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Historic
Home and Garden Tour
Experience the beauty and charm of one of Pennsylvania’s finest
communities as the Muncy Historical Society hosts its annual Historic
Homes Tour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 19, 2008. This year,
the tour includes several showcase gardens, shopping opportunities,
trolley rides, entertainment, and refreshments. In addition, the $12
home tour admission includes the Quilt Show.
The historical society offers its guests a different experience each
year and, on July 19, a combination of historic properties, spectacular
gardens, and an incredible quilt exhibit.
Did you miss previous Home Tours?
Well, you're in luck. We're providing you with a virtual tour of portions
of Homes and Garden Tours for 2005, 2006 and 2007. Hopefully, you'll be
able to visit us in 2008 when Muncy Historical Society hosts its fourth
annual Quilt Show and the Historic Homes and Garden Tour.
William Lowmiller House
(Muncy Homes Tour 2007)
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William Lowmiller House
Muncy Homes Tour 2007

William Lowmiller House
Muncy Homes Tour 2007
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This charming, simple 3-bay, 2-story I-house once housed Lycoming
County’s only Jacquard coverlet weaver. William Lowmiller
moved his family from Level Corners, now Linden, to Muncy in the
late 1830s and it was on these grounds that he dyed his yarns and
weaved the highly prized one-, two-, and three-color bedcoverings
that have stood the test of time. A sampling of his work will be
on display both here and at the museum.
The house, located in Muncy’s Historic District, has a front
gable, a characteristic found almost exclusively in the earliest
structures in Muncy. The front door, which is on the home’s
south side, leads into the main foyer that opens into the front
parlor. The foyer is substantial, housing the main staircase, a
hallway leading to the back of the house, and the entrance to the
formal parlor. The parlor, beautifully decorated with family heirlooms
and portraits, is charming, with an air of formality, yet cozy and
inviting. As you move through the first floor, into the comfortable
family sitting room, dining room and kitchen areas, listen carefully.
Can you hear the shuttle being thrown back and forth on the loom?
Can you hear the cards advance as the yarns are pulled to make the
coverlet designs? Can you smell the dyes that Lowmiller used to
color the yarn those many years ago?
The Lowmiller House, which has been tastefully and lovingly restored
and is currently on the market, is in wonderful, move-in condition.
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Taggart-McBride House
(Muncy Homes Tour 2007)
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Taggert-McBride House
Muncy Homes Tour 2007

Taggert-McBride House
Muncy Homes Tour 2007

Taggert-McBride House
Muncy Homes Tour 2007
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Built in 1848 by Judge Thomas Taggart, his descendants lived here
until 1925 when the McBride family bought the property at auction.
In 1991, the home was sold and its new owners spent three years
working on its ground-up restoration. The square-shaped brick home
is Georgian in style, complete with its hip roof line and symmetrically
placed windows. The transom and sidelights at the decorative front
entrance add an air of formality to the house, while the double
sun porches on its east side more typify the informality of a farmhouse.
The dentil molding at the roofline and on the portico is carried
inside – similar dentil work graces the ceiling of the formal
parlor. Rare for a farmhouse in central Pennsylvania is the walnut
woodwork used in the formal dining room. As you walk through the
kitchen notice the lack of wall space due to the original built-in
cupboard, working fireplace and the room’s seven doorways.
A quilt collection will be displayed throughout the second floor
bedrooms. You’ll walk through the family room, a clapboard-sided
addition, and out into the screened-in, newly painted porch. Light
refreshments will be available here.
The recently overhauled gardens also are on the tour. Feel free
to walk around the house and into the backyard. The boxwoods, assorted
evergreens, and knock-out roses lend a more formal look out front,
while the side and back gardens are informal with unusual trees
and perennial gardens. Greg Renn, a local organic gardener, is responsible
for the design and plantings selections, the installation and maintenance
of the Taggart-McBride House gardens.
(The Taggart-McBride House features a shopping opportunity for Selinda
Kennedy’s redware. Selinda is a nationally recognized artist
whose work is an expression of her sense of color, craftsmanship
and whimsy.)
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Murray Brown House Bed & Breakfast
(Muncy Homes Tour 2007)
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Murray Brown House B&B
Muncy Homes Tour 2007
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This home was built in circa 1905 for Charles Waldron, a son of
John Waldron, one of the co-founders of Sprout, Waldron & Company.
