Trafford History
The Trafford Historical Society typically meets inside the Trafford Library on the first Wednesday of each month at 6:00 PM. Other events and speakers will be announced here and on Facebook.
Please join us on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, @ 6:00 PM in the Trafford Library. Note the date changed due to New Year's Day taking place on the first Wednesday of the month.
Last updated Dec 19, 2024
Congratulations to our Holiday Photo Contest Winner!
We are pleased to share this photograph submitted by Sandra Ritchey Novakovich, the Trafford Historical Society's Holiday Photo Contest winner! Sandra's submission features her charming childhood photo taken around 1947. The image of Sandra and her brother sitting with the department store Santa truly captured a heartwarming holiday moment from our past.
The young boy is Robert Blair Ritchey Jr., looking directly at the camera. Doesn’t he have an uncanny resemblance to one of the boys from the holiday classic film "A Christmas Story?" Sandra is sitting next to Santa with the most precious look on her face. While her eyes are supposed to be looking at the camera, it’s adorable to see her sneaking an up-close peek at Santa while he reads her Christmas list. Is she trying to figure out if Santa is real, or is she in awe of being so close to the one person who can grant her those secret Christmas wishes?
Congratulations to Sandra for this wonderful submission! Though she didn't expect to win, she generously donated her prize back to the Trafford Historical Society in the true spirit of the season. We created the contest in hopes of the community digging into their old shoe boxes of photographs to share the memories of holidays past. Her submission captures a truly wonderful childhood moment as a youth growing up in Trafford, reminiscent of "Auld Lang Syne."
Thank you, Sandra, and thank you to everyone who participated in our contest!
Trafford's Oldest 250 Buildings
Trafford Map Project for Westmoreland 250: MAP HERE
Behind the numbers (map project).
2024 Articles and Posts
Jan 4, 2024 Henry Wynn $20 Bill
Jan 6, 2024 1954 Celebration photos
Jan 13, 2024 BY Pond Ice Skating
Jan 17, 2024 Lacivita's Beauty Studio
Jan 20, 2024 Capets Army Air Corps
Jan 23, 2024 Municipal Building 100 years
Jan 24, 2024 James Joseph Mastroianni 100
Jan 27, 2024 Ralph D. Wheeler III
Jan 29, 2024 Henry Harrison Berlin
Feb 2, 2024 Lexie Carter earns Eagle Scout 1931
Feb 6, 2024 Remembering Wayne S. Greer
Feb 10, 2024 State Store
Feb 12, 2024 Louis Jenets building
Feb 14, 2024 Donald E. Lloyd
Feb 15, 2024 Troop 1 - 100 years ago
Feb 19, 2024 Kay Pasterick's Opinion
Feb 22, 2024 Tavern Owners
Feb 27, 2024 The Biggest Kid on the Mat
Feb 29, 2024 Big Mike Zeravica - Tavern Owner
Mar 2, 2024 Trafford Motor Company
Mar 7, 2024 Springtime Lunch - Tavern Owners
Mar 9, 2024 Eddie "Moose" Erwin
Mar 13, 2024 Crookston - Trafford Terrace
Mar 18, 2024 A.C. Scales and the Turnpike Killer
Mar 24, 2024 Shadow Woods
Mar 29, 2024 National Vietnam War Veterans Day
Mar 30, 2024 Famous War Veteran
Mar 31 - April 10, 2024 Who and When - recognize anyone?
April 11, 2024 Legion Baseball is Back!
April 16, 2024 Croatian Fraternal Union behind the bar
April 21, 2024 Shearer Building
April 24, 2024 Another Legion Baseball photo
April 26, 2024 More Trafford High Cheerleaders
May 1, 2024 May Queen
May 14, 2024 Surprising Discovery
May 16, 2024 More E.E. Bandy negatives developed
May 29, 2024 Memorial Nationally Recognized
June 15, 2024 Triangle Bar
June 17, 2024 More Trafford high school football
June 20, 2024 Going My Way
June 25, 2024 New Video - Reflections of Trafford
June 29, 2024 Who are these guys?
July 6, 2024 Blackburn Then and Now
July 9, 2024 Blackburn Farm
July 10, 2024 Was Nikola Tesla in Trafford?
July 11, 2024 Bank Deposit Door Display
July 16, 2024 Bennie Westwood and his 'stache
July 22, 2024 Class of 1955 as Seventh Graders
July 24, 2024 Early McBride Theatre
July 26, 2024 Bus accident and early signage
July 30, 2024 AI Magic - who are these guys?
August 2024 Several photos from Joe Thompson in the 1960s
Aug 9, 2024 Trafford Rotary Sign
Aug 12, 2024 Remembering Frank Glendenning
Aug 15, 2024 Inspired by Bob Marker
Aug 16, 2024 Heintzelman Home & Edel Gift
Aug 28, 2024 The first opponent to face the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Sept 6, 2024 Old Westinghouse Property Tour
Oct 20, 2024 Pioneer in Science Fiction born here
Oct 18, 2024 PART 1 Talking Trafford History Fried Jumbo Podcast
Oct 25, 2024 PART 2 Talking Trafford History Fried Jumbo Podcast
Oct 31, 2024 Bridge Dedication 1964
Nov 11, 2024 Veterans Day 2024 photos shared
Nov 27, 2024 The Trafford Post Office Dedication
Dec 3, 2024 205 Brinton Ave Then and Now
Dec 6, 2024 The Tonsil Hospital
Dec 9, 2024 Trafford's North Station
Dec 16, 2024 Remembering Miller M. Godich
Dec 17, 2024 Shades Ravine or Shades of Death?
Dec 18, 2024 Petrini Hotel
2023 Articles and Posts Click Here
2022 Articles and Posts Click Here
2021 Articles and Posts Click Here
2020 Articles and Posts Click Here
2019 Articles and Posts Click Here
Images of America: TRAFFORD
This book was written by Don Cole and Andrew Capets
for the TRAFFORD HISTORICAL SOCIETY
The book is available for purchase at Arcadia Publishing. Thank you!
Brush with Fame
The Pittsburgh Magazine had a regular article written each month by the beloved historian, filmmaker and producer, Rick Sebak, entitled All Roads Lead To Pittsburgh.
Featured Photo
While Most people associate the old bank building in Trafford as the “old Mellon Bank building, here's a brief look back at the "first bank" to occupy this space.
Featured Story
How did the B.Y. Park get its name?
In the spring of 1888, the Turtle Creek Valley Railroad, headed by George Westinghouse, began construction of a railroad line from the Pennsylvania Railroad main line in South Trafford to Murrysville.
