From Tavern To Museum, The History Of The Packwood House Museum

 
From Tavern To Museum, The History Of  The Packwood House Museum

15 North Water Street Lewisburg

At the northwest corner of Market & Water, what is now the Packwood house began as a log structure built by John Pollock sometime between 1795 & 1799.  Northumberland County tax assessment records show Pollock as a storekeeper until 1802, when his occupation is listed as a tavern keeper. Pollock died in 1806, the tavern was sold at a sheriffs sale.  

Ole Bull - The Famous Violinist with A Castle In Pa

In 1852, famous violinist Ole Bull came to Pennsylvania to purchase property to form a Norwegian refuge in America.  After completing the purchase, he performed a concert in Williamsport Pa.

Lt Roland H. Ritter, When Muncy Gave One Of Their Own, WWI

 
The Muncy American Legion Post #268 is named for Lt. Roland Ritter, who lost his life flying over enemy lines during WWI.

When Lewisburg Experienced An Earthquake, 1881

 

At a little before 4am on February 1 1881, residents from Lewisburg were awakened by a "vibration of their surroundings"

A Deer From Lycoming County Starred In The Yearling

 

On December 27 1945, a deer was shipped from Salladasburg to Florida, by train, to star in the movie The Yearling.

It would be the second deer that W.B. Cohick provided for the film.  He had also provided a young deer for the first production, which had begun in 1941 in California, but was stopped for the war. According to the Sun Gazette, "since that stopped, both the animal and the boy have grown up and are being replaced in the new show."

"Born and raised in that section of the county [Salladasburg], the ten point buck will be one of the two major stars in the motion picture, adapted from the famous story by the same title."

When Gene Kelly Filmed a Movie in Williamsport, 1945

A camera crew on a dolly shoots scenes of actor Gene Kelly walking along Second Avenue in Williamsport for the movie “Introduction to Combat Fatigue in February 1945. 

In February of 1945, a young Gene Kelly came to Williamsport, along with a United States Naval Unit to "shoot winter scenes in a typical American city for a naval training film."

The Algert Fountain

Memorial Fountain, Algert's Park, Watsontown PA

Henry Francis Algert [1843-1908]  was a well known resident of Watsontown, owning the  Watsontown Boot & Shoe Company, and being one of the  founders of the Watsontown Brick Company. 

He and his wife Luella [Sturges] Algert lived in a brick home at 19 E. Third Street.  This house still stands today.  

Henry F. Algert on the porch of his Watsontown home, with his granddaughter, Margaret Luella Hastings

In 1903  Henry and  Luella took a trip to Los Angeles to attend a General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church.  On the way home, they visited several points of interest.  While in Chicago on June 24th, Mrs. Algert was "stricken with paralysis" [possibly a stroke?].  Once the doctors recommended she make the trip home, a  nurse accompanied the Algerts , and Mrs. Algert appeared to be handling the travel well.  When they reached the railroad station at Tyrone, she was lifted with her cot from the train car and placed in the  station room. From there she was to be taken to the Bald Eagle Valley train.  However, a few moments after being moved, Mrs. Luella Algert died.

Henry, grief stricken, created a park in a triangular piece of land across from his house.  It was called Algert Memorial Park.

It contained benches, rose bushes, and the fountain.

After Henry's death, the land  was sold, and a house soon replaced the park.  The fountain however, remained.

William Penn Hastings, age 4, posed in front of the fountain while dressed as Charlie Chaplain, during Watsontown's Old Home Week in 1915

The fountain was in Ruth Ritters yard at 20 East Third street for many years.  Ruth planted flowers around it, and decorated it.  

According to friends of the Ritter family, the fountain was damaged in 1949.  

The original top piece was replaced with a boy and girl holding an umbrella. 

In 2016, Ruth Ritter donated the fountain to the borough of Watsontown.  A dedication was held, at it's new location at the corner of Brimmer & Main streets, on May 20 2017.  The fountain was moved again, when the Historical Association purchased the Old Farmers Bank.  It now is located beside the WHA at 109 Main Street.

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Note - I do not know where Algert purchased the fountain, but the fountains in Bloomsburg were  all purchased from the Motts Iron Works Catalog - if I were to search, I'd start there.

The Miller Tragedy, Jersey Shore 1881

George Smith and Catherine Miller were hanged for the "Murder Of The Century", in Lycoming County Pa, February 3rd 1881. The two, involved in an affair, conspired to kill her husband.  Papers throughout Pennsylvania published in depth accounts and testimonies, for nearly a year, including multiple diagrams of the scene, and even the gallows that would be used for the hanging.

Apple Butter Making in Blooming Grove Pa, During the 1880's & 1890's

 
Apple Butter Making, From Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, 1876

Blooming Grove, in Lycoming County Pa,  was a community of Germans who had fled to America to avoid religious persecution.

