On Location: LN - Lewistown (Lewistown Secondary)

Heritage: Mifflin & Centre County Railroad

CT 1000, 1945: Eastern Region, Eastern Pennsylvania Division, Middle Division

Middle Division ETT, 1954: Eastern Region, Middle Division, Lewistown Secondary

The LN destination is comprised of the Lewistown Secondary, Furnace Branch Siding, and the Milroy Secondary.

Where street addresses are indicated, the years in parenthesis indicate first and last years confirmed in street directories. Entites could have been at the address before and after these dates.

Valuation Maps

1918 valuation map 16.0.PA-01. Logan Mills is indicated. Franciscus and Mann Axe are indicated.	1918 valuation map 16.0.PA-01 updated to 1949. Logan Mills has been removed.
NOTE: The left end of the above map is included in the Lewistown (XA) location in the CT1000.
1918 valuation map 16.0.PA-02 updated to 1923. MY Tower is indicated. A cattle pen is indicated behind the freight station.	1918 valuation map 16.0.PA-02 updated to 1949. MY Tower has been removed. The cattle pen has been removed. The Manino siding has been added. Though out of service, the Chestnut Street station is indicated.
Notes from a 1939 field check: Map 1: "Furnace Branch" track sta. 18.00 and sta 38.00 Steel Tower Removed Map 1: Reedsville & Lewistown Ry. Track removed sta. 11.00 to 16.00 Map 1: 450' Ice House siding retired. Sta. -0.43 to 4.07 Map 1: "MY" tower removed a sta. 65.54 Map 1: Signal removed sta. 64.39 Map 1: Signal removed sta. 64.25
	1927 map, Lewistown to Reedsville.
Profile (grade) of the Mifflin and Centre County R.R.

	1923 Sanborn Maps

	Bridge 0.46
Original covered bridge destroyed by tornado in 1874.		Pre-1923.
	Landmarks
Just upstream was the highway bridge. The current bridge was opened in 1989.	The prior bridge.	At the end of the highway bridge is this iconic building.

Main Street

0.9 miles from Lewistown passenger station.

Logan Mills

Shown as Elder & Eckbert Flour Mill on 1910 Sanborn map.

Listed as Logan Mills in the 1923 CT1000.

Only the coal trestle is shown on the 1928 Sanborn map. However, there are "tape marks" suggesting a 1947 update is missing.

Not listed in 1945 CT1000.

Juniata Street Connection to Water Street (US Route 22)

The Logan Mills property eventually became the right-of-way for US Route 22. A 1946 aerial image does not show this road connection.

The Pa. Highways web site suggests the portion between Route 103 and Lewistown was built in 1955 and extended west into Granville township in 1956.

A 1957 aerial image shows Juniata Street running through the former Logan Mills property. A gas station is present in the northeast corner. A gas station is there at present, with the same footprint as that in the 1957 image. 

1910 Sanborn map:	1928 Sanborn map, corrected to 1948:
1938 aerial view:	1957 aerial view:
1894 photo:

Landmark: Lewistown Hotel

20-22 South Main Street. Northwest corrner of West Water Street and South Main Street.

The Lewistown Hotel was a fixture on Water Street. It was built in 1937, along with a parking garage across the street. Both buildings remained in 2016.

1928 Sanborn map, corrected to 1948:

Landmark: St. Marks Episcopal Church

15-19 South Main Street. Northeast corner of South Main Street and West Water Street.

1928 Sanborn map, corrected to 1948:
Aerial view circa 1946.

Landmarks: 100 Block, East Water Street

1950s aerial view of the 100 block of East Water Street.
1960s photo looking eastward, just prior to redevelopment. The building in the foreground was the Mifflin County Library. At the far end are the buildings on the corner of East Water and South Dorcas streets, discussed later on this page. In between, the Franciscus Company and other buildings are already gone.

Franciscus Co.

1.0 miles from Lewistown passenger station.

