Formerly LocatedAlong Chippewa Rd in Muncy Pa
[Torn Down in 2023]
GPS Cords 41.23676, -76.77601
Lime Operations along Chippewa Road, near Hughesville, Lycoming County Pa.
Tucked into the hillside on each side of the building the old lime kilns.
In Muncy Valley Lifeline by Thomas Taber, we find that there were
...six kilns from Henry Kilgus,... twenty five of M.E. Reeder, ...twenty three more kilns operated by four different people."
Excerpt from Taber's Chronology Of Muncy
The lime kilns are shown on the 1873 atlas for Lycoming County. Note that Opp is listed right below the kilns. H.C. Reeder has property north of the kilns, on this same map (not shown on this snippet]
The Opp Lime works were advertised right above Chippewa Lime Works, in the 1902 Laporte Newspaper.
In November 1855, "The directors of the W. and N. B.R.R. last week accepted the recent offer of the citizens of Muncy to procure the right of way for their road from the Lime Kilns to the P. and R.R.R., if they would change the terminus from Halls to Muncy."
The first mention I've found of the Chippewa kilns in old newspapers was in December of 1902. M. E. [Milton E.] Reader of Hughesville was the proprietor at that time. This exact same ad ran regularly, every year through 1910.
In 1903, Reeder advertised his jersey cattle, and his lime, in the calendar printed by the News Item that year.
An article in the Laporte Paper tells us more about Reeders farm:
"Friday last found the editor of this paper enjoying a few hours on Chippewa farm, the home of M. E. Reeder, near Hughesville. There are few people in this county who have not heard of Chippewa, both through the popularity of the owner and the extensive advertisement given to the large lime kilns there located which command a large patronage from all our neighboring counties. Mr.
Reeder has recently added ;several acres to his already large estate, and is now stocking the farm with registered Jersey cattle. This valuable estate has been greatly neglected for years past, but In the short space of time it has been in the possession of Mr. Reeder there has been a multitude of changes going on. This year will see many more improvements about the place. Old buildings will be removed, and larger and better equipped ones will take their place.
Concentration with ample capacity is the law of order manifested. We shall make another visit to Chippewa when the mechanics have completed their work and will bring in use a kodak to coax some of its scenery around on glass and have them transferred to these columns, and show our husbandry readers the advantages of farming in a business like way."
C. Wilbert Reeder was the son of Milton E. Reeder.
Also in 1903, The General Store at Nordmont advertised that Chippewa Lime could be purchased there.
Fire in the milk house, on Reeders Chippewa Farm, April 1909
In 1911, Henry Kilgus reported to the Williamsport Sun-Gazette that it was a record year for Chippewa Lime.
The Kilgus weigh scale , with Harold Kilgus and Barbara Ann Leavy Spotts on bikes out front.
Henry Kilgus was born September 9 1854 in Lycoming County, the son of Michael and Frances Kilgus. His occupation on the census from 1880-1940 was Lime Burning, Lime Manufacturing, or Lime Proprietor, and the same occupation was listed on his death certificate in October 1951.
On April 6th 1916 the Muncy Luminary reported that "Chester Artley moved on Wednesday to Chippewa, where he will be employed in the M.E. Reeder lime kilns."
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Chippewa Station
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In August of 1912, A load of lime was being placed on the wagon of the Chippewa Lime Kilns, when shortly before the excursion train reached the Chippewa crossing the engineer sounded his whistle. It's believed that the noise frightened the team, who then dashed into the excursion train. One of the horses was instantly killed, the other was so injured he had to be put down. The article in the Republican News Item states "The kiln is a short distance from the railroad crossing and the team plunged headlong into the train as it passed this point." [full newspaper article can be found at the bottom of this page]
May 1904
Chippewa Station, at stop on the W.&N.B. railroad line, near the lime kilns.
Proposed Rate Increase [Denied] November 1916
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THE QUARRY
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Map of the Quarries, based on a post from the East Lycoming Historical Society
In July of 1900, 30 year old Harvey Karshner was killed while working at the quarry. Harry Conrad working with him, was severely injured.
Photo of the Antler Turner Drilling Rig at Chippewa
Limestone was quarried from the hill with stone drills and black powder to make workable size chunks, then processed the lime in kilns to reduce it to a white granular form which could the be spread on farm fields, to help take the acidity out of the soil.
Working in the Quarry at Chippewa
In the quarry at Chippewa. This photo is labeled:
left to right: Gene Reed, Ike Moser, John Sahn, Billy Joyce, Frank Baker
1946
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THE MILL
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The old Chippewa Grinding Mill began operating after the Lime Kilns were no longer in use. Limestone was placed in a large wooden hopper and fed into a rotary grinding machine. After grinding it was loaded into trucks and spread onto farm fields to lower the acidity of the soil.
The mill was torn down in 2023.
Bloomsburg Morning Press, March 1950
See more of the lime kilns in our area, here:
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READ MORE
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Accident, August 1912
Time Table for the W.&N.B. in 1906, listing the stop at Chippewa
Opp Lime Kilns, 1902
[Ad Ran directly above the ad for Chippewa Lime ]
GAZETTE AND BULLETIN
December 26, 1945
Williamsport, PA
MILTON REEDER, FORMER COUNTY OFFICIAL, DIES
Milton E. Reeder, former county commissioner, died suddenly about 11 a.m., Monday, December 24, 1945, at his home on West Penn Street, Muncy.
Mr. Reeder was formerly president of the Reeder Line and Stone Company.
He was born in Wolf Township, March 18, 1866, the son of Peter and Sarah F. Ritter Reeder.
Educated in the school in the county, he conducted a mercantile business in Watsontown for five years and subsequently spent 11 years in the lumber business in Sullivan County and another 11 years in farming and the lime manufacturing business.
Mr. Reeder was a member of Muncy Lodge No. 299, F and A. M. and belongs to all the Bodies of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, including the consistory, thirty-second degree, and the Shrine. He was a trustee of the Muncy Masonic lodge.
Club affiliations included the Acacia Club and Howard Club of Knights Templar.
In 1921, he was elected chief burgess of Muncy for a four year term and in April 1934, he was appointed county commissioner to fill the unexpired term of Francis M. Gallagher, deceased. He was president of the board until 1939 when he declined to seek re-election.
A member of the Reformed Church of Watsontown, Mr. Reeder is survived by two daughters and one son, Mrs. Earl G. Rose, Newfoundland, Mrs. Harold F. Baker and Wilbert, both of Muncy, and by five grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Friday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the Reeder home in Muncy with the Rev. Herman G. Steumpfle, a pastor of the Hughesville Lutheran Church, officiating.
Burial will be in the Muncy Cemetery.
1941
Sale Of Chippewa Farm, by the lime kilns, in 1945:
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