Memories Log

Growing up in Midland Memories

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Name: Vic Baker
email: vbaker@hereintown.net
Date: Sunday February 23, 2003
Time: 11:41:28 AM

Name: Ebb Spiker
email: lonaconingmotors@nfis.com
Date: Sunday February 23, 2003
Time: 11:43:41 AM

Name: Vic Baker
email: vbaker@hereintown.net
B1: Submit
Date: Sunday February 23, 2003
Time: 11:50:26 AM

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My fondest memories are growing up in Midland with what I call true "friends". I grew up on O'Mara Avenue and my best friends were Billy "Boo" Orr, Jack "Hog" Durst, Butch Haggard, Charley "Horse" Morgan, "Tootie" Jones (best baseball player of our age), Eddie "Muskie", and Billy Eagan (next door neighbors), Johnny "Peaser" Stakem and of course the bunch from "below" the tracks. We’d sleigh ride down "Campbells" hill and onto Big Lane, go all the way to the Gulf station at the bottom. And who cared how cold it was, we were having fun. The Meyers boys and their toboggan sled that you could put about six people on. "Easterns" with all the sleds hooked together with your feet. Trying to cut each other off before reaching the bottom. In the summer we'd build dams on the "Crick" and I mean the one that came from Frostburg. Who cared back then what was in the crick as long as we could swim. A layer of sod and a layer of rock made a pretty tight structure. There was a dam up at Clem Stakems gas station in Miller that was a good one. I remember “Peck” Bevans and myself in the crick by Bub Robertson’s bridge one day and “Peck” cut his foot on a broken glass bottle. I never saw that much blood before. We made it up to where “Peck” lived then with his mom and she took care of it. Bub Robertson had a yellow Navy raft that he’d fill with water and we’d swim in it. Wayne, Carol, Steve and myself made the Cumberland times one day sitting in that raft full of water. I remember breaking my left arm for the first time (I've broke it again since then), swinging on a grape vine up the hollow. Dr. Fetis had to operate on it to set it. Everyone signed my cast. I remember when Charley "Horse" fell in the manure spreader up on the farm and came home from the hospital looking like the Mummy in the movies. On Easter Monday, we’d all stop at the spring on Dan’s Rock Road for a nice cool drink and walk to “the rock”, an annual event. Christmas was a special time. You’d go around to everyone’s house to see their “tree” but really you wanted to see if they got what they wanted for Christmas. I remember one year the Eagan boys got a tent and put it up in their basement Christmas day. Steve & I went over to see them and thought that was great to be able to camp out in your own basement. We would ice skate on the crick and under the cement bridge on church road. We’d build a big fire and skate till dark. Scottie’s was the main hang out in our teen years. Remember “save me next”, asking for what was left of the cigarette your buddy was smoking. Putting the pinball machine up on your toes so you could slow the ball down and “rack up” a lot of games. Where did the phrase “skinny eight and two’s ten” come from? I believe to this day that Midland had the only boys and girls separate school buses in the country. “Chuckles” Keiling drove the girls bus and a Frostburg city cop always drove the boys bus. I wonder why? I can still today sing the anthem of the boys bus, “Rollie Pollie, pigs #!*& holy, and so on. Sue and I built a house on “Dairy” lane (changed to Broad Street) in 1979 across from the old dairy. Midland was a great little town to raise children and we did. In 1984 I transferred with the Celanese to Virginia and stayed for 16 years, retiring in 1999. We live in Frostburg now but still attend church in Midland (Grace Methodist). Midland was a great little town to grow up in and I feel very fortunate that I grew up there. Friends there were true friends and still are to this day.

Name: Ebb Spiker
email: lonaconingmotors@nfis.com
B1: Submit
Date: Sunday February 23, 2003
Time: 11:51:14 AM

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Hi Mamie, Good job on the page. Starting with Dashiell dairy my Dad and I worked on there Divco trucks which was old and worn out,but it was business.Sister Antoinette even scared the Protestant kids,but a great teacher! Scotties was unique to all the world. Ash's grocery was neat, clean,goodfolks. Baseball was the sport in Midland! We played all the other sports but there was nothing like baseball.The crick was my backyard so it was our second favorite place to play. Dont remember Yeager'but I do remember Little'Cenfectionary. Jokie was great guy who loved kids and loved to coach baseball. Back st.was likeno other st.any where! So many differant kinds of families.Fight someone in the morning best friends afternoon. The opera house was upstairs in a fire trap but a lot of good memeries there also.Nine cents Sunday Matinees,and people gave there penny change to Sap. We shot raisons with rubber bands there and was very accurate.Bruce threw a large nut at Hitler's picture on the screen and the hole was still there when they tore it down.