Franciscus Company was formed on Monday 22nd July 1912. The principal office address of Franciscus Company was 124 E Market Street.

Rear xxx Mill Street. 127-145 West Water Street.

Shown as F. G. Franciscus Lumber & Coal Yard on 1910 Sanborn map (below left). Shown on the 1928 Sanborn map, with 1947 corrections (below right).

Listed in the PRR 1923 CT1000. Listed in the 1945 CT1000.

Present in 1957 Penn Pilot aerial photo. 

Sanborn maps and aerial photos do not indicate a trestle or below-grade bins along side the coal storage bins. Response from the PRR-FAX lists suggests that early coal deliveries were via gondola and were unloaded by hand.

Dan Cupper recollects that his mother worked at Franciscus Co., and that they got out of the coal business in the 1940s to focus on their hardware business. This seems to be supported by the later Sanborn map. Brandt and Hoffman were the predominant coal dealers in the area.

There was an explosion and fire in the store on Jan 8, 1946. Paul Fagley, Mifflin County historian, says the business reopened until a later fire in the lumber yard closed the business in the late 1950s.

1910 Sanborn map:	1923 Sanborn map:
1928 Sanborn map, corrected to 1948:
1938 aerial view:	1957 aerial view:

Mann Edge Tool Co. 

1.1 miles from Lewistown passenger station. 40 South Dorcas Street (1949-70). Stilll listed as such in 1970 telephone directory.

The 1891 Sanborn does not show the facility at the downtown location; it is occupied by H. B. Greybill & Son, which operated a mill with a completely different footprint.

The 1896 and 1904 Sanborn maps show the Mann's Narrows location still in use.  Shown on the 1928 Sanborn map.

Shown in the downtown location on the 1896, 1904, and 1910 Sanborn maps.

Listed in the 1923 CT1000. Listed in the 1945 CT1000.

Joseph Mann moved to Lewistown and set-up shop in an old mill on Water St., near where Kish Creek empties into the Juniata River. A local business development group helped finance acquisition of the mill. Officers of Mann Edge Tool Co. included Joseph as president and Robert Jr. as secretary. Production began in Feb 1893. Plant capacity was 1,000 axes per day, with a workforce of over 100 men. In Apr 1893, a fire completely destroyed the new factory. By Sep 1893, the factory was again up-and-running, with a capacity of 1,200 axes per day. Attempts were made to improve the work environment. Around this time, Joseph developed a method for high-quality tempering of axe heads (patent no. 561,409, issued Jun 2, 1896). MET’s Double X axes carried patent labels such as “The XX Axe,” “Mann’s XX Warranted Quality,” and “XX Guaranteed.”

Another fire at the Lewistown plant occurred on Jan 23, 1910. Two days after the fire, the board voted to remove Joseph as President and terminate A.C. Robert Jr. was appointed as general sales manager, but he would die on a business trip in Sep 1910 at age 44. By 1920, the remaining Manns were no longer with the company that carried their family name. Along with various ownership and management changes, MET continued to produce axes in Lewistown until 2003, when the company was sold to Truper, a Mexican concern. The great plant was capable of producing 2,000 edge-tools per day, but equipment was removed and the plant was razed in 2012.

1910 Sanborn map:	1928 Sanborn map, corrected to 1948:
1938 aerial photo:	1957 aerial photo:
1971 aerial photo:
The Mann structure caught fire in 1998 and was razed circa 2010. A web site indicated these photos are from the fire, but others indicate they are not related to Mann Axe.

Landmarks: Corner of Water and Dorcas Streets

A view of the building at 30-34 South Dorcas Street on the northwest corner of East Water and South Dorcas streets.

The 1952 telephone directory lists 32 Dorcas as Yearick's Dray and lists 34 Dorcas as Stoicheff Auto Parts. (The building was vacant as of 1943.)

John Snyder recalls that "Abe Yearick ran Lewistown Dray. I well remember the Green and yellow Mayflower vans."

