THANKS, AL AND ROBIN
Let’s start off with a big thank you to Al and Robin for letting the Grist editor use their computer for the last newsletter. Mine was hit with a spyware problem, just at the time Grist needed to be completed. Al also caught some typos before printing – if you found more – well, it was done in a big hurry!
MEETINGS
Meetings continue on the second Thursday of each month, August 12 and September 9 meetings will convene at the Mill at 7:00. Check out the next issue of Grist for meetings beginning in October. Also, the Open Houses will continue at the Mill on the 4th Saturday of each month through September, from 11 to 6. Call Don if you would like to do any work there, including docent service.
LAST MEETING
At the June 10 meeting, items discussed were possibly offering our slide show, given at the May dinner meeting, to other organizations. This could develop more interest in the Historical Society as well as the Mill. Also discussed was having cemetery tours – this could be a fundraiser.
At the mill some needs to be addressed are: replacing some of the timber, working on some windowsills (replacing some), and also painting the windows to help preserve them. We also need to purchase fire extinguishers – one for each floor for a total of 3.
Putting a fence at the upper end of our property was discussed. Recent expenditures included buying a used Portojohn. This will make our Open Houses much easier and will also provide the service to hikers and bikers on the trail.
JULY MEETING
During this meeting we heard about an interesting find at the corner of 4th and Market St. in Freeport. The new owner of the building previously known as both the Central Hotel and the Mayflower Hotel has been doing some renovations. He noticed that a piece of the sidewalk was loose and when he picked it up to see about sliding some sand underneath, he found an old cistern. The cistern is about 6 foot around by about 30 to 35 feet deep. It is brick lined and was probably used to collect water off the spouting to be reused in the hotel. The Historical Society took some video pictures of it before 3 truckloads of gravel were dumped in. It’s a little scary to think what could have happened if the sidewalk gave way while someone was on it. Member Dave Rowley said that a picture exits that shows the entrance was right off the street. Evidently Market St. has been lowered since that time.
A WORD FROM A READER
I received my copy of the April/May "Grist" today and noted the picture on the back that showed the old Freeport Journal building and neighboring structures.
I sure remember those buildings. The house on the corner was, as I remember, owned by Jess McKee who also may have owned the other structures. I remember looking in the window of the Journal building and seeing the press and equipment still there. I also remember that the front window of one of those buildings had a display. I would often stop and look at the artifacts when I passed by. The display had a dusty Civil War uniform, swords, a musket (I think) and small objects on the left side. The right side had a Currier & Ives print of "Yankee Soldiers Marching into Dixie" and a large, probably contemporary, canal boat model.
Funny how I can picture those objects that I haven't seen since the 50s but spent the last 15 minutes trying to find my car keys.
Does anyone know what happened to those artifacts? The Civil War stuff probably related to a local soldier. The Canal Boat model would be a wonderful representation of the time when the Pennsylvania Canal passed through Freeport.
Best regards,
Eric Armstrong, Perkasie, PA
earmst@comcast.net
Editor’s note: Thanks Eric for letting us share your Email. Anyone have anything to add to his comments?
EDUCATION IN DAYS GONE BY – PART II
In the April/May issue this year we printed some parts of the final 8th grade exam as taken in Salina, Kansas, in 1895. Since schools in the Freeport area will resume by the end of August, it’s time to put our thinking caps back on.
Geography (Time, one hour)
1. What is climate? Upon what does climate depend?
2. How do you account for the extremes of climate in Kansas? (substitute PA)
3. Of what use are rivers? The oceans?
4. Describe the mountains of N. America.
5. Name and describe the following: Monrovia, Odessa, Denver, Manitoba, Heckla, Yukon, St. Helena, Juan Fernandez, Aspinwall and Orinoco.
6. Name and locate the principal trade centers of the U.S.
7. Name all the republics of Europe and give the capital of each.
8. Why is the Atlantic Coast colder than the Pacific in the same latitude?
9. Describe the process by which the water of the ocean returns to the sources of rivers.
10. Describe the movements of the earth. Give the inclination of the earth.
U.S. History (Time, 45 min.)
