A Short History of Route 88

[@Wv8675]

32 grew up watching Kennywood memories, and Diners across PA this was great and i remember the old route 40 one

[@rayinpau.s.a.6351]

I can honestly say , I never get tired of listening to Rick . He is interesting and filled with a lot of History . An all around Good Guy ! I used to build Decks in the South Park area . Love the Mr. Rogers piano at the end of the video !

[@GoHarloFilms]

The voice of Pittsburgh, Rick Sebak you are a legend

[@danielfoster3642]

I've been on all of Route 88 a couple times in sections, but never did the full route. It's such a nice road. I'm hoping Rick will do more documentaries on Pennsylvania state highways in the Pittsburgh area like Route 51, Route 65, Route 28, Route 136, Route 837, Route 18, Route 21, Route 50, Route 380, Route 8, and Route 130.

[@jeffsmart9482]

I'm watching this in 2020. Covid 19 has taken over our lives. I cannot tell you much I enjoyed watching this! I simply LOVE Western Pa. Hoping to retire there in a couple years. I will watch this again, whilst looking for other like stories. Thank you for this!!!

[@conniecrawford5231]

I grew up in Bethel Park on Park Avenue just off Route 88 and as a teenager took the local bus on Route 88 to my summer job in Library, I graduated from BPHS, the spent 4 years at Allegheny College and returned to teach at BPHS! Still miss the local Isaly and roller skating servers at our hangout Eat n Park. Bethel Park was a great place to grow up in the 50's and 60's!

[@douglasneff3076]

So sad to learn the Walkers from the Skyview Drive-in both passed during the pandemic. Need more dedicated individuals like that

[@davida3025]

I wondered why it was closed. Sad news.

[@SBluesBrotherhood]

Having grown up in "Loafer's Hollow" and moving around the country for most of our lives, I sincerely DO miss the sights & sounds and the FOOD of Pittsburgh! My brother and I spent many hours picking vegetables at Trax Farms, and although it was on Brownsville Rd. and not RT 88, I remember working at the snack bar of the old Piney Fork Pool (that looked nearly identical to Mineral Beach). And yes, went to work on my bike to all of those places!!! Great times!

[@Ailith]

i use to live on Library Road...i never knew how famous a road it was...the street car ran in back of our house and we could ride it all the way into Pittsburgh...i wish i would have known then what i know today...i remember doing cartwheels and playing frisbee in our beautiful green grass back yard...thank you for the memories...

[@mikelouis9389]

88 is the most dangerous road I've ever used in my 51 years of driving across America. It's a testament to how crazy good Pittsburgh drivers are. Put a road like that in Florida and you will get a Quentin Tarantino movie.

[@Claytone-Records]

Parts of it are a regular‘suicide alley’ or ‘Deathless 88’.

[@milla698]

I just love watching all of Rick sebaks films he does such a good job narrating them with such a pleasant voice 🎉🎉

[@6jjbncam9]

Rick Sebak is awesome. I love all his light-hearted docs, and his narration and tone is the best. I first learned of Rick from Sandwiches You Will Like. I found a lot of his other stuff since, but the point is, I just really appreciate his work. He has a fan here in Southern California.

[@Mr.Death101]

Are you from Pittsburgh? Rick sebak is a National Treasure as far as I'm concerned and hell yeah I grew up watching that s*** like Pennsylvania roadshow in Kennywood memories even Pittsburgh from the air which is newer is really nice to get stoned and drink to

[@charleneevans5848]

grew up in Charleroi & 88 was the only way to get to Pgh in my younger days. As a 16yo, we were supposed to only stay in the area but we heard they had the best hoagies at Danny's Hoagies in South park so one night , we drove down there & yes, the hoagies were good. my parents never found out until I was much older. After college, i lived in Castle Shannon for years. So this video brings back many memories

[@kadachr]

2024 this makes me sad but also gives me a piece of home listening to these shows from Rick. I love them all.

[@inboilsideath]

This video could also be titled “What Does a Western Pennsylvania Accent Sound Like?”

[@markonline1662]

They passed over the Tennyson Lodge. That is some interesting history.

[@Patrickduffy143]

MarkOnline Who are you telling!!!!!!

[@TheBlackbudda08]

And the Owner was very Friendly...She would Play Cards in Mine 3

[@waylonlegend4603]

Lots historic ladies there.

[@MrPerfesser]

There really is beauty in the commonplace, and joy in the peaceful rhythm of daily life. You get used to it and take it for granted, until it's gone.

[@waylonlegend4603]

Grew up near Monongahela. Many miles driven, 88 takes me home.

[@MichaelVLang]

I like to go the old ways all the time too Eddie.

