Prelude
As many Perry Countians traverse country roads we are reminded of the county’s strong agricultural past and what remains of some of the original homesteads that dotted the landscape. Visions of horse-drawn carriages, plows, and red barns with white trim fill your head. But times have changed and the red paint has since weathered and the horse has been replaced with steel and gasoline. While many farms and historic customs still hold strong in our community, some haven't been as fortunate. Many events and buildings that once graced this county proved to be very influential and important to the residents of the surrounding area. Although stories that hearken back to those simpler times still are shared throughout the community to this day.
Early Days of a Famous Pastime
The Perry County Fair has, for many years, been a staple in this community and has proven to be a mental reminder that summer is drawing to a close. The fair first started in New Bloomfield in 1852, it lasted for three days and showcased many things from around the county such as livestock, produce, manufactured goods, and attention pieces like “preserved snakes.” The fair remained in New Bloomfield until civil war in the country drew imminent and eventually ceased operations in 1859. By this time, the fair hosted contests in growing wheat and plowing fields. The best five acres of wheat in the contest would be deemed the best in the county.
After the Civil War, the fair resumed operations but only lasted until 1874. During this short rebirth, the fair expanded entries for competitions in produce and seeds as well as photography. The fair once again was revitalized in 1886, this time for good. The Perry County Agricultural Society, the group in charge of the fair, acquired an 18-acre piece of land outside of Newport for the fair to be held on annually. A grandstand was built to watch horse races as well as many new exhibition buildings. Some interesting artifacts visitors had the pleasure of viewing during the new fair were a 350-year-old German bible, 326-year-old horn spoon, and apples from a 101-year-old apple tree. The fairgrounds faced many setbacks such as fires and severe storms, but it still pulled through. One such fire killed a $4,000 racehorse, $110,000 in today's money.
The fair was a time of relaxation and admiring the achievements of the county, which people did. In fact, there was a dedicated “resting place for the ladies” so they could leisurely watch the fair activities unfold. With lessons learned and new projects completed, the Perry County Agricultural Society was now able to move forward with even bigger aspirations for the fair.
Industry
Shoaff's Mill
Perry County once had many mills, aiding farmers and homesteaders with all of their grain processing needs. One famous mill that is still in operation today, for public demonstration only, is Shoaff's Mill. When Wiliam K. Shoaff purchased land during the 1850’s outside of Newport, an existing gristmill still stood on the property. William remodeled and improved the existing mill while also shipping his milled grains to local markets in the area. When William died in 1888, his wife ran the mill for a couple of years, until the mill was sold to her son Ellis. Ellis’ main improvement to the mill was the now-famous 32-foot water wheel from the Fritz Company, a local manufacturer in Hanover, PA. During the mill's time in operation, a schedule for milling was known by patrons of the mill. Mill parts were cleaned and prepared for operation on a Thursday. By Friday morning there could be 14 to 20 horse-drawn wagons lined up, waiting for their grain to be milled. Ellis took advantage of the Newport and Shermans Valley Railroad, shipping his milled products to new markets and general stores outside of the Juniata River Valley region.
Farming
When you drive down roads like State Route 17, you see wide-open areas with trees seemingly only growing on hills and mountains. This is a stark contrast from what early Perry County settlers first saw when they arrived here. Most of these open areas were once large forested lands. Most of the lumber harvested during the clearing of the fields was used in the construction of barns and homes while also being used for firewood. After forest areas were cut and cleared, the crudest of farming methods could be put in motion. In fact, it's been noted that grain harvesting could take upwards of 2-3 months due to the very exhausting process of removing the grain. Horses would walk around and around on the cut grains and from the pressure of the horse's hoof, the grain was forced out of its protective layers and fell through the cracks in the barn floor into a collecting bin below.
The average crop farmer in the area had a few head of steer, milk cows, a couple hogs, chickens for eggs and meat, and the occasional sheep for meat and clothing. Farmers bartered often to exchange their products; oftentimes grains, seeds, labor, and livestock were being traded. Farms in the early 1900’s only cost $3,000 for 80-90 acres. Larger farms with more buildings and land could reach up to $5,000.
Farmers had a very labor-intensive job when it came time to prepare the soil for planting. Discing, harrowing, fertilizing, spreading lime all had to be done often with little mechanical help till the invention of the tractor. There were many reports throughout the county of farmers not getting home in time when they had a load of lime in their wagons and it started to rain. The lime the farmers used is not the same as the pulverized lime widely used by farmers today. Therefore this type of lime, burnt lime, reacted with the rainfall and caused many wooden wagons to ignite on fire, often injuring and burning the farmer. Machines used in farming did not become popular in the area until the 1930s and ’40s.
Mining
Some early settlers established and laid claim to iron ore mines in the hope of making a living off of this physically demanding job. Mining was mostly popular during the time of the Revolutionary War. But some small mines continued to produce more ore after the war. One miner lived above the Cocolamus Creek, residing on top of Wildcat Ridge in a log cabin. There he mined for iron ore and smelted and cast iron ammunition for patriots during the Revolutionary War. Many small mines dotted the mountains of Perry County, with much of the mined ore going into Newport, then to Duncannon to be handled by the Duncannon Iron Company. While in the mine, miners faced poor conditions. Small mules were used to haul the ore out of the mines. They were blindfolded to prevent blindness since the animal was constantly going in and out of the dark mines. Eventually, shipping costs grew too large and the supply of iron dwindled, therefore many of the remaining mining operations collapsed around the turn of the 20th century.
The Fires of Liverpool
The town of Liverpool faced two serious fires in its history, one in 1873 and another in 1884. The fire in 1873 was discovered at 1:00 a.m. during a windy night. Due to those high winds, 14 homes ended up burning down. The G. Cary Tharp store and warehouse and Elizabeth Reifsnyder's home were among the buildings that burned down. The blaze took hours to put out since there was no fire department response nor a formal Liverpool fire department. Everyone came to help move furniture and valuables from the homes before the fire took hold. The second fire in 1884 lasted for only three hours, but still caused damage to many homes. Many gathered to assist in aiding those in line with the fire's path. Since there was no fire department and no strong direction, the scene became utter chaos until the blaze was put out.
Perry County has held an important role in our area and our state through its many businesses, events, and innovations. The many stories derived from these occurrences have been told for generations. Even though many businesses like Shoaff’s Mill have come to end, their legacies and their importance to the community will live on.
Works Cited:
Millerstown and Area, 200 Years along the Juniata. Millerstown Bicentennial Committee, 1980.
Gilmore, Linda Martin. Celebrating 200 Years of History in Perry County, Pennsylvania. Linda Martin Gilmore, 2019.
“Races at the Perry County Fair.” 1900’s, Celebrating 200 Years of History in Perry County, Gilmore, Linda Martin, Linda Martin Gilmore, 2019, pg. 149.
“The Crowd at the Perry County Fair” 1900’s, Celebrating 200 Years of History in Perry County, Gilmore, Linda Martin, Linda Martin Gilmore, 2019, pg. 148.
“Liverpool, Locust, & Market Streets.” 1900’s, Celebrating 200 Years of History in Perry County, Gilmore, Linda Martin, Linda Martin Gilmore, 2019, pg. 27.
“Shoaff’s Mill Tour.” Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Calendar of Events, Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources, https://events.dcnr.pa.gov/event/ shoaffs_mill_tour_605#.YKGtdujYrrc, Accessed: 16 May 2021.