Name: Linda Drew Boden
email: LBoden@DHHA.org
B1: Submit
Date: Monday March 17, 2003
Time: 12:59:22 PM

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Hi, My maternal grandfather, Edgar Austin Dashiell, Sr., owned, Dashiell's Dairy in Midland, Maryland. My mom, Margaret Jane, made up a jingle for their family, "Dash In and Dash Out with Dashiell's Dairy milk". I am uncertain of the years he had the dairy in Midland before moving to own, "Queen City Dairy" in Cumberland, Maryland.

Name: Helen Spiker Wolf
email: mamiedawson@sb cglobal.net
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Date: Saturday March 29, 2003
Time: 04:32:29 PM

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Midland!!What a great town in which to grow up!! I lived there for almost 18 years; I'm the youngest daughter of Mary & Everett Spiker. We lived on Railroad St. at two different addresses and also on Big Lane. I went to Midland School for 6 years and I loved it. Remember Miss Manley, Miss Reilly, Mrs. Jessica Smith, & Mrs. Fatkin??? Besides teaching, they would plan and prepare holiday pageants and minstrels; I remember Mom making costumes from crepe paper. I also remember of cafeteria down in the basement, where Miss Shaw was the cook. She would always fix a nice table for the teachers. We got free lunches if we worked in the cafeteria. I remember playing "Red Light, Green Light" and "Kick the Can" under the street lights in the summer. A few of my young friends were Janie & Colleen Brodie, Darlene Green, & Bonnie & Patsy Thrasher, and Irma Robertson. Wonder where they are now??? Verl Ash's? Yes, I remember going to his store early before school for Mom. About baseball, on Sunday afternoons, Railroad Street was a busy place with lots of cars making a lot of dust going up and down the street. (It was later paved.) I can't remember who won when and what teams played. THE OLD FIRE HALL !! THE OPERA (OR MOVIE) HOUSE!!!! I remember every year the day before Christmas we would go to see a free movie and then RUN to the Fire Hall to get an orange and a box of candy from SANTA!!!! I remember Mom taking me to see many "cowboy singers" up on the stage and she would buy 8 X 10 glossy pictures of them. I spent Saturday and Sunday afternoons seeing many, many movies in the last 40's and early 50's. I don't have time or space to list all the ones I still remember. To this day, I am still a big fan of old movies, trying to remember actors and actresses' names and what movies they starred. Does anyone remember Homer Noll's Ice Cream Store??? I remember listening to the Juke Box there and getting sodas there. "Kids" from Coney would come up for an evening. I remember Trick of Treat Nights in Midland, where we would have to sing a song or say a poem before we would get our 'treat'. I remember Christmas Caroling through Midland with the choir from the Methodist Church,and when it was cold, many residents would invite us in for warm refreshments. I took piano lessons for over 3 years from Catherine Smiley (Stevens). We would give recitals and she would serve iced tea and cookies. I remember Dad's gasoline and auto repair garage up on Lavale Road. It was a busy place and he worked long hours. My life in Midland was one of the happiest I could have expected. When I come back to Midland and ride through, the streets, the school, etc, look so much smaller, and closer. I'm taking a bus tour to Allegany County this summer and I can show my Pa. friends where I was born and raised. I can tell them about the big carnivals that came to town each summer and how we couldn't wait to go every night for rides and treats. I wouldn't trade my days in Midland for anything. I thank God for all of it. Helen Spiker Wolf, Baden, Pa. Hel

Name: Helen Spiker Wolf
email: mamiedawson@sb cglobal.net
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Date: Saturday March 29, 2003
Time: 04:32:31 PM

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Name: Helen Spiker Wolf
email: mamiedawson@sb cglobal.net
B1: Submit
Date: Saturday March 29, 2003
Time: 04:34:13 PM

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Name: Denise Crowe
email: dmcrowe@prodigy.net
B1: Submit
Date: Monday March 31, 2003
Time: 12:51:51 PM

