It’s been about two weeks since my dad and I took a trip to Niagara Falls, his hometown, and Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, my paternal grandparents’ hometown. The experience is difficult to put into words. As a young person who didn’t know her grandparents terribly well, I’m overwhelmed with a tremendous amount of pride and sentiment when visiting these places that were so important to them and to my father, though I’ve hardly spent much time in either town. It reminds me that where we are is one of the biggest factors in determining who we are.
Shufran house, paternal grandmother's childhood home, Philipsburg, PA
Great-Uncle Al's Garage
Walking through Belden Center, my dad's childhood neighborhood, with Rich Vicki
Rich Vicki, my dad's oldest friend
The first house my dad ever lived in. There would have been 9 people living in this house when he was born in 1948.
3011 Savannah Street- my dad's childhood home
Downtown Niagara Falls- Slipko's and Jenss- both now closed
DiCamillo in Downtown Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls is like many cities in the north east that used to be industrial hubs. There is a lot of rot, decay, and ugly reminders of what used to be. I wish I had captured more of those images while we were there. The slow erosion that these towns have endured, I believe, is on-par with the after-math of many natural disasters. I know that these towns will eventually make a recovery but I don’t know who will lead the recoveries or how long they will take. I hope to keep going back so I can keep learning about the rich histories of these towns and to be a part of the recovery solution.
Maria Gall 