Tyrone was born as a direct result of the Industrial Revolution. Its strategic geography sparked an interest that drew speculators to this verdant, yet muddy location. After a few short years, the infant railroad company that would become The Pennsylvania Rail Road decided to place a depot at Tyrone City in 1853. At the same time, a new breed of individuals began to emerge in America’s consciousness. They would come to be known as “Captains of Industry.”
In July 1889, a young man hurried from the Tyrone train station divisional offices headed for the Ward House and a noon meal. The sound of the dinner bell at the North Star Tannery startled him from his deep thought. He realized that he had not told his wife of an important decision he had just made. John Kilgore Johnston rushed back to the depot to send a wire. “Mattie, I have accepted a position. We will be moving to Tyrone. J. K.” he dictated to the telegrapher. His wife of three years, Martha Jones Johnston, was in Altoona. In the nine years he had been with the company, this would be his fifth appointment with the Pennsylvania Railroad. Mr. Johnston was about to assume the position of Assistant Supervisor for the Tyrone Division.
The Johnston family — John, Martha, and two children — became residents of Tyrone in 1888. Before being called to supervise the Middle Division at Mifflin, Pennsylvania in late 1889, J. K. Johnston had transferred his talents to being Assistant Engineer at the Tyrone Division yards. In the ensuing years, the Johnston family was shuttled six more times across the state. Two more children entered the brood. A series of supervisory positions and construction management jobs for the railroad company had brought the Johnston name to the attention of the Board. In the 1896 fiftieth anniversary volume of the Pennsylvania Railroad, Mr. Johnston found his biography among the many great laborers honored therein. It was now time to raise a family and enjoy a hearth and home with the Johnston name on the door.
Return to Tyrone, 1903
While stationed in Altoona again for a year as principal assistant engineer of operations, Mr. Johnston got a wire from headquarters that he was requested to locate immediately to Tyrone. He had been promoted to Supervisor of the Tyrone Division on the retirement of the well respected Samuel S. Blair, who had held the position for over thirty years.
Arriving at the station late October 1903, the Johnstons stepped off of the train and surveyed what was now their hometown. The depot at Tyrone was a beehive of activity. One of the busiest stops in the Main Line of the PRR, it was also one of the most picturesque. Trains converged here from every direction as Mr. Johnston informed his family that this was the furthest point north on the map that the main line traveled. Their new home was not quite ready for their occupancy, so Mrs. Johnston had phoned ahead for a suite of rooms at the Hotel Myron at 1214 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Although it was only fourteen years since Mr. Johnston had worked in Tyrone, the whole operation of the Pennsylvania System had changed. Over the previous decades, the PRR had forged westward into other states. The company absorbed branch lines and smaller operations along the way. The great Pennsylvania merged with or had an interest in 800 other companies controlling 10,000 miles of track at its peak. It began aptly using the subtitle, “The Standard Railroad of the World.”
With the increase in commerce, the rails system was completely rebuilt before the turn of the Twentieth Century. New depots appeared, bridges were widened or replaced with stone and new tunnels leading to Tyrone on the east were dug at Spruce Creek. The most noticeable change came with the doubling of the roadbed. When 1900 dawned, what had been a single track in 1846 was now a full four-track system across the state. Tyrone grew with immigrants seeking employment at the facilities located here.
The House at 1459 Lincoln Avenue
On November 1, 1903, John Kilgore Johnston took over control of the Tyrone yards as Superintendent. A splendid classical revival frame house sitting on a stone walled embankment greeted the family when they made their way uptown. The Pennsylvania Railroad had purchased the home at 1459 Lincoln Avenue suitable for rail employees being relocated. The central hallway divided twin parlors and led to a dining area. Large over mantle mirrors reflected gas chandeliers. An addition on the rear contained ample kitchen and pantry facilities. In addition to the sizable family bedrooms, a staircase led from the kitchen to rooms in the addition for servants that might stay on the premises.
What excited Martha Johnston was the spacious front porch. It afforded her a view of their small park across the avenue and to the greenhouses just north of the house which provided fresh cuttings most of the year. Mr. Johnston looked at it as a place to observe his domain. The rail yards ended at the foot of his property and all comings and goings could be noted.
