On first glance, Latrobe looks like any other small town in Western Pennsylvania; modest homes built on rolling hills, a creek that meanders throughout the area (Loyal Hannah Creek is pictured here). I went for a rejuvenating visit with cousins, and my cousin Richard and I took a short hike along the Creek. Don’t let that first glance fool you though: there is a lot going on and a rich history in Latrobe.
Many say the first professional football game in the U.S. was played in Latrobe in 1885. Some of the steel production from the WWII era involved serious military grade steel and supposedly (I heard this from two separate relatives lol) Latrobe was on the list of top ten places Hitler wanted to bomb in the U.S., so he could shut down this steel production. Several steel companies still have military contracts, at least according to Latrobe’s C of Commerce website.
Arnold Palmer grew up in the area and his father worked at a country club in Latrobe. Arnold is adored by the world but Latrobe calls him their native son. He still owns a home there. Rolling Rock beer is no longer made there, which is one of those awful things that happen, like the Browns going to Baltimore. What were they thinking? Anyway, Anheuser-Busch owns it now (say it ain’t so!). The saddest part to me (besides the loss of history and jobs!) is that the Rolling Rock music festival isn’t there anymore.
There is apparently a mini argument going on between a town in Ohio and Latrobe; Latrobe’s Stickler’s Strickler’s Ice Cream claims to be the inventor of the banana split. (I forgot to ask if there was still a Strickler’s shop in Latrobe.) Really cool Tribune article here about the Strickler’s and the controversy and the 2004 100 yr banana split festivities.
And at St. Vincent’s College (a fine institution in and of itself) you will find the training camp site for The Pittsburgh Steelers.
During dinner yesterday I asked about Latrobe’s population and they all seemed to feel it was between 8k and 9k…..which seemed to be the kind of numbers I found from the 2000 census info on line.
Now to the title of my blog. Yep, I think I have uncovered the mystery. Anyone who has tossed back a cold one or two has probably had a Rolling Rock beer, in it’s distinctive bottle. With the ‘33′ on the back, something I have tried to investigate for years. My cousins tried to help. Lots of theories, Rolling Rock was not talking. Instead of answers I got a t-shirt (which is pretty darn good! lol) BUT guess what….Latrobe Pennsylvania is 33 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. I have decided that is what ‘33′ stands for. Anyone gonna argue with me? Peace Out – 3C
0 responses so far ↓
1 Elaine Reese // Mar 24, 2008 at 12:12 pm
I didn’t know that Rolling Rock was no longer made in Latrobe … but then I’m not a beer drinker.
That’s a neat story about your visit. And I’m not going to challenge your ‘33′.
2 Carole Cohen // Mar 24, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Thanks Elaine it was a pretty area and the cardinals were singing full throttle….a sure sign they are farther along in the Spring of things than we are (the grass was literally greener too). lol
3 Bill Callahan // Mar 25, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Hey Carole,
I spent my high school years (and college summers) in Latrobe, walked past the brewery every day for three years, worked one of those college summers in the grinding shop at Latrobe (now Timken) Steel, and almost went to St. Vincent. But I never heard an explanation of “33″. Then again I never drank Rolling Rock, being too familiar with the color and smell of the “clear mountain spring water” in Loyalhanna Creek.
Your theory sounds pretty good. I wonder if it was a mileage marker on the railroad line — it runs pretty straight from Latrobe into Pittsburgh.
Who were you visiting?
Bill Callahan’s last blog post..Wells Fargo ?open? to Fed-assisted NCB takeover
4 Carole Cohen // Mar 25, 2008 at 8:47 pm
Wow small world, Bill. We passed Timken on Saturday. You make sense about the train I’m going to check that out…the train would have been a prime source of travel for sure.
Gee and here I thought it was all pure spring water that went into beer lol.
Did you know any Yaniks or Grotes? Those are the cousins I visited this weekend!
Leave a Comment