It’s kind of like the Academy Awards of Apollo PA. Earning a mention in one of the town’s official history books, published every 25 years, is quite an honor. It helps to ensure that hometown facts, figures, faces, and places important to Apollo’s past will be remembered for years to come. So it’s awesome that Apollo’s new bicentennial book—Apollo: Pride in Our Past; Faith in Our Future—includes a page devoted to Simon Truby, his farm, and house. Thank you Bicentennial Committee for the shout-out!
Apollo’s Bicentennial Committee has put together a truly wonderful publication for this year’s 200th anniversary. The full-color hard-bound book is jam packed with great photos, both old and new—of historic buildings (like the Jackson House and Drake’s log cabin), industry (like Apollo Steel and Babcock & Wilcox), the Apollo cemetery, churches, sports, schools, fraternal organizations, favorite places like Owens Grove and Roaring Run, familiar faces, and much more. The text includes interesting history—such as early settlers, the origins of the Apollo Trust Company (founded 1870); the Apollo Memorial Library, Armstrong County’s first public library founded 1878; and the Apollo Area Pool, which opened with a splash in 1964. Found an unexpected photo of my mom, Becky Frayer, and aunt Cathy Hubbard among the pics from the Bicentennial History Walk in July. Maybe you’ll find unexpected photos of family members as well. Even the ads and memorial notes at the end of the book are fun and touching to peruse, and add more threads to the fabric of Apollo’s past.
Significantly, the book also includes the FIRST-EVER mention of Simon Truby’s farm or homestead in a history book (at least among the many books I’ve encountered to date). And it’s also the first book to acknowledge that after Simon’s death, his property was divided into hundreds of lots, where many residents of Apollo and North Apollo live today. Thanks so much to the Apollo Bicentennial Committee for including Simon Truby in the town’s 200-year history book! Here’s the Truby page:
The new Bicentennial book, Apollo: Pride in Our Past; Faith in Our Future, is available for $25 and can be purchased at the Apollo Borough Office, Mon – Fri 8:30 am to 3:30 pm; phone: 724-478-4201. As of last weekend (Nov 12, 2016) a limited number were still available. Highly recommended for those who love Apollo’s history, and it could make a nice Christmas gift as well. Tell them Simon Truby sent you!
Thank you again to everyone who worked so hard to make Apollo’s bicentennial celebration such a fun success.
Hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving!
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Please help to preserve Apollo’s history by becoming a member of the Apollo Area Historical Society at apollopahistory.wordpress.com/become-a-member.
Truby Farmhouse Apollo PA 
Vicki, I was so happy we included your research into the history book… Thank you so much for all you do for our town. I realize not living in the state limits your time here, but, what you do in research , then share your findings with the historical society, is so appreciated… Keep up the great work and we look forward to you moving home , well, we can hope and dream….
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Thanks Denise! If only NIH would open up a field office in the Kiski Valley, I’d move back home in a heartbeat! The new book looks terrific. The Bicentennial Committee did a great job with evocative photos & nice historic details, and of course I’m appreciative of the Simon Truby page. The research is a labor of love for a deep-rooted town.
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That’s great news, Vicki! So glad to see it. Thanks to you, this is now part of history.
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