Export Italian American Club History
The Italian American Club of Export
The Italian American Club of Export was founded amid the Great Depression in 1934. The Club's original location was on Madison Avenue above what is now the Moose Lodge and close to mining operations of that time, making it handy for those thirsting for a cold one after a hard day underground.
In the mid-1950s, the Club moved across Turtle Creek to its current location on Kennedy Avenue. The building that houses the Club was built by the Westmoreland Coal Company and was initially the powerhouse for the mines and later a washroom in which the miners could clean up as their shifts were ending.
But the coal mines that had given Export much of its identity over the decades began to shut down in the 1960s. Nevertheless, the people of Export, supported by employers such as Dura-Bond and others in the area, persisted in keeping the town a worthy place to live.
Today, Export is experiencing something of a renaissance with the biking and walking trail (formerly a railroad), restaurants and nightspots (including the IAC), and let's not overlook the caboose (which is practically impossible).
And the Italian American Club, with the support of its members and the surrounding Export community, will be an ongoing element of that continuing legacy.
