We're pleased as punch that Washerst has been selected as a top destination for the summer of 2013 -- AND -- that the Emmett Lee Dickinson Museum (above the coin-op laundromat on Dickinson Boulevard) has been named one of the top ten museums in the world! So throughout the month of May, we'll highlight more of "The Wonders of Washerst" so the world can know just what it is that makes Washerst great!
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* Click on the images below to enlarge: On the left: Washerst was named on of the "10 Best Trips for Summer 2013." On the right: The Emmett Lee Dickinson Museum (above the coin-op Laundromat on Dickinson Boulevard) was named one of "The Best Museums in the World."
* To learn about the history of Washerst, click HERE. To learn about famous Washerstians, click HERE.
* Then check back thoughout the month of May to learn about "The Wonders of Washerst."
* To learn about the history of Washerst, click HERE. To learn about famous Washerstians, click HERE.
* Then check back thoughout the month of May to learn about "The Wonders of Washerst."
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THE WASHERST "CITY PASS" INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING SITES:
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1. The Emmett Lee Dickinson Museum
(above the coin-op Laundromat on Dickinson Boulevard) 2. Dickinson’s Restaurant (A CITY PASS purchase includes a coupon for a FREE order of Cajun Nachos) 3. The Dickinson Motel: Tour the newly refurbished lobby! 4. Emmett Lee Dickinson Community College 5. Emmett Lee Dickinson Park 6. The Emmett Lee Dickinson Shopping Mall 7. Global Headquarters for Kleen Kitty Kat Litter ® (A CITY PASS purchase includes a coupon for free tour of the world’s largest kitty litter mine & quarry) |
8. National Traffic Light and Traffic Sign Museum
9. Perish & Begone Funeral Parlor (home of the Dickinsons’ basement apartment) 10. Dickinson Candy Corn Factory 11. Washerst Dry Cleaner Academy (One of the top-rated Dry Cleaning training facilities in the country) 12. North Washerst Belt Loop Factory 13. World’s Largest Lint Ball (on display in the lobby of the International Institute of Laundry and Ironing Sciences.) 14. Murray Gristmuss’ Lumber Yard and Mill Pond |
15. Curl Up & Dye Institute of Cosmetology(The beauty school founded byEmalee Incross Dickinson, Emmett Lee’s mother)
16. Babes & Balls Bowling Alley (Free bowling shoe rental with the purchase of a City Pass; not all sizes available) 17. Uncle Hobart’s Scrap Metal Emporium(Formerly the Third Cousin Shoe Shop) 18. Washerst Opera House 19. Gurgles the Clown’s Novelty Shop (Named for Dickinson’s uncle, Hobart Dickinson, who was known as Gurgles the Clown) 20. Washerst Newel Post Museum 21. Washerst Memorial Gardens (Final resting place of Timothy Burr (“Tim-Ber”), tax collector Owen Moore, & other past and prominent Washerst citizens) |
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The locations for sites 1 to 7 above are shown on a 1903 postcard of Washerst. |
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Throughout the month of May 2013, we'll highlight some of the sites above AND showcase other sites too -- "The Wonders of Washerst."
Check back throughout the month for additional "Wonders of Washerst."
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The vintage postcard at the left shows a bustling scene along Dickinson Boulevard. Then and now, Dickinson Boulevard is the main drag through the heart of historic Washerst.
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National Celebrity Look-Alike Wax Museum
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Some of the Celebrity Look-Alike Wax Figures:
Pictured above, left to right: Enrique Bowring as Sammy Davis, Jr.; Debbie Smuk as both Loretta Lynn and Cher; Erwin Berkowitz as Jerry Seinfeld; Nikki Klinker as Julia Louis-Dreyfus; and Dwayne McGee as President Barrack Obama
Pictured above, left to right: Betty Fetzer as Joan Rivers; Nigel Harbach as Donald Trump; Sassica Dwyer as both Juila Roberts and Michael Jackson; Nadine Hatchman as Drew Barrymore; and Bianca DaRoza as Britney Spears
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Global Headquarters for Kleen Kitty Kat LitterAnyone who knows the history of Washerst knows that Washerst is home to the global headquarters for Kleen Kitty Kat LItter (shown to the left in a vintage postcard).