1. Give the epochs into which U.S. history is divided.
2. Give an account of the discovery of America by Columbus.
3. Relate the causes and results of the Revolutionary War.
4. Show the territorial growth of the United States.
5. Tell what you can of the history of Kansas (substitute PA).
6. Describe three of the most prominent battles of the Rebellion.
7. Who were the following: Morse Whitney, Fulton, Bell, Lincoln, Penn, and Howe?
8. Name events connected with the following dates: 1607, 1620, 1800, 1849, 1865.
Editor’s Note: We assume “Rebellion” in #6 refers to what we now call the Civil War. The final section will show up in a future edition of Grist.
FROM JACOB SHOOP’S WEATHER BOOK 1848-1870
Editor’s note: Spelling, punctuation and grammar are as written by Jacob Shoop.
On the night of 5 Augt 1860 their was a rise of 5 feet in the river it com out of Clarion we had no rain here…Their was frost on the Allegheny mountin on 16th Augt 1860…On the night of 29th Augt 1860 the river raised 18 inches & no rain heir…Their was a fine fresh in The river in the last of Augt 1860 rafts & boats past down…theire was frost on Augt 29th 1860…the river raised 5 feet Sept 10, 1860…Mrs. Arnold Died Sept 16th 1860…the first ice on the Edy was Nov 22d 1860…H. H. Alter Died Sept 17th 1860…their was snow on the Algheny mountin on the 29 Sept 1860…their was a frost (Sept 12th 1860) that frose som corn & Buckwheat…their was a good freshet in the river Oct 10th 1860 for Steamboats & rafts 9 feet…the river raised 12 feet on 3d Nov 1860 at the same time their was 22 feet water at Pittsburgh…the first snow we had in the fall of 1860 was 6 November it was on the presidents Election it was a remarcable fine fall hi water…The first mush ice we had on the river was 25 Nove 1860 it run thick…the coldest day I ever seen in Nov was 24 Nov 1860 the theromertor stood 10 dgrs above zero…the Freeport Packet Boats Stoped running on the first of December 1860 – and the water was let out of the canel Dec 6 – 1860…on the 10 Dec 1860 it rained all day & on the 11 & 12 the river raised 7 feet…the ice broke on the river on the 21 Dec 1860 it was only Shut from Charleys oven so cald up the river…Speaking of the Ember Days in Dec 1860 the first Day 19 Dec it was cloudy & little rain in Eving the 2nd was cloudy a little rain & snow the 3d was cloudy som snow & cold wind.
BELATED THANK YOU
Thanks to Tom Sweeney and Rich Buday for the baseball picture and quiz in the last issue of Grist.
We are always open to content suggestions – call Don at 724/295-4635 or Email Carol – pchale@salsgiver.com.
Email from Virginia
Gretchen Comba, a writer from Richmond is conducting research for a novel set in the Freeport-Schenley-Lucesco area, especially the time period of the 1930’s o 1950’s. She is delving into the history of the coal mines and the distillery and the social and cultural lives of those who lived and worked there. She will have visited the area before Grist reaches your home, but if you have something to share,
please call Don or Email Carol and we’ll see that she gets it.
Freeport Butcher Shops
By Rod Chapman
In past issues we looked at the number of churches and the number of grocery stores in town in about 1935. It’s hard to believe how many we had of each. Now, let’s spend a moment talking about meat markets in our town.
Crestani Market was on the corner of Market and Third Streets, next to Jesse Nixon’s Store.
Richard Neubert had his shop on Fifth Street and it was located between the present Buday Printing Office and the former office of Dr. H. D. Hotham.
Frank Sticklinger’s Butcher Shop was on Fifth Street at the corner of Mulberry Way where Ms. D. recently had a pizza shop.
Joe Braun had his shop on High Street where The Flowery Nest is now located.
The P. H. Butler Store at the corner of Fifth and High had a meat market along with the grocery store.
Five meat markets seems like a lot for the size of Freeport in those days, but every one made a living for the owner.