Homer Center Historical Society

10/11/2026

A big thank-you to Jim and Christine Cummins for their generous donation to Grandpa’s Garage!

Their donation includes several Sutter Hardware boxcars, which they acquired directly from Jim Sutter, along with two vintage 1920s yearbooks and a booklet commemorating the 40th reunion of the Laura Lamar Class of 1964.

The Sutter Hardware boxcars are especially meaningful because they connect us directly to Homer City’s local business history and the people who helped shape our community. We’ll proudly display one boxcar at Grandpa’s Garage and place the other in the caboose museum of the Homer-Center Historical Society—a fitting home for a piece of our railroad and commercial heritage!

Old yearbooks and reunion booklets are equally valuable, preserving the names, faces, and memories of generations of local residents. These are the personal connections that bring history to life and remind us that our community’s story is worth preserving.

Thank you, Jim and Christine, for helping us safeguard Homer City’s past so future generations can discover, appreciate, and remember it. Every donation helps keep our local history alive!

09/15/2026

🦆 2026 Hoodlebug Festival Duck Race Results! 🦆

We apologize for the late posting of this year’s annual Duck Race results!

As many of you know, the water level in Yellow Creek was unusually high this year. After careful consideration, we decided it would not be safe to hold the race in the water. Instead, members of the Homer-Center Historical Society drew the winning tickets by hand from the stubs placed in a large container.

While we missed seeing those colorful ducks make their way down the creek, we are grateful that we were still able to continue this long-standing Hoodlebug Festival tradition.

Before announcing this year’s lucky winners, we want to say THANK YOU to everyone in our community who supported the Duck Race by purchasing or selling tickets. The Duck Race is the Historical Society’s only fundraiser, and your continued support helps us preserve and share the history of Homer City and the surrounding community.

We are only able to do what we do because of you! ❤️

And now, here are this year’s lucky winners:

🏆 1st Place — $500
#674 — Randy Rolf / Jack Prugh

🥈 2nd Place — $350
#381 — Gabriel Veliz

🥉 3rd Place — $250
#601 — Jane Wilkins

4th Place — $200
#481 — Emily / Myla Kendrick

5th Place — $150
#665 — Carol Leysock

6th Place — $100
#115 — Tom Budner

🦆 Last Duck — $50
#143 — Matt Housholder

Congratulations to all of our winners! 🎉

And once again, thank you to everyone who bought tickets, sold tickets, and supported the Homer-Center Historical Society. We truly appreciate it!

09/04/2026

A Long-Overdue Honor for James Love Nix

The Indiana County Chamber of Commerce recently held its 11th Annual Induction Ceremony for the Indiana County Business Hall of Fame, and among this year’s inductees was a remarkable Homer City pioneer, James Love Nix, who was inducted posthumously.

James Nix was the inventor and driving force behind the Prairie State Incubator Company, a business that helped put Homer City on the map around the world. His incubators and brooders were sold internationally, making Prairie State a leader in the industry and bringing worldwide recognition to our small community.

But Nix’s accomplishments extended far beyond Prairie State. He was one of the founding members of the Homer City National Bank and an inventor whose improvements to golf clubs resulted in patents that he still holds today. He was a true visionary—an entrepreneur, inventor, and community leader whose ideas reached far beyond Homer City.

His induction into the Business Hall of Fame was certainly long overdue.

This well-deserved recognition would not have happened without the dogged efforts of the Homer-Center Historical Society’s own Kevin Ruddock. Kevin spent considerable time researching Nix’s accomplishments and working to make sure his contributions received the recognition they deserved. His persistence ultimately helped bring James Nix into the Indiana County Business Hall of Fame.

Kevin, along with several other members of the Historical Society, attended the dinner and induction ceremony at the Indiana Country Club. Representing the Nix family was his great-grandson, Jim Bier, and his wife, who proudly accepted the award on behalf of the family.

Today, we pause to honor—perhaps a little later than we should have—the remarkable accomplishments of James Love Nix and the lasting impact he had on Homer City and beyond.

His vision helped take the name Homer City around the world. His inventions left a lasting mark on American industry. And his legacy remains an important part of our community’s history.

Congratulations to James Love Nix on this long-overdue and well-deserved honor.

08/08/2026

A Look Back at C&M Market 🛒🥩

Today’s trip down Homer City memory lane takes us to a place that many folks in the area will remember fondly — C&M Market in Yanketown!

