Postcard of an older YMCA location on Liberty Street in Warren

You may have heard that Warren’s YMCA is turning 150 this year.

What you may not know is how the YMCA you know today is different from the YMCA of 150 years ago.

The Y at 210 Lexington Avenue is fairly new in the grand scheme of the organization’s history in Warren County. Dedicated in April of 1982, the building is only 34 years old. That’s less than one third of the YMCA’s history here in Warren. The debt for the current building was paid off in 1988.

In 1990, the Y held its first Business-to-Business Challenge, which will be brought back this year.

In 1997, the Y added on the second full-size gymnasium and the weight and fitness rooms, and in 2006, one of the raquetball courts was repurposed into a space for a rock-climbing wall and cycling room.

In 2012, the YMCA’s LIVESTRONG program began.

In 2016, the Y added the community outdoor playground and the family/ADA locker room.

This year, the YMCA is seeing growth through its Firefly Program and will hold its 11th annual Tango adventure race, which the current Y director Thad Turner brought with him in 2006.

There’s plenty going on, but when the Y was chartered through the national YMCA in Warren –1886 at first and then again in 1891 after it disbanded for a short time, it was a place for men and boys to meet for prayer meetings.

The organization rented many rooms at that time, including spaces above the Kresgee building (now Kersey and Associates), above the Printz building (now Allegheny Book Mart), and in various church buildings.

In 1898, men who were members of the Y could enroll in “evening school” there, which was meant to meet the needs of men who worked during the day. Classes included arithmetic, mechanical drawing, vocal music, penmanship, and Swedish-American, which taught Swedish immigrants to speak and write English.

Eventually, the Y outgrew its rented spaces and the first YMCA building was built in Warren in 1907.

The building, at 211-213 Liberty Street, included a parlor, reading room, library, amusement room, gymnasium, bowling alleys, baths, and natatorium. The building was open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sundays from 2 to 6 p.m. A membership would cost a fellow $5, but for $100 he could have a lifetime membership. In 1911, the YMCA building on Liberty Street burned down, and all of the organization’s records were lost. The national YMCA and local newspapers are the only sources of information on the Warren Y before 1911.

After the fire, the board of directors decided to hold a fundraising campaign, with the goal of rebuilding at a new location, and by 1915 the second YMCA location in Warren was dedicated at 310 Liberty Street — now the site of the Canterbury Courts apartments.

In 1916, lots of things show up in local YMCA history. Bowling leagues, basketball leagues, a free swim program, volleyball, checkers tournaments, handball, and boys gymnastics training were some of the offerings at the new YMCA that year. Bowling team names included the “Optimists,” “Pessimists,” “Jokers,” “Cynics,” and “Strikers.”

The first father/son banquet was held that year, and a two-week summer camp was held for boys. Also, an odd entry in the history, in 1916 the board of directors moved and carried the motion that Physical Department Committee would “do away with the wearing of swimming trunks in the pool.”

In 1917, the Hi-Y service club for high school boys was started. Boys from the Warren Y hold campaigns to help the Army and the Red Cross, and church leagues and bowling and basketball teams were hosted, with basketball teams including the “Owls,” “Robbins,” “Hawks,” and “Sparrows.” It was also in 1917 that two diving platforms — one five-feet and one ten-feet — were installed in he pool for “fancy diving.”

In 1918, A “Bachelor’s Club” was started for men who roomed at the YMCA dormitories. Once a month, the Bachelor’s Club offered dinner and activities for the men starting at a surprising 9:45 p.m. The Y held its first six-mile hike for local businessmen to Sentinel Rock south of the city — three miles out and three back.

The YMCA hosted a “Hippodrome” show at the Library Theatre that benefited the Red Cross. Acts included vaudeville, punching bag demonstrations, contortion, pyramids, girls squad, elaborate costumes and lighting, singers, and an orchestra. The event raised over $600 ($10,573.66 today) to the Red Cross. A duckpin bowling tournament — a sort of cross between bowling and bocce — was held that year, as well as an indoor tennis match, and a Turkish Bath was installed.

Also, that year, a one-week vacation for boys ages 13 and older was arranged, during which they boys hiked and camped around Chautauqua.

The year 1919 saw the local Y’s first open house, from 2:30 to 10 p.m. on New Year’s Day. An orchestra, tours of the facility, an exhibit of pets, drill exhibitions by the junior boys, indoor baseball and basketball contests, and a red and green decorated lobby was such a hit that the open house became an annual event. Pool and billiard tables were ordered that year, meaning that both the men and boys departments could have their own tables. It was a big year for events at the Y. “Lobby Meetings” were held with entertainment by the YWCA girls. Each month, the boys and girls switched off the responsibilities of hosting and entertaining, and each month the group doing the entertaining tried to best the other. The YMCA’s first stag party was held that year, for solders, sailors, and marines. Stag parties consisted of speeches, music, refreshments, and apparently a gym workout. A “Demobilization” was held at the Y that year as well, with advice and counseling offered to returning servicemen. In December of 1919, the first annual “college” night was held during winter break.

In 1920, a 20-foot slide was added to the swimming pool, the temperature of which was set to 78 degrees. That’s a bit chilly, compared to the standard 83 degrees of the YMCA pool today. Women and girls were permitted in the YMCA swimming pool starting this year, but only from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursdays, and boys under 11 were not allowed in the facility without parental supervision. A bicycle race and indoor horseshoe competition was held in 1920, and the Y also began offering a “salesmanship” class that year.

In the 1930’s, boys from the local Y were sent to the seventh annual northwest area PA Older Boys’ Conference held in Butler. The three-day conference cost $2.50 per boy, and covered the total cost of the conference, banquet, lunch, and dinner. Lecture forum courses began in this decade, held in the auditorium at the Warren Woman’s Club. A season ticket bought four lectures and was also $2.50. Speakers included Washington Correspondent James T. Williams, Jr., Humorist Captain Bruce Bairnsfather, “Chinese Lady of Genius” Rose Quong, and deep sea diver and explorer Captain John D. Craig. An “Olympiad” was held, offering opportunities for character development and entertainment, with sessions including Waltz Clog, Springboard/Mats, Tumbling, Heavy Apparatus, Badminton, Living Pictures, Instrumental Music, Vocal Music, Pyrotechnics, Shadow Dance, Sword Dance, and March to Calvary.

In 1964 the Liberty Street building was renovated, and that brings the history up to the April 1982 dedication of the Lexington Avenue building.

There are lots of events planned for the coming months at the Warren YMCA celebrates its 150th anniversary. The 150-Year Challenge, the Y Expo, the Capitol Campaign, Memorial Brick Campaign, and a birthday celebration on Nov. 19 are all in the works.

For more information about the Warren YMCA and upcoming events, visit them at 210 Lexington Avenue, or online at warrenymca.org.