The property was divided by Sinking Run, which diverted water from an underground spring at the rear of the property. This stream continues to the Bald Eagle creek. It was placed underground as Tyrone grew. A natural stone walk bridge crossed the stream to the greenhouses just beyond the kitchen door. The Pennsylvania Railroad placed a stone arch bridge on Lincoln Avenue at the front of the property in 1888. As of this writing, it is the oldest in Blair County.
A large vertical limestone outcropping protruded from the ground and dominated this end of town. Although maps may refer to this as Blair’s Point, locals have always called it Stony Point. It was at this location in the early years of Tyrone that stone was quarried. Mrs. Johnston encouraged the gardener to plant sunflowers and maintain fruit trees here. A path led from the rear of the property and meandered up to a gazebo placed firmly on the apex of the hill where a view of the whole town could be had.
The Tyrone Yards
Mr. Johnston set about his first task. This entailed a complete inspection of all facilities of the Tyrone Yards for the division. As of this writing, it is nearly impossible to fathom the vast mechanics of this now vanished part of our community. A glimpse of an 1895 map is startling. Beginning at Fourteenth Street bound by Burley Avenue to the south and Lincoln Avenue to the north, the yards spread forward from a freight station and the old YMCA. Within two blocks the West Virginia Paper Company with its bleach plant and the divisional fire tower and elevated coal tracks converged into a mass of industrial confusion. The yards stretched for three miles to Vail. For part of this course, twelve trains could operate side by side on tracks.
Just opposite the Paper Mill were the lower shops, emergency facilities, and a brick round house for maneuvering locomotives to opposing tracks. A chimney appeared above each bay to allow the boilers to idle. Once fired, a locomotive is never shut down except for repair. The master mechanic was located next to this; for many years this was J. A. Beamer.
Beyond this point, the East Tyrone yard master occupied a tower that oversaw the cars and crews under his charge. Further along were the repair shops. The mountain routes above Tyrone could play a toll on the cars. They were brought here for refurbishing. At the northern end of the yards were the scales and the office of the weight master. To complete a picture of the yards would be the thousands of tons of coal piled high with the wood ranks for the paper mill that lined the eastern side of the properties hugging the Bald Eagle Creek.
The employees took an instant liking to Mr. Johnston. He gained their highest respect. They did not balk at his plans for a more efficient operation. The greatest test of his faith in his subordinates took place in 1904. That year a national shop strike was orchestrated. J. K. Johnston rose early that morning and reported the office at the yards instead of the downtown depot offices where he normally conducted business. Shortly before seven he heard the doors open and shut. Soon he heard the punch clock. An office clerk entered with a nod and put his hat on the hook. Within minutes a line had formed outside. The men of the Tyrone Shops were the only workers reporting for duty in the country that day.
The City Beautiful Movement
John Kilgore Johnston had plans for his new hometown. It is reasonable to assume that since he was a member of the Harrisburg club he quite possibly joined in some of the debating among the congregants. Over gin and cigars and occasional card games, many ideas were thrown about that had a profound effect on the American way of life.
Here, after 1900, a group of Pennsylvania citizens began public speaking engagements on community improvement and better use of public land. The consensus was the idea that citizens should have at their disposal places to meet and services provided for them on their leisure time. This became known as the “City Beautiful Movement.” Municipal parks, paved streets, and upgraded buildings across the country were a direct result of this.
What Mr. Johnston envisioned was a reward for his employees after a grueling day at work. They worked long hours and dedicated themselves to make the division run smoothly. On divisional land at 23rd Street crossed by the old turnpike out of Tyrone (Adams Avenue extension) land was cleared in 1912 and leveled for the Athletic Field. Placed here was everything from a swimming pool to a baseball stadium. A golf course traversed the northern end and a stream was diverted through the park and extensively landscaped. Few parks of this caliber existed in the state. Now, in addition to Stevens Park (renamed Reservoir Park in the 1930s) and various smaller cultivated green areas around town, Tyrone became known far and wide for its beauty.
These acres of well-attended land were added to the Logan Valley street rail system giving this end of town a rapid transit to downtown. In the meantime, a large hole had been dug on Logan Avenue above Herald Street. Mr. Johnston had secured funds for a new PRR YMCA. This well-equipped facility would rival most cities in Pennsylvania.
The Railroad Olympics
All of this was in place for what could be described as the Railroad Olympics. The Eastern Division of the PRR, which encompassed all works from Philadelphia to Altoona, began a successful athletic movement that would have the participation of 15,000 rail employees. This Athletic Association would promote camaraderie and competition.
