Feb 17, 2016 5 min read

A 42-year dream came true for the Salvation Army in Monessen on Sunday, Dec. 2, 1956.

That’s the day the Army dedicated its new Citadel at 308 Schoonmaker Ave. with what newspapers called “an impressive ceremony before an overflow crowd.”

The white brick building, which still serves as home to the Salvation Army after 59 years, gave the local organization its first new building since it was founded in Monessen on Aug. 20, 1914.

The Salvation Army actually made its debut in Monessen on Feb. 3, 1914, when representatives from the Pittsburgh headquarters arrived in the city to launch a series of street meetings to solicit rescue mission funds. The group was led by Capt. W. Spraig and included Charles Dalby, Roy Foster, Arthur Wheatley and Herbert Kitelioger.

On Aug. 6, 1914, Capt. Anderson of the Pittsburgh headquarters rented a small room on the ground room of the Spigelberg Building at the corner of Schoonmaker Avenue and Fourth Street to be the headquarters for the Mon Valley. Capt. and Mrs. Ives were appointed to be in charge, with Roy Ford to assist them, in directing activities and services in Monessen, Charleroi, Belle Vernon, California, Roscoe, Fayette City, Donora, Newell, Allenport and all other towns between Monessen and Brownsville. The latter remained under the jurisdiction of the Uniontown Citadel.

Capt. Ives reported on March 16, 1915, that he had rented a large hall in Fairhope, where large crowds were attending services every Tuesday and Friday evening and Sunday morning. He also expressed appreciation for the successful revivals at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Donora and said services at the hall in Monessen “are packed to the doors.”

Ives announced on Aug. 14, 1915, that the Citadel’s first year of operation was very successful. It had provided $765 of relief to the needy in the area as well 306 baskets of food, 100 meals, 42 pairs of shoes and 42 beds.

The work of the Salvation Army had grown so well by Oct. 5, 1918, that the Monessen unit moved to larger quarters at 326 Donner Ave.

Plans were announced on March 13, 1954, for construction of a new Citadel on the site of two frame houses at 308 and 312 Schoonmaker Ave. The Monessen Daily Independent announced that the new facility would be designed by Monessen architect H. Ernest Clark. Preliminary plans called for it to house a church auditorium, gymnasium, living quarters for the commanders (Lt. and Mrs. John F. Connors), meeting rooms for such Salvation Army groups as the Sunday School, Women’s Home League, Sunbeams, Girl Guards and Corps Cadets, and social rooms.

The Citadel also would serve as the central office for the Salvation Army’s welfare activities in the area, which provided $3,000 to $5,000 in aid to needy persons each year.

Richard M. Bow, industrial relations supervisor for Pittsburgh Steel Company, was appointed chairman of the Salvation Army’s $41,250 building fund campaign. The figure being sought in the drive was to be added to the money already in the organization’s building fund. It was noted that the proposed new Citadel would cost in excess of $100,000. That figure was later increased to $115,000.

Ground was broken for the new building on Thursday, June 23, 1955, with Bow, chairman of the Salvation Army’s advisory board, turning the first shovel of earth.

Work progressed on the new Citadel with Robert Haury as the general contractor, and the traditional cornerstone-laying ceremony was held Dec. 10, 1955.

Col. Llewellyn W. Cowan, chief secretary of the Army’s Eastern territory with headquarters in New York, was the keynote speaker at the Dec. 2, 1956, dedication of the new Citadel. He extended personal appreciation to “all who had a hand” in making the new building a reality.

It was noted during the program that the Salvation Army in Monessen had been making continuing advancements since its formation in the city in 1914 and had 270 members at the time of the dedication.

The 30-piece Salvation Army Temple Band of Pittsburgh provided special music for the occasion. Prior to the dedication, the band, soldiers and friends of the Salvation Army marched from the old building on Donner Avenue to the site of the new structure. Commander Vincent LaRiccia of Allison-Lesanac Post 1190 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Commander Peter Stieska of Thomas McKee Post 28 of The American Legion officiated at the presentation of the American and Salvation Army flags.

In addition to Col. Cowan, others speaking at the dedication were Mr. Bow; George Cieply of the Monessen Chamber of Commerce; Mrs. Margaret Schilling for the Monessen Community Fund, of which the Salvation Army is a participating agency; Mr. Friedland; Anthony Ortalona for labor groups at the Monessen Plant of Pittsburgh Steel Company; Al Lami for Pittsburgh Steel, and Harvey W. Seymour for the Page Division of American Chain and Cable Co., Inc.

The audience that filled the area around the Citadel heard reports that the final cost of construction was $126,634. Of this amount, $101,429.82 had already been raised through a campaign and help from the Community Fund.