Alleghany Furnace was built in 1811, the second of more than 20 furnaces erected in Blair County. Built by Allison and Henderson, it closed in 1817. It was purchased by Elias Baker in 1836 and abandoned in 1884 with the introduction of steel making. It deteriorated over the years. This photo being taken in the first decade of the 20th century. The colorization was added. The photo was submitted by Michael Farrow of the Blair County Historical Society.

Readers are encouraged to send or deliver old local photographs of general interest for use in Yesteryear. Information about people and places should be included. Photos must be 30 years old or older and should be sent to Yesteryear, Altoona Mirror, P.O. Box 2008, Altoona, PA 16603, or emailed to community@altoonamirror.com. For more information, call Brenda Carberry, community news coordinator, at 814-946-7459.

Local news on this date

May 2, 1951

Janet Blair, actress daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Lafferty of Altoona, celebrated her birthday and the first anniversary of the state musical she was in in Chicago, “South Pacific” played in Chicago last week at the Shangri-La Club. Variety reported that the play had grossed more than $3 million in one year.

May 2, 1976

More than 1,000 bicyclists from Altoona and other Blair County towns showed up to take part in a 15-mile ride to raise funds for the Pennsylvania Association of Retarded Citizens with a goal of $40,000. Frank Dachille was in charge of safety.

May 2, 2001

Altoona Area School District spokesman Tom Bradley said that the 800 Altoona students who needed measles vaccinations to return to school in April was down to less than 100 now. The truancy rules would not be enforced for students out of school who were yet to be vaccinated.

May 2, 2016

The local Civil Air Patrol U.S. Air Force Auxiliary in Altoona, Maj. Thomas Chathams commander of the Altoona Keystone squadron, gathered at the National Guard Readiness Center in Duncansville to celebrate the CAP’s 75th anniversary.

May 3, 1951

Harold L. Deichert, assistant superintendent of the Altoona Park and Recreation Board, announced the names of the directors of the city’s 17 play centers, to be open after school five days a week from 4 to 6 p.m. from May 7 to June 8.

John Weamer, coordinator of activities at the Altoona YMCA and in charge of the boys’ upcoming trip to New York City, was chosen as a delegate to the National Council of the YMCA meeting at Oberlin College, Cleveland, Ohio.

May 3, 1976

New Altoona City Councilman William L. Cochran was sworn in by Mayor William C. Stouffer with City Clerk C. Donald Harrity holding the Bible, to replace Ernest Dejaffe who resigned. Councilman Cochran was assigned to head the Altoona Water Department.

A program called Domiciliary Care, which would place the elderly, mentally retarded and mentally ill in group homes was rejected by the Blair County commissioners because no local agency expressed interest in running it.

May 3, 2001

The Blair County Convention Center officially opened with a banquet for 800 for the Allegheny Mountains Convention and Visitors Bureau membership recognition awards dinner and ceremony.

Altoona Curve baseball team mascot Steamer received a preschool diploma and was honored by fans on Al Roker Gets Educated Day at Blair County Ballpark. NBC Weatherman Roker referred to Steamer as stupid on national TV, then apologized. Al Roker is Stupid Day was changed to Al Roker Gets Educated Day.

May 3, 2016

Art Halvorson of Manns Choice, a developer, conceded defeat to Rep. Bill Shuster for the 9th District Congressional seat on the Republican ticket by just over 1,000 votes a week after the election. Absentee ballots caused the delay.

At the third annual Claysburg Hall of Fame Awards the Pioneer Award was presented to Dr. Peter Schoenberger with his great-great-great-great-grandson Craig Ormsby accepting for him. Rep. Judy Ward also presented citations to him and the other inductees.

National, world news on this date

May 2

In 1863, during the Civil War, Confederate Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson was accidentally wounded by his own men at Chancellorsville, Virginia; he died eight days later.

In 1997, Tony Blair, whose Labour Party crushed John Major’s long-reigning Conservatives in a national election, became Britain’s youngest prime minister in 185 years, at age 43.

May 3

In 1986, riding the long shot Ferdinand, Bill Shoemaker became the oldest jockey to win the Kentucky Derby at age 54.

In 2021, an elevated overpass on a Mexico City metro line collapsed onto a road, killing 26 people and injuring dozens just as a subway train was crossing over the section. At least one car was trapped beneath the rubble.

Local news compiled by Tim Doyle. National, world news from The Associated Press.