In its heyday before World War II, Republic was known as "Hub City" in recognition of its railroad connection and its importance to a number of coal mining communities in Redstone Township in southwest Fayette County. Republic was founded as a company town in 1905 to house workers at a new mine. Unlike most mines in the area, it wasn't opened by the H.C. Frick Coke Co. (U.S. Steel), but by rival Republic Iron and Steel Co. The community that grew up in the shadow of the Republic coal mine and coke works soon burgeoned into a commercial center, complete with a bustling nightlife and two movie theaters, the Princess and the Roosevelt.
The precipitous decline of the coal industry that began in the 1950s, hit Republic as hard as it hit dozens of other similar communities throughout Fayette County and southwestern Pennsylvania. But Republic has prevailed as a community, while many other former coal towns in similar straits have withered away - if not died all together.
"We're holding our own considering everything," said Philip Savini Sr.,72. "We're doing better than a lot of communities." The unincorporated village of about 2,500 residents in Redstone Township remains a center for smaller communities in the area. Nearly all of the store fronts in Republic are occupied. The town has a National City Bank branch, two pharmacies, two floral shops, a large supermarket, a hardware store, a busy post office, a number of beauty salons, and an eclectic five-and-dime variety store- as well as a full complement of taverns.
Residents say they can get just about everything they need in Republic. Since the village is only about one-square mile in area, most everything is also within walking distance, they note. Community leaders have foughthard to keep Republic alive. The small village has had its own Rotary Club since the late 1930s and a chamber of commerce was formed in the 1950s to promote business. Both organizations remain active today.
Genie Caputo already has an autumn display decorating the storefrontof her Louis Floral and beauty shop on Main Street. Caputo's father, the late Louis Trivellini, set up his barber shop in Republic 61 years ago. His daughter notes proudly that he gave the first "machine-less perm" in the area and that he won a contest as the best and fastest barber in western Pennsylvania. Caputo's three sisters worked with her at the business until their deaths. A nephew now works in the shop making up flower arrangementswhile Caputo styles hair.
Charlie Angeloni's shoe store is closed, but it has been a longtime landmark in downtown Republic. (Ed Cope/Tribune-Review)
Capuzzi's Supermarket, a mom-and-pop store in ambiance with a supermarket'sselection, has been a part of Republic since 1907. Brothers Richard, Michael and Anthony Capuzzi are the third-generation members of their family tooperate the store. A fourth brother, Leonard, is also an owner but lives out of town and is not involved in day-to-day operations. The supermarket's slogan is "Famous for fine meats since 1907." Capuzzi's continues the grocery deliveries the store has made since its beginnings when, Richard Capuzzi pointed out, "they used to deliver by horse and buggy." Richard Capuzzi also noted that the store usually marks its founding with a sale in October. And he said he hopes to celebrate Capuzzi's centennial in seven years.
While Capuzzi's Supermarket is continuing, a neighboring Republic institutionhas come to an end. Charles Angeloni, the village shoemaker, recently retired after decades of service to the community. His former shop, next to Capuzzi'son Main Street, is one of the few vacant storefronts in the business district. Capuzzi's Supermarket is owned by brothers Anthony (from left), Michaeland Richard Capuzzi. The family has owned the store since 1907. (Ed Cope/Tribune-Review)
The town post office has a strong family history as well. Elizabeth Durenzi sorted mail for her postmaster-mother for 16 years and worked 35 years as postmaster herself before her retirement in January 1999. Durenzi still lives in a house next to the post office on VanKirk Street and her family owns the building. She said the Republic Post Office is one of the busiest branches in the area, serving about 4,000 customers in Republic and surrounding communities. Durenzi joked that Republic residents "want to know when I'm coming back to work." One of her sons is postmaster in the nearby community of Hibbs. The Republic post office is in the capable hands of postmaster Jim Nagg.
While many of the businesses on Main Street date back to the early days of Republic, there are some relative newcomers as well. Redstone Pharmacy and Joe Serpento's Pharmacy opened 21 years ago on the same day. Main Street Floral relocated to Republic from Brownsville several years ago. Sara's Variety Store has been at different locations in Republic for eight years. "We're still here," said Denise Vernon, the daughter of the store's owner, Sara Furlong. "People patronize stores here," the native of the Isabellacoal patch said.
There have also been changes in ownership of other facilities. Pechin Home Center, which sells building materials, lumber and other products is located in the facility that once housed the Republic Construction Co., which built much of the community. There is also a branch of the Centerville medical clinic, which is affiliated with the United Mine Workers Association, bearing testament to the number of retired miners in the community.