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You couldn't ask for a better town to grow up in during the 50's & 60's than Midland -- big enough for two churches, a couple of bars, a playground, two schools, and a ton of kids -- but small enough for friendly neighbors & close families. Everybody knew your business, but that was beneficial to families because as a kid, you didn't get away with anything...someone would tell your parents. No one locked their houses or their cars, trick-or-treating until way after dark was safe, and religion & being neighborly were important. Milk, in real glass bottles with cream on top, was delivered to your house, and groceries at Verl Ash's store were put on your account. The "Crick" wasn't a mispronounced word, it was your hometown, your roots, your identity, and now the source of smiles and fond memories. Some wonderful rememberances: -- Sitting outside the Baker's house at the bottom of "the Avenue," listening to Vic & Steve play guitars & sing (sometimes their mother would come out of the house & reprimand them for singing off-color songs in front of us kids. --Sledding down Crowe's Alley & being scared to death of not making the turn & running into the crick. --Drinking Chocolate Rickies at Scotties & taking oh so much time carefully choosing penny candy. --Trudging up Church Hill in a snowstorm to go to school. --Swinging high into the sky at the playground while watching the older kids play basketball. --Having Sap Truly give you "zibbies" on your cheek. --Praying at the Christmas Manger in church with my Dad, Donnie Crowe. --Playing Dodge Ball & Red Rover during recess. --Listening to Tom Stakem Sr.'s beautiful singing voice during Mass, and making faces at Tom Stakem Jr. so he'd laugh while singing a serious solo. --Attending wedding receptions, church bazaars & other functions at the social center of the town, the Firehall. -- Tap dancing in an old-fashioned Irish Minstrel where my Grandfather, Wilbur Crowe Sr., was an "end man". --Going to Artie Winners' store for a nickel coke, or birch beer...ice cold right out of the cooler. --Going to Bingo with my Grandmother, Mary Crowe, where everyone smoked & ate & talked, but also took the game very seriously. --Playing in Patty Eagan's playhouse & thinking it was the coolest playhouse ever. (Thanks, Patty, for teaching me to ride a bicycle, too.) --Enjoying Frosty Cook's poems, he has one for every occasion, doesn't he?. --Visiting some sweet people, like Kitty Baker & Esther Corrigan & Clara Burns, with my Grandmother. --Going on the bus on Sunday afternoons to the skating rink. --Admiring all the people with cool nicknames, like Sissy, Chi Chi, Boots, Frosty, Killer --Appreciating the warmth of families such as the Hersick's, the Hollern's, the Youngbloods & the McMahon's. --Singing "Oh my darlin' Clementine" to Clem Stakem. --Being old enough to go off O'Mara Avenue & play way over on Dairy Lane or way up on Dan's Rock Road or clear down on Back Street. --Being very proud that my Dad was an American Legion Commander & then Mountain District Commander. --Knowing that my Dad, his brothers (Clark & Wilbur) & my uncle Michael McVeigh all served their country and helped to keep us free. --Listening to my Aunt Frances (Kenner) tell jokes to everyone she ran into. --Loving Sister Antoinette and believing (still today) that she was the best teacher ever. Now I live in Vale Summit. How comforting it is to know that just around a few bends in the road is a town where I spent my childhood, where my Grandparents set up housekeeping, where my Dad & his brothers & sisters were born, where some of my cousins are raising their children & my Dad still lives in my childhood home, and where the most wonderful people in the world live...the Crick...Midland. Thanks for shaping my life, thanks for the morals & the values...and thanks for the memories.

Name: Billy Spiker
email:
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Date: Wednesday April 02, 2003
Time: 06:24:29 AM

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I was born in 1887. I dont remember much but it was enough to say i miss scotties. Scottie use to give all the kids candy for school in the mornings, and he use to give us all a dollor or to when we were shot. My mom and dad {Tom and Barb Spiker}use too always take me there. But that is about all i can remeber. But now all of my friends just get a soda or food at Big Guy's Pizza.

Name: Buddy Duckworth
email: llduckworth@hotmail.com
B1: Submit
Date: Monday April 21, 2003
Time: 09:42:27 PM

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My Uncle was the mailman on Route 1, his name was Wilbur Ross, he married Wilma Ryan from on Ocean Hill. He was coming through Midland pretty fast and Larry Dunn ran out in front of him and stopped him. Larry, I believe only had a Police Hat with a Badge of some kind. Larry said "Wilbur don't you know that that school bus will be coming along here in about 5 mintues". Wilbur said "Hell Larry, by that time I will be in Frostburg" and took off. Larry was a likeable person and I bet there is a lot of stories about him.