Richard Wilcher (FaceBook) wrote "stop in at Stoicheff's in the old Hatchery building across from the Parkway. The Stoicheff family business started in the building on the corner of S Dorcas and Water St. and they lived upstairs."

The "Restaurant" that is indicated in the 1948 Sanborn, at 26-28 South Dorcas Street, diner named "Leoras", owned by Steve and Phoebe Leoras. Thanks to John Snyder and the Lewistown groups on FaceBook for this tidbit.

The 1952 telephone directory lists the address as Stephen Leoras. (Leoras was not the tenant as of 1943.)

Water Street facade.	Dorcas Street facade.
Dorcas Street facades, south to north.
1964 view looking north. The building on the very corner was once Davis House, one of Lewistown's many 19th century hotels. The freight station was to the left, directly across from these buildings.
1964 view looking south.

Freight Station

1.1 miles from Lewistown passeger station. 25 South Dorcas Street. Shown as such in 1943-52 telephone directories. Shown as Nu Holland Sperry-Rand Corp. (farm machinery) in 1970 directory.

Sanborn maps prior to 1904 show this location as part of the Franciscus Company. The 1904 Sanborn is the first to show a freight station at this location. It appears to be the right footprint, but slightly out of position. However, the indication of the building is hashed, possibly indicating it is under construction(?).

Shown on the 1910 Sanborn map. The 1910 Sanborn map also shows a stock yard behind the station. There was also a team track paralleling a street.

Listed in the PRR 1923 and 1945 CT1000's. 

In March, 1955, PRR announces remodeling of Lewistown Jct. station for freight and resulting closure of South Dorcas St. station.

Dan Cupper and Robert Johnson indicate the stock yard was gone by the 1950s. Bob Johnson indicates that rolls of newsprint were unloaded on the alley from Canadian National box cars for the nearby Lewistown Sentinel (1-13 South Dorcas Street).

1910 Sanborn map.	Documentation that the stock pen was removed from service in 1928.
Aerial view from 1938:	Aerial view from 1957:
Aerial view from 1971:	Undated photo after station closure:
Photos taken by Robert Johnson in June 1970, used with permission:

On the north side of the right-of-way, between Dorcas Street and Depot Street, there were a number of entities that lacked private sidings but may have used the team tracks behind the freight station. They will be visible on the backdrop of the modeled area.

Group One Buildings Aerial photos from 1938, 1957, and 1971 are provided under Freight Station (above).
1923 Sanborn map:	1928 Sanborn map, corrected to 1948:
Wholesale Paper Warehouse Rear xxx Wall Street. One account suggested paper was stored here for the Lewistown newspaper. This side of structure is 50' wide. 2019 photo. Faded paint appears to read "LEWISTOWN BRANCH  |  PHILLIPSBURG HARDWARE CO."
Grocery Warehouse Rear xxx Wall Street.  This side of structure is 50' wide. 2019 photo.

Group Two Buildings Aerail photos from 1938, 1957, and 1971 are provided under Freight Station (above).
1923 Sanborn map:	1928 Sanborn map, corrected to 1948:
Warehouse (Beer) xxx Wall Street.
Beer Warehouse xxx Wall Street.
Feed Warehouse  xxx Wall Street.

Group Three Buildings Aerial photos from 1938, 1957, and 1971 are provided under Freight Station (above).
1923 Sanborn map:	1928 Sanborn map, corrected to 1948:
Motor Freight Sta. Wall Street. Rear 56 East Chestnut Street. Shown as vacant in 1970 telephone directory. This side of structure is 37' wide. 2019 photos.
This side of structure is 26' wide.
Harrisburg Autoparts 10 Depot Street (1949-70). Northwest corner of Depot and Wall streets. Listed in 1952 and 1970 telephone directories. The 1910 Sanborn map shows this as Childs, Green & Childs, a grocery wholesaler. The 1928 Sanborm map, with 1947 corrections, shows it as Harrisburg Autoparts. The paint on the side of the building today reads McMillin Auto Parts. Mike Shawver on a Lewistown FaceBook group indicated that McMillin was post-Harrisburg Auto Parts. 2019 photos below.
	This side of structure is 57' wide.

