Olean New York Fan Page

12/13/2023

Town of Bolivar Bicentennial Album
“Like” the Bicen group’s new page to get updates directly or to make contact: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554251887495

05/28/2023

In recognition of another Memorial Day, and to consider its somber meaning....this photographic return to 1943 on Union Street in Olean.

Like generations before theirs, the Americans seen here prized truth, character and honor. And like generations before theirs, they scorned habitual public liars, tale tellers who repeated fantasies and baseless “theories,” and others who stomped on the Ninth Commandment.

And they marched to the cemetery to honor those of their community who had sacrificed, suffered and even died in the defense of those values that had long undergirded their nation’s democracy: truth, character and honor.

04/06/2020

Borrowed from, Mime Mimi Wight Shaner

If anyone knows who this couple is, please post in comments and I will notify Joann McAndrew. Bob Dunbar

Joann McAndrew
March 31 at 9:21 PM

I am cleaning out my basement that has lots of boxes from lots of places. I grew up in a photography studio in Olean NY (McAndrew Studio) and also worked in a photo store (Blumenthal’s) and had a photography store and studio (In Focus).

When the In Focus closed I boxed a lot of things up. In one of the boxes I found a collection from a wedding (looks like circa 1960s)

If anyone knows the people in these photos I will GLADLY give the entire collection (8 - 8x10s, 17 - 5x7s, 6 - 4x6s). Please share.

02/16/2020

OLEAN - John J. Dwaileebe Sr., 84, of Olean, passed away Friday (Feb. 14, 2020) at his home, surrounded by his loving family, after a long battle with Parkinson's Disease.

Jonnie was born Sept. 18, 1935, in Olean, and was the son of the late James and Alice Farris Dwaileebe. On April 27, 1957, he married his wife of 63 years, Carole Anne Pike.

Jonnie graduated from Olean High School, Class of 1953. He attended Bryant and Stratton Business Academy, in Buffalo, where he met his wife. When he returned to Olean, he joined the family business, Olean Bottling Works, where he spent his entire work career.

After the death of his father, he along with his brothers, Charlie and Jimmy, took over the family business. Jonnie had great pride in winning the Bottler of the Year Award in 2000. In August 2003, he sold the company to PepsiCo, and then began his retirement.

In his younger days, Jonnie played the saxophone and was a member of the Five Spots with his four closest friends. He was a master joke and story-teller. Jonnie also enjoyed playing cards with his many friends. He was a wonderful husband, father and "Giddi" to his 13 grandchildren.

In addition to his wife, Jonnie is survived by six children, Steven Dwaileebe, Karen (Kevin) Callahan, John (Anita) Dwaileebe Jr., David Dwaileebe and James Dwaileebe, all of Olean, and Marc (Ati) Dwaileebe of California; 13 grandchildren, Ryan, Shaun, Caitlyn and Kevin "KC" Callahan, Colden, John "Jack" and Emma Dwaileebe, Dawson and Reece Dwaileebe, Zanaid Marra, Alice and Adele Dwaileebe and Dhita Dwaileebe; two brothers, James (Danell) Dwaileebe and Joseph Dwaileebe, both of California; a sister-in-law, Genevieve Dwaileebe of Olean; and many loving nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his parents; a brother, Charles Dwaileebe; and a nephew, JJ Dwaileebe.

Friends will be received from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday (Feb. 17, 2020) at the Guenther Funeral Home Inc., 1303 E. State St., Olean. A Divine Liturgy will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday (Feb. 18, 2020) at St. Joseph Maronite Rite Catholic Church. Rev. Tony Mouanes will be officiating. Burial will be in St. Bonaventure Cemetery, Allegany.

Memorials may be made to St. Joseph's Maronite Catholic Church, 1102 Walnut St., Olean, NY 14760.

Online condolences may be made at guentherfh.com.
Published in The Olean Times Herald on Feb. 15, 2020

05/09/2019

I would like to make some albums of the Olean High School yearbooks. This is the 50th reunion for the class of 1969. I would like to start with the yearbook of the class of 69 and work back at this time. If anyone has any of those yearbooks, please let me know. You may scan the yearbooks and post them on the Olean page, scan them and e-mail them to me or lend me the yearbook and I will scan it and send it back, at my expense. Thank you, (Bob Dunbar, administrator, Olean, NY fan page)

02/21/2019

Janyce Slawson Belvees Webster is
looking for a man named Fred Rosen who I think lives in England. He graduated from Olean High School in 1955. if anyone has any information please contact me@ [email protected]. Thank you.

12/21/2018

After a Rip Van Winkle-style slumber, this page is waking up for a ride along Memory Lane to the best Santa Claus Lane ever.

11/10/2018

Today, at the Eldred World War II Museum...

05/26/2018

"Saturday....in the park....100 years ago...."

On August 24, 1911, a lady from Eldred dropped a photo post card from Olean in the mail, at Shinglehouse, to a friend in West Elizabeth, Pa. The scene was a quite recent one of Olean's "City Park," per the caption. That verdant square in the heart of the city soon was called Lincoln Park.

The park was a favorite subject of post cards a century ago, so here we present the one Mary mailed on 8-24-11 plus four others from the 1910 to 1920 era that got "colorized" treatment from their publishers. Those who would like to intercept Mary's mail to read her brief message will find it with that first card. A bit of descriptive comment accompanies each of the five (along with any Olean Page Fans' observations of their own, of course).

[Tom M]

05/24/2018

Before finally leaving "Illusion Hill" on the Promised Land Road near Weston's Mills, we'll offer a "then vs. now" comparison of the famous gravity-defying stretch of rural road. And what's that sign in the old photo about?

Open both photos -- maybe somebody will have answered that question.

[TomM]

05/22/2018

05/21/2018

"All good things must end," and so the Allegany Drive-in Theatre finally did - in 1995.

In this 1999 photo of the old place west of Allegany, nature is slowly reclaiming the space. The structure was razed sometime later.

It was a good run of 46 years, but the last picture show had, as they say, gone with the wind.

A comment below has an image (a danged GIF file) of the drive-in's apparent re-opening advertisement for April of 1950. The 8 great conveniences and benefits of going to the drive-in movies are extolled prominently. Oddly, the movies showing for the 1950 start are the same two that the Allegany screened for its grand opening in July of 1949.

If you missed our May 19 4-photo post and story about the drive-in, or want to check back for additional comments from fellow Olean Fans, just tap "At the Drive-in Movies" at the top of this post.

[TomM]