Name: Connie Brantner
email: connieb29@iceweb.net
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Date: Thursday April 24, 2003
Time: 11:41:05 AM

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I actually didn't grow up in Midland, but my grandparents lived there, so I spent a lot of time at their home, and therefore in Midland. My grandparents were Bertie and Robert Clarke. They lived in a big farm house across the bridge from the fire hall. My Aunt Beverly and Uncle Bob still live there. I have so many fond memories of playing there with my O'Brien and Clarke cousins. We did all the things you mentioned in the article, as well as walking up the hollow to the frog pond, and hopscotch on the road in front of Grandma's house. I remember going to the catholic church with my cousin Pat, and also going over to the elementary school with her. We also walked around town on Saturdays trading comic books with folks like Georgie Hershic (sp?) and Judy on back street! Grandma would send us to Ashe's sometimes to get something that she needed, and we always went to the post office for the mail. I remember carnivals in the parking lot that is across the street from the fire hall. My favorite thing was the swings that took you round and round as you went gradually higher! Ball games at the park were fun as well. Pat and I also liked to take some of Grandma's rhubarb and a cup of sugar up on the hill and sit under the trees and eat it. Thank you for the memories! Connie Martin Brantner

Name: John W. Steiding
email: chefjohn@steiding.com
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Date: Tuesday April 29, 2003
Time: 11:11:34 PM

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I didn't grow up in Midland, in fact I grew up half a world away in Cassopolis, Michigan. But I can recall nearly every visit I made there over the past 30+ years of my life. My father was John "Rob" Steiding, he passed away back in 2000, but would tell me a story or two of his childhood and growing up "back east". And I would often sit and talk to him towards the end of his life about his childhood and the things he did back then. My grand parents were John B. and Virginia Steiding; and I remember visiting Virginia when she lived in the "big house" down next to the tracks there in town. I remember the alley out back and being told the stories of the "boys" that would run amuck back there, my uncle Vic being one of them. I even had the chance to sled down the big hill there in town with my cousin, Eric Baker, during one snowy visit. Seems from what I've read, the rules never really changed. Try to avoid going into the crick. And speaking of the crick, I remember taking a dip or two in that slow moving water out at the end of town there, hoping the coal trucks wouldn't skip over the edge of the bridge. I remember Scottie's...so very well. Scottie was a very interesting person; and one of the few who knew me on site, no matter how many years it had been since I was in there last. My most memorable visit with him was several years back when my grandmother passed away and my father and I went to town to settle some of her affairs. I couldn't really sleep, so I went for a walk and ended up out front of Scottie's. The door was still open so I wandered in. Not a soul in sight as I made my way over to the counter. Out of the back came Scottie. He knew me on sight, as always, and inquired about my most recent location of living. We spoke for several hours that night. He told me stories about my grand father. And stories about my aunts and my dad. I can't remember how many chocolate malts I'd drank before I left. But I do remember as I walked back down the road there, thinking to myself, that Midland seemed to be something that my family would always have as a big part of it's history. This website is great. And I wanted to thank Mamie for posting all those great pictures of my family. I'd never seen some of them. And you can bet, I'll be back to this site for a few updates on some of the sections! Thanks for a great trip down memory lane to my early years and my visits to that small little valley town.

Name: Fr. Gary (Jimmy) Stakem
email: garystakem@aol.com
B1: Submit
Date: Saturday May 17, 2003
Time: 09:07:10 PM

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Some comments on the above: Sledding down Dairy Lane was okay, but the best was Big Lane. Church hill wasn't too bad. It was short but had a good grade and a neat curve. I don't know who pushed over Miss Pipton's outhouse, but I do remember kids calling out to her, "Hey, Miss Pipton, is your rhubard up?" Back in the 1930s Ort's Bakery had its own gas pump. Often some gasoline would be left in the house at the end of the day. Sometimes we would pour that gas into a bucket and then go down to the creek. We would toss the gas onto the water and quickly throw a match on it. Thus we would "set the creek on fire."

Name: Jim Ricker
email: okbutt@hereintown.net
B1: Submit
Date: Sunday May 18, 2003
Time: 08:39:54 PM

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There are still a few people left, that remember when Verl Ash's store was across the street from Homer Noel's conf.(after 1953 it was Scotties)and Dilfer's butcher shop.Dick Stakem (Fr.Gary Stakem's dad)had a pool room & lived in the whole building next to present day post office. Dick moved his family to Cumberland around 1938. I believe he got a job with Internal Revenue. Anyhow when they lived in that big house there was a closet under the up stairs steps. In that closet, Dick's youngest son Leo & I punched a good sized hole thru the wall into pool room next. We would sit there & learned a lot of cuss words. -----After Stakem's moved is when Verl Ash moved his store down there. Mr. & Mrs. Ash were top notch but we always tried to get Verl to wait on us when buying candy, --- always got a little more with our penny or nickel.-----Homer Noel's was the hangout for my generation as Scotties was for the latter.

