This summer, the East Lycoming Historical Society initiated a fund-raising campaign for the construction and installation of an historical marker at the site of the original Williamsport & North Branch Railroad (W&NB) Depot in Hughesville. That marker now stands on the corner of Railroad and Academy Streets, across from the Silk Mill Complex. On that corner was the Less-than-carload Lots and Express Freight Storage Depot, Dispatch Office, Telegraph Office and pay phone, “a very busy spot,” Charlie Hughes tells us.

Charlie Hughes, a local historian, recently shared some history regarding the W&NB R.R. Much of his information was gleaned from Tom Taber’s The Muncy Valley Lifeline.

According to his knowledge and resources, Hughes says the biggest year for the local railroad was 1908, when 210,000 passengers, about 400 a day, were carried on the W&NB. Revenue was reported to be $180,670 (nearly 7 million in today’s money). One-third of that was passenger service. “A great many were coming and going to Eagles Mere. Many were commuters, and it was possible to live anywhere along the 47-mile line from any of 15 stations and commute to Williamsport or Towanda for work or play.” At Hall’s Station, there was a connecting line with the Reading and Philadelphia, or the Lehigh Valley at Bernice or Satterfield, and, Charlie says, “You could go anywhere in the U.S. and probably Canada.” According to Wikipedia, A significant part of its freight revenue came from the logging industry, and also from anthracite coal traffic. This was known as the Railroad Era.

Delmar Townsend, a well-known Hughesville resident, was the last General Manager of the RR, and reported that well over a thousand people were employed during the railroad’s lifetime. Around 200 were employed during the busiest years, and a minimum of 60 were employed during the fading years. The W&NB struggled with increased use of automobiles, the decline of the logging industry, and the Depression. It shut down completely in 1937.

Many local industries thrived during these years, many because of the railroad. Hughes notes the following that were in operation during this time: “Lime Kilns at Chippewa; Stone Quarry at Lime Bluff; J.K. Rishels Co.; Hughesville Furniture Co; The Lycoming Furniture Co. (now Buck Lumber); Snoden and Turner Machine and Foundry; Lundy Lumber and Coal; Foust Gasoline Sales; many small industries. Also, The Grist Mill & Woolen Mill at Bryantown; Burrows Brothers Furniture Co.; Gillis Wagon, Hosery MFG, at Picture Rocks; Lyons Mill, Tivoli; Highland Lake Hotels. Hillsgrove Tannery; a saw and planning mill at Strawbridge; the Tannery at Muncy Valley; Sawmill for Clothes Pin MFG; Stave MFG, at Sonestown; the Resort at Eagles Mere; Chemical Works at Nordmont; Ice Harvest industry at Lake Makoma; the Tannery at Laporte; various sawmills and mines at Ringdale; many coal mines at Murray; the Gutan Coal Mine at Bernice.”

Hughes also provided family names of many of the employees of the different industries during this period, and says that many of their descendents are living in the area today: Meylert, Steck, Warner, Taylor, Bodine, Ellis, Lyons, Welsh, Hill, Woodrop, Bailey, Herman, Bayerd, Henry, McCormick, Claghorn, Payne, Cochron, Townsend, Satterfield, Deinineger, Musgroave, Minnier, Chase, Upman, Dovnovan, Crossley, Crawley, Freas, Starr, Simmons, Lawson, Hall, Crist, Boatman, Campbell, Hodge, Stackhouse, Darling, Converse, Muchler, Womelsdorf, Eichenlaub, Haines, Dimm, Clark, Flick, Edkin, Springer, Baldwin, Bedell, Ritter, Harrington, Beeber, Fregr, Rhea, Crowman, Yanny, Hazen, Musgrove, Kayier, Kunz, Bubb, Poust, Weatheral/Wetherill, Bulleck, Bartlew, Speary, Gordner, Steigtenan, Keyser, Clewell, Merrill, Karshner, Davis, Manning, Conner, Fairman, Swank, Hessler, Boak, Travlet, Rosengadten, Migrath, Colabine, Ring, Bartlow, Bennetiess, Peterman, Corson, Confer, Frey, VanHorn, Kilgus, Gautsch, Bigger, Grittner, Fullmer, Worthman, Derrick, Musgrave.