Although The Tyrone YMCA had over 700 registered members, the number on the competition roster for 1916 representing Tyrone was 1,862 men. Competitors met in March of 1916 at Tyrone where the indoor itinerary included pocket billiards, shuffleboard, volleyball, tug-of-war, basketball, and bowling.
Athletes from twelve divisions over the next few years would show up for baseball, tennis, track and various other outdoor sports. Players shuttled from the Athletic Field to Cricket Field in Altoona by street car. Extra cars were placed on trains to accommodate the thousands of spectators that showed up at Tyrone to enjoy the events.
The Tyrone Shop Band
When the railroad construction crews were erecting the new PRR YMCA, plans called for a central auditorium accessed by a wide staircase of quarter-sawn oak. The doors opened onto the scene of frescoed plaster and large tiffany styled hanging domes. A wide stage greeted the patrons. Mrs. Johnston and the family had a private booth convenient to the side of the stage. J. K. Johnston was developing a cultural surprise for Tyrone when planning this great hall.
John Phillips Sousa of Sands Pointe, New York was band master for five presidents and was an accomplished musician in his own right. The Middle Division, with offices in Tyrone, had a band, as did the Tyrone Division. J. K. Johnston set about luring members of the elite Sousa establishment to abandon their post and to “come to where the air is fresh and the hills are green.” Soon eight top-notch musicians found themselves at the head of Pennsylvania Avenue ready to report for duty.
Assigned as watchmen or other non-labor jobs, these men spent a few hours at the shop and then reported to the YMCA with the rest of the band each afternoon to spend hours practicing. The 65 member concert band had weekly concerts on the stage backdropped with a hand painted canvas mural of the grand entrance to the Parisian Opera House commissioned by W. F. Wise and Company. The Tyrone Shop Band traveled by rail throughout the central region performing concerts.
Lehigh Station
In 1916, Charles Schwab, president of Bethlehem Steel, phoned Mr. Johnston with an idea. He proposed a project to provide through passenger service between Pittsburgh and Easton using the Bald Eagle Valley as the link. Trains would run to Mt. Carmel whence they would switch to run onto Lehigh Railroad tracks. A small station was built west of the main depot in Tyrone bearing the sign “Lehigh.” This way, trains would not have to back into the main depot and would continue right onto the Bald Eagle tracks after accepting passengers. The new gleaming dining parlor car aroused great interest. The train was a tremendous success. The Depression caused a discontinuance of this link to the northeast. The route was replaced by buses.
Tyrone High School and Civic Gifts
Tyrone had its playing fields, a band that was considered by many to be the best in the state, and a new YMCA. As a direct result of the revenue generated by Mr. Johnston with his successes at the Tyrone Divisional yards, the taxes being paid to the Tyrone Borough were accumulating. It was time for Tyrone to have a new high school to call its own. Dedicated October 11, 1911, the class of 1912 left the rooms upstairs at Logan School to occupy THS on Lincoln Avenue. Although the edifice was far too large the first few years of operation, within a generation it would become necessary to more than double the capacity of the school.
It is certain that his position at the railroad was demanding. However, Mr. Johnston had many varied interests in addition to transportation. A scientist at heart, he won wide recognition of his intensive research of the bituminous coal beds of the state. He engaged in a special study for the Pennsylvania Railroad and had published a 209 page report of his findings. He would also serve as the president of the Moshannon Coal Company near Phillipsburg located along the Tyrone and Clearfield branch of the Tyrone Division lines.
As a man of privilege and befitting his station in life, Mr. Johnston had a private Pullman car that could be attached as a caboose to a train scheduled in the direction he wished to travel. When U. S. Representative Charles Hedding Roland of Centre County dedicated the Roland Theatre in June 1917, the Johnston Family’s private car was parked on a nearby siding. Mr. Johnston and Representative Roland were associates in the same coal company.
Safety and Patents
Safety was a major concern with the Pennsylvania Railroad. Each year since its inception, the company examined every detail of every accident and made strides to improve operations. A safety first convention was held each year to present new findings. John Kilgore Johnston was an advocate of these goals.
At the U. S. Patent office there is on file dated July 26, 1908, a patent issued to this Tyrone, Pennsylvania resident. Mr. Johnston had devised an automatic signal tower to inform trainmen of track conditions ahead. A series of lights and signal arms could be seen both day and night. When the Railway Association assembled in Chicago in 1923 it was discovered that every safety item on the itinerary to be discussed had already been implemented at the Tyrone Division by Mr. Johnston.