Dating to the late Victorian Era, this is a rambling clapboard-sided
Queen Anne eclectic-style house with a major addition made in 1928.
In 1943, Carrie R. Murray purchased the house, and her descendents
live in the home to this day.
As you enter the large center hall, which opens to a front parlor
on one side and a formal dining room on the other, notice both have
bay windows. The dining room boasts a floor-to-ceiling, built-in
china closet. The dining room table and hutch were hand crafted
by Roy Egly, a highly regarded 20th century Muncy furniture maker.
As you move through the front parlor into the large living room
take note of the original fireplaces. Following the turned stairway
to the second floor please take note of the 3 bedrooms, bath, and
master suite. When the addition was done, many of the hardwood floors
were redone in the log cabin style, which can be easily seen in
the upstairs hall.
This newly established bed and breakfast is the ideal weekend retreat
setting for guilds and other groups that are looking for a weekend
getaway. With guilds in mind, the living room is the perfect place
for scrapbooking and quilting. More details about this ideal retreat
home are available on the Internet, www.MurrayBrownhouse.com.
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Wood Family Homestead
(Muncy Homes Tour 2007)
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Wood Family B&B
Muncy Homes Tour 2007

Wood Family B&B
Muncy Homes Tour 2007
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A new generation, with immediate plans to turn this brick farmhouse
into a bed and breakfast, has been renovating and redesigning this
circa 1866 family homestead. As you walk the driveway to the front
of the house, notice that the family has revitalized the tennis
court, which was built in the 1940s, using the property’s
soil as its clay surface.
Enter by way of the front porch and move through the entrance hall
directly into the front parlor, newly renovated with Victorian period
wallpaper, carpet and handcrafted crown molding. Then, you’ll
move into the relocated dining area and you’ll exit the house
through one of the home’s two kitchens. Take a moment to contrast
the 1950s-style kitchen to the more modern version that will soon
service the household. Here, at the back of the house, notice the
beautifully carved mantelpiece recently added in the breakfast nook
area.
Exiting, move to your right and onto one of the gardens several
flagstone patios. Almost immediately, you’ll see a massive
trumpet vine, which meanders its way high across the yard and then
creeps almost to the top of the nearby tree. Don’t miss the
small pond that is flanked by flagstone and impressive greenery
and imagine sipping your morning coffee in the quiet that this area
affords.
Feel free to move off the walkways as you make your way to the rear
of the property. Notice as you go, the fireplace from the early
summer kitchen that is long gone, and examine the patio’s
beams, which were salvaged from the property’s original barn
and recycled as its roof supports.
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John
Beeber Homestead
(Muncy Homes Tour 2007)
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John Beeber house
Muncy Homes Tour 2007

Hurricane Crazy Quilt
(in John Beeber house)
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The John Beeber House is a Federal-style brick home. Born in 1761,
Beeber was a young man when he joined a Berks County militia unit
as a substitute, first, for his brother Nicholas, and a year later,
for his brother, Adam. His militia unit marched up the West Branch
of the Susquehanna River to Shoemaker Mills and then on to Fort
Muncy. Following the war, the three brothers moved to the Muncy
area, with John Beeber settled in familiar territory along Muncy
Creek. From 1792 to 1816, he received warrants for 754 acres and,
on this land, he and his wife built their home.
Sidelights and a wide transom surround the impressive Beeber homestead
doorway, which leads to a commanding entrance hall with plenty of
doors. The woodwork is substantial and the beautifully turned stairrail
makes its way to the third floor. The Beeber’s, both of German
descent, had at least eight children and a copy of their eldest
child’s fraktur, or birth certificate, will be on display.
The front parlor and dining room still have the original built-in
cupboards next to the two first-floor fireplaces. The homeowners
will have a special quilt, titled "Hurricanes Make Me Crazy,"
on display on the stairway landing, visible from the front entrance
hall.
Animals have returned to the Beeber property so visit the impressive
19th Century Pennsylvania bank barn across the street from the homestead.
There, visitors will find sheep and goats, chickens and turkeys,
and perhaps a cat or two. From the barn hill or just inside, Rich
Nornhold will share the art of coopering, a skill that takes many
years to learn and perfect. Coopering means to do the work of a
cooper, a tradesman who makes or repairs casks. While the art of
coopering dates back centuries, the basic trade has remained unchanged.
