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58-738: Developed on the east bank of Loyalsock Creek near the former native village of Otstonwakin , the borough is named for Andrew Montour , the French/Native American and son of Madame Montour, a Native American interpreter and negotiator who served the British colonial government in New York and Pennsylvania during the early eighteenth century. She led the native village. Her son also became influential as an interpreter and negotiator, serving colonial governments in Pennsylvania and Virginia, including during

116-443: A statue of an angel sculpted by James Barnhill of Asheville, North Carolina on a base engraved with the names of the 21 local victims and a brief recounting of events. The memorial stands in a circular grove of 21 trees, one for each person lost. The angel was chosen because onlookers thought a cloud seen above the high school on July 21, 1996, resembled an angel, with 21 small clouds at its feet. Randolph Hudson of State College

174-513: A branch along the Loyalsock downstream from Lopez to Ellis Creek, where it turned south to reach a tannery at Thorndale. This branch was removed in 1898. However, Jennings Bros. continued to operate, standard-gauging their rail line about 1900 and building up the Loyalsock as far as Shumans Lake, where their line headed up Cold Run towards High Cobble and the Dutch Mountain area. The logging railroad

232-471: A good living as an interpreter for local tribes and settlers. In 1742 when Count Zinzendorf met Montour, he described him as looking "decidedly European, and had his face not been encircled with a broad band of paint we would have thought he was one." Montour also served as an interpreter with Conrad Weiser and Chief Shikellamy. He was granted 880 acres (3.6 km) of land by the Province of Pennsylvania in

290-529: A great amount of influence with the various Indian tribes in the area, who were feeling the pressure of colonial expansion. Believed to have been born in Trois-Rivières , Quebec, Madame Montour grew up in the province of New York, where she served as an interpreter to the British. Because of her numerous native ties, she was very influential. The British colonial government was known to be sometimes laggardly in paying her for her services, making her wait one time

348-594: A highly successful farm . He sent his produce by raft down the Susquehanna River to Baltimore , where he was able to turn a profit. Burrows built the first gristmill in the town. He continued to sell lots up until his death in 1837. His son Nathaniel Burrows was also a businessman. He opened the first general store in the town. He received the contract for construction of the West Branch Canal in this section of Lycoming County. Nathaniel Burrows influenced

406-559: A hillside adjacent to the battlefield and within the boundaries of the park is Mount Washington Tavern, a classic example of the many inns once lining the National Road , the United States' first federally funded highway. The land on which the tavern was built was originally owned by George Washington. In 1770 he purchased the site on which he had commanded his first battle. Around the 1830s, Judge Nathanial Ewing of Uniontown constructed

464-559: A leader of "French Margaret's Town" at the mouth of Lycoming Creek , a few miles up the West Branch Susquehanna River from Montoursville. Her surviving son Andrew , took over leadership of Otstonwakin in the 1740s. Growing up in a polyglot world, he displayed his mother's gift for languages, speaking French, English, Lenape , Shawnee and the Iroquoian languages . Comfortable with both Native Americans and Europeans, he made

522-461: A memorial service, which was also attended by New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani and Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum . Condolences were also sent by President Bill Clinton , the U.S. softball team at the Atlanta Olympics , and François Bujon de l'Estang , French ambassador to the United States (1995–2002). A memorial was erected on the grounds of Montoursville High School composed of

580-779: A missionary guided by Conrad Weiser with the permission of Oneida chief Shikellamy , came to Otstonwakin in 1742. Madame Montour is believed to have been of Algonkin-French ancestry, born in Quebec. In one account, she told a colonist in the 1740s that she had been taken captive in an Iroquois raid and adopted into an Iroquois family. (Her given name may have been Catherine, Elisabeth/Isabelle, or Madeleine.) Speaking French and English, as well as Algonquian and Iroquoian languages, she became highly influential in New York, and acted as Governor Robert Hunter 's personal interpreter. She and her Oneida husband Carondawana settled in Pennsylvania by 1727, moving south from New York; he had been appointed by

638-725: A narrow-gauge logging line in the area in 1890, and another in 1891 up the creek into Wyoming County , to supply their sawmill at Lopez. In 1892, the Loyalsock Railroad crossed the creek here, building south to bring coal from the Bernice area southward to Harvey's Lake. It was promptly leased to the Lehigh Valley Railroad and became part of the Bowmans Creek Branch. At the same time, the Loyalsock Railroad also built