Redstone Township Supervisor Larry Wilson noted that Republic is one of 22 distinct villages in a township that dates back to 1797. He said that each of the villages is "pretty independent" with its own sense ofcommunity pride, and Republic is no exception. Residents are quick to point out that they're from Republic, rather than the municipality of RedstoneTownship. Among the rallying points for Republic and other Redstone Township villages in years past were the highly successful sports teams, particularly the football rivalry between the Redstone High School Blackhawks and the Brownsville (Brashear) High School Brownies. Pennsylvania ordered smaller school districts to consolidate in 1966, leading to the combination of such area high schools as South Union and North Union into Laurel HighlandsHigh School, and Redstone and Brownsville into the Brownsville Area HighSchool.
While the Blackhawks have passed into local sports lore, and RedstoneTownship communities have become enthusiastic fans of their Brownsville Area High School Falcons over the last 25 years, Friday night footballis still a Republic event. The Falcons play at Redstone Field, adjacent to the old high school building on Route 166. "It gives you a strange sensation,"said Frances Yoders, a lifelong Republic resident, township bookkeeper and 1961 graduate of Redstone High School. The former high school is now the Redstone Middle School. It is connected by elevated covered bridges to a modern, much plainer administration building. Although the new building obscures much of the view of the classic circa-1930s structure from motorists on Route 166, the third story of the ornate facade rises above it all as a reminder of the past. And the stone lettering on the entrance to the older building still reads "Redstone High School." Sons and daughters of Republic who have moved on still remember their hometown.
Prominent Fayette County attorneys, Jim and Sam Davis, brothers who grew up in Republic, are giving something back to the community. They donated the land and made contributions to the construction of the Redstone Township Recreation Center, which is nearing completion across Route 166 from the middle school. Jim Davis said the center is fashioned after a similar center in South Union Township and it will include a gymnasium, an indoor running track, and some fitness equipment. He noted the facility would provide a much needed new outlet for recreation in the Redstone Township and Brownsville area, relieving some of the pressure on school gyms. "We anticipate kids are going to use it," he said.
Residents and past residents are also interested in Republic's rich history.
In the mid-1980s, the Republic Rotary published a hard-cover history of the community titled "Republic, Hub City," and authored by a committee that included, Phil Savini Jr., the late John DeGregory, William Kopacko, Frances Yoders, James Nuccetelli, Greg Nuccetelli, Dale Lockhart and Bob Kish. In addition to the town's history, the volume also includes the story and photographs covering such events as the 1922 miners strike when families were forced out of company homes and into tent cities. The book also discusses the immigration of Italian, Slovak, Polish, Yugoslavian, English, Welshand Irish nationalities to the area for economic opportunity. History buffs can review the book at the community library, but a personal copy of the sold-out volume is virtually impossible to come by. In addition to there silience of its business owners and the community spirit of its residents, Republic takes strength from a number of its institutions.
Republic residents attend a number of area churches, including Holy Rosary Roman Catholic Church and the First Christian Church in the village. The nearby Dunlaps Creek Presbyterian Church, which opened in 1774, isone of the oldest houses of worship in Fayette County. Holy Rosary also has a Catholic elementary school affiliated with it that has become an institution in itself. The school celebrated its 75th anniversary lastyear, attracting multiple generations of graduates and returning nuns from the Vincentian Sisters of Charity who taught at the school. On any given school day, mothers gather at the courtyard of Holy Rosary School, which was built in 1954. The K-8 school has 173 students. Sister Corrine Giel, Holy Rosary principal, said the school sends buses to the Brownsville area, Beth Center and even the outskirts of Uniontown. There's plenty of walk-intraffic from Republic as well. She said a lot of parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles pick up students for a leisurely stroll home. Sister Corrine, who grew up in Allison Park in Pittsburgh, has been at Holy Rosary for 18 years and said that Republic is her home now. She's one of the community's biggest defenders. "There's a lot of good things here," she said.
The Republic Community Library is another local institution dedicated to children's education. "We need to get the children," emphasized Margaret Wyatt, a retired school librarian. She and a band of volunteers that includes her husband, Lee, Sophia Mudrey, Cindy Martini, Lou Urini and Joe Jacob,among others, have built one of the best little community libraries around. "We work hard at it," Mudrey said. Starting in a single room of the Sonsof Italy Club in 1987, the group was eventually able to purchase the entire lodge on DeGregory Circle with the help of a state gtant. The large whitebuilding located in a classy residential development is overlooked by two large busts of Guglielmo Marconi, the Italian radio pioneer, and Thomas Alva Edison.
Wyatt said she didn't know why the club's builder, Domenico DeGregoryof the Republic Construction Co., included these busts when the lodge was built in the 1930s, but she acknowledged they fit in with the new missionof the building. The library now includes 425 members from all over the area and offers over 10,000 volumes. The main room is a spacious area furnished with wooden shelves and large wooden round tables, which were donated bythe California School District.
"Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire" vies for space on shelves with the latest Michael Crichton thriller. The facility is decorated with original drawings, paintings and sculptures depicting coalfield themes, created by local artist Charles A. Masso and donated to the library. The library also features a bank of computers for patrons' use and the library sponsors various educational programs. "Republic, Hub City, "Hours are from 2 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday.