1978 THE KOPPER KETTLE EXPLODED. Another witness, a Vietnam veteran, said that it was the most devastating aftermath he had witnessed since returning from the war. We were all so grateful that there were no fatalities, Patterson says. McCord said he later went to the top of the ladder's fly section, which was extended some 70 feet in the air, to spray water on the blaze. 12/30/2022. I think I remember asking my roomie on the top bunk: "what was that!?" Two weeks after the explosion, at St. Dunstans Episcopal Church, Sinclair gave a sermon fittingly titled Explosions, recognizing the outpouring of camaraderie and grateful spirits exhibited in Auburn following the blast. In addition, we offer catering and carry out! Our paper and website are always free, but if youre feeling kind, you can contribute to our journalism efforts here. Our guest tell us this charm is unmatchable even by the most beautiful restaurants in all of Europe! More than 70 businesses in the immediate vicinity were damaged . Looking back on the 55 years they ran the bar, the Kapalas said they will cherish getting to know new people and making new friends the most. Shortly after the explosion, chaos ensued as volunteers, police, firemen and state officials were on the scene to determine the cause of the explosion as they prepared for the worst, searching the rubble for fatalities. Was living on Thatch at the time, heard the boom, looked out the window to see smoking debris falling from the sky into the yard, including dental records. I-77 was still . At breakfast, I remember my mother saying there was a really big Boom ! The Kapalas are currently selling the building and business for $850,000. She used to comp their meals, but she cant afford to do that anymore. Three sides had glass. After breakfast, our family drove as close to downtown as possible to see the damage. We are a family style dining restaurant, known for our famous pan fried chicken, delicious filet mignon and fresh seafood. Required fields are marked *. 765-763-6767. He thought a small plane had crashed into the downtown area. He was there on the infamous night in February 1967 when Speros Kokenes, who owned The Open Kitchen with his brother, Steve, was carjacked and murdered in what was believed to be a botched armed robbery. He lived near the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, and says as his windows shook from the plane crash, he thought back to that January day in 1978. "Having never been in war or anything like that, I certainly didnt know exactly how to interpret that. Her first creation, the Smash Pot, features a large serving of grilled potatoes, peppers, onions, tomatoes and bacon or sausage with two over-medium eggs placed on top though it comes fully customizable. https://discord.gg/kJdJq5BRH5, Press J to jump to the feed. and au jus (!!). Hes frequented the bar for years, and visits the Kapalas at least four or five days per week. For 34 years, the bar gave about $10,000 a year to a scholarship fund for local high school students college education. On Sunday morning, January 15, 1978, several businesses on East Magnolia Ave in downtown Auburn were destroyed in an explosion caused by a natural gas leak beneath the restaurant. Customers range in age from 21 to 90, the Kapalas said. Theyre heavy-handed in the kitchen, she says, and I like that.. The windowless home-turned-diner was a popular after-work destination for local farmers and factory workers who would sometimes drink and gamble into the night. COVID brought some changes, of course. I was also throwing papers for the Auburn bulletin before the explosion, and came through town I could smell the gas is really strong went home to tell my father about the gas downtown since we were running the newspaper thought something crazy was going to happen and it did.I made it downtown right after the explosion I was reaching of the window at the drugstore to call my boss to tell them I would secure the store until someone got there about that time I found myself with handcuffs against a brick wall ,thought I was trying to steal the money out of the cash register but was later released what a crazy morning. I went and viewed the carnage that Sunday Morning. We learn about the restaurant serving Hoosiers and guests for 91 years, how to keep traditions alive while staying relevant, and thoughts about buying an existing restaurant. For 35 years, the Kopper Kettle has provided customers with a family owned place to enjoy breakfast and lunch,. By the Grace of Godnot a life was lost. When the apartment started getting cold, I got up to find that all of our gas heaters had gone out (I guess the city had cut off all of the gas lines) and the door on the side facing the Kettle had been blown open. "The defendants' practice of paying their employees in cash, concealing this from the IRS, and failing to collect and pay federal employment taxes, undermines the integrity of the federal income tax system and harms those who play by the rules.". "I went up there on the top of that on the fly section and the people had hand lines down there on the other buildings because there was about a quarter of a block that was burnt up," he said. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. She graduated from UMass Amherst in May 2019, where she studied journalism and information technology. He comes here and he drinks coffee and he eats, and thats part of the reason that I decided to stay, because that is priceless to me, she says. People that we see once a year come down for that, Laurel Kapala said. It BLEW UP!" "Our tax system requires businesspeople to truthfully report the wages paid to their employees," U.S. Attorney William McSwain said. Cool. - Pelican Parts Technical BBS, VIDEO: 1984 profile on Auburn basketball coach Sonny Smith, VIDEO: Aubies hot tub harem and other behind-the-scenes highlights from 1987-88, First-class bloodbathThat time Pat Dye maybe made Auburn play two A-Day games, Heres eight minutes of Tiger Walk for the 1990 Florida State game. You just dont move around a whole lot doing that, and I didnt realize my pants had gotten stuck to the sidewalk. I think he left me a $20 tip he felt so bad.. So how is being a counselor similar to running a restaurant? that is degrading to another person. The Kopper Kettle made national headlines that night as word spread about the freak accident in a small Alabama town. Join the conversation on our Discord! accounts, the history behind an article. that morning. It continues like this throughout the morning, with folks of all ages and races streaming in and out; many of them seem to know each other, all of them know Morris. Be Nice. Then 19-year-old firefighter Johnny Lawrence, now a Lee County commissioner, helped man one of the hand lines. Nobody was blown up and nobody was hurt on the fire scene.". Frank DeGraffenreid w/ hat. His diploma ended up on the library lawn (if I recall) and his bar papers DID end up in his mother's yard, wherever that was. Richard Kapala joked with the two men at the counter, their laughter filling the otherwise empty bar. Hear a new featured member each Sunday at 10:45 a.m. on 93.1 WIBC. Most days now, Morris picks him up and brings him to the restaurant, where he spends the morning talking to customers, telling stories, and eating his lunch. Can you help us put names to faces? That was the concern; nobody knew where they were at.. Welcome to the Bucks County, PA Subreddit! I lived on W Magnolia at Lambda Chi house. "The alarms went off in the station," McCord said. Required fields are marked *, Like this story? Have a blowup of that photo hanging on my wall today. (SUN/Julia Malakie)A couple chairs down, 63-year-old Luis Velazquez clutched a Michelob Ultra. Sara Morris, owner and operator of Kopper Kettle. Jan. 15, 1978 was a quiet Sunday in downtown Auburn. The Kapalas hope to travel with their free time, but plan to visit the bar even after the sale. Charles Britt of Auburn United Methodist Church barely made it through the red light at the corner of Magnolia and Gay before the blast. https://www.coldwellbankerhomes.com/pa/feasterville-trevose/1985-bridgetown-pike/pid_31709455/ https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/bucks-county-bar-and-restaurant-owners-charged-tax-offenses comments sorted by Best Top New Controversial Q&A tor29c Rubble to places? Morris, who says cooking is one of her favorite pastimes, will sometimes whip something up in the kitchen to make a snack for herself, and twice now those snacks have landed on the menu. Found out later that day what had happened. The Kopper Kettle . A young black girl tells Morris she didnt eat breakfast because shes refusing to eat anything until her mom lets her have pizza, to which Morris responds, Completely understandable.. On Sunday morning, January 15, 1978, several businesses on East Magnolia Ave in downtown Auburn were destroyed in an explosion caused by a natural gas leak beneath the restaurant. Breast Ultrasound Screening Coming Direct to You! It is amazing that no one was killed. The Nerve is distributed every other Wednesday and includes feature stories, event and music listings, puzzles and more. A short time later, I realized how cold had gotten. Alabama Snapshots: Babys First Christmas, 340 TechnaCenter Drive, Montgomery, AL 36117, Chef and son put a New Orleans spin on classic fare, Electric co-ops benefit from connections in the Legislature. Useful. Thank you for signing in! All this brings back some memories for sure! All rights reserved. Thanks for listening! The blast left more than 70 businesses damaged, and one small town reeling. The most comprehensive restaurant menus & dish reviews site - Zmenu The county seat is Doylestown. The Lincoln Continental in one of the photoshad just been purchased by Larry Parker. Dang I dont remember it looking that devastated. This production is made possible with the help of the following: Recorded with Terri Stacy. The room was about 20 x 10 feet. In her time running the Kettle, Morris has brought it into the digital age, creating profiles on Google, Yelp, Facebook and, most recently, Instagram. Long ago, the Kopper Kettle Inn Restaurant put Morristown on gourmets' list from coast to coast as a stop on Route 52 where a fine meal may be enjoyed in a delightfully restful setting. You can see our catering and carry out options on our Menu