Name: John Hawkins
email: jhawk1939@aol.com
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Date: Friday May 23, 2003
Time: 12:39:57 PM

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Do you remember when we bought a bottle of "tonic". Five cents for the small size and 6 cents for the large. When we could buy cigarettes for one cents a piece and sometimes smoked corn husk and chewed Indian Chewing Tobacco. When we swung from the grape vines from the cliffs across the creek from Backstreet. When we stood in line for the Saturday matinee at the movies to get free Roy Rogers buttons. When we saw a free movie at Christmas and it was the same Durango Kid movie every year. How about when the first Tv's came to town and we could only get channel 6 which was Johnstown. How about those Out Houses in the winter time!! Remember when we could see the cat napping in the penny candy at Homer Noels. When haircuts were 50 cents at Pat Cavanaughs shop and he would have to stop and run to the fire hall and blow the siren if there was a fire call. How about the Soap Box Derby run on Big Lane. I have many many more memories of Midland. Talk about the good old days. It will never be the same. When Cutters gas station burned down. How about the Western Music shows at the fire hall. Do you remember putting the pinball machine legs on ashtrays in town so the ball wouldn't come down and we got paid $1.00 if we won 20 games? These are just a few of the memories I have of my home town.

Name: hlease@gcnetmail.net
email: Henrietta Lease
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Date: Tuesday June 03, 2003
Time: 09:07:11 PM

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When making a list of places we remember let's not forget Cutter's Grocery and before that it was Braxie's Store ( She was the lady who lived with Alfred Davis),Eagan's Service Station ( Gene and Gert Eagan and Leonard Cutter),and all the bars Midland used to have. Old Jack Cutter could add a list of prices faster than anyone I ever saw - this was before calculators and registers that do all the figuring.I think everyone on our side of the tracks went to Cutter's for pop, bread and milk. But our most favorite thing was the "penny" candy - it REALLY cost a PENNY. Sometimes you got more than one piece (was it Chum gum? and Kix) for that penny. How long has it been since there was a nickle bag of potato chips - both Wise and Snyders had them - they were even big enough to share with a friend at Scotties. Living beside the baseball field was fun - I saw a lot of games and collected a lot of fouled baseballs.The Twilight league lasted a long time.The women's softball team - headed by the Kenny girls and Ruth Ann (Robertson) Wilson always ended the season with a trophy for first place in their league. One could go on and on about baseball memories and players.The real oldtimers ( long before my days of watching games) were right up there with the likes of Lefty Grove - who probably played in our OLD park at some point in time.Jobie Marble, Shookie Rogish, Gertie Shearer( I think) and others were some of the names I remember my Grandfather Charlie Sigler talking about.

Name: Steve Baker
email: bakers007@hawaii.rr.com
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Date: Thursday August 14, 2003
Time: 10:45:46 PM

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You might be from down the "Crik" if: 1. You add a letter "t" to the words "once" or twice". 2. You have a Coke glass from Scotty's. 3. You rode the boy's bus or girl's bus to Beall High. 4. You remember "Buster" or "Buck" Metz; or Dennis Bartlett or Danny Jones;sports stars at Beall High. 5. You "thumbed" to 'Coney to see movies at "Benny's Bug House" (San Toy Theatre) 6. You hung out at Mom & Pop Seibs "Lounge in 'Coney, playing "setback" with Ed "Doc" Kenny or Bill "Peck" Bevan. 7. You enjoyed a Coke (chocolate, cherry, or vanilla), chocolate or cherry rickey, or $.25 milkshake at Scotty's; bummed a Lucky Strike cig from Shirley Spiker, and listened to "Flip" Summers play knives and spoons on a Coke glass. 8. You bought a pack of cigarettes at Buz Dilfers market. 9. You played football or soccer at McVeigh's field. 10. You remember the fire at St. Joseph's church.

Name: rob dashiell
email: robdashiell@yahoo.com
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Date: Tuesday February 17, 2004
Time: 12:40:52 PM

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hi i am robert paul dashiell 2nd and i would like to know alot about my great grandfather's legacy.

