2. Old Photographs of the Region

Old Shamokin Views

This album is for general photos of Shamokin. Features Sunbury and Water streets, the Fifth Ward, Christmas scenes and the area of Sixth Street. **Businesses have their own album...Like what you see? Visit https://www.gofundme.com/historic-photo-collection
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(01.1977) Taubel Knitting Mill, aka. Walnut Hosiery Building, after the fire in 1977. Occupying the building at the time were Fishman Manufacturing Company (first and second floors), and Lark Dress Company (third and fourth floors).
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(01.1977) Taubel Knitting Mill, aka. Walnut Hosiery Building, after the fire in 1977. Occupying the building at the time were Fishman Manufacturing Company (first and second floors), and Lark Dress Company (third and fourth floors).

  • Walnut Hosiery.
  • Coal Hole.
  • Coal Hole.
  • (1974) Walnut Towers Inn- ...The four-story, 37-room building opened July 22, 1974. The fire escape was removed and windows were made smaller. Follow the link to see what the building looked like during a deadly fire Jan 2, 1977. --> <a href="http://www.daladophotography.com/The-Thomas-Collection/Old-Fire-Fighting/3333623_xc79SC#!i=1321295761&k=CfXnPZnCoal">http://www.daladophotography.com/The-Thomas-Collection/Old-Fire-Fighting/3333623_xc79SC#!i=1321295761&k=CfXnPZnCoal</a> <br /> <br /> *Special thanks to Dave Van Doren for the next several photos*
  • (1974) The lobby area of Walnut Towers in 1974. [Before being known as the Walnut Towers Inn, and later "The Coal Hole," the building housed the Taubel Knitting Mill, which in addition to a sister building next door, housed around 900 employees...]
  • (1974) ...In 1978, a year after the fire, the upper floors of the building were demolished, including this room seen here. In 1982, David Van Doren, who was 25-years-old at the time, purchased the building from his mother and restored the existing structure as "The Coal Hole," a bar and restaurant, which was eventually converted to a popular location for local bands to play...
  • (1974) Mr. & Mrs. Andrew J. Mihalik and family model one of the rooms. Mr. Mihalik was assistant superintendent of Shamokin Area School District when this photo was taken...
  • (1974) ...Gail Shutt, owner of Custom Signs, Elysburg, created the signs on the exterior of the building and also created several paintings of Independence Street that hung along a hallway. The paintings were reconstructions of photos based-off of photos taken by Thomas Studios...
  • (1974) ...Another room in the Walnut Towers Inn...
  • (1974) ...One last room in the Walnut Towers Inn...
  • (1974) ...When the Coal Hole opened in 1983 it served as a bar and restaurant, which stayed open until 2 a.m.
  • John Luckens, owner/operator of Walnut Towers Inn, who was among nine people killed in an arson fire.
  • (01.02.1977) This is what the building looked like after the fire.
  • Coal Hole.
  • Coal Hole.
  • (01.1977) Taubel Knitting Mill, aka. Walnut Hosiery Building, after the fire in 1977. Occupying the building at the time were Fishman Manufacturing Company (first and second floors), and Lark Dress Company (third and fourth floors).
  • At the corner of Independence and Sixth streets. You may be asking, "Where's this?" The answer is Weis Market. Before there was Weis, there were train tracks that went through the property. The Coal Hole (Walnut Towers) is the huge building in the background.
  • This is at the intersection of Sixth and Walnut streets. The Pennsylvania Railroad Freight Station is at right. Close-up photos of the gas station shown in the background are in the other albums.
  • (1956) Spurr Gas Station- On the southwest corner of Sixth and Walnut streets, this gas station would eventually be torn down. Weis Markets, which later purchased the property, broke ground for the Amity House Ice Cream Shoppe on Oct. 28, 1969. The family restaurant, known for its “super sundae,” a large bowl of ice cream popular with children and adults alike, opened May 22, 1970. Weis announced in July of 1992 that the Amity House would close after more than 20 years. Shamokin Family Restaurant, owned by Nick Barakos, opened here Sept. 30, 1992. The Movie Gallery, a video store, was the last tenant before closing in the summer of 2010. Weis demolished the short-lived building on Nov. 8, 2012.
  • (1956) Spurr Gas Station- In the distance are Walnut Hosiery, left, (later Walnut Towers Inn and the Coal Hole) and Brest Packing (later Kreisl Brothers Inc. and Croninger Packing Co.), right. On April 28, 1962, Kreisl, a meat packing plant, closed permanently. Henry Kreisl, owner who employed 50 people, said that he “could not meet union demands” during negotiations for a new contract. The plant had operated since 1939, when the Kreisl brothers acquired it from Harry Brest. The building was lastly occupied by Croninger. The structure was purchased by John Luckens, who then demolished it on Jan. 22, 1974, for parking for his new motel, Walnut Towers. Luckens and eight other people died in an arson fire at the motel on Jan. 2, 1977. <a href="http://www.daladophotography.com/The-Thomas-Collection/Old-Fire-Fighting/3333623_xc79SC#!i=1321295761&k=CfXnPZn">http://www.daladophotography.com/The-Thomas-Collection/Old-Fire-Fighting/3333623_xc79SC#!i=1321295761&k=CfXnPZn</a>

  • Christopher

    on April 18, 2012

    Thanks for the wonderful outlook of Shamokin's past. The building in this photo was taken around 1901. Built by William E Lee builders a close friend of My Great Great Grandfather William B Lewis who owned and managed this hosiery on Walnut street. William B Lewis was an early pioneer for Shamokin, not only a successful business man but also one of the first Directer of the Shamokin National Dime and Trust Bank. His partners the Taubel's of riverside NJ where he also managed knitting mills insisted there name be part of the mill. Opened for business January 1 1901. The building grew with the industry and in 1905 a second tower was erected over the coal hole. This was the first silk and hosiery mill in Shamokin this section of the building still stands.

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