page. As with the Smash Pot, Morris came up with the idea as a way to satisfy her own craving on a slow morning in the kitchen. The Battle of Campaldino was a battle between the Guelphs and Ghibellines on 11 June 1289. As much time as she spent in the smoke-filled diner, however, she never imagined shed one day be running it. Uncover why Kopper Kettle is the best company for you. Don't knowingly lie about anyone Dale H. Wow, some incredible pictures. The Copper Kettle opened as a bar in the late 1930s. It was a big deal. When I saw the bricks and wood flying in the air above the buildings at Gay and Magnolia. Greek immigrants George and Penny Karnesis opened Kopper Kettle on Nations Ford Road in what was then southwest Charlotte in May 1971. Built by Col. LOWELL It may soon be last call at Cappys Copper Kettle. It was owned by John Brooks, Laurel Kapala's great-uncle. Then, everything changed, as a natural gas explosion rocked downtown, destroying Kopper Kettle restaurant, a dentist's office and other businesses by the northwest corner of Gay Street and Magnolia Avenue. The couple knows most customers by name, or in some cases, their drink orders. For example, theres Rum and Coke Jim, Laurel said. Rock and roll bands would play on weekend nights while customers danced. Bucks County is a county located Southeast in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Richard Kapala was discharged from the air force that year, and took over his fathers share of the bar. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. I was asleep in my bunk bed on the corner of East Glenn & Burton (about two blocks away?) That was the worst we had. Investigators determined the gas leak blast was equivalent to multiple tons of TNT exploding. The Kopper Kettle used to serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It turns out running a caf filled with regulars suited her. I got up to go to church and had pretty much forgotten about it. The large, quaint house is a veritable art museum - housing fascinating collection of art objects from many parts of the world - all tastefully displayed from beautiful antique furnishings and artifacts. At least nine copper kettles are tucked throughout the restaurant, as well as copper art, including a hammered version of The Last Supper.. A gas leak caused the explosion in January 1978 that destroyed the Kopper Kettle restaurant and several nearby businesses. But some longtime customers arent ready to move on. An AU student from the Plainsman took my photograph as I was walking through the intersection at Gay and Magnolia. Get our Weekly recap with the latest news, articles and resources. Just amazing that no one was killed. My pals and I spent many a wee hour sobering up in that building. chat with Leigh Langkable, owner of Kopper Kettle Inn Restaurant in Morristown, Indiana. She expected the role to last a year at most. Thats what it kind of looked like, what you might expect from a bomb or auxiliary round that may have hit the building and blown it up. What about the t-shirts? Do you have any stories from that day? Not sure why you got downvoted, but despite the food being good the dining room was far from clean. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Matter of fact it was the talk of the Opelika-Auburn area for several months afterwards. You can throw whatever you want in there, she tells me as I peruse the menu. "When the time came for me to get up, they had to help me get up because my clothing had a bunch of ice on it," he said. Thats a loaded one, she says, pausing to think it over. "Criminals like Eckler chip away at the integrity of the system, which has a ripple effect on everyone in the community. Dick Kapala, bartender and co-owner of Cappys Copper Kettle, left, with customer Daniel Correa of Lowell, right. The familiar greasy spoon that once stood on the corner of Gay Street and Magnolia Avenue did not make a return, but it will forever be remembered by Auburn students and residents. Some stories want aroundthe joke that "somebody lit a match to the Kopper Kettle's chili", etc. I thought a tornado was coming through but I didn't see anything outside. About 40 frames later must be a young Andy Gentry in center w/ glasses w/ the fire Chief. So I did it. 135 W Main St, Morristown, IN 46161 See the differences between multiple units in the same complex and find the best rates. You can help keep more like it coming by becoming a TWER patron. He sleepily said, "Must be somebody lighting dynamite in the parking lot." Knock my wife out of bed at the BSU on college. Would you be interested in looking at it? Ells have been added, porches attached, stairways built, and patios and gardens laid out. In the picture where the painting is on wall of the tiger, that was my dental office. Protect Your Home from Ticks with Yard Guard from Viking Pest, Larry P. Pelullo, Retired Carpenter with over 30 years Experience, Open Houses Planned In The Bensalem Area: Here Are The Latest 3 Listings, State Sen. Farry Launches Satellite Office Hours In Bucks. The place used to get so packed that we used to have a line outside, Richard Kapala said. We hope that you enjoy our free content. With her family in crisis, Morris, a counselor by trade, resigned from her job as a health educator at North Central Family Medical Center in Rock Hill and took charge of the Kettle. The explosion, which originated in the basement of Waldrop's, also damaged numerous other buildings in downtown Auburn. He opened Kopper Kettle with his wife, Penny, in 1971, when their stretch of Nations Ford Road was miles of open fields and a few trailers. The Kopper Kettle is the place where one can savor Hoosier fried chicken, broiled prime steaks, and delicious seafood, served by lovely girls in peasant costumes. Richard and Laurel Kapala both work about seven days per week. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. Further investigation revealed windows 1-upstairs, the other downstairs had blown out of my apartment in Woodland Terrace, on Armstrong St. between Thach & Hare Avenues. After a couple hours in the restaurant, its clear why Morris never could bring herself to sell it. CLICK HERE TO TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS. This year, the Kapalas will participate in the tradition for the last time. Throughout the 70s and 80s, the location served as a wholesome family diner by day and a bar and lounge by night. KATHLEEN PURVIS is a longtime Charlotte writer who covers Southern food and culture. Sorry the owners got greedy. I was in Magnolia Dorm cafeteria for breakfast. Always wanted to check them out. I was preparing a sermon at FBC and after the boom, felt The Lord saying dont worry about it. In the 90s, after Morris had her first child, George decided to close for dinner, and today it remains only a breakfast and lunch eatery, with no liquor or beer on the menu. I was downtown that morning delivering newspapers about 30 minutes before the explosion. Her second creation is for those with a sweeter tooth: French toast biscuits. "Somebody out there stepped on a nail and it punctured his foot. If this had happened today, it would be a much different outcome.. If your scrolling finger is limber enough, here are 78 photos most of which have never been seen until now taken in the immediate aftermath of the blast by former Opelika-Auburn News photographer Brad Ashmore. That was my best friends (Drew Gentry) dad that didnt go into work that day. Oh, and now we have video.). He owned the business directly across the street from the explosion. Every day, something happens, Laurel Kapala said, recalling more silly stories. Threats of harming another Owners Stephen Eckler, 68, of Ivyland, and Robert Yost, 52, of Southampton, allegedly did not report $263,340 in cash wages to dishwashers between March 2012 and September 2016. The restaurant's owners are facing federal tax charges after the allegedly failed to report employee wages. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. According to prosecutors, Eckler and co-owner Robert Yost did not report $263,340 in cash wages that they paid to dishwashers at the Kopper Kettle from March 2012 through at least September 2016. We actually got there prior to fire/police. Award-winning Alabama Living is the official statewide publication of the electric cooperatives in Alabama and the largest magazine of its type in the state, reaching some 400,000 electric cooperative consumers. Pick and Andy Gentry. When Penny calls during our interview to find out what time Morris will pick up her dad, the conversation is half in Greek, half in English. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Copyright Indiana Owned 2023. We are a restaurant specializing in American style foods. She never left. The Kopper Kettle is the place where one can savor Hoosier fried chicken, broiled prime steaks, and delicious seafood, served by lovely girls in peasant costumes. That old 68 Nova shook pretty hard! For this speech, Patterson will talk about what he witnessed at both the Kopper Kettle explosion in Auburn, and on 9/11 when he worked in Washington D.C. as a diplomat. And it got up to like 27 degrees that day," he recalls. He said he told the fire captain he smelled natural gas at the corner and then began getting ready to work that day, putting on his uniform in the bathroom of the fire station at the corner of Magnolia and Ross Street. He was there on the infamous night in February 1967 when Speros Kokenes, who owned The Open Kitchen with his brother, Steve, was carjacked and murdered in what was believed to be a botched armed robbery. This laughing with customers is what the couple says they will miss the most. It was an attorney's office, not a dentist. There were many eerie what if stories about people who easily could have been killed or injured but varied their normal routines that morning for one reason or another. A week later, the man returned to the bar and told Laurel that he spoke with Richard. And those were mine and my sisters dental records that got blown up. He threatened to tell the owner, she recalled with a chuckle. https://www.coldwellbankerhomes.com/pa/feasterville-trevose/1985-bridgetown-pike/pid_31709455/, https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/bucks-county-bar-and-restaurant-owners-charged-tax-offenses. The same could be said for Kopper