The coopers will demonstrate "white coopering," which
is the earliest form of coopering and involved making buckets, churns,
and other items associated with vessels that held both water and
milk. It also was the first branch of coopering to die out because
of the tinsmith. The other branches were "wet" (barrels)
and "dry" coopering (nail kegs and flour barrels).
Beeber was involved in the establishment of the Immanuel Lutheran
Church and served as one of the first trustees. It has been recounted
that, “The Muncy Beebers walked to church and crossed the
creek near where the Wyalusing Path crossed, the women and children
taking off their shoes and stockings and walking over the smooth,
flat stones at the fording place.”
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Immanuel Lutheran Church
(Muncy Homes Tour 2007)
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Immanuel Lutheran Church
Muncy Homes Tour 2007
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This first Lutheran Church in Lycoming County was built in 1791
and made available to other denominations, some occasionally, and
others regularly. While Immanuel’s doors have been closed
to regular worship for many years, they are opened for special services
and they will be open for the 2007 Homes Tour. (Only a mile or so
from the Beeber homestead, fording the creek is not the recommended
travel mode on tour day. As you make your way across Muncy Creek,
notice the gristmill stones that commemorate the site of Shoemaker
Mills where John Beeber was initially stationed some 225+ years
ago.) Historic memorabilia will be on display in the sanctuary and
feel free to sit a spell in the straight-back pews.
The Reverend Jacob Miller, an itinerant minister from the 19th Century,
will be in the church or out in the historic graveyard where John
and Margaret Beeber are buried. Reverend Miller was born in 1811,
and he began his life as a Lutheran here -- first preaching the
Methodist Episcopal doctrine, then the Methodist Protestant doctrine
as he traveled the countryside, preferring not to hold a regular
church charge. Miller never forgot his religious roots. He attended
the centennial celebration of the Immanuel Church in 1891 where
one of the guest speakers described him as an "apostle ...
who preached more sermons, traveled on foot more miles to do so
and received less pay, in proportion to his labor, then any other
minister who ever labored in Lycoming County..."
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John Adlum House & Gardens
(Muncy Homes Tour 2007)
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John Adlum House
Muncy Homes Tour 2007
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John Adlum built this substantial limestone house which showcases
some of the finest woodwork north of Harrisburg. Adlum, who held
officer ranks in both the Provisional Army of the Revolution and
the Pennsylvania Militia, was a highly regarded land surveyor. These
18th century frontier lands beckoned him and it was here that he
perfected the growing of the Catawba grape for his winemaking.
The home, in high style Philadelphia fashion, has twelve over twelve
windows, four fireplaces and a central chimney. In the dining room
the hand-blocked wallpaper, a reproduction wall covering used by
Thomas Jefferson, one of Adlum’s good winemaking friends,
in his Monticello home. In the center hall, the “Magnolias:”
wallpaper, a reproduction used in Washington’s Mount Vernon,
was chosen to complement the magnolia trees found on the property.
And, although John Adlum is away on business, he has left several
bottles of chardonnay, named in his honor by a Virginia winery,
for his guests to sample.
In the period gardens, boxwoods create the formality, while wisteria
vines surround the teahouse. Perennials, which bloom through the
three growing seasons, provide a relaxing atmosphere for unwinding
at the end of a busy day.
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Gernerd House Gardens
(Muncy Homes Tour 2007)
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House Gardens
Muncy Homes Tour 2007
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To access this home’s gardens, walk through the carport and
past the wishing well. For the superstitious at heart, feel free
to make a wish and throw a coin or two! And then, move through the
iron gate to the well-manicured yard and garden area. A laid-up
stone wall separates the gardens, which fall away from the rear
of this clapboard-sided home. The flagstone and stone pathway beckons
you into the yard. The garden’s greenery, lush and rich with
shrubbery and evergreen beds and borders, dominate this backyard
landscape. A wonderful wisteria vine ambles along the south side
fence while garden statuary add an air of whimsy and interest on
the property’s north side.
Russell Glass’ Carriage House
(Muncy Homes Tour 2007)
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Russell Glass owned the Muncy Lumber Company and he had lumbering
operations in Lycoming, Fayette and Somerset counties. A successful
businessman, his interests included cement and paint products and
storage facilities. In 1909, Glass purchased this corner property
and we might presume that he wished to make some kind of statement
to his fellow townspeople. First, he removed the much-smaller house
that stood on this corner of Main and Penn streets and replaced
it with the massive brick home. For this year’s tour, you’ll
have the opportunity to explore the 2-story brick and clapboard-sided
carriage house at the rear of the property.