[@penguinsfan251]

Rick Sebak needs to do a similar documentary on Route 51 from Uniontown to the Ohio line (where Ohio 14 ends in Cleveland) and Route 19.

[@joepaul1211]

Grew up on 88 worth the ride wouldn't trade the memories for the world !

[@farmcentralohio]

Anything done by Rick gets a thumbs up from me, he has a memorable voice similar to Paul Harvey

[@charcoal72]

Hey Rick Growing up in Castle Shannon I loved seeing this video, Hey interesting note here, I knew your Father Chuck Sebak from his time at McJunkin , actually your dad and my father worked there for years. I can still see your Dad, A big guy driving a full size Olds station wagon. My brother and I both worked with your Dad at McJunkin in Leetsdale. We even spent some time at your Dad's hunting camp in NE Pa. back in 60's The South HIlls was a great place to grow up in the 60 and 70's

[@NathanielBeall]

I spent my whole life going up and down 88 - from Fredericktown to 51 and this video still taught me some new things about some of my favorite towns. However I feel it odd that Mingo Creek wasn't even mentioned when showing it's entrance next to 43. Monongahela is the oldest settlement on the Monongahela river. You should link David's video of Rosco! I know the Fredericktown Ferry was shut down a few years before this docu, but that was an amazing piece of history if you ask me!

[@waylonlegend4603]

Keep mango a hidden gem

[@conniecrawford5231]

I attended Bethel Park schools with the Sebak. children - great school district! BP was a friendly little suburb - my father was a volunteer fireman there.for 40 years.

[@nunyabidnis5407]

That first shot is the intersection of Rt 88, Baptist Rd, Corrigan Dr and South Park Road.

[@markshogan2642]

Being originally from Charleroi, route 88 is part of my life. I remember the Christmas lights on McKean Ave string from the old streetcar poles. My mom rode the streetcar into Pittsburgh as a girl. My grandfather owned a furniture store in Charleroi. Aside from Christmas as a little boy, my fondest memories are of the fireworks o. July 4th. Route 88 and the mon valley will always be home.

[@penguinsfan251]

Hi, Mark. My mom grew up in Fallowfield Township. My mom's uncle was mayor of Charleroi.

[@user-cq1jz8wr1y]

I grew up in Fallowfield township

[@jimharris9878]

I am so disappointed you never mentioned 88 Transit. I worked for them for about 23 years and grew up in Finleyville.

[@memyselfandifarmer]

From north Baldwin, after high school,late 1980's, we drove the whole way, end to end on rt 88 . The good old days.

[@johnbeach7985]

This is fabulous. Thank you, Rick!

[@gregoryrizer]

Loved this video I grew up in point marion pa and never knew that rt 88 ended in point marion. Thank you for this history lesson 👏

[@bluechex7881]

There are at least fourteen reasons to love route 88.

[@laurenkerr7557]

I'm so glad I found this! Being from Pittsburgh, but living in Chicago area last 39 years, this was a delight to watch! I subscribed so I won't miss any more good shows!

[@TheBlackbudda08]

What about the Old Coal Mine Tracks in Findleyville (Before you get to 837)...I would deliver to Rock-Tenn in Charleroi, and the Plant in Allenport...Joy Mining Co in Brownsville, Butcher Shop in Fredricktown... An Old Neighbor once told me, that when she was Young, 88 had Horse-Drawn Trollys that were on Library Rd...88 has GREAT Memories (Except for the Castle Shannon Police Dept 1982) !!!

[@sonpit]

Courtney went right through that RED light (Right Turn On Red After Stop) at 04:50 😂

[@TheTomasio1975]

I'm surprised he didn't mention the Pittsburgh Railways street car line that run next to and on Rt 88 from Finleyville to Roscoe. The car bar is still in Charleroi. On the stretch between Finleyville and New Eagle one can see old bridge abutments near the road.

[@paulmentzer7658]

The Streetcar route along PA 88 started about 1905 as the people of the Monongahala River wanted railroad competition. Thus they built the Streetcar line from the River to Castle Shannon. They could not hook up to the Streetcar line at Castle Shannon but were permitted to connect to the Streetcar line in Dormont. That was done till the Pittsburgh Railway Company, that ran the Pittsburgh streetcars, was permitted to run streetcars from Donora to Pittsburgh via the Valley line. The Valley line started out as a narrow gauge railway in 1869 to haul coal. Pittsburgh Railway took it over in 1905, but had to permit coal trains for a few more years. Since the Valley line was single tracked while the Beechview and Dormont tracks were double track it was easier to set the streetcars via Beechview, Mr Lebanon and Dormont then on the Valley line. Once coal operation finally stopped about 1910, the streetcars from the Monongahala River were re-routed down the Valley line, along modern day PA 51 to Pittsburgh. In 1952 the line was abandoned beyound Library for while the Castle Shannon to Library section was doubke tracked, the rest was only single track with passing tracks. Since the Pennsylvania Highway Department was buying the track to Washington PA from the border of Washington County (the present South Hills Village branch) it was decided to end all streetcar operations in Washington County and use the money from the Highway Department to get the Pittsburgh Railway out of Bankrupcy court (where it had been since the early 1930s). It took another 12 years for Allegheny County to obtain ownership of the Pittsburgh Railway tracks (The big issue was the Value of the Streetcars that the County was planning to replace with buses). Anyway, I have always found it interesting that the Streetcar line, now the T line started from Pittsburgh, through the Transit tunnel but ended in Castle Shannon and Dormont, while the rest of that Streetcar line came from the Monongahala River to those same two areas and ever since been viewed as one, even after the parts in Washington County were abandoned.

[@paulmentzer7658]

One more thing he did not mention, PA 88 was NOT paved till 1912 and from what I have read only on Allegheny county outside the borders of the City of Pittsburgh (at that time period each city had to pave they own streets at they own expense even if designated a "State Highway"). In Pennsylvania the state would not pave urban streets till after WWII and in some ways the tendency NOT to pave urban streets was the norm in Pennsylvania till after the 1967 State Constitutional Convention (called due to the 1964 US Supreme Court ruling that Stste Senatorial districts had to be equal in population, something that had NEVER been the case before 1964. Thus you had more State Senators from Rural areas then justified by those areas population and thus violated the "One person, one Vote" rule the US Surpeme Court embraced in 1964.). Some effect of that pre 1964 rural domination of the State Senate remains in use, such as the distribution to the counties of part of the Gasoline and Diesel fuel tax. Such distribution is based on the 1927 sale of oil in each county. In 1927 most urban people did not own a car, but rural Pennsylvania was coming off a huge farm product boom (Russia had turn communist in 1917 and Europe refused to buy Soviet wheat and other farm products, thus increasing the price of such products till Stalin sold wheat at a huge discount starting in 1927, that sale started the Great Depression in 1927 in much of rural America and thus 1927 was the peak year for rural oil use when compared to urban oil use). Please note by the 1920s urban residents were using electricity or natural gas for lighting, very little oil was used in Urban America for lighting. On top of oil for automobiles, oil was used as lighting in rural America till the Rural Electrification programs of the New Deal in the 1930s. At the same time many urban residents started to Drive a car, thus 1927 is the peak year for oil usage in rural areas to exceed, on a per capita basis, urban areas. For this reason the 1927 oil purchase ratios are used to set how much money from the tax on oil each county gets. Please note oil usage has increased in both urban and rural areas since 1927, but the real change is the percentage of each. You had a much larger increase in oil sale in Urban Areas as urban people embraced the Automobile, then in rural areas at the same time period. The rural legislatures fight tooth and nail to keep using that 1927 base, for if any other year is used, Rural Counties lose money while Urban Counties gain money. In most years Urban Legislature gets money for urban mass transit to compensate for the loss of fuel tax money.

[@angelofontanesi7069]

I grew up in an old house in Library right on Rt. 88 in the 70s. It was literally fifteen feet from our front door. Walked to church/school at St. Joan of Arc and took Rt.88/Library Rd with my dad into Finleyville. Simpler times.

[@Mr.Death101]

It's Warshington, not Washington and that Pittsburgh guy from the drive-in got it exactly right!!! True Yinzer right ther

[@trainsnotplanesautomobiler3781]

Nice video..... Drove Route 88 many times up thru my college days at California University. Many memories...

[@zachz96]

I've biked several parts of Rt. 88. Rt. 88 is also known as Library Rd.

[@kathyaxley1804]

Thank you Rick! Really enjoyed that little journey.

[@HerminiePA]

I did not remember that Point Marion was on Route 88 until I saw this video. In 1968, I drove to this little town to tell the grandparents of the soldier that he had been killed in Vietnam. I thought I remembered it being closer to Route 51.

[@laurencefausold5555]

If one follows Rt. 88 south through Finleyville, on the right hand side, just past the Giant Eagle, one can see an old RR line. That is what used to be the street car line that ran from Pittsburgh to Charleroi. As one follows Rt. 88 towards Charleroi, one can still see other traces of it. One can also see a trace of it off of Brownsville Rd on the right just before one gets to Sebolt.

[@waylonlegend4603]

Tomko? I know old rt 88 is on the left past Giant Eagles.

[@rayinpau.s.a.6351]

How long ago did they stop running trolleys through there ?

