Williamsport man’s journey to become Pennsylvania’s governor
The year was 1857 and the United States, let alone Pennsylvania, faced economic challenges and the divide between pro-slave states and anti-slave states was now a chasm. There was a struggle with the Kansas Act that had some states pushing for slavery in the Kansas Territory and other states pushing against it. The Whig party…
Brandon’s Bandshell: Over 100 years in Williamsport’s outdoor stage
WILLIAMSPORT – In anticipation for upcoming renovations to the Brandon Park Bandshell, over a century of musical performances are remembered for filling the stage. City engineer Jon Sander said in October that the stage was experiencing cracking, the back wall had issues, the structure needed a new roof and gable and the facility inside needed…
Modern-style elevator highlight’s updates to historic Pajama Factory
WILLIAMSPORT – Built in the late 1800s, the Pajama Factory is a staple in the Williamsport community and while a variety of updates have brought it into the 21st Century, the factory continues to keep its connection to the past. Since Mark and Suzanne Winkleman bought the Pajama Factory in 2007, on the corner of…
German Baptists found safe haven in Blooming Grove in 1828
BALLS MILLS – Nearly 200 years ago a group of Baptist “Brethren” fleeing persecution in Germany purchased a plot of land near what is now the small village of Balls Mills in Lycoming County and the meeting house they built is still there today. The Blooming Grove Meeting House, which is part of the Blooming…
Etienne Brule: A European’s discovery of Lycoming County
LYCOMING COUNTY – As the New Year is soon upon Lycoming County, at one time the county was considered the New World. A Frenchman by the name of Etienne Brule is credited as being the first European to visit the area when it was occupied by the Iroquois and Huron tribes. Who was Etienne Brule…
Freedom From Want: Montgomery is home to Norman Rockwell’s Four Freedoms posters
MONTGOMERY – After a recent acquisition that was years in the making, the Montgomery Area Historical Society is now one of only two museums in the country to house the complete collection of Norman Rockwell’s Four Freedoms posters. The last poster collected is Rockwell’s Freedom From Want poster, which features an elderly woman holding a…