Name: Bob Burt
email: rburt@gcnetmail.net
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Date: Saturday February 21, 2004
Time: 02:47:56 PM

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With the recent passing of Carrol Robertson I would like to tell everyone about playing football with Carrol. We always made carrol our Quarterback. He had a great arm and he played for both teams. He was working as a greater at Wal-Mart,and I think the most friendliest person there.

Name: Carleton L. Robertson Sr
email: retiredrobby@aol.com
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Date: Friday June 04, 2004
Time: 09:13:23 AM

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My memories of Midland go back to the 1940's, I didn't grow up in Midland but my mother was a Thrasher so therefore my grandparents were Nelson and Pansy Thrasher, I did a lot of runing around with Buddy Thrasher, my uncle, we use to ride the horse he had named Sandy. I remember going to ball games down at the ball park, my grandparents lived just above the park on railroad st. I remember the theater in Midland, I remember when Pansy had a store on main st where kids would come in and dance. I remember Scotty Orr's place and all the service stations that were there, there must have been 3 or 4 gas stations that I can remember there, and just as many bars. My mother was Arminta "Thrasher" Robertson. I remember Dashiel Dairy because I worked on the Milk truck with Lorraine Thrasher for a couple of years.

Name: Bev Titchenell(Beeman)
email: beemanbj84@msn.com
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Date: Friday June 18, 2004
Time: 02:33:54 PM

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Well Hello My name is Bev and I Grew up here with my family and friends. I have very good memories Of Midland One was when I was a Vol. Firefighter In with Company 18 I remember Back Street in Midland. I was the first House after Hazel Taylors Place I remember when Scotty's was there. So many happy Faces But Now I'm all growed Up I visit there many times and It as changed, so many things was done to it . I remember the Church where I would alway walk to to go to Church The Ball feild where I use to play Baseball (B-String) Well Keep up the good work and Thanks to who ever made it what it is today. Sincerely, Bev

Name: Greg Blair
email: greg.blair@dhs.gov
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Date: Tuesday August 03, 2004
Time: 02:08:56 PM

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Dashiell's Dairy used to sell flavored fruit drinks for I think 10 cents. Good on a hot day of riding bikes all over the town not to mention the hills behind the school and behind Spiker's. Also sold the best chocolate milk in the world by our standards of the day, but wasn't real good at thirst quenching on a hot day of bike riding. Anyone remember what we called the "Giant's Grave"? Large mysterious mound of dirt directly behind the cemetary on the hill above Ray & Nellie Tighe's house. It was right behind the cemetary and looked like a giant grave, therefore, that's what it had to be. We used ride our bikes up there with our Bow & Arrows and try to shoot anything that moved. Unpopular sport by today's standards, but then again we never did hit anything by cans and a few ant hills. It wasn't bad retrieving the arrows from the cans, but after a dozen or so direct hits into a 2 foot ant hill, it was a challenge. Sledding down "Big Lane" not Dairy Lane. My gang preferred Big Lane since it was longer, steeper, and faster. We also sledded down Crowe's Alley. It was very fast and presented quite a challenge at the 90 degree turn at the bottom beside Odell Beamans garage. More than one person went over the wall into the "crick" behind Artie Winner's Chevron station. Also used to sled down the hill directly behind Ray & Nellie Tighe's house. That is where I missed making the turn, hit the old barn on Joe Spiker's property, and when the sled stopped forward motion and I slid forward, I drove the rusty nail in the top of my head (15 stiches if I remember, ask my dad, he remembers quite well). Building dams everywhere, every summer all up and down Dan's Rock Road with Jim & Joe Perkins, Brian (Squid) & Rick Blair, and the entire Spiker gang. Washed out every fall and winter, but then again, it they didn't, we wouldn't have anything to do the next summer. Riding our bikes up Dan's Rock Rd. to the spring for a drink. Man that seemed like a long way, and thought we would die of thirst before we got there. Riding bikes up to the Patch to go fishing. Riding bikes all day on the hills that were left as "Strip Mines" not reclaimed. Huge piles dirt/slag of all different sizes everywhere. We couldn't exactly go up them real well on our bikes, but boy could we come down them; sometimes head over heal. Tom Burn's store on Paradise Street, next to Uncle Jim & Aunt Pearl's house. For no more than 50 cents, we could enough candy to ruin any dinner. Stealing, that's right, stealing and eating green apples from every apple tree in town, no matter who's property it was on. The owners always told us we were welcome to as many apples as we wanted that were on the ground, but heck, they weren't anygood, they were ripe. I ate so many green apples, I still have an occassional case of the cramps. Building forts/huts on every hill around Midland. Started at least 100, but can't ever remember finishing one. I'm surprised the trees that surround Midland survived our constant onslaught. Don't imagine in today's world that you see to many young kids in groups of 6-12 on bikes all carrying axes/hatchets either, but it was never an issue back then. These are just a few of the memories that have remained in my mind and which immediately come to recall. Memories from Greg Blair - The best damn bike rider Midland ever knew!!