C&M Market was founded in 1947 by John Costello and Dominique Mazzioti. A year later, Mr. Costello became the sole owner. The little neighborhood market was much more than just a place to pick up a loaf of bread. C&M sold groceries, meats, and household items, and they even delivered groceries to homes throughout Homer City and the surrounding communities — now that's service!

And perhaps the most memorable part of C&M Market was Betty Costello, who ran the store from the day it opened in 1947 until her retirement in 2000. That's more than five decades of serving the community!

The store remained a familiar part of the neighborhood until it closed in the early 2000s.

If you lived in the Homer City area during those years, chances are pretty good that you wandered into C&M Market at least once. Maybe you went in for a few groceries, maybe Mom sent you down for something, or maybe — and this is the important part — you stopped in for some of that famous C&M kolbasa! 🌭

Some businesses were more than just businesses. They were places where you knew the people behind the counter, ran into your neighbors, and left with a bag of groceries and probably a little local gossip thrown in for free.

C&M Market was one of those places.

Do you remember C&M Market or Betty Costello? And more importantly… who remembers that kolbasa? 😋

Homer City history is made up of places like this — and the memories they left behind.

08/06/2026

🦆🎉 It's almost DUCK SEASON in Homer City! 🎉🦆

The 27th Annual Duck Race is just around the corner, and we're getting ready to make a splash at this year's Hoodlebug Festival!

📅 Sunday, September 13
🕞 Race Time: 3:30 PM
📍 Yellow Creek Bridge (Main Street, Homer City)

Hundreds of rubber ducks will hit Yellow Creek, racing for the finish line—and your duck could be one of our lucky winners! 🏁🏆

This is the Homer-Center Historical Society's only fundraiser, and every ticket purchased helps us preserve and share the rich history of our community. We truly appreciate your support!

🎟️ Duck race tickets are available at most Homer City businesses and from Historical Society members.

Can't find a ticket? Send me a message, and I'll make sure you get one!

A special THANK YOU to our Historical Society members who helped count the ducks this week. We're happy to report that every duck has been counted, inspected, and is officially ready for race day. 🦆✅ No duck left behind!

Thank you for supporting local history. We can't wait to see everyone at the creek on race day! 💙

07/22/2026

Being of a certain age and having lived in this area all my life, I'm well aware—as I'm sure many of you are—of our rich coal mining heritage. While I never worked in the mines myself and had little direct connection to the industry, I've always had a deep respect for the men who did.

One of my earliest memories is of my grandfather coming home after a long shift in the mines. He would wash up in a galvanized tub in our kitchen, and by the time he was finished, the water was as black as ink. It's a memory that has stayed with me all these years and serves as a reminder of the hard work and sacrifices made by so many local families.

Anyway, enough of my reminiscing! I've attached several photos of the Lucerne Works from the Homer-Center Historical Society archives. I hope you'll enjoy taking a look and reflecting on an important part of our area's history and the people who helped build our community.

07/04/2026

06/05/2026

Here is an interesting World War II-era advertising piece from the C.S. Kunkle Lumber Company.

In 1942, Homer City's population was approximately 2,460 residents. From our small community, an astounding 584 men and women answered the call to serve during World War II. Sadly, six of those servicemen never returned home.

This remarkable list is a testament to the sacrifice, dedication, and patriotism of our community. No one can say that Homer City didn't do its part in helping bring an end to this global conflict. We remember and honor their service.

05/26/2026

A final Memorial Day shout-out 🇺🇸

Thank you to American Legion Post 493 for once again placing flags throughout the old Homer City Cemetery. Their efforts serve as a meaningful reminder that, although these veterans may be gone, they are never forgotten.

This simple act of remembrance helps keep their service and sacrifice alive for our community and future generations.

05/25/2026

We would like to extend a big thank you to Homer City Cub Scout Pack 24 for their visit today! 🇺🇸🌼

As part of earning their America 250 Badge, the scouts chose to help beautify the grounds at the caboose museum by planting flowers. During their visit, they toured the museum, asked lots of thoughtful questions, and showed a great interest in local history.

After the tour, the scouts got right to work making the Historical Society’s grounds look even better! Their hard work and enthusiasm were greatly appreciated.

Thank you to all of the scouts and their leaders for spending the day with us. We can’t wait to watch the flowers — and these young historians — continue to grow! 🚂🌸