Kettle Family Restaurant. Everyone in the community really came together that day. After the dust settled, concerned for the well-being of the church congregation, Patterson made his way through the rubble to St. Dunstans. Kopper Kettles version of a Philly cheesesteak, with pot roast (!) It had a liquor license and a lively bar, but by the late 1990s, George and Penny decided to serve just breakfast and lunch. Kopper Kettle in Feasterville is up for sale, plus owners charged with tax evasion Pretty sad news. The bar no longer serves food, but the regulars keep coming. I just thought he was getting me too close there. Shes got a whole sheaf of notes in a drawer by the cash register with things her father, now 84, tells her. I was the cleanup boy at the drugstore . When her dad, George Karnezis, had a stroke in 2014, she stepped in to run her parents restaurant, Raise a Glass Ceiling: Inside Craft Brewing's The Pink Boots Society, Where to Eat in Charlotte's South End: 2023, Curated For You: MyNewFloor.com Makes Flooring Easy, The Making of Childrens Theatre of Charlottes Production of The Night Diary, How Being on Summer Camp Staff Impacted My Life, Oh, Rats! The water, it wouldnt freeze immediately, but it was icy because of the water we were using.". Some have their own seats. The destruction was amazing, but it was also amazing to see all of the things from the store that were unbroken. Rod Sinclair at the Episcopal College Center were recently recognized and read into the Congressional Record by Rep. Mike Rogers. I had to park my Patrol Unit on West Magnolia one block away from Gay Street. The anniversary and a sermon given shortly after the blast by the Rev. Your email address will not be published. According to other reports, Lt. Tamp McDonald was dispatched in the captain's El Camino to investigate the smell. 800 Newtown-Richboro Road Richboro, PA ROBERT YOST OBITUARY Robert Yost, co-owner and operator of the Kopper Kettle in Feasterville, died peacefully surrounded by his loving family on. "The boys from Station 2 come driving up there in the truck, and they thought it was just people laying out there in the road.". It was so cold, Lawrence got stuck to the sidewalk after getting sprayed from the ladder truck while working a hand line on the ground. Today, the restaurants walls are covered with memorabilia, like caricatures of George and a former chef and waiter juggling dishes and rushing around, with captions in accented English. Share with Us. or anything. "I was kind of stuck. They were only open for takeout for a few months, then reopened with half the seats taped off. To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com. Behind the bar, a red Yuengling sign illuminates a wood-paneled wall with inlaid fish. More than 70 businesses in the immediate vicinity were damaged . Im so thankful Auburn was small and slow back then. In 1964, Richard's father, Karol, and a co-owner bought the bar. We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. Amazing. Saradina Morris didnt plan to spend her life running a small caf surrounded by warehouses and industrial parks outside Pineville. Find Vacation Rentals, Condos, and Resorts in Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. It was kind of a wild place for dinner back in the day, recalls Sara Morris, the Karnesis daughter, born just four months after the restaurant opened. The restaurant pays particular attention to the choice of local products, among which we find renowned specialties such as Chianina PGI beef, Cinta Senese cold cuts and fine . Description: Restaurant La Bucaccia is housed in a beautiful historic building of Cortona and is distinguished by quality, local and seasonal ingredients used to prepare exquisite traditional dishes of the Tuscan cuisine. I can say that I was rocked by the song and also by the Kopper Kettle.. 1,687 were here. Notice the new Lincoln Continental still with dealer tag on it. Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading. Be Proactive. The restaurant's owners are facing federal tax charges after the allegedly failed to report employee wages. The jukebox is gone, and the smoke clouds have long since cleared out, although that took some time. I usually went with take out, felt less gross. WOW! Sunday morning, I was just beginning to wake up when, >BLAMMO! My first thought was: Someone used too much dynamite on the bank. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, The Kapalas hosted road races to raise money for the fund. The explosion made national news that night in 1978. They're spirits of loved ones, Lowell Catholic boys basketball team blows out Belchertown, Toddler safe, car theft suspects apprehended, No end in sight for case involving Dracut doc charged with patient's death, MVC girls basketball: Dracut's Ashlee Talbot named Div. We couldnt think of a better reason to settle down. I got out of bed to look out the window to see. We have a close connection with the customers, Richard Kapala said. Auburns was all greasy spoon and stuff. I was asleep in my apartment on West Magnolia, about a mile away, and the boom shook the whole building.
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