Name: Kerry Pitt
email: bubsmei@yahoo.com
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Date: Sunday September 19, 2004
Time: 11:37:03 PM

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Hi, My Grandfather was Michael DeSales Byrne. He grew up in Midland. Does anyone have any information on the Byrne family? Please e-mail me and title it Byrne in Midland. Thanks, Kerry (Ireland) Pitt

Name: Kerry Rose Pitt
email: bubsmei@yahoo.com
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Date: Monday September 27, 2004
Time: 10:17:50 AM

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Hi, My Great Grandparents were from Wicklow, Ireland and came to the Lonaconing/Midland area in the late 1800's. Their names were Thomas Byrne and Elizabeth (Bessie). They had 11 children: Bridget, Maggie, Annie, James (Rowdy), Dorothy, Richard, Michael, and his twin Patrick (Patrick died in early infancy), Simon, Rose Marie, and Charlie. Some of the older children were born in Ireland. The oldest child, Bridget, did not travel with her parents to the U.S., at first. She remained in Ireland, for awhile, with one of her aging grandmothers. My Grandfather Michael Byrne, was the son of Thomas and Bessie. He was born on Feb.13,1902. Thomas Byrne worked in a coal mine. After years of working with the dangers of mining coal, Thomas eventually moved his family to Baltimore so that his sons would not have to work in the coal mines. His daughter Annie remained in Western,Maryland after marrying a young man with the surname of Struntz (maybe Joe or Tony Struntz) and moving to Frostburg. Her family still lives in and around Frostburg and Cumberland. James Byrne was a war hero and his name is on the wall at the 5th Regiment Armory in Baltimore, Maryland. He was decorated with the American Distinguished Service Cross and the Highest Award from the French government. Michael served two terms in the Navy in a destroyer and a submarine. Simon, Richard and Charlie served in the military also. While still living in Western Maryland, Thomas and Bessie's daughter Rose Marie died at the age of 8 years old of pneumonia and is buried on Still Hill. According to my Grandfather her Godfather Tom last name unknown(still trying to find this out) insisted that he would carry her up the hill totally by himself. And he did. Some of the names remembered by Michael Byrne of friends in Midland / Lonaconing were: Calf-eye Simpson, Bull-eye Simpson, Froggy Pilonis, Chip Pilonis, Cat Cumoff,"spelled by phonetic sound"(at least that is what my Grandfather knew them by.) My Grandfather talked about playing on Dan's Rock. He told stories of going to school in a one room schoolhouse, where he was taught Algebra in the "baby class". He remembered the first motor car he saw in Western Maryland which was a big event at the time. When my Grandfather was travelling to visit in Ireland he tried to get record of his birth and was told the church had burned down where his baptismal records were kept. He believed that he was actually born in Ocean, Maryland a town that he says was flooded to make Deep Creek Lake. Some family memebers believe he may have been born in Ireland. If anyone could find some information or stories about any of our family in Lonaconing/Midland or regarding anything I have mentioned, please send it to bubsmei@yahoo.com I would really appreciate it. We would like to know the location of Still Hill and if it's still there. In addition, we would like to know, if anyone knows the location of the house or homes that Thomas and his family lived in. I also wanted to know if you have dates (for the time covered by the memoirs posted by other people who have visited this site? I hope my information helps someone else and thank you for a wonderful website. I love it. Kerry Rose(Ireland)Pitt

Name: Kerry Rose Pitt
email: bubsmei@yahoo.com
B1: Submit
Date: Monday September 27, 2004
Time: 10:21:37 AM

