Mingo Junction

Images of America: Ohio

by Larry Smith, Guy Mason

Mingo Junction, a working-class town in the upper Ohio River Valley, has a rich mix of ethnicities and races with a history going back to the Mingo Indians, including visits from George Washington in the 1770s. Early settlement came as the coal mining industry flourished, followed by iron and steel foundries and accompanying railroads and river barge traffic. Mingo's chief industry is its steel mill, first Carnegie Steel Mill, then Wheeling-Pitt Steel Mill for over 100 years. The town's deep character is etched in its work, social, cultural, and natural landscapes. This is seen in its schools, churches, businesses and industry, daily life, active social organizations, and its famous Jake Strott and George Kakasic of the 1930s Pittsburgh Steelers (Pirates); Joe Fortunato of the Chicago Bears; coach Woody Hayes; Spud Hughes, inventor of menthol cigarettes; and Bill (Lil Squirt) Albaugh, spokesperson for Squirt soda. Renowned singing groups include The Antones, The Stereos, Buddy Sharp and the Shakers, The Mingo Men, and Bob Parissi of Wild Cherry. Among major movies filmed in the town are Reckless, Hearts of Steel, and 1978 Academy Award winner The Deer Hunter.

127 pages, Paperback

First published February 21, 2011

About the author

Smith is the author of 9 books of poetry and 6 books of fiction as well as two memoirs and two literary biographies of Kenneth Patchen and Lawrence Ferlinghetti. He is married to Ann Smith, a professor of nursing, with 3 adult children and 8 grandchildren. He taught at BGSU Firelands College in Ohio for 38 years. His most recent work includes The Thick of Thin: Memoirs of a Working-Class Writer (2017) and Thoreau's Lost Journal: Poems (2018, new enlarged edition).

Reviews

[Paul Lunger · Rating 5 out of 5]

The "Images of America" series has always been an interesting series to read & this particular book on Mingo Junction is one of the better ones in this series. This village is one in my home area that is also part of the school district where I grew up in. What I like about this installment is that you can tell that the authors of the book Larry Smith & Guy Mason care & are very proud of this town they call home something that's well reflected in the stories behind the pictures in this book as well as the introductions to each chapter. I learned a bit more than I thought I would out of this book which is definitely one I'm glad I had a chance to find & enjoy.

[Larry Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, this is a couple centuries put into the history and photos of a small industrial town along the Ohio River. Guy Mason and Larry Smith pulled it together as a hymn and rock tune to Mingo Junction, Ohio, where they both grew up. The book looks at the culture through the churches and schools, and stores, but more than any of the other Arcadia Images of America books, it focuses on the people. It tells a good story about a town which has survived, floods, disasters, strikes, industrial waste, and economic down times. It's really a big story of America.