A Look at Christmas's Past, the 1960s Part 2
January 9, 2023
After reminiscing with many of you after my last article, I decided there just had to be a part two. As you shared with me your experiences, it shook loose a lot of memories I had forgotten so, here goes. Let’s dive even deeper into our Christmas experiences focusing specifically on the danger level of most of our Christmas presents. Many would never be allowed on the market today. I am not sure if our parents were very trusting of us, or were trying to get rid of us, but either way, let’s explore a few examples. Learn More
A Look at Christmas's Past, the 1960s
November 23, 2022
I proudly admit, I was a child of the 1960s and I thought it might be fun to look back and remember what Christmases looked like as I was growing up. The kickoff to the holiday shopping season always began with the downtown Lewistown Christmas parade. Since I grew up in the country, we didn’t often venture into town, but this was one event we never missed. Lewistown was turned into a winter wonderland with beautiful decorations and the streets and sidewalks were packed with cars and people. No parade day was ever complete without a stop at Murphy’s 5 & 10 for a free goldfish. The line was long, but worth the wait as they handed you a plastic bag filled with water and your very own goldfish (that you would be lucky if it lived to make it home.) The highlight of the parade of course was always Santa who brought up the rear, riding in a beautiful sleigh pulled by his reindeer (on the back of a flatbed truck that is). Learn More
The Champion Turkey Hunter of the Alleghenies
November 23, 2022
In 1824 a man by the name of John Jackson Gantz was born in Ferguson Valley. No one imagined that he would one day grow up to be the infamous “Daniel Boone of Mifflin County.” He also earned the title of “The Champion Turkey Hunter of the Alleghenies.” Knowing well his descendant, great-great-great grandson, Peter Ort of Lewistown, I am not surprised that this man was a colorful character in our Juniata River Valley history. Learn More
The Hanging of Frank Lee
October 31, 2022
With Halloween quickly approaching our thoughts turn to all things grim and spooky. There is a story in Mifflin County’s past that certainly conjures up such dark thoughts. It was once described as a homicide horror! It is the sad tale of the only person ever executed in Mifflin County. The story begins in 1908. It was a fall day, not that different from this very day, when two business partners who owned and operated a horse-and-cart hauling business, one being George Porter and the other Frank Lee, got into a heated argument over money. The disagreement soon escalated to the point that a crowd gathered to see what was causing all the commotion. In the heat of the moment Lee was even heard saying, “I’ll get my revenge even if I have to hang for it.” Prophetic words to be sure! Learn More