While not attending to the horses, a young groom stands guard at
the entrance to the carriage house, which has been carefully restored,
adapted and converted into living quarters for people. The bay,
where once the family’s carriage was stored, now serves as
the main living room, with the ½ cast iron bars and wooden
stall doors preserved, serving as room dividers for the kitchen
and dining room areas. Notice the hay shoot -- the vessel that supplied
feed to the horses from the second-floor hayloft.
For the sure-footed, watch the first short step and ascend to the
second floor where you’ll find another large sitting area,
hallway master bedroom and bath. Notice the stained beadboard panels
of varying widths, which, when first introduced in this country,
were mostly used in less-formal dwellings such as cottages and carriage
houses. And, for the really sure-footed, ascend the steep stairway
to the loft, which seems so much steeper on the descent, and you’ll
find yourself closer to the stained glass cupola area.
Gardener-McKee Gardens
(Muncy Homes Tour 2007)
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The beautiful gardens surrounding this family home whisper comfort,
hospitality and respite. The gardens have been designed to bloom
throughout the growing season beginning with bulbs and irises progressing
to clematis and peonies, and then to lilies and butterfly bushes.
Perennials add color, fragrance and texture to the landscape and
they transform the yard into an alluring place. The gardens are
more than a group of plants – it’s the room the owners
have made to enjoy the show! From the front yard, along the side
yard and into the back yard, perennial beds and borders abound,
adding loads of personality and charm as they bloom throughout the
season. Look carefully – you don’t want to miss the
ornaments and lighting tucked into the garden foliage.
Birds are invited to share a meal at any one of the many feeders
and the large wooden bird house provides a welcome shelter to many
of the garden’s fine feathered friends. The patio offers a
cool place to appreciate the colorful surroundings and light refreshments
will be available; sit a spell or move out into the yard and rest
awhile on one of the yard benches.
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Rose Hill
(Muncy Homes Tour 2006)
Joshua Alder was educated as a chemist and practiced his trade
at his father-in-law’s company, Lewis Glass Works, in Eagles
Mere. While the Glass Works flourished for several years, its owners
soon found themselves in dire financial straits when their fragile
product continued to shatter and break on the way off the mountain.
When Alder left his position in 1817 he took up residence in Muncy
and, in 1822, built the original brick section of this Federal-style
home. Antique furnishings accessorize the updated kitchen and the
backlighting complements the owner’s collection of yellow
ware and early kitchen utensils and tools. Before moving into the
large formal dining room, take a peek into the pantry which boasts
of floor-to-ceiling built-in cupboards. The federal period furniture
plays host to some of Alder’s glass, including a wonderful
piece of bulls-eye and different colored chunks. (Dr. Musser married
into the family and Mussers Lane is named for him.) As you move
along, pay particular attention to the wood – heavily used
in the built-in cupboards, for the crown moldings, on the fireplace
mantels and surrounds, and around the windows.
The formal front and back parlors greet you next (and look for the
coffin door built under the window) and then on into the grand hallway.
On the deacon bench you’ll find a 1917 wedding signature quilt,
an 1852 jacquard coverlet, a monogrammed carriage blanket, and framed
needlework, all family heirlooms.
At the first landing, you’ll
bear right and move through the guest bath and into the first bedroom.
An heirloom canopy spotlights the 1930s high--posted bed. Along
the wall, you’ll see the unusual hooded cradle and a standing
Victorian-era medicine chest. The original pine floors beckoned
you along into the sitting room with its built-ins and another of
the home’s five fireplaces. Two of the other bedrooms can
be glimpsed before making your way down the narrow, back stairway.
You’ll exit onto the slate and marble patio. Members of the
Garden Club will be available to highlight the garden plantings
and features. Feel free to walk all around the grounds and enjoy
its special features, the monogrammed swing seat, Elizabeth and
Joshua Alder’s foot stones, the lightning rod and fountain
to name a few.
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The Gortner House
(Muncy Homes Tour 2006)
Colors and charm abound in this home – from
the stained glass transom over the front door to the ceramic tile-adorned
fireplace in the front parlor, you’ll find this home comfortable
and inviting. Watch your head and your step as you move throughout
the first floor - the door clearances are quite low in places and
the original portion of this home had additions built all around
it. Notice the original plank door as you take a peek up the back
staircase – imagine this as your only way to the second floor
when this section was built in the 1830s! In every room, you’ll
find an artist’s special touches and family heirlooms abound.
