Crawford County Messenger and CCHS News

The following was submitted to the Meadville Republican by John Reynolds Sr. On the 30th of June, 1869, the mail by the Mercer turnpike was carried for the last time. Our venerable friend, John Reynolds,...

With the recent opening of Cussewago Square, it seemed appropriate to take a moment to bring attention to the history of the location, as well as to take advantage of the opportunity to highlight one...

It was a bright Monday afternoon on January 24, 1848 when James Marshall found some gold nuggets on the American River near John Sutter’s sawmill in what is now Sacramento, California. The consequences were worldwide...

Culture – As Reported in the Local Newspapers If cultural climate were to be judged by numbers of local newspapers, Meadville would rank as one of the most cultivated towns in the country. More than...

The Cultural Climate of Meadville: From 1800-1900 is an article written in 1974 by Mrs. Julian (Carol) Ross for the members of the Meadville Women’s Literary Union. She researched theater, art, music, and other categories...

Crawford County has rarely stifled its opinions regarding national politics. The tone was set by residents in 1807 who burned an effigy of Federalist, Aaron Burr outside the courthouse. And this was hardly the county’s...

A Passion for a New Art Much of the world’s first oil boom was captured in the photography of one John A. Mather, an English immigrant whose love for his art allowed such a vivid...

The colors of the 150th, on display at the state capitol The year is 1862. The War of the Southern Rebellion has flooded field after field with blood and the dead. Though volunteers had already...

Gate House at the Pymatuning Reservior – 1930’s While in recent times the imposition of man’s power over nature has come under much needed scrutiny, there are situations where the total destruction of one area...

GW Depot with McHenry House to the left in 1869 As with most establishments in the hospitality industry, success could not have been attained without competent management. The same holds true for the McHenry House,...

A crowd gathered to greet one of the inaugural A & GW trains. Note the Depot in the background. As time progresses forward it becomes increasingly difficult to imagine the grand structures that once dominated...

Mary Jane Tryon Somewhere in the 1840’s, Mary Jane Tryon made a quilt. As she sat piecing together the small, intricate blocks, she could never have imagined the impact her quilt would have 168 years...