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696-469: A relatively low capacity to neutralize added acid . This makes it especially vulnerable to increased acidification from acid rain, which poses a long-term threat to the health of the plants and animals in the creek. Loyalsock Creek is used for trout fishing and whitewater kayaking , and the Loyalsock Trail which runs along it is an opportunity for hiking . Worlds End State Park is located on

754-445: A theater, and a merry-go-round . The amusement park was closed in 1924 due in large part to the seasonal costs of reconstruction of infrastructure following the annual floods on Loyalsock Creek. In addition, people's increasing use of automobiles meant they traveled to other destinations for pleasure. Montoursville was disproportionately affected by the explosion of TWA Flight 800 on July 17, 1996, off East Moriches, New York , as 21 of

812-472: A year for payment. Madame Montour is believed to have had three children, but different kinship terms has caused confusion among historians as to the status of some. Louis (Lewis), may have been a son or nephew, named for her brother, Louis Couc Montour. He served as an interpreter during the French and Indian War , when he was killed. Her daughter (or niece), Margaret, later to be known as "French Margaret," became

870-569: Is a National Battlefield in Fayette County , Pennsylvania , United States, which preserves the site of the Battle of Fort Necessity . The battle, which took place on July 3, 1754, was an early battle of the French and Indian War , and resulted in the surrender of British colonial forces under Colonel George Washington , to the French and Indians, under Louis Coulon de Villiers . The site also includes

928-691: Is a 64-mile-long (103 km) tributary of the West Branch Susquehanna River located chiefly in Sullivan and Lycoming counties in Pennsylvania in the United States . As the crow flies , Lycoming County is about 130 miles (209 km) northwest of Philadelphia and 165 miles (266 km) east-northeast of Pittsburgh . The name is a corruption of a word in the language of the local indigenous peoples meaning "middle creek" (the original

986-409: Is bounded by the West Branch Susquehanna River and Armstrong Township to the south. Loyalsock Creek forms the northern and western border with Loyalsock Township . Fairfield Township borders the borough to the north and east. As the crow flies , Lycoming County is about 130 miles (209 km) northwest of Philadelphia and 165 miles (266 km) east-northeast of Pittsburgh . Montoursville

1044-474: Is located at 41°15′10″N 76°54′56″W  /  41.25278°N 76.91556°W  / 41.25278; -76.91556 (41.252729, -76.915507). According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the borough has a total area of 4.2 square miles (10.8 km), of which 4.0 square miles (10.5 km) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.3 km) 3.12% is water. As of the census of 2000, there were 4,777 people, 2,067 households, and 1,393 families residing in

1102-670: The Forbes Expedition . By June 13, 1754, Washington had under his command 295 colonials and the nominal command of 100 additional regular British army troops from South Carolina . Washington spent the remainder of June 1754 extending the wilderness road further west and down the western slopes of the Allegheny range into the valley of the Monongahela River . He wanted to create a river crossing point roughly 41 mi (66 km) away, near Redstone Creek and Redstone Old Fort . This

1160-499: The French and Indian War . Otstawonkin was a native village located at the mouth of Loyalsock Creek on the West Branch Susquehanna River . The Great Shamokin Path ran along the west bank of the river, where late 20th century archeology has shown the village was mostly located. During the 1730s and 1740s, it became an important stopping point for Moravian missionaries who preached in frontier Pennsylvania. For example, Count Zinzendorf ,

1218-531: The 1740s. Count Zinzendorf , a missionary being guided by Conrad Weiser with the permission of Shikellamy , came to Otstonwakin in 1742. Madame Montour was known to be a friend of the British. She welcomed the white men who were beginning to migrate into the West Branch Susquehanna Valley . She also had a great amount of influence with the various Indian tribes that were feeling the pressure of colonial expansion. Madame Montour remained loyal to

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1276-433: The 1970s. A new visitor center , which also is home to a National Road interpretive center, opened on October 8, 2005. The battlefield and fort are currently being improved; the battlefield itself has seen much vegetation growth, and the general public are asked to stay out of the battlefield grounds. As the remains of the casualties of the battle were never truly recovered, the battlefield is treated as hallowed ground. On