Built on the site of one of Muncy’s community wells, imagine
the gossip that was whispered when people came here to fill their
buckets.
Step outside to enjoy the colonial
bed gardens, created as a bird- and bee-sanctuary. The artist’s
creativity is everywhere you look – flowers blooming on the
garden shed, the placement of the statuary, the use of recycled
street pavers to create patio areas, and the restful lull of the
wall fountain. Take time to visit the artist’s studio before
moving on to your next stop.
Oh yes, perhaps, Lizzie, from an
earlier time, will make an appearance – her presence has been
felt in the house and she’s been known to walk this property
from time to time.
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The McCarty House
(Muncy Homes Tour 2006)
Hundreds of perennials and plantings surround the property right
next door. To fully enjoy the gardens, you’ll have to stray
from the sidewalks and meander all around the property. Green- and
brown-colored preying mantis help rid this garden of pesky insects
and handmade inscribed bricks identify the plantings. From the herb
garden, enjoy a glass of fresh mint tea!
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The Douglas House
(Muncy Homes Tour 2006)
When you step inside these fenced-in gardens, you’ll immediately
forget that you are still on Muncy’s Main Street. The shrubbery
and plantings have been carefully selected to create an air of privacy,
richness and serenity. Imagine enjoying your morning coffee on one
of the 1st- or 2nd-floor porches or sharing a cup of tea with friends
in the courtyard. Notice how the garden is more than a group of
plants – it invites you to explore the space.
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St. James Episcopal Church
(Muncy Homes Tour 2006)
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One of Muncy’s finest buildings, the church was built under
the direction of Sarah Hall, a wealthy parishioner, and was designed
by the well-known architect, Richard Upjohn. Upjohn’s career
spanned the middle years of the 19th century and New York’s
Trinity Church and Boston’s Central Congregational Church
are among his creations.
St. James is a 2 ½ story stone, Gothic Revival style church.
The stone was brought from the Montgomery hills and was hauled across
the frozen Susquehanna River on sleds. The church features a 107-foot
tower topped with a hexagonal spire, double and single lancet windows
in each of the four-bay southern and northern sides, and a beautiful
twelve-light rose window graces its Main Street façade.
Before leaving the church property,
visit its quaint Parish House for refreshments. The original Episcopal
Church, built in 1832, was dismantled to make room for this larger
structure and its bricks were recycled here. Beautifully landscaped
gardens surround the property and feel free to sit a spell on one
of the inviting benches.
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The Bodine House
(Muncy Homes Tour 2006)
These gardens have provided a suburban
hideaway to visitors since the bed and breakfast open its doors
to guests in 1983. It is a maintenance-free, primarily perennial
garden with a wonderful patio area that allows the garden visitor
to sit a spell and to enjoy the colors and textures playing within
the garden areas.
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The Bailiff
House
(Muncy Homes Tour 2006)
The fieldstone Bailiff House on Muncy Farms was built
in 1788 by Samuel Wallis. The middle brick section was added in
1840 and the western section was completed in 1926. The bailiff
would have been Samuel Wallis farm manager. At that time the 5-square
mile farm was called “Longreach” reflecting the location
stretching between Muncy and Montoursville along the Susquehanna
River.
The Bailiff House has been totally renovated keeping much of the
colonial style intact. The original eastern section has an enormous
cooking fireplace
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The Riebsam
House
(Muncy Homes Tour 2005)
This year’s tour includes
Muncy Borough’s oldest brick dwelling, the Riebsam House.
Before entering, pay attention to the Colonial-Federal architecture:
some of its unusual features are a fan-light doorway with eight
panels, a Palladian window on the third floor of the north side
of the house and several finely windowed roof dormers on its Main
Street side. This home must be painted to preserve its soft brick
exterior.
Although Johan Sebastian Riebsam
and five of his sons came to Muncy in the 1790s, the original section
of this home was not built until 1810. As their fortunes and family
grew, the Riebsams added the front section some 10 years later.