Chestnut Street "Borough" Station

Listed in the PRR 1923 CT1000. Not listed in the 1945 CT1000 (passenger service ceased in 1941).

Susan Yosten provided the following information from her archives:

I found an accounting form regarding the sale of the Chestnut Street passenger station in Lewistown dated 5/10/1950. A few notes for your info:

It was built in 1904, 30'x73', two story brick with a slate roof, foundation/rubble walls in mortar, 8000# scale with 5'x6 plat & another 5000#, lockers, high explosive closet, etc.

In 1927 a medical examiners office was installed.

It was used by a welfare organization in 1935.

It was formerly the property of Schuylkill & Juniata R.R.

It was sold 5/10/1950 to Edgar Hoot of Lewistown for an undisclosed sum and recorded in PRR's ledger for $10,103.91 including land. (Edgar Hoot was involved in several real estate transactions with PRR in '49/'50 in Lewistown, both buying and selling.)

Not present in 1957 Penn Pilot aerial photo. Therefore, the station was razed between May 1950 and 1957.

Plans courtesy of Susan Yoesten:

• Chestnut Street Station Site Plan
• Chestnut Street Station Elevations
• Chestnut Street Station Floor Plans
• Chestnut Street Station Details 1
• Chestnut Street Station Details 2
• Chestnut Street Station Details 3

1910 Sanborn map:
1938 aerial photo:	1957 aerial photo:

Pennsylvania Farms Hatchery

Corner of Shaw Avenue and Chestnut Street.

The PRR 1900 CT1000 shows the North American Tannery (see below left). The 1923 CT1000 shows Belmont Motors Corp. at this location, but with a modified footprint. There is no listing in the 1945 CT1000.

The 1928 Sanborn map, with 1947 corrections, shows the Montgomery Automobile Company, with an overlay that suggests multiple tenants, with no rail service (see below right).

The 1970 telephone directory lists Stoicheff (storage) at 10 Shaw Avenue. FaceBook contacts indicate this was the old Hatchery building, which was originally the tannery.

The Montgomery Automobile Company was listed as an authorized dealer of Packard automobiles as of 1928.

The North American Tannery was on the northeast corner of Chestnut and Shaw, roughly where the S&L branch connected, and was a massive industrial structure. A photograph of this structure is on page 106 of Lewistown and the Pennsyvania Railroad (PRRT&HS). It is identified as the North American Tannery and it burned to the ground in 1950. It is also shown on the map on pages 6-7 of the same book.

Ellis' History of Mifflin County cites "The North American Tannery had its inception in 1866, when Jacob Spanogle, Andrew J. and Andrew Spanogle, under the firm-name of Jacob Spanogle & Co., purchased thirteen acres of land of James Burns, on the limits of Lewistown borough, and in Derry township. Upon this tract they erected a brick tannery, two hundred and thirty-one feet by forty-five, with an L one hundred and ninety-five feet by thirty-five, with slate roof, and filled with two hundred and ten tanning-vats, twenty-eight leaches and six limes and soaks and seven pools, having a capacity of tanning twelve thousand hides per annum. The firm continued until 1876, when it was changed to Spanogle & Panebaker, and was operated by them until 1880, when the property was bought by William M. Panebaker, who continued until the spring of 1884, when D. P. Lease and T. E. McVitty, of Philadelphia, became associated with him, and the business, from that time, has been conducted under the name of W. M. Panebaker & Co."

1910 Sanborn map:	1928 Sanborn map, corrected to 1948:
1938 aerial photo:	1957 aerial photo:
	1946 ad for the hatchery:
2019 photos of building:

MY Block Station

MY block station, at the junction of the Lewistown Secondary and Milroy Secondary, was closed in late April, 1931. Field check in 1939 reports removal.

MY block station, 1880s:

Lewistown Photo Scrapbook