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Gurgles the Clown Novelty ShopEmmett Lee Dickinson's Uncle Hobart owned a novelty shop in town, and he also managed an entertainment partnership (with Dooley Dawson, known to the citizens of Washerst as “Doo-Daw”Dawson) that provided clowns, magicians, and balloon artists to children’s parties. Hobart Dickinson often performed at children's birthday parties as "Gurgles the Clown."
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The Curl Up & Dye Institute of CosmetologyEmmett Lee Dickinson’s mother, Emalee Incross, was a cosmetician at the Perish & Begone Funeral Parlor. Due to her relationship with the owners of the business, the Dickinson family was able to reside in a basement apartement of the funeral parlor. In later years she contracted out her services to the various funeral parlors in the area under the name “Curl Up and Dye.” Today, Washerst is home to the Curl Up & Dye Institute of Cosmetology, one of the premiere cosmetology schools in the world.
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Washerst Memorial GardensA popular attraction included on the Washerst "City Pass" (described near the top of this page) is the Washerst Memoial Gardens, the final resting place of many prominent Washerst citizens, including Boom Boat skipper Timothy Burr ("Tim-Ber"), tax collector Owen Moore, theater owner Ned Sullivan, and many, many more.
For information on many well-known Washerstians, click HERE. |
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The Third Cousin Shoe Shop at 215 Dickinson Boulevard closed in 1973, and it is now the location of Uncle Hobart's Scrap Metal Emporium (named for Dickinson's uncle, Hobart Dickinson).
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Uncle Hobart's Scrap Metal EmporiumThe poetic style of Emmett Lee Dickinson inspired "the most stylish poetic foot" with the "Dickinson," the most popular men's shoe in the United States and Canada in the 1950s and 60s. The post card below is on display at the Emmett Lee Dickinson Museum (above the coin-op laundromat on Dickinson Boulevard), in Washerst, PA.
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Murray Gristmuss' Lumber Yard & Mill PondA highlight of the Washerst "City Pass" is Murray Gristmuss' Lumber Yard and Mill Pond.
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W E L DWasherst is the home to the nation's first NPR radio station, W E L D, home to the hit radio show "Conditioned Air" with Terry Net.
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Bob Hope's HouseBefore Bob Hope became a comedian, he received a doctorate in Dickinsonian poetry from Harvard Junion College in Washerst and later became a broadcaster at WELD , the nation's first NPR radion station (above).
He began a show called "Weekend Erudition" that focused entirely on the poetry of Emmett Lee Dickinson. After Hope left Washerst for Hollywood (known then as the "Washerst of the West"), the show shifted to a less scholarly format, and NPR changed it's name to "Weekend Edition." In the mid-1940's, Hope was also the director of the Dickinson Organization of Poetry Enthusiasts (DOPE). For information on DOPE, click HERE. |
Homes of other famous Washerstians who moved from Washerst to Hollywood ("the Washerst of the West") are pictured below.
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Vertigo Tower:
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Besides being home to the Emmett Lee Dickinson Museum (above the coin-op Laundromat on Dickinson Boulevard), one of the premiere museums in the world, Washerst, PA, is home to Vertigo Tower, the headquarters to the world-famous National Center for Acrophobia and Vertigo. The Ezra Hightower Center for Research and Treatment of Vertigo, Imbalance and Ocular Motor Disorders is housed on the top floor of the tower, and it offers a spectacular view of the city.
Pictured at the right (in the center): Ezra Hightower, founder of the Ezra Hightower Center for Research and Treatment of Vertigo, Balance and Ocular Motor Disorders |
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As a result of Washerst's many and varied advances in cyberspace technology, Washerst is home to the greatest number of social media addicts per captia then another other municipality in the United States.
