SHOP LOCAL AS AN ACT OF PATRIOTISM

The trading post also became the gathering place. That is where locals would hear all the good gossip about their neighbors as well as news from far away, as travelers stopped in to resupply. At the trading post, locals were updated on who moved into the valley, what dangers might be nearby, and if supplies were on the way. It was the information hub of the community. In turn, the more people who came in for supplies spurred other businesses to pop up around them, just like we see today. Once a business opens, quite often others are not far behind, creating a ripple effect that strengthens the community as a whole.
Mifflin and Juniata Counties were shaped by generations of small business owners who took risks, worked with their hands, served their neighbors, and built the economy from the ground up. A vast array of items were produced and sold throughout the decades in our Juniata River Valley, including buggies, bricks, baseball bats, blankets, crocks, furniture, agricultural products, train wheels, and even a health tonic called Wisto. Yes, you read that correctly. “Doc” Eby who ran a drug store in Lewistown created a “magic” elixir of sorts that was thought to have miraculous health properties and thus drew rich and famous people from as far away as Hollywood to buy cases of it. If you look at the name, Wisto, you will find they are the letters taken from the middle of Lewistown.
That entrepreneurial spirit is still alive today, visible every time a family opens the doors to a local bookstore, coffee shop, pottery studio, hardware store, boutique, or restaurant. These artisans and tradespeople we see today form the backbone of our community, continuing the tradition of hard work, creativity, and neighborly support that has kept the Juniata River Valley thriving since its earliest days.
Shopping local today is also a way to connect across generations. When we step into a family-run business, we are not just buying a gift, we are supporting stories, traditions, and legacies that have been woven into our community for centuries. Each purchase helps retain jobs, preserve our unique local culture, and encourages the next generation to dream, create, and give back. It is a tangible way to honor the hard work and ingenuity of those who came before us while ensuring that our towns continue to be places where neighbors care for one another and where children grow up seeing the value of investing in their hometown.
This season, as America approaches a historic milestone, shopping local is a way to honor that heritage. It keeps our dollars circulating where they truly matter, it protects the character and identity of our towns and strengthens the same entrepreneurial spirit that launched this nation and made our community what it is today. Most importantly, it ensures that the next generation will grow up with the same sense of community that has always made this country special.
So, as you prepare for the holidays, consider making your gift-giving an act of both joy and patriotism. Choose to support your neighbors. Choose to celebrate the ingenuity and resilience that built America. Choose to shop small, shop local, and invest in the community we all call home.
I believe Coretta Scott King said it best, “The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.”