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Hi, My Great Grandparents were from Wicklow, Ireland and came to the Lonaconing/Midland area in the late 1800's. Their names were Thomas Byrne and Elizabeth (Bessie). They had 11 children: Bridget, Maggie, Annie, James (Rowdy), Dorothy, Richard, Michael, and his twin Patrick (Patrick died in early infancy), Simon, Rose Marie, and Charlie. Some of the older children were born in Ireland. The oldest child, Bridget, did not travel with her parents to the U.S., at first. She remained in Ireland, for awhile, with one of her aging grandmothers. My Grandfather Michael Byrne, was the son of Thomas and Bessie. He was born on Feb.13,1902. Thomas Byrne worked in a coal mine. After years of working with the dangers of mining coal, Thomas eventually moved his family to Baltimore so that his sons would not have to work in the coal mines. His daughter Annie remained in Western,Maryland after marrying a young man with the surname of Struntz (maybe Joe or Tony Struntz) and moving to Frostburg. Her family still lives in and around Frostburg and Cumberland. James Byrne was a war hero and his name is on the wall at the 5th Regiment Armory in Baltimore, Maryland. He was decorated with the American Distinguished Service Cross and the Highest Award from the French government. Michael served two terms in the Navy in a destroyer and a submarine. Simon, Richard and Charlie served in the military also. While still living in Western Maryland, Thomas and Bessie's daughter Rose Marie died at the age of 8 years old of pneumonia and is buried on Still Hill. According to my Grandfather her Godfather Tom last name unknown(still trying to find this out) insisted that he would carry her up the hill totally by himself. And he did. Some of the names remembered by Michael Byrne of friends in Midland / Lonaconing were: Calf-eye Simpson, Bull-eye Simpson, Froggy Pilonis, Chip Pilonis, Cat Cumoff,"spelled by phonetic sound"(at least that is what my Grandfather knew them by.) My Grandfather talked about playing on Dan's Rock. He told stories of going to school in a one room schoolhouse, where he was taught Algebra in the "baby class". He remembered the first motor car he saw in Western Maryland which was a big event at the time. When my Grandfather was traveling to visit in Ireland he tried to get record of his birth and was told the church had burned down where his baptismal records were kept. He believed that he was actually born in Ocean, Maryland a town that he says was flooded to make Deep Creek Lake. Some family members believe he may have been born in Ireland. If anyone could find some information or stories about any of our family in Lonaconing/Midland or regarding anything I have mentioned, please send it to bubsmei@yahoo.com I would really appreciate it. We would like to know the location of Still Hill and if it's still there. In addition, we would like to know, if anyone knows the location of the house or homes that Thomas and his family lived in. I also wanted to know if you have dates (for the time covered by the memoirs posted by other people who have visited this site? I hope my information helps someone else and thank you for a wonderful website. I love it. Kerry Rose(Ireland)Pitt

Name: Tim Llewellyn
email: cornflakesman@verizon.net
B1: Submit
Date: Thursday November 11, 2004
Time: 10:05:42 AM

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Hi, My name is Tim Llewellyn, I did not live in Midland, I lived in Gilmore and went to school in Midland. I had Ms. Manley and Ms. Davis as teachers. I remember always riding my bike up around squirl neck and playing baseball at the ball park accross from the church and stopping by the Gulf station and getting a soda. Friday nights was going out and then stopping at Scotties for a sandwich and Fountain Coke and playing pinball. I will always have great memories of Gilmore/Midland, If I can find some pictures, I will send them up. Tim Llewellyn

Name: Robert Dashiell
email: robdashiell@yahoo.com
B1: Submit
Date: Monday June 06, 2005
Time: 10:21:43 PM

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Name: Rex T. Gleeson
email: rexkathyg@verizon.net
B1: Submit
Date: Wednesday August 24, 2005
Time: 12:03:16 AM

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What a wonderful suprise to find the www.midlandroots web site. My name is Rex T. Gleeson (54 - Pittsburgh) and my Mother was Mary Elizabeth Edwards Gleeson. Her Mother was Isabel Broderick Edwards and was born and raised in Midland. My Grandmother (Isabel) was a sister to Catherine Broderick, Mary Broderick Baker,Lawrence Broderick, William (Bill) Jr,. She was an Aunt to Tom (Hoot) Baker and Jonathan Baker, ( both my cousins - once -removed) From the mid 1950's up to the mid 1980's I was a regular visitor to Midland and to this day visit the St. Michael's Cemetery in Frostburg whenever possible. I'm in the midst of organizing many of my late mothers's pictures and family mementos and will look forward to e-mailing any pictures or documents that might be of interest to your site. Sincerely, Rex Gleeson

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