[@UnderUrs69]

I can’t wait to move to Fredricktown and be a part of such a cool little area.

[@kenchambers3655]

Wonderful! I live in Library and would love to learn more about the history of this particular area. I think this vid has given us an idea for a bucket list road trip.

[@louisoliverio1815]

Mineral Beach now closed--glad you got some footage of it before it met its apparent demise (at least for Summer 2019).

[@Patrickduffy143]

Louis Oliverio when did mineral Beach close?

[@louisoliverio1815]

@@Patrickduffy143 It did not open for 2019 summer season and is now listed as permanently closed...at least the pool.

[@shari_lynn7454]

The property was bought. There's supposed to be housing put in but nothing has even started.

[@4tuneagent]

Damn, that sucks. That place seems to have quite a bit of history to it..

[@nunyabidnis5407]

There are trees growing out of it now . We usually went to the South Park pool on Corrigan drive. Then they closed it and built the wave pool on McConkey Rd. The wave pool was all concrete and ASTRO turf. Truly disappointing.

[@ScoobySnackRocks]

Oh this was so wonderful. I grew up in WM and havent seen many of those areas in over 30 years. Thank you for your hard work. I love to do a video of my stomping grounds... it would be quite entertaining haha! Thanks again!

[@tomgainan3446]

I miss that place!!!

[@Rusty-gp1gx]

JOLTIN GEORGE SAFIN!!!!!!! Prexie legend Was a teacher of mine at wash high in 2000 amazing man Amazing video!!

[@micksterboone4517]

I lived right next to 88 in New Eagle in my youth. My parents still live there.

[@joepaul1211]

Anyone remember the lodge in castle Shannon?

[@sanction7627]

Simply superb.

[@BEEJOHNNYBEE]

i was there in 60s 70s, i lived on sownden rd library pa went south park high school, my uncles son was the cheif at gill hall fire dept, cavin felix. its great to see some of the country.

[@familytreenutshistorygenealogy]

Nice! Glad this is documented. This could be made into short videos too. That's how we hold peoples attention these days.

[@laurenkerr7557]

This video makes me homesick for Pittsburgh

[@mikelouis9389]

Pittsburgh winters will cure you. My arthritis reminds me of this.

[@laurenonmoonlightdr]

​@@mikelouis9389I live outside of Chicago so the winters are still bad and my arthritis is very painful. The best weather I found was when my son lived in New Mexico. That low humidity was wonderful! I miss the hills and the small town feeling of Pittsburgh.

[@mikelouis9389]

@@laurenonmoonlightdr Me too. I wish I could go back. Floridumb is, at best, sub optimal. 88 in Florida would be a death zone.

[@laurenonmoonlightdr]

@@mikelouis9389 worst place I've ever driven in is Delaware. Tiny state with large population, and cars, cars everywhere.

[@mikelouis9389]

@laurenonmoonlightdr Dover wasn't too bad, at least they had some skills and common sense.

[@ASBGRL1]

Thank you for this Rick Sebak You’re the Best yinzer ever #fredericktown

[@JoshP037]

24:55 "Warshington" 😂🤣

[@jeffreylehn8803]

I remember going to the steam show held at Mineral beach

[@user-cq1jz8wr1y]

My Grandpa lived in Roscoe. By Merles Bar

[@scottvy1007]

Forgot the Tennyson lounge

[@woxyroxme]

My college roommate was from Library, went to South Park high school long before the cartoon

[@melesmeles2095]

I miss home sometimes

[@leatherman88ch]

I live in Sacramento California and I believe the second Atlas from moment 14.10 is here

[@keitha5188]

claudia its keith ...you lived off rt 88 i miss you

[@4tuneagent]

I wonder if the Sky View drive-in movies is still open?..

[@Mmokojr]

Yes it is!

[@waylonlegend4603]

You missed Beynons in Bethel Park.

[@114flaxton2]

And now, Mineral Beach is gone.

[@NSHorseheadSD70]

Apple Annie's isn't in Point Marion anymore. They moved to Morgantown.

[@The-Real-Blissful-Ignorance]

6120 Mid Atlantic Dr, Morgantown, WV 26508, if anyone is looking for their new place.

[@colleenwolf9837]

How was South Park missed???

[@thankubabyboca]

is anyone else not talking about how rick sebak just exposed his parents address?? am i the only one worried??

[@farmcentralohio]

Rick is 67 now and the chances that his parents still live in the same home as when he was a kid are pretty slim. Even if they do still live there the people watching this video are not the type to cause problems, if anything they might hang out there hoping to get a glimpse of Rick lol. You shouldn't worry so much, it's bad for your health.