Just inside the front door, you’ll be able to see some of
the early deeds for this property along with the Riebsam family
German Bible. You’ll be welcome to ascend the front stairwell
which turns you back toward the front of the house so you’ll
be able to peer into the guest bedrooms and bath. Hold on to that
handrail as you make your way back to the first floor, moving on
through the front parlors to the rear section, make sure you notice
the fine woodwork and prayer book mantel. Today, the kitchen and
dining room are part of the oldest section – notice the change
in ceiling height, the exposed rafters and built-in cupboards. You’ll
depart this home by way of its newest addition, circa 1910. |
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Muncy Historical Society & Museum
(Muncy Homes Tour 2005)
This early clapboard building is home to Muncy’s
Museum of History. Take your time to appreciate the charm of one
of Muncy’s earliest clapboard homes which still features the
original beehive oven in the colonial kitchen, dating to 1812. This
year Society volunteers have decorated the Museum using heirloom
quilts and coverlets and a collection of Byers’ Carolers -
both collections are on loan to the Society especially for the weekend
festivities.
Listen carefully for the creaking
of the pegged circa 1800 barn loom as our weaver pulls the beater
bar toward her. Nearby find the “jacquard attachment”
– one of only six known to still exist worldwide – which
was used by Lycoming County’s only known jacquard weaver,
William Lowmiller. The attachment revolutionized the weaver’s
world, allowing him to produce a wide variety of designs using cardboard
patterns. In addition to Muncy-made Lowmiller coverlets, you’ll
also find examples of jacquard-produced bed coverings by other Pennsylvania
weavers, including Netzly and Wunderlich of Lancaster County, Angstadt
of Union County, Kaufman and Musselman of Bucks County, Dornbach
of Luzerne County, and Kaley of Lebanon County.
In addition to the coverlet and quilt
makers, there are other artists featured at 40 N. Main Street. Lining
the front stairway wall is the Jean Mohr Collection which includes
examples of his work in pencil, charcoal, watercolor, and oil. These
works are very different than the wall murals featured in the restaurant
section of the Fort Brady.
There are two worthy oil paintings
in the front parlors (second floor) – over the fireplace hangs
Miss Calder’s rendering of Muncy as it looked to her in 1856
and, above the tiger maple bureau, look for the still life painted
by Jennie Noble Wood. As you stroll into the newer exhibit area,
the Society’s pair of Severin Roesen oil paintings might just
captivate your fancy.
On loan from both museum and private
collections, the quilts illustrate hand- and machine piecing, appliqué
and a variety of quilting techniques. Displayed on racks, in room
settings, and on canvas, the bed coverings represent all categories
– antique, traditional, grassroots and contemporary compositions.
Many of the quilts and coverlets will be 150+ years old while some
have just begun their life and will someday be family and community
heirlooms. All are recognized and valued as art works. You will
be entertained by a variety of color, design patterns and texture,
with each piece depicting a personal art form that represents the
artisan’s craft coupled with creativity.
“It was not a woman’s
desire...to be forgotten. And in one simple, unpretentious way,
she created a medium that would outlive even many of her husband’s
houses, barns, and fences; she signed her name in friendship onto
cloth and, in her own way, cried out, Remember me.” Linda
Otto Lipsett |
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Fort Brady Hotel
(Muncy Homes Tour 2005)
This circa 1810 large, three and one-half story, eight bay frame
hotel and tavern has decided Victorian overtones. Six different
additions give the present structure a rambling air which includes
double bracketed eaves and thick window heads. The building has
housed a tavern-hotel business since its initial construction by
Robert Risk, a local landholder and merchant, and later owned by
two of his sons, William and James. Step up to the impressive lobby
desk and ‘register’ for the free door prize drawing.
Your room won’t be ready so
pass the time with artist Jean Mohr who is madly working on the
hotel’s wall murals. Step into the dining room – but
stay away from the walls so you don’t get paint on your clothes!
Jean has quite the story to tell and, if he likes you, perhaps he’ll
spin you a yarn and will tip a ‘pint or so’ with you,
too. Perhaps, he’ll share some stories about the family’s
13-room mansion or perhaps you can get him to describe his “Gibson
Girl.”
This relatively unknown, but prolific,
artist studied under Howard Pyle, a well-known teacher at Drexel
Institute who developed quality illustrators, including Maxwell
Parrish and N.C. Wyeth - persons who could tell a story with pictures
and incorporate the most sophisticated artistic techniques into
their work. He also studied portraiture under Cecelia Beau and several
of his portraits will be on display as well. |
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The Wood-Rankin House
(Muncy Homes Tour 2005)
In 1872, Jeremiah Gernerd, author of the
Society’s publication, Now and Then, had this to say about
the Wood-Rankin Home: “… contributing to the general
advancement of a correct taste for architectural embellishment,
and promoting sensible ideas of domestic enjoyment, [is] the new
home of Adam Rankin.”
