy1a wrote

>The Coolio song “I Remember” has the line “runnin through the streets of Monessen PA.” He wasn’t from here, but someone in his band was.

He was actually born in Monessen. It seems he claimed he was born in LA at times and some sources ran with it.

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dr_xenon t1_jbg9lw6 wrote

I’ve seen some say he was from Monessen due to the lyric, but others said he wasn’t. If I ever run into him I’ll ask.

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nouveau_user t1_jbg83t7 wrote

yup: 58% voted for oz, 52% for mastriano.

edit- not that the current administration is going to help them any more than those 2

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memberjan6 t1_jbfil7i wrote

There are so many old buildings across Europe. It's like they found a solution. I have no idea what.

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dr_xenon t1_jbg9tm3 wrote

Keep them occupied and maintained. A few years abandoned and neglected and the roof starts to go or windows break. Once the weather starts to get in it’s all over.

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BurghPuppies t1_jbjqund wrote

Isn’t Monessen the town where they were giving away unoccupied homes for FREE if the new owner would catch the property up on back taxes?

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MeEvilBob t1_jbf62ow wrote

My favorite thing to do when I come across a small town I'm not familiar with is to find the oldest looking blue-collar bar in town, go in, order a beer and get an expert description of what the town is all about from the bartender, who often has lived in that town their entire life.

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Skydog57 t1_jbfwby9 wrote

Disclaimer: your experience may differ greatly depending on melanin content, gender, orientation, and/or ethnicity

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glizzyfizzy69 t1_jbfcvnu wrote

Crazy how there can be beauty even in the shittiest of areas.

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toddnkaya1 OP t1_jbfgw7q wrote

Don’t tell me this town ain’t got no heart , You just gotta poke around !!!

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glizzyfizzy69 t1_jbfh041 wrote

Yeah, however this isn't really a town you want to poke around in tbh.

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toddnkaya1 OP t1_jbfhgat wrote

I hear ya , I poke around in waaaaay more sketchy places . I love photographing Abandoned buildings etc.. I guess my point was , beauty can be found everywhere!

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glizzyfizzy69 t1_jbfi96y wrote

This is why I admire photographers. Finding beauty in places no one would even think of.!

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toddnkaya1 OP t1_jbfilky wrote

Thanks 🙏 As I said to another person don’t tell this town ain’t got no heart ❤️, You just gotta poke around !! ( Grateful Dead) Beauty is everywhere!!!

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Davmilasav t1_jbfhzoh wrote

Monessen has a decent haunted house, Castle Blood, that has shows a few times a year. We usually go for "St. Batrick's" Day and one of the Halloween events.

www.thecastleblood.com

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toddnkaya1 OP t1_jbfi7a3 wrote

Wow ! Thanks 🙏 Sounds like it would be some great photography opportunities there . I need to check this out !!

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Davmilasav t1_jbfj68u wrote

The actors love to talk and they'll stay in character. I hope you get to go next weekend.

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vonHindenburg t1_jbfl9gq wrote

Is that where they are now? I remember when they were in Monongahela.

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Davmilasav t1_jbfox7r wrote

Yeah, they've been there a few years now. I remember them being in an old funeral home along the main drag. The new place is up a side street a bit further down the river.

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vonHindenburg t1_jbflrq7 wrote

My dad used to work downtown at a bank here. One night a bad storm knocked out power to a big chunk of the town and took out a big tree in the bank courtyard. We were down there in the pitch dark cutting this tree apart so that nobody tripped over it coming in the next day. It felt a bit dicey with people suddenly appearing on the sidewalk in the small circle of light from our lanterns.

Fun fact: The town was named for another industrial town: Essen, Germany. Monessen = Essen on the Monongahela.

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ShantyTed89 t1_jbfd4q4 wrote

Found it. https://maps.app.goo.gl/z6FLx1YWShB5L7jf9?g_st=ic

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Whatchyaduinyachooch t1_jbg67kr wrote

There’s a George Romero school for something or other when you travel down that one road on here- really cool being able to see a town I never would normally see at all!

