Early History
Millerstown has had nothing short of a complicated history. From land changing hands to controversial events, its important past has lived on. A brief history on Millerstown shows that the land Millerstown sits on was originally owned by James Gallagher. The land was originally taken into possession by Gallagher in 1766. Some sources claim a small hamlet with the name “Smithfield” was established by Mr. Gallagher during his time as owner of the land. David Miller eventually took control of the land, which is where the name Millerstown comes from. Millerstown, the name, was originally just Miller's Town, but quickly evolved into one word.
Later on, Jacob Miller and Abraham Addams bought the land from David Miller in 1811. With Miller’s and Addam’s guidance, Millerstown was incorporated on February 12, 1849, with Addams serving as the Chief Burgess in the town council. As the town's population grew, so did the number of stone and original timber frame homes, many of which still stand to this day in Millerstown. New infrastructure was put in, like the canal in front of the town, which during its construction there were 17 hotels supplying laborers with a place to rest.
Education in Millerstown
A log schoolhouse in Millerstown was constructed near the present-day cemetery on Grave Street. This log schoolhouse, being the first of its kind in the area, doubled as a meeting place for townspeople to discuss information with others. A large schoolhouse was then built on High street in Millerstown in 1856. It was a wooden structure consisting of two stories. By 1860, two schools were in operation in Millerstown. The monthly salary for male teachers at the High street school was $45, and for females, $30.
Some interesting rules for Perry County teachers read that loitering in ice cream shops was not acceptable, female teachers could not be in a horse buggy without the company of a male driver, the teacher had to come in an hour before school to start the woodstoves, and if a female teacher was thought to have been married or engaged, they would have been “dismissed” from their position. Outside of Millerstown, many brick and mortar county schools dotted the land, many of which can still be seen today.
Eventually, those previously mentioned single-room brick schoolhouses started to become obsolete after World War I. Consolidation occurred and many schools sent students into Millerstown for schooling. In 1925, a new school was built close to the High Street school, with a timber frame and stucco exterior.
Later on, after World War II, the high school that still stands today was built in 1954 after another reconfiguration of schools in the area. This brought all high school students to one building but still left a Liverpool Elementary school and a Millerstown Elementary school. By 1976, the two schools could not accommodate the number of new students in the area. In 1979, construction started on a new and bigger elementary school. Three years and $4.3 million dollars later, roughly $13 million today, construction had been completed on the elementary school that still stands today. Now elementary students in Millerstown and Liverpool had their education under one roof.
Recreation
Millerstown was big on the idea of recreation; in fact, there was once a Millerstown Recreation Association to bolster this concept. One of their first tasks was to build a swimming pool. Many know of the Millerstown Pool since it is still in operation today. The entire cost for the project was $36,000.
Many early settlers of Millerstown pursued hunting as a pastime, but also for survival. Wildlife was plentiful in the area; in fact, Buffalo once roamed the lands of Millerstown. But due to overhunting and pressure from settlers, the last buffalo herd was killed off in December of 1799.
Millerstown also once had a boating club, there were docks and boat access ramps to make this pastime easier for the Millerstown community. Another pastime for townspeople in Millerstown was gathering at the now-demolished Glen Adams Park and having a picnic. Many slid down the long slide into the river on a wet burlap sack.
Slavery, Controversies, and Natives
Moving away from the many wonderful things of Millerstown’s past, its not-so-pleasant side comes to light. One troubling topic is that many families around the Millerstown area once owned slaves. The people around Perry County who did own slaves generally had one or two. If a family owned slaves, this most likely signaled the family was financially well off and could afford to purchase labor. One such family owned seven slaves outside of Millerstown on their farm, one of the largest totals in the area.
Many controversial instances arose during Millerstown’s development, one such instance was minstrel shows. Minstrel shows were the practice of portraying an African American in a derogatory way often by darkening one's own skin color with dark pigments. These African Americans were often portrayed by white actors. The shows were periodically performed throughout the town as fundraisers. Now, these shows are no longer performed today, and the use of black face is no longer acceptable in society.
The Delaware Natives once lived throughout the borough of Millerstown along the banks of the Juniata; some interactions were pleasant, others not so much. One legend tells that hostile Native Americans tied early Millerstown settlers to a hickory tree in Pfoutz Valley and fired a barrage of arrows at them until they were all killed. The Delaware people were not as welcoming as other tribes to the settlers’ encroachment.
Millerstown has a vibrant community with lots of interesting stories to its name. Through innovation such as the construction of canals and municipal buildings, Millerstown grew in its importance to the county. While also serving as an example of perseverance through the early years of establishing the community. But one thing is for certain is that Millerstown will always be a place of surprising history.
Works Cited
Millerstown and Area, 200 Years along the Juniata. Millerstown Bicentennial Committee, 1980.
Taylor, Janet. African Americans in Perry County: 1820-1925. Huggins Printing Co., 2011.