Quintessential Pennsylvania

  POWELL - Founded 1855. Formerly Greenwood. Renamed for Joseph Powell , a former Congressman from Bradford County, Pennsylvania. How to Get There:

Situated just south of the state border with New York, Sayre, Pennsylvania is located along the Susquehanna River in the scenic Penn-York Valley that contains Sayre and neighboring towns, or just simply, The Valley. Borne of an idea of a Waverly, New York bank president by the name of Howard Elmer, in 1869, Sayre was built on farmland in an area that was once called Pine Plains. Sayre blossomed with the arrival of the Lehigh Valley Railroad to the area, and you can still see vestiges of the town's railroading history today. Owing to the connection with the railroad, Sayre was even named after a railroad president and superintendent by the name of Robert H. Sayre. Today, Sayre is a charming town worth exploring. With this in mind, I explored the town by foot and got to see some neat things around Sayre. Sayre Historical Society Museum, which was once the Lehigh Valley Railroad Passenger Station, designed and built in a Queen Anne Victorian style. Some buildings on West Desm...

WYSOX - Founded 1773. From the Indian Wisachgimi meaning "Place of Grapes." Wysox is where French exiles loyal to Louis XVI built a safe haven for themselves and Marie Antoinette.  Antoinette never made it as she was captured and executed before making it to Pennsylvania.  Known as the French Azilum , the area was an intended home for French refugees during the French Revolution. The village is also known for a utility pole shaped as a giant pencil . Photo taken by Doug Kerr.

TOWANDA -Founded 1784.  The named of the Bradford County Seat comes from the Algonquian Indian word meaning, "Here our great dead are resting."  The town is home to about 2,900 residents. Photo taken by Doug Kerr.

ROME - Founded 1795.  Bradford County town named for Rome, Italy - "The Eternal City." Photo taken by Doug Kerr.

GILLETT - Founded 1783. This village in Bradford County just south of Elmira, New York was named for Deacon Asa Gillette, a pioneer settler.  Over time, the 'e' at the end of Gillette's name would be dropped as it is on the keystone. Sources and Links: Tri-County Genealogy and History - What's in a Name - Gillett

Sometimes, cruising along the back roads, you'll find something neat that you didn't expect to see. During one of my trips around northern Pennsylvania, I found a piece of Americana on one of these back roads. Located in Bradford County in the small community of Warren Center , there is a replica of an older Sinclair Gas station that has been restored to vintage condition. The signage, building and the gas pumps all look pristine. This link to a bygone era is worth celebrating as well, as there is an annual cruise-in every September where you can have your classic car photographed in front of the gas station. Vintage gas pumps serving ethyl and gasoline. A look inside of the gas station. True back then as it is now. I would love for gas to go down to those prices again! The Sinclair dinosaur logo was a secondary logo back then. Sinclair gas sign. Sources and Links: Welcome to Warren Township - Warren Township Annual Cruise In Waymarking ...

LE RAYSVILLE - Founded 1798.  Bradford County town named after Le Ray de Chaumont, which is the castle of Jacques-Donatien Le Ray, who was a French supporter of the American Revolution.  Le Raysville is home to LeRaysville Cheese - an Amish cheese factory opened in 1978. Photo taken by Doug Kerr.

DURELL - Founded 1789 . Named for Stephen Durell, a Hugenot Pioneer. Located in Bradford County. Photo taken by Doug Kerr

Camptown was originally settled in 1793 by Job Camp , an early settler and carpenter by trade who came from Connecticut. Job Camp built the original homes that made up Camptown and as of 2004, one of his original barns that he built in Camptown was still standing. There are a few homes and a church of more recent vintage that made up today's settlement. Camptown, Pennsylvania is located some five miles north of Wyalusing in eastern Bradford County at the junction of PA 409 and PA 706. The small town may be best known for the inspiration behind Stephen Foster's classic American folk song Camptown Races .  In modern times, instead of a minstrel song, Camptown Races is the name of a local running race that mixes road and trail running. Sources & Links: (1) Tom Camp. " Person Sheet for Job Camp ." Accessed on August 8, 2017. (2) University of Pittsburgh. " Stephen Foster Biography ." Accessed on August 8, 2017. (3) ThoughtCo. " The '...

MONROETON - Founded 1796.  Named after President James Monroe.  What is interesting is that the town is officially known as Monroe Borough but residents refer to the town as Monroeton and the post office also is named Monroeton.