1400 North Avenue
Mr. Johnston had been promising his wife Mattie a place of their own. With this in mind, J. K. Johnston purchased a hillside plot on the far side of the bluff. 1400 North Avenue became the site of activity when a Pennsylvania Railroad construction crew arrived to excavate the side of the hill and erect a natural stone house in the colonial revival style following the plans that J. K. had given to his wife on her birthday. The 1920s saw the family following the old nature trail over the hill to watch the progress.
Mr. Johnston was an accomplished speaker and a painter. His three daughters Alfreda, Marjorie, and Jesse all followed suit and pursued an education in the arts. Their home was decorated with many oil paintings. Mr. Johnston, being a civic minded individual, decided to place paintings in the community. Each grade school was presented with a framed canvas of a president. A work that Mr. Johnston commissioned of Howard Gardner, the first city resident to give his life in the First World War, was hung in the house at 1459 Lincoln Avenue which became the Howard Gardner Post of the American Legion after Mr. Johnston moved out.
End of the Tyrone Division
A blow came to the Tyrone Economy in 1929. Proceedings at rail headquarters which commenced in 1925 eliminated the Old Tyrone Division effective May 29, 1929. The Middle Division consumed the main line duties and the Williamsport Division took the Bald Eagle Valley lines. This was before the stock market crash in October of that year. Many workers were transferred from the area and the divisional shops closed. Mr. Johnston was immediately promoted to assistant general superintendent of the Eastern Pennsylvania Division and its headquarters were relocated to Tyrone station to accommodate him.
On June 30, 1930, J. K. Johnston was awarded a gold pin for over a half century of service to the company. He retired from his executive position and became a full-time consultant. This meant he could still maintain an office in the Tyrone station.
Mr. Johnston was pleased to see the community did not fully collapse with the loss of the Tyrone Shops. Consequently, the lost revenue of the division resulted in Tyrone losing two of its banking firms, The Farmers and Merchants National Bank and the First National Bank. First National was forced to merge with its friendly rival, The Blair County National Bank on the opposite corner. Most businesses continued through the hard times. And with the arrival in 1933 of Reliance Manufacturing Company in the depth of the Depression, Tyrone weathered the hard times better than most communities.
Last Years
Mrs. Martha Johnston died January 6, 1938. Her husband of nearly fifty-two years continued on, painting and reading his many books. Ever proud of his heritage, he wrote a manuscript of the Kilgore family tracing his lineage from his birth at Pleasant Unity, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania in 1860 back to Ireland and then Scotland in 1549.
On the morning of July 10, 1942, WFBG radio began the 7:00 news broadcast detailing the German offensive in the Caucasus in search of oil and continued with news of General MacArthur in Corregidor. After a brief pause the announcer read that local information from Phillipsburg Hospital confirms that John Kilgore Johnston, late of Tyrone, has died at 4:30 in the morning. He went on to comment that few men have found themselves in the capacity to be able to contribute selflessly to the everyday lives of citizens as this one man had. Johnston and his wife are buried in Tyrone’s Grandview cemetery.
The Tyrone Division at the peak of its business had a payroll of $1,000,000 monthly in 1925 dollars. $450,000 of that stayed in Tyrone. In today’s dollars, the amount that was spent in Tyrone by its employees and taxes gathered would translate to roughly $70 million a year from just this segment of the industry. This revenue placed Tyrone’s capital base at the rate of a city of a much larger population.
When an operation runs smoothly, expands output and generates a profit, the C.E.O. takes credit for the performance of his subordinates. John Kilgore Johnston stressed that any credit for the achievements of the Tyrone Division belong to the common laborers. Yet, he could delight in one colossal accomplishment.
A single track led down the Bald Eagle Valley. It was shared by locomotives hauling bricks, millions of tons of coal and lumber from the vast reaches of the state. A world record was broken here and still stands: more freight was hauled over this single track than any spot on Earth in a single year. And this took place under Mr. Johnston’s watch.
Mr. and Mrs. Johnston’s continuing legacy can be seen each day by passing Soldiers Park. This land given to the borough is home to the honor roll and memorial that Mr. Johnston personally commissioned for his trainmen and the citizens of his adopted hometown after WWI.
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