In 2002, Dr. Nabendu Attwifi opened the 4000+ room Washerst Center for Social Media Addiction. Addicts are trained in Dr. Attwifi's 34-step program, and all patients are required to document their progress via Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Vine, Blogger, Word Press, and Tumblr. |
Washerst Center for Social Media Addiction
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The Washerst Federal PenitentiaryThe Washerst Federal Penitentiary is a maximum security prison where all prisoners have individual cells with sliding doors controlled from a secure remote control station.
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Some privileges a prisoner could earn at the prison included an exfoliating body scrub followed by an aromatic milk bath and a peaceful sleep massage with warm aromatherapy oils in the prison’s spa, custom menu planning with the executive chef for a course gourmet meal with wines paired with each course, complimentary ice water and cold towels delivered by a pool attendant and the option to order food and beverage service from the pool menu at both the indoor and outdoor pools, and exclusive privileges including complimentary Club Level upgrades for good behavior.
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Schmickle's of WasherstSchmickle's of Washerst is an exclusive women's lingerie shop in the heart of the city owned and operated by the Schmickle family for over 100 years.
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Dickinson Swamp & "The Thing"Dickinson Swamp on the Washerst River is home to the Northern Turnpike Gator, the only alligator indigenous to Pennsylvania, AND "the Thing," the number one roadside attraction in the United States. Man? Or beast? What exactly is "the Thing"? For the admission price of just $1.00, visitors can take a look to see if they can figure out exactly what "the Thing" is.
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DickinsonLand Amusement ParkBetween 1880 and until after World War II, Washerst was home to DickinsonLand, the largest amusement park in the United States, attracting several million visitors per year. The park closed in 1956, though, after years of neglect, a series of fires, and the Washerst street gang problems of the 1950s.
Of course, DickinsonLand was the inspiration for Walt Disney to build Disneyland and Disney World. Now, the Disney Empire will face competition in Washerst when the all-new DickinsonLand Amusement Park opens in June 2013 (info HERE). |
The Washerst Water TowersDid you know that Washerst has more water towers than any other municipality in the United States? There are over 7000 water towers in and around town! Why?
Washerst is home to the global headquarters of Kleen Kitty Kat Litter because of nearby Mount Wasniewskiherstikovnovstiffikoff's immense vein of calcium bentonite. As a result, Washerst is the world’s leading producer of clumping kitty litter. However, due to the massive underground reserve of calcium bentonite, rain water, underground water, and/or water runoff is quickly absorbed into the ground. Without the thousands of water towers, Washerst might easily be a "dry" town! |
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National Association of Wire-Rimmed Glass Frame ManufacturersEvery wonder why wire-rimmed glasses are so expensive? Tour the headquarters for the National Association of Wire-Rimmed Glass Frame Manufacturers and you'll discover why!
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Jersey Jerry's Rent-A-HearseIn the mid-1970s, Jerry "the Reaper" Bellatoni of Hackensack, NJ, started the first rent-a-hearse operation in the United States to help reduce the sky-rocketing costs associated with funerals. By the mid-1980s there were hundreds of franchises around the country, but like Razor scooters, Crocs, Ugg Boots, fanny packs, and many other fads, the business ultimately declined.
Today, just one "Jersey Jerry's Rent-A-Hearse" remains in operation in the US, and that's in Washerst, PA! To help remain vital, the business has expanded beyond funeration proceedings, and they now rent hearses for Proms, school field trips, and family outings. |
The Washerst Opera House
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Did you know that Washerst has the fourth largest electonics dump in the US, behind Chula Vista (California), Durham (North Carolina), and Akron (Ohio). The dump is located on the border of Dickinson Park, and so it's a popular spot for picnickers, strollers, treasure hunters, families, and tourists.
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What's for lunch at your child's school tomorrow? Whether it's creamed turkey on toast, a plate full of pork nuggets, or fish cubes and peas, there's a good change that it's been prepared and shipped from the National Public School Cafeteria Lunch Processing Plant in Washerst! The NPSCLPP serves over 85% of the public schools in America in addition to 62% of the private schools!
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Stand Up WasherstDid you know that Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request) invented improvisational and stand-up comedy? He also worked comedy clubs in Baltimore, MD, with Edgar Allan Poe as the comedy duo “Izzy Sharp and Moe.” They were the first to tell “Why did the chicken cross the road?” and “Waiter, there’s are fly in my soup” jokes.
