eisurely

isitLV

VOL. 135 — NO. 11

FUNBank

FUNBank

WEDNESDAY,JULY 10, 2013

[L-V photo by Josh Walzak]A COLORFUL SHOW erupted in the skies above Red Bank Creek at New Bethlehem Friday as the community’s annual Indepen-dence Day celebration was held in Gumtown Park. A large crowd packed the park and other areas

along Water Street for the fire-works display, which was preced-ed by two musical groups on the park stage. The fireworks are or-ganized each year by the Redbank Valley Chamber of Commerce.

NEW BETHLEHEM – A walk in support of Second Amendment rights will be held in New Bethlehem starting at 1 p.m. on Sat-urday, July 13.

Participants will start at Gumtown Park along Wa-ter Street, walk to Broad Street near the bridge, continue east along Broad Street to Vine Street, and back along Water Street to the park.

Those taking part are urged to carry an un-loaded firearm during the walk.

After the walk, state Rep. Donna Oberlander, local attorney William Strong and others will speak at the park.

Organizers say the event is for those who “honor the Constitution of the United States and the Second Amendment, the right to carry a firearm to defend yourself.” It is also for those who “respect the ones who gave all for our freedom” and “the ones who are serving presently, and the ones who have served.”

Firearms rights event planned in NB for Saturday

HARRY SHICK (bottom, right) poses for a rare photograph with Lloyd and Junior Bish. The photo, published in The L-V in August 1955, shows Shick who was described as “probably the area’s only real hermit.”

By JOSH WALZAKL-V Editor

SUGAR VALLEY – A brief blurb in this news-paper’s “Yesteryears” col-umn in March sparked a great deal of conversation in the community, as well as numerous memories for a local family regard-ing Harry Shick, “the hollow tree hermit.”

That brief article, which recounted a 1938 news-paper report in which Shick was found living in a tree in northern Arm-strong County, led Wayne Shirey Sr. of Mayport to compile all the informa-tion and memories that he, and others, had about Shick so that the unusu-al man’s even stranger tale could be passed on to new generations.

Shirey said he moved to the farm in the Sugar Valley area of Redbank Township (Armstrong County) in 1956 and learned about the old hermit who lived on the adjacent property.

“We knew about Har-ry and would see him now and then along the road going to or from the store,” Shirey said.

But Shick’s story and

the notoriety that came from him being found living in a hollowed out tree started years before Shirey moved to the farm just below where the fa-mous tree still stood.

Harry W. Shick was born in Redbank Town-ship on March 17, 1890. He was a World War I vet-eran, having served with Company 557 Casual Training Center. He en-tered service on July 25, 1918 in Kittanning, and was discharged a short time later on Dec. 15, 1918 at Camp Lee, Va.

According to memo-ries passed down by lo-cal residents, Shick had been wounded in the war, exposed to mustard gas which may have been the cause of his bodily shaking and his appar-ent mental problems.

At least that’s the story remembered by Dottie (Shick) Bowersox, whose grandfather operated the old Oak Ridge store, one of the few places the famed hermit would make an appearance.

“Dad said [Shick] came home from World War I affected like that. I guess the effects of mustard gas or nerve gas damaged

his nervous system and mind,” Bowersox said. “He shook severely, never carried on a conversation and chose to live a soli-tary life.”

Her memories of Shick date back to when she was a little girl and Har-ry Shick would come into her grandfather’s store in Oak Ridge.

“Harry was harm-less but his appearance scared me to death,” she remembered. “He wore filthy, tattered clothes and had an incredibly long beard that was full of tobacco juice and twisted into long ropes down his chest. His filthy hands shook and his Woolrich hat was pulled low over his eyes. He was a sight to behold!”

Bowersox said that Shick would visit the store early in the morn-ings, sometimes arriv-ing at the store before it opened. One time, she said, her grandfather found him sitting on the front porch of the store, covered in snow, while waiting for it to open.

Other times, if the store wasn’t yet open, Shick

The legend of the tree hermit75 years later, story still told of Harry Shick and his time in the tree

[Continued onPage A-11]

By JOSH WALZAKL-V Editor

EAST BRADY – With a piece of riverfront property now in the town’s posses-sion, East Brady officials said last week they would attempt to beat the appli-cation deadline for a grant that would be used to help develop the lot.

At their meeting on July 2, borough council mem-bers said they would fast-track efforts to apply for

a state Greenways grant, which is due by the end of July.

The target property is a lot along the Allegheny River that was donated to the borough late last year by the developers of the adjacent Riverview Place housing plan.

Borough secretary San-dy Steiner said the grant would require a 20 per-cent match from the com-munity.

EB considers ideas forriverfront lot

[Continued on Page A-2]

By SUSAN L. KERRL-V Correspondent

SLIGO – Tweaking Sli-go’s existing ordinances makes more sense than adopting an international set of standards that does not fit the town’s local fla-vor, according to the bor-ough’s solicitor.

Attorney Ralph L.S. Montana explained his line of reasoning to Sligo Borough Council at the group’s July 2 meeting.

“I am not in favor of the International Property Maintenance Code,” he said. “If there is anything people do not want in this area, it is more govern-ment interference.”

While most of the code’s

tenets may work in urban and suburban areas, Mon-tana said that they were too restrictive for a small town.

“That is not to say that you could not adapt some of its language,” he said. “You already have nui-sance ordinances that just need a little tweaking to address matters of public health, safety and well-be-ing.”

Montana advised the council that passage of the amended ordinances will require gleaning rea-sonable input from Sligo residents.

Montana outlined the steps that must be taken.

“Printed copies of the

Ordinance revisions top Sligo debate

[Continued on Page A-8]

Final preparations are being made in anticipa-tion of the start of the 75th Anniversary Clarion County Fair, which opens Sunday, July 21, and con-tinues through July 27 at Redbank Valley Municipal Park.

To help you prepare for your visit to the fair this year, be sure to check out the special section includ-ed in today’s newspaper which features 20 pages of information about the big seven-day event.

And check back with The Leader-Vindicator next week for an in-depth preview of the Clarion County Fair.

* * *

On July 5, while strolling around Gumtown Park pri-or to the annual fireworks show, we were not only proud to be Americans, but very proud to be part of this community.

The event, which includ-ed a pair of musical acts leading up to the fireworks, as well as food vendors, made for a great evening outdoors shared with fam-ily and friends.

The evening always brings a big crowd into town, and everyone was

[Continued on Page A-8]

LV front section (07.10.13).indd1 1 7/10/13 4:33:57 AM