1334-404: The 230 passengers were Montoursville-area residents. The sixteen Montoursville High School students and their five chaperones were on a school-sponsored trip to France as part of a student exchange program. Montoursville received condolences from around the world, including Japan , Australia , and Belgium . Governor Tom Ridge attended a vigil at the school with his wife. Ridge also attended

1392-512: The Alleghenies in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. To reach the Ohio River basins' navigable waters as soon as possible on the Monongahela River , Washington chose to follow Nemacolin's Trail , a Native American trail which had been somewhat improved by colonists, with Nemacolin's help. He preferred this to following the ridge-hopping, high-altitude path traversed by the western part of

1450-562: The American Revolutionary War. John Burrows gained credit as the founder of Montoursville because he sold lots to other settlers, as well as achieving political power and wealth. He was born near Rahway , New Jersey . In his youth Burrows carried mail by horseback between New York and Philadelphia . He also served as a courier for General George Washington during the American Revolution for fourteen months. Following

1508-580: The British despite several attempts by the French to bring her over to their side. This was remarkable because the British colonial government sometimes went as long as a year without paying her for her services. Although lumbering was an important industry in the Loyalsock Creek watershed, railroads took little advantage of the creek valley below Forksville. One exception was the Susquehanna and Eagles Mere Railroad , which built down into Hillsgrove and along

1566-470: The Loyalsock in Sullivan County, near Forksville. Pennsylvania Route 87 runs the length of the valley, following the north fork after Forksville. The Loyalsock has flooded many times, including major floods in 1866, 1889, 1894 and 1936. The floods of 1972, 1975, 1996 and 2011 each set the record for discharge (flow of water) and stage/gauge (height of the river’s surface). Hurricanes/tropical storms are

1624-618: The Montoursville area. He later was appointed as a captain in George Washington 's Army at Fort Necessity during the French and Indian War . Andrew Montour left Montoursville at some point and moved to Juniata County with his mother before finally settling on Mountour's Island in the Allegheny River near Pittsburgh . She died in that area in 1753. Permanent European-American settlement of this site did not take place until after

1682-591: The Mount Washington Tavern, once one of the inns along the National Road , and in two separate units the grave of British General Edward Braddock , killed in 1755, and the site of the Battle of Jumonville Glen . After returning to the Great Meadows in northwestern Virginia , and what is now Fayette County , Pennsylvania , George Washington decided it prudent to reinforce his position. Supposedly named by Washington as Fort Necessity or Fort of Necessity,

1740-669: The Shawnee in this part of Pennsylvania as their representative to the provincial council. A war chief, Carondawana was killed in 1729 in a southern raid against the Catawba people . Madame Montour continued to have influence as a friend of the British, representing the Iroquois and other native peoples of the area. She was hospitable to the white men who were beginning to migrate into the West Branch Susquehanna River Valley. She had

1798-408: The average family size was 2.84. In the borough the population was spread out, with 23.4% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 22.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.4 males. The median income for a household in the borough

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1856-469: The battlefield, is the grave of General Edward Braddock . The British commander led a major expedition to the area in 1755 which included the construction of Braddock's Road , a useful but inadequate wilderness road through western Pennsylvania. Braddock was severely wounded in the Battle of the Monongahela as the British advanced toward Fort Duquesne . He and his forces fled along the wilderness road to

1914-405: The borough. The population density was 1,181.0 inhabitants per square mile (456.0/km). There were 2,169 housing units at an average density of 536.3 per square mile (207.1/km). The racial makeup of the borough was 99.02% White , 0.10% African American , 0.06% Native American , 0.33% Asian , 0.06% from other races , and 0.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.42% of

1972-425: The community. Else built many structures in Montoursville, working with his father on the first permanent house. Indian Park is located on the north-western side of Montoursville; Interstate 180 / U.S. Route 220 run parallel to it. In the 21st century, the large recreational park has several miles of hiking and biking trails, numerous softball fields, picnic areas and pavilions , and fishing ponds. Indian Park

2030-490: The creek as far as Ogdonia in 1902, before turning up Kettle Creek. It was removed in 1922. Above Forksville, the Williamsport and North Branch Railroad followed Mill Creek to reach the Loyalsock and followed it to a crossing at Ringdale . The line was built in 1893 and removed in 1938. About six miles (10 km) to the east, the town of Lopez is the largest settlement on the upper creek. Jennings Brothers Lumber Co. built

2088-639: The end of rail traffic on the Loyalsock, except for the Reading Railroad crossing near its mouth at Montoursville. The bridge there is now owned by the Lycoming Valley Railroad . The original Reading bridge was destroyed by flooding from Tropical Storm Lee in 2011 and removed. Its replacement was opened for service on August 13, 2014. 41°14′17″N 76°56′20″W  /  41.238°N 76.939°W  / 41.238; -76.939 Fort Necessity Fort Necessity National Battlefield

2146-681: The narrow valley, resulting in catastrophic level rise. Six people died in the 1996 and 2011 floods. Millions of dollars in damage was caused by the 1996 and 2011 floods. The Haystacks are mounds of sandstone that outcrop in Loyalsock Creek south of Dushore in Sullivan County . Geologically, they are a bed of quartz sandstone with an undulating upper surface, and are part of the Mississippian - Devonian Upper Huntley Mountain Formation . Madame Montour 's village of Otstonwakin or Ostuagy

2204-523: The park was redesignated a National Battlefield on August 10, 1961. As with all historic sites administered by the National Park Service, the battlefield was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966. Subsequent archaeological research helped to uncover the majority of the original fort position, shape and design. A replica of the fort was constructed on site in

2262-457: The past decade, devastating many local homes and businesses. Its main tributary is Little Loyalsock Creek , which has its confluence at Forksville in Sullivan County. The names of Forksville and the surrounding Forks Township come from the fork of the creek there. Pennsylvania receives the most acid rain of any state in the United States. Because Loyalsock Creek is in a sandstone , shale , conglomerate , and coal mountain region, it has

2320-525: The peace before being elected county commissioner in 1802, and to the Pennsylvania State Senate in 1808. The first buyers of lots in Montoursville settled according to ethnicity . The Germans settled in the eastern end in a neighborhood called Coffeetown , while the English settled in a western neighborhood known as Teatown . In addition to selling the lots in Montoursville, Burrows operated

2378-409: The population. There were 2,067 households, out of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.6% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and

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2436-469: The primary cause of floods, including Lee (2011)), Ivan (2004), Agnes (1972), and Eloise (1975). The second biggest flood in January 1996 was due to high rain and major snow melt. The record flood of September 8, 2011 was due to a convergence of rare events, which included moisture from three tropical cyclones: The Loyalsock valley is deep and narrow, and the 435 sq. miles of drainage funnel water into

2494-434: The property from the state, making the building a part of Fort Necessity. The Mount Washington Tavern demonstrates the standard features of an early American tavern, including a simple barroom that served as a gathering place, a more refined parlor that was used for relaxation, and bedrooms in which numerous people would crowd to catch up on sleep. In a separate unit of the park, lying about one mile (1.6 km) northwest of

2552-466: The route that was later chosen for Braddock's Road . It jogged to the north near the fort and passed over another notch near Confluence, Pennsylvania , into the valley and drainage basin of the Youghiogheny River . The Redstone destination at the terminus of Nemacolin's Trail was a natural choice for an advanced base. The location was one of the few known good crossing points where both sides of

2610-468: The routing of the canal so that it ran closer to the town and his businesses. Montoursville was incorporated as a borough on February 19, 1850. John Else came as a child with his family to the Montoursville area in 1807 from Bucks County , Pennsylvania . His family farmed along Mill Creek in what is now Mill Creek Township . As a young man, John Else worked to build the first permanent bridge over Loyalsock Creek in 1815. He made numerous improvements in

2668-499: The structure protected a storehouse for supplies such as gunpowder, rum, and flour. The crude palisade they erected was built more to defend supplies in the fort's storehouse from Washington's own men, whom he described as "loose and idle", than as a planned defense against a hostile enemy. The sutler of Washington's force was John Fraser , who earlier had been second-in-command at Fort Prince George . Later he served as chief scout to General Edward Braddock and then chief teamster to

2726-607: The tavern. James Sampey acquired the tavern in 1840. It was operated by his family until the railroad construction boom caused the National Road to decline in popularity, rendering the inn unprofitable. In 1855, it was sold to the Fazenbaker family. They used it as a private home for the next 75 years, until the Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania purchased the property in 1932. In 1961 the National Park Service purchased

2784-411: The war, Burrows migrated to Muncy, Pennsylvania and worked in the distilling business for several years. He built up capital to make an invest in land near the mouth of Loyalsock Creek, which was developed as Montoursville. He bought 570 acres (2.3 km) in 1812. Burrows divided his land into lots in 1820 and sold them for $ 50.00 each. In Lycoming County government, Burrows served as a justice of

2842-544: The wide deep river had low accessible banks; steep sides were characteristic of the Monongahela River valley. Late in the day on July 3, Washington did not know the French situation. Believing his situation was impossible, he accepted surrender terms which allowed the peaceful withdrawal of his forces, which he completed on July 4, 1754. The French subsequently occupied the fort and then burned it. Washington did not speak French, and stated later that if he had known that he

2900-472: Was $ 37,484, and the median income for a family was $ 44,583. Males had a median income of $ 33,750 versus $ 24,449 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $ 19,648. About 2.4% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line , including 2.4% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over. Montoursville Area School District consists of: History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania Loyalsock Creek Loyalsock Creek

2958-465: Was a prehistoric Native American earthwork mound on a bluff overlooking the river crossing. The aboriginal mound structure may have once been part of a fortification. Five years later in the war, in 1759, Fort Burd was constructed at Redstone Old Fort. The area eventually became the site of Nemacolin Castle and Brownsville, Pennsylvania —an important western jumping-off point for travelers crossing

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3016-494: Was a developed as an amusement park in the late 19th century. Known as a trolley park , it could be reached by public transportation. Visitors from Williamsport would board the trolley in downtown and ride to Indian Park to spend a day of recreation along the banks of Loyalsock Creek. The park had one of the largest and longest roller coasters on the East Coast . The park also featured more than 20 acres (81,000 m) of ponds,

3074-550: Was a vitally important location during the settlement of what is now Lycoming County. She operated a trading post and supply depot, partly funded by the Pennsylvania Assembly. Her village at the mouth of Loyalsock Creek on the West Branch Susquehanna River , now part of Montoursville, was an important stopping point for the Moravian missionaries who were spreading the gospel throughout the wilderness of Pennsylvania during

3132-716: Was chosen as the memorial designer and Beth Hershberger served as landscape designer. The five chaperones were Debbie Dickey, a French teacher of the Montoursville Area High School; Doug Dickey, her husband; Carol Fry, former school board member; Judith Rupert, high school secretary; and Eleanor Wolfson (mother of student Wendy Wolfson). The 16 students were Jessica Aikey, Daniel Baszczewski, Michelle Bohlin, Jordan Bower, Monica Cox, Claire Gallagher, Julia Grimm, Rance Hettler, Amanda Karschner, Jody Loudenslager, Cheryl Nibert, Kimberly Rogers, Larissa Uzupis, Jacqueline Watson, Monica Weaver, and Wendy Wolfson. Montoursville

3190-595: Was confessing to the "assassination" of Joseph Coulon de Jumonville , he would not have signed the surrender document. During the Great Depression of the 20th century, attempts to preserve the location of Fort Necessity were undertaken. On March 4, 1931, Congress declared the location a National Battlefield Site under management of the War Department . Transferred to the National Park Service in 1933,

3248-474: Was finally removed in 1905 when Jennings Bros. relocated to Maryland, but was partly resurrected in 1911. Stony Brook Lumber Co. used the old grade as far as Santee Run, then turned north towards Crane Swamp. This line was removed in 1916. Traffic gradually dwindled on the Lehigh Valley; their line south of Lopez was abandoned in 1939, and it was cut back to Bernice in 1944. Abandonment of the line to Lopez marked

3306-445: Was something like Lawi-sahquick ). This refers to Loyalsock Creek's location between Lycoming Creek and Muncy Creek , with the mouths of each about 6 miles (10 km) up- and downstream of the mouth of the Loyalsock. Several important trails used by the local indigenous peoples ran along parts of the Loyalsock or crossed it. Two important villages of the local indigenous peoples were located on its banks, one of which, Ots-ton-wak-in,

3364-468: Was the home to Madame Montour and her son Andrew Montour , and later became Montoursville . Loyalsock Creek is 64.3 miles (103.5 km) long. The source is in western Wyoming County near the Sullivan County line, and its confluence with the West Branch Susquehanna River is at Montoursville. The area surrounding the confluence with the Susquehanna River has been flooded numerous times over

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