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FIVE7_O_RAHRAH t1_jbfa99f wrote

Was this taken on a DSLR Camera by any chance ? I don’t really care either way I was just curious 😭

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toddnkaya1 OP t1_jbfawiv wrote

12 Pro max , edited in Snapseed

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FIVE7_O_RAHRAH t1_jbfbbqc wrote

It’s honestly crazy that iPhone cameras have gotten so good to the point where they’re as good as an actual camera. I use my 14 Pro max and be capturing come crazy ass pictures to the point where I might just sell my Nikon Camera

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toddnkaya1 OP t1_jbfcfgr wrote

So much is in the composition, understanding lighting , knowing how to edit to bring the picture to life . I was a professional wedding photographer for 20 years , and photography has been my passion for 36 years . I am looking to get a drone soon to I can photograph from the skies , can’t wait !! If you would like to see more of my images On Instagram : todd.sherman.315 Or Todd Sherman on Facebook

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FIVE7_O_RAHRAH t1_jbfd2ff wrote

I’ve grown quite a passion for taking professional looking photos and always strive to find a way to make the picture to life like you said and always looking for advice to become better at it and very appreciative that you introduced me to Snapseed the application is very intuitive and never have to worry about compromising the quality of the pictures I take and edit after they are shot

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Thyme_Sensitive t1_jbfvhcn wrote

Did you drive through Donora as well? Very sad what happened to a lot of these old mill towns.

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toddnkaya1 OP t1_jbh1gcq wrote

I don’t think so . I was Ubering someone to Monessen

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TripleTune t1_jbhc9gz wrote

We go to Knoebels every summer. I love driving through the random small towns along the way. I'd rather dodge the turnpike and just meander.

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HeyZuesHChrist t1_jbfgm23 wrote

I have family that owns a restaurant in Monesson. From my understanding my side has been estranged from them for decades. I hear it’s a great restaurant and would love to get down there sometime to check it out, though.

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alohabruh732 t1_jbfguqb wrote

My grandfather’s parents emigrated from Odessa to Monessen back in the early 1900’s. I decided to visit the town finally after going to college in Pittsburgh. It was a typical dead steel town in Western PA. Did feel interesting seeing the same streets my grandfather would have seen when he was a kid.

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nilesletap t1_jbh94e4 wrote

damn this is awesome. I love the orange on the left and little dark on the left...looks so cool to me.

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LaunchesKayaks t1_jbhnyj9 wrote

Tbh, all you wanna do there is pass through

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KevnJay t1_jbih7fn wrote

About that hill:

A teenager running from police fell down that hill & died (his name was Nate, dont remember his last name). Across the street was the elementary school I went to, where one of my classes faced the hill & we could see the makeshift memorial ppl made for him.

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katyusha567 t1_jbm8x81 wrote

Thy Monessen mill made the steel for the cables that span the Golden Gate Bridge.

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MrTibbens t1_jbfmy89 wrote

I went to the special makeup effects school here back in 2003. Lived there for about 2 years and worked at terrormania when it was there. Would not recommend living there hah.

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avelineaurora t1_jbfrxon wrote

Used to date a girl from Monessen. Good times... about the only decent memories of that place though, lol.

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shewy92 t1_jbh550v wrote

Reminds me of the town from I Am Not Okay with This which was filmed in PA

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Specific-Donkey-3925 t1_jbhiai2 wrote

I believe it was filmed mostly in Brownsville, which is also on the Monongahela River, not too far south of Monessen. A lot of these Mon Valley rustbelt towns look similar, but I’ve noticed some interesting things that stand out in Monessen.

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LaunchesKayaks t1_jbhoe28 wrote

I had no idea a thing was filmed there. I live like 10 mins away. Dang.

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