Click here to subscribe today or Login.
By JENNIFER LEARN; Times Leader Hazleton Bureau
Sunday, August 29, 1993 Page: 3A QUICK WORDS: WHITE HAVEN CELEBRATES
ITS RIVER ROOTS
WHITE HAVEN — Earl Kresge pictures history when he looks down Main Street.
“Years ago they had many carnivals and celebrations here. That’s why it’s
important to me that we continue that tradition today,” said Kresge, 58, who
ran one of 70 booths at the White Haven River Festival on Saturday afternoon.
Unlike most booths that offered food and crafts, Kresge had nothing to sell
but his knowledge.
Once he lured passers-by into his booth by describing it as a shady place
to escape the sun, the amateur historian immediately showed them his array of
old postcards, calendars and other local collectibles.
Volunteers organized the two-day event, which continues today, to celebrate
the borough’s history and make money to improve its future.
Many of these residents spent their childhoods fishing and swimming at the
Lehigh River, which today is usually crowded with Pocono tourists rafting and
canoeing.
Last year the festival drew about 6,000 residents and travelers and raised
more than $3,000, said Diane Lansing, co-chairperson of the event.
Proceeds will go to the White Haven Business Improvement Committee, which
will disperse them among non-profit groups and emergency personnel and will
fund improvements in the borough, Lansing said.
“This is a way for us to have a lot of fun and help the town out at the
same time,” she said.
Kresge helped mix borough history into the weekend’s event.
“The river’s what brought the town here in the first place. They used to
roll logs down the Lehigh,” he said.
Bernie Berch, a local artist and painter of railroad and historic scenes,
opened the event by ringing the 138-year-old town bell that once hung in the
old White Haven High School.
As a tribute to the loggers who used the river in the early 1900s, Lansing
added an amateur timberfest this year. Two-man teams vied in a cross cut saw,
log roll, ax throw and chain saw cut competitions.
“Timber was king in White Haven like coal was in other areas,” Lansing
said.
In addition to the typical fair cuisine, booths offered fresh-squeezed
lemonade and London broil steak sandwiches. Bands constantly performed banjo,
rock, pop or polka music.
Tony Zola, 9, of West Hazleton had a good time “going with the flow.”
He and his sister Alicia, 7, giggled when people stared at them smoking
fake cigarettes they bought from a vendor.
“I hate the smell of real cigarettes, yuk. But I like getting the stares,”
he said.
Later in the day he stumbled by in a pair of roller skates he bought at a
flea market for $.50.
Like many of the hundreds of local residents and Pocono tourists, Zola’s
forehead was covered with sweat and his skin was sunburned.
Chris Searfoss, 11, of White Haven beat the heat by volunteering to sit in
the dunking booth.
He enjoyed getting dunked in the water at least 20 times in a half hour.
“I don’t care how long I have to stay here, it’s nice in here.”
Here’s some of the entertainment scheduled at the White Haven River
Festival today:
Noon-5 p.m. Sports card show
1 p.m. Dance Academy performance, pet show
2-3:30 p.m. Lehighton Band, giant bubble making and parachute games
3-6 p.m. White Haven’s favorite dinosaur
4-5:30 p.m. Polka music by Ed and Holly Jeziorski
6 p.m. Closing ceremony