Purchasing the property from the
Wood estate, Rankin proceeded to turn the existing house around
and move it further back on the lot. For the tour, you’ll
enter the 2-and-1/2-story Victorian style brick by way of its front
door which served the family as the main entrance to their private
residence. Throughout the day, there will be music coming from the
front parlor/library and you’ll be captivated by the charm
of the dining- and sitting rooms.
Next, you’ll find the original portion of this home is the
rear 1-and-1/2-story section built in the style of Greek Revival.
At one time, facing in the opposite direction and just off the sidewalk,
this portion served as the medical office for one of Muncy’s
earliest physicians, Dr. Thomas Wood. You’ll find some of
the Wood Family’s 19th century medical instruments on display
here – perhaps you might want volunteer to be “bleed”
or sit still for a quick, but most likely, painful tonsillectomy!
Make sure you go outside and look back to view the pedimented gable
and columned porch.
If you’re up to the challenge,
ascend to the second floor by way of the back narrow stairway –
turning you first in one direction and then the other. You’ll
exit by way of the front stairs.
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| St. Andrews
Evangelical Lutheran Church
(Muncy Homes Tour 2005)
This large stone church features a square three-story bell tower
topped with battlements, a symmetrical floor plan interrupted by
a number of small side bays, and Tudor arches enhancing the various
entrances. Its first pipe organ was installed in 1914 and it was
partially paid for by Andrew Carnegie, of Pittsburgh. The church
was designed by M. I. Kast and constructed by J. A. Miller and Company
using stone from the West Branch Canal aqueduct which traversed
Muncy Creek at its confluence with the West Branch of the Susquehanna
River. Built in 1905, this is St. Andrews’ centennial year.
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Shuttle Hill Ranch
(Muncy Homes Tour 2005)
This home, which sits on lot's 1 through 4, was built in the 1960s
in what is known as Muncy’s Shuttle Hill development section.
Entering through the front door, you’ll make the turn into
the kitchen which features the owner’s springerle cookie mold
collection and a 1840s Swedish-made sampler. In the garage-converted-to-family
room notice the family heirloom trunk and tea cart, the hand-crafted
coffee table and the Fenton House stemware collection. Windows span
two sides of the home’s dining/living room area which has
been decorated for the Christmas season.
Keeping with this year’s ‘quilt’
theme be sure you check out the hand-painted and numbered quilt-scene
prints hanging in the guest bedroom.
In this house that seems to go on
forever, also take time to descend to the basement which features
an entertainment and guest suite, with its own mini-kitchen and
bath. |
Murray
Brown House Bed & Breakfast
The Murray Brown House is a private home from the late Victorian Era
located on Main Street in the midst of the historic district. Currently,
on the first floor, it boasts a cozy sitting room, a formal dining room,
a large kitchen, a powder room and a large living room with windows
on three sides, which will be dedicated to scrap booking and quilting.
The large center hall foyer leads to the turned stairway and to the
second floor, which has four bedrooms and two full baths. There are
many fine restaurants within walking distance that serve excellent food
and spirits, and many more within a short drive.
Creekview
Country Cottages Bed & Breakfast
Creekview Country Cottages B&B is a romantic and interesting hideaway
with a "Green" attitude. Located in eastern Lycoming County,
North Central Pennsylvania, it is the perfect retreat for nature lovers
and couples seeking privacy in a woodsy natural setting. There is a
variety of birds, deer, turkey, fox, hawks and other wild creatures.
Even with all this nature nearby, we are not far from many local attractions:
Walking in the Town of Muncy, Muncy Historical Society, Ricketts Glen
State Park, Lycoming County Fair.
Governor
Shulze House Bed & Breakfast
Built by Pennsylvania Governor John A. Shulze in the 1830's, the Governor
Shulze House in Montoursville, PA, has been restored to its original
splendor, and affords guests the beauty and charm of the Victorian era
today.
Bodine
House Bed & Breakfast
The Bodine House Bed and Breakfast is located on a tree-lined street
in historic Muncy, Pennsylvania in the Susquehanna River Valley, about
10 minutes drive from Interstate 80 via Interstate 180. Built in 1805,
The Bodine House has been authentically restored and is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places. Many of the furnishings throughout
the house are antiques.
Regular Hours: Mondays and Fridays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
March through November ** except holidays **
and by special appointment.
Hours are subject to change
Check schedule by calling (570)546-5917
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