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Apple Butter Making in Blooming Grove Pa,
 During the 1880's & 1890's

As recalled by Susan Heim Little

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Balls Mills, Lycoming County Pennsylvania

 

This mill at Balls Mills was one of the last standing.  It was torn down in 1969

Balls Mills, Hepburn Township, Lycoming County Pa

According to Wikipedia:

"Balls Mills is an unincorporated community on Route 973 in Hepburn Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania.[1] It is located seven miles north of Williamsport on Mill Creek, which flows southwest into the Lycoming Creek. English immigrant John Ball founded a saw mill in the village in the 1790s and, after he drowned, his son Bill Ball opened a wool mill and named the place Balls Mills with the apostrophe omitted.  Blooming Grove Road provides access to Williamsport, where it becomes Market Street. The village uses the Cogan Station zip code of 17728"

When The Farmers Hotel Was Raided, Watsontown 1922

 

The Farmers Hotel was raided on Thursday January 12 1922, due to a tip from the W.C.T.U.
Along on the raid was Evangelist H. N. Faulconer, who was conducting Christian Union Temperance Services at Watsontown.

Building The Watsontown & White Deer River Bridge

Construction of the Watsontown White Deer River Bridge, 1928

(More pictures of the bridges construction on down  the page)

Today, it's hard to imagine Watsontown without it's picturesque bridge, spanning from its borough in Northumberland County, to  White Deer, Union County, across the river.    But for many decades, not only was there no bridge, but the idea of a bridge was a major fight.  Or more specifically, the idea of who would be paying for the bridge, was a major source of contention.  

In 1909, William C. Brimmer was elected Chief Burgess [Mayor] of Watsontown, with his primary purpose being to get the bridge project approved.  Brimmer fought for the bridge, facing numerous court battles right up until the project began in May of 1927.

It took seventeen years of battling through Pennsylvania’s court system and the state legislature.  Instead of the construction being split 50/50, Northumberland County (based on population) took on 85% of the cost, with the Northumberland Commissioners complaining about the cost and how it would bankrupt them, for years. 

Finally  on July 12, 1927, work began on a bridge across the Susquehanna River from Watsontown to White Deer.    It was dedicated in a ceremony on July 4th 1928, but could not be opened to traffic because there was no suitable road access on the White Deer side.  This problem continued for two years, until the state took over all county bridges in 1930, and finally a suitable access road was constructed on the Union County side.

Christmas Trains To See & Ride

 

A List Of Christmas Train Rides & Displays

2022

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Visiting The Reindeer Farm, Near Jerseytown

 

Located near Bloomsburg in 2022 when we visited, the farm has since moved to the Poconos.

2024 Update - "We have rebranded as Spruce Ridge Reindeer and the farm is open to visit at 1732 PA-534, Albrightsville, PA 18210. Check out our Website for more information and tours specifics. SpruceRidgeReindeer.com."

For my birthday last year, my 2 year old grandson took me to a reindeer farm

His mom, and his aunt, came along to supervise, likely because they were afraid him and I would smuggle a reindeer out in our car, if left unsupervised. But also because, he's two.  

We had a wonderful time - this will remain one of my all time best birthdays ever.  

You get to go right in the pen with the reindeer and pet and feed them!  There's a very small gift shack too.  

Follow their facebook page for great videos and photos of the reindeer, and to watch their schedule.

https://www.facebook.com/SpruceRunFarmReindeer

The Reindeer often attend events throughout the area, where you can pose for photos for a small fee. 

And at Christmas time, last year Santa was on the Farm for photos with Santa and the reindeer, on certain days!

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The Walk Through Christmas Light Display In Linden

An Incredible Private Light Display at
1977 West Emery Church Road in Linden

The Art Of Nick Rosato

 
Nick Rosato, Artist from Williamsport

“Nick Rosato recently received an award from the Game Commission for his many years of service illustrating for Game News magazine. Nick got his start drawing in the CCC Camps in the 1930s and did artwork with many different projects during World War II. Nick’s Game News covers and Field Note Illustrations have been entertaining Game News readers for more than 60 years.” —Bob D’Angelo, Game News magazine Senior Associate Editor

The Famous Department Store, Milton Pa

 
The Famous Department Store, Milton Pa

Julian Levitan came to America from Ragola Russia in 1881.  He opened stores in DuBois, Harrisburg, and Sunbury. His obituary, in 1945, says "Highly respected proprietor of the Famous Department Store, Mr Levitan enjoyed the esteem of the businessmen of that community from the time he opened his business there in 1921."

A later article about the store mentions that the store in Sunbury was moved to Milton.

The Building, which originally included Milton's Opera House, was known as the Goodlander block.

According to the Milton History website, it was purchased from the Odd Fellows Hall Association by John V Goodlander, on June 12th 1858.

The Dreiffus Brothers purchased the building  on March 31 1899.

The Dreifuss brothers owned a mens clothing store across the street from this building.

According to an obituary for Julias Levitan, he moved his Famous Department Store from Sunbury to Milton in 1921.

Moving merchandise in the Famous Department store, during the 1972 flood.

June 1993

The store closed in 1993.

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January 21 1994  - The awning at the vacant Famous Department store in Milton collapsed from the weight of the snow.