Pine Summit, an early history and updates as told by local resident Lynn Robbins.

PINE SUMMIT – During and shortly after the days when horse and buggy was the mode of transportation, villagers depended on local merchants to stock provisions. These village shops had similarities in that buildings were narrow and long, having long counters and floor-to-ceiling shelving.

Recently, Lynn Robbins, a Pine Summit area native and lifelong resident, recalled such a store on the cusp of the Lycoming-Columbia County line. From the mid 1940’s onward, Lynn recalls three store owners. They were; Charlie and Fannie Craig, Sim and Edith Ryder, and Carl and Joy DeWald.

“I recall a ball of heavy twine, threaded through ceiling hooks hanging down within the clerk’s reach. Along with brown paper torn from a large roll, twine was used to tie up the customer’s purchases. Boxes having inventory shipped to the store, were also reused to carry away goods. People walked a long way to the store,” Lynn said.

The store offered a variety of groceries, along with jeans, underwear, and a metal case displaying spools of thread. “Clodhoppers,” explained by Lynn as being a heavy shoe; or one could choose from a selection of rubber boots with buckles, identified as artics. The store had a section dedicated as a Post office, although from there, mail had ceased to be distributed by Lynn’s time.

Lynn had opportunity to visit the store’s upper floors and noted, “Posters and newspapers pasted to walls served as insulation.” Dating back to the 1860s, the newspapers were original to the store built in 1866 by W. C. Swartz.

In a house behind the business stood the owner’s residence. Remaining most vivid in Lynn’s memory is Edith Ryder. “Edith was den mother for the local Cub Scout group. As I was a Boy Scout, she asked and I agreed to help her,” Lynn said.

The move to motorized vehicles, roadway changes, and competition, caused the business to lose patronage. In the mid 1930’s, the Federal Works Progress Administration (WPA), initiated projects to employ out-of-work Americans. Building roads, many of which bypassed villages such as Pine Summit, meant the old village store had less traffic. Along the new roadway, Ruth Houghton and her husband, built a combination store and gas station. They also erected roadside cabins for the comfort of the traveling public.

“On Sundays, we stopped at the Houghton store to purchase The Grit. My brother Drew mowed the Houghton lawns for fifty cents, and I couldn’t wait until I was old enough to do it,” Lynn said.

While some buildings shown in the accompanying post card disappeared, newer ones were added to the landscape, As an example, Lynn noted, “Brown’s Garage was of cinder block constructed by Elroy Brown. The vehicle repair business was later operated by Brown’s son, Glenn. The garage’s upper floor has a very nice apartment.”

Until a setback with their dairy herd occurred, the Robbins family led a farm life. At Millville, the dad sought employment with Girton Manufacturing as a welder. The father had also attended barber school, and operated a shop out of their home. The business provided our informant with more interaction between neighbors and the community in general.

Information on Pine Summit’s early days was gleaned from “The History of Columbia County.” The book states the following: “Situated in Pine Township, Madison Township, the Methodist cemetery has a portion in both counties. The first blacksmith was Simon Whitmoyer with his successor being H. D. Neufer. Beginning in 1880, and for three years, J. R. Fowler operated a distillery, considered the most important industry. The business was then purchased by James C. Houghton until closing in 1910. Although the brew was said to be of good quality, a customer base could not be established as it was too far from railroads.”

Lynn can neither boast of being the eldest or longest resident in and around the village. He deferred credit to Doris Avery Long. Lynn is a ‘people person’ who enjoys hosting parties for family and friends. As president of Hughesville High School’s class of 1959, Lynn collected and put together a booklet updating the lives of his classmates for their fiftieth reunion.