Sgro's Sunset Grove dance hall, home of big bands. Sometimes referred to as "Little Sunset" because there was a larger, unrelated Sunset Grove down near Pittsburgh. This one was located on Rt 85 on the way to Plumville. Used for roller skating, dances, and Cowanshannock High's basketball courts. Picnic grove is in the trees off to the right. Big name big bands played here. Cowanshannock High had their prom there. Operated by Angelo and Annie (Sasala) Sgro, who lived on the premises. The Sgro family also owned the Alexander Hotel in Kittanning (son Angelo who was a musician.)
Destroyed by a fire in 1995. https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/1... I pinned its approximate location based on old aerials. It was past the Shannock Inn, on the turn. Rt 85 was an old stagecoach road, and before that, a buffalo and Indian trail. It was still a main route through the area in the pre-WWII era and earlier.
Small town life didn't used to be so far out of the loop the way it is now.

http://triblive.com/x/leadertimes/new...
And from George Sgro (son on Angelo and Annie Sgro) obit http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/trib... :
"...George was introduced to the building industry at an early age, working alongside his father to build the Sunset Grove Ballroom, near Rural Valley. This popular community entertainment facility featured dining and dancing to many noteworthy Big Band era musicians, such as Jan Garbor, Sammy Kay, Baron Elliot, Frankie Yankovitz and Lawrence Welk. The Sunset Grove Ballroom also hosted school basketball games, roller skating parties, reunions, picnics and pony rides for children. In 1946, the Sgro family relocated to Kittanning... The Sgros also built and operated two popular night clubs, the Oasis and the Twentieth Century Club; both nightclubs hosted popular Big Band leaders, such as Blue Barron and Ted Weams."

Angelo & Annie's son, Angelo "Shieky" (sp?) Sgro, was a musician and owner of Alexander Hotel in Kittanning. The Sgros built a ballroom facility in Kittanning and big bands played there. From his obituary: "...real estate and restaurant owner. An avid musician, Angelo owned and directed the Lee Angelo Orchestra..."
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/trib...
https://webcache.googleusercontent.co...

A bit about the Lee Angelo Orchestra here: http://damndelicious.net/?s=chicken&a...

Obituary Abstract for Angelo Sgro, Sr.
Name of Newspaper Unknown

Name: Angelo Sgro, Sr.

Born: March 1, 1900 in Italy

Died: January 13, 1968 in Armstrong County Memorial Hospital

Date of Service: "Tuesday", presumably a few days later, at St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church of Kittanning

Funeral Home: Amberson C. Bauer Funeral Home, Kittanning

Clergy: Rev. Charles B. Guth

Cemetery: Calvary Cemetery, Punxsutawney

Family Members Mentioned: Deceased: parents Angelo and Lucy (Rizzo) Sgro; unidentified son; an unidentified brother; three unidentified sisters; sister Antoinette Marino of Niagara Falls, who died January 3, 1968. Survivors: wife Annie (Sasala) Sgro; sons Angelo S. Jr. of Kittanning and George D. of Kittanning; five grandchildren.

Other Information Mentioned: Lived in Kittanning. Brought to the USA as a baby. Started working as a coal miner at age 13 near Punxsutawney. Built Sunset Grove near Rural Valley in 1929. Moved to Kittanning in 1946, where he built the Sgro Building on Market St. and owned many other properties. At the time of his death he was one of the area's biggest landowners. Member of St. Mary's RC Church of Kittanning, the Elks and Loyal Order of Moose

I am writing a family history of our family that spent a great deal of time at Sunset Grove during the 1940s and 50s and would like to include this picture. Please send price to purchase a good digital copy. I can pay thru PayPal. Thank you!

How was the fire started that destroyed Sunset Grove? And who owned it after Sgros?