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Here at Tube City Omnimedia World Headquarters, high above Our Fair City, there are few things we enjoy more than your letters. (Well, maybe an ice cold beer and a piping hot pizza, but we skipped dinner, so that could be hunger pains talking.)

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Like this letter from Karl L. of White Oak, who wrote to make a correction to the map we distributed last year at International Village:

Congratulations on your interesting and informative "Tube City Online Map of McKeesport and Vicinity." I have a historical interest in Braddock's Trail and also like to bring up-to-date ideas about the trail as new findings arise.

Within the last 10 years, scholars have revised their ideas about the location of Braddock's (campsites) and also some of the routing --- for instance, through White Oak.

Enclosed find an excerpt (of a diary) from Harry Gordon, captain of the military engineers who built the road, and a corrected copy of your map. Following military procedure, (the trail would likely have) taken the high ground, and gone as direct as possible.

Braddock's Spring, celebrated in the 1920s, still runs under the alley behind Mama Pepino's Pizza on O'Neil Boulevard. As was the custom, the livestock (would have been kept) below in what is now a ballfield near the water, and the camp would have been above on what is now Fawcett Plan.

On the map, we traced the route of Braddock's Trail as roughly parallel to present-day Lincoln Way, and located his army's last camp near the intersection of Foster Road.

Karl suggests that the more likely route was slightly to the west --- along present-day Oliver Drive and Monongahela Boulevard, then through what's now Penn State's campus. Besides being lower ground --- and subject to attacks or observation by natives or French scouts --- the area now used for Lincoln Way was also swampy in spots, Karl says.

Thanks for the information, Karl!

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Incidentally, we still have some maps available. While supplies last, you can pick up a copy at City Hall, 502 Fifth Ave.; the Public Safety Building, 201 Lysle Blvd.; or the McKeesport Heritage Center, 1832 Arboretum Drive; or by sending a self-addressed, stamped legal-size envelope to Tube City Online, P.O. Box 94, McKeesport 15134.

The maps were sponsored by the Global Focus Program at Chatham University, and produced by Wivagg Printing right here in McKeesport.

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Marlene V. has a question (via email) that's been tying her up in knots:

I have a Tube City Pretzels bowl, so I have been on the Internet trying to find any information that you may have regarding the company that made the pretzels or any information that would help me find someone interested in having this bowl. I would appreciate any light you could shed on this subject.

When I was a kid, I remember (vaguely) being told that a big old building on West Fifth Avenue in 10th Ward was "the old pretzel factory." Well, it was apparently the "Tube City Pretzel Company."

Located at 440 W. 5th Ave., the building doesn't seem to be doing much of anything these days. County records indicate that it's owned by the family of the late entrepreneur and restaurant owner Eldo "Doneldo" Bisacca. I've also seen a photo that indicated that the building was once used by the Salvation Army.

Not much is available about the Tube City Pretzel Company, though I did find an obituary from a 1944 issue of The Pittsburgh Press that identified one part-owner as Edward A. Babyak of Glassport. He was survived by his wife, the former Maidde Stiles, and seven brothers, all from the Mon-Yough area.

The following year, according to the state Corporation Bureau, Emil G. Babyak of Glassport incorporated the Tube City Pretzel Company. After that, the public record is silent.

There used to be a lot of local pretzel bakeries in towns all across Western Pennsylvania, but they were driven out of business by competition from big companies like Frito-Lay. So I guess Tube City Pretzels closed down because they weren't making enough dough. (Groan.)

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P.S.: If you're looking for a good home for that bowl, you may want to donate it to McKeesport Heritage Center.

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Finally, Phil M. of Massachusetts writes:

The collection of info, facts, history and photos on the website puts a lump in my throat. I lived in Clairton and White Oak as a boy and only recently have I come to appreciate why the Mon Valley is so important historically.

I remember hearing the bell-like sound of big pipes coming off the line in McKeesport and touring the National Works during open house in the early '70s. It's just unbelievable that it's all gone. I live in Massachusetts now because I needed the job, but I miss and love the Pittsburgh area so much.

Thank you for all the work put into this, it's a wonderful tribute to McKeesport and the Pittsburgh area, truly "the city that built America."

(Aw, shucks.) Thanks for the nice words, Phil!

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By the way: It's worth noting that this little website, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary, isn't a one-person effort any more. We are slowly but steadily trying to build it into a credible local website for the McKeesport area, and luckily, we have a few very dedicated volunteers and freelancers who are helping us out. We even hope to get a few college interns this fall.

But we can always use more help. Have an idea for a story? Want to cover some local news? Want to maybe ... maybe ... even get paid for your work? (Hint, hint.)

You should type something in the 'comment'-field. Be sure to click on 'Post Comment' to store it permanently.