As a result, every fourth weekend in March, Washerst plays host to the Washerst Improv and Stand-up Comedy Spectacular at "Stand Up Washerst" -- where Leonard Barr, Kathy Griffin, and Jimmy Kimmel got their starts! |
Dickinson Park -- Home of the MetaphorsOne of the classic baseball parks in America is Dickinson Park in Washerst, PA, home of the minor league team the Metaphors, farm team to the New York "Mets" (short for the Metaphors).
Special game nights include Corn Chowder night, fanny pack night (free fanny packs to the first 1000 fans), cajun nacho night, and goat racing night! |
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Washerst Psychological Trauma, Amnesia, & Memory ClinicLate in life, Emmett Lee Dickinson began advancing theories of the unconscious mind, experimenting with treatments for neuralgia, and inventing therapeutic techniques such as the use of free association and phrenology. He also took on Sigmund Freud as an apprentice. More information about his work -- including his radical treatments to cure Louis Comfort Tiffany of PTPZS (Post-Traumatic Petting Zoo Syndrome) -- is included in Great American Poems ~ REPOEMED, Volume 2.
As a result of Dickinson's work, Washerst is now one of the world's leading centers for psychological trauma and neurological research. The Washerst Psychological Trauma, Amnesia & Memory Clinic (pictured at the left) is on Dickinson Boulevard, and the building includes a control tower to guide patients back to their cars. |
Emmett Lee Dickinson Community College AuditoriumOne of the premiere college theaters in the United States is the auditorium (pictured at the right) at Dickinson College's sister school, the Emmett Lee Dickinson Community College in Washerst.
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Dickinson DeliDickinson Deli has been a staple of the restaurant scene in Washerst for decades! It's claim to fame is that it inspired Tom Visaki to open "Tom's Restaurant" at the corner of 112th and Broadway in New York City , and the exterior of that restaurant was used to depict the fictional "Monk's Cafe" in the hit comedy series "Seinfeld" -- and that is certainly a fitting tribute to Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request) since "Seinfeld" was a show about "nothing"!
So after walking the streets of Washerst and taking in all of the sights, be sure to stop by the Dickinson Deli to try some of the specials: the "Trash Can" (fried egg, cole slaw, French fries, and dill pickles -- all on rye toast), the Chow Mein sandwich (beef chow mein on a hamburger bun with 1000 Island dressing), and the "Dickinson" (layers of buttered white bread with liver pate, olives, hard-boiled eggs, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, pickled cucumber, tuna, clams, green peas, pineapple, bananas, bacon, and sautéed mushrooms). |
Dickinson Crater -- on the western side of Dickinson park -- is a favorite spot for tourists to visit. However, Dickinson Crater is not named after Washerst's most famous son, Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request). Instead, it's named after Emmett Lee's uncle, Merton Dickinson, who once owned a fireworks factory on the spot -- until the explosion that caused the crater!
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Check Mate was the first dating service to open in the United States, and their 130-point inventory for singles ultimately led to internet dating services such as Match.com , eHarmony, DateHookUp.com and OKCupid.com. That's why Washerst has earned it's unofficial nickname, "Lovers Capital of the World."
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The Washerst Chamber of CommerceNow that you have scrolled through "the Wonders of Washerst," you can see why Washerst, Pennsylvania, is one of top tourist destinations in the world, and why it was named one of the "10 Best Trips for Summer 2013."
Be sure to visit this summer, and then you, too, can say, "I WAS in WASherst!" And be sure to stop by the Chamber of Commerce (pictured at the right). The Chamber -- along with the Emmett Lee Dickinson Museum (above the coin-op Laundromat on Dickinson Boulevard) and the Dickinson Organization of Poetry Enthusiasts (DOPE) -- plans many events throughout the year (for a calendar of special events, click HERE). |
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FOR MORE INFORMATION ON WASHERST, CLICK HERE.
All things Emmett Lee Dickinson (poetry, museum stuff, Washerst facts and figures, etc.) © 2013, 2014, and 2015 by Jim Asher