Muncy Historical Society

The Montgomery Area Historical Society donated their "Sprout Waldron switchboard" to the Muncy Historical Society and its now been transferred back to Muncy. As we were doing some research to date both this switchboard and also the other switchboard in our collection (from Muncy Valley Hospital) we came across this display ad ... placed during the Pandemic of 1918, also known as Spanish Flu. The message applies today -- let's not forget to reach out to family and friends during these times of isolation and quarantine. Best wishes to all, stay safe.

THE PANTS FACTORY Carpenter Street, Muncy, PA In 1898 a Board of Trade was established by some of Muncy’s businessmen Dr. James Rankin, William F. Brittain... (furniture manufactory and insurance), Alexander B. Worthington (furniture manufactory and banking), Ernest R. Noble (mercantile and lumbering), B. W. Harris (machinery manufactory), W. A. Bruner (pharmacy, grocery, mercantile and banking), and William J. McCarty (steam traction engines and banking) -- in an attempt to attract more industry to our community. To this end and with public money, and on speculation, they built a two-story, 50 x 125-foot wood building on Carpenter Street. In 1900 Meyer Singer signed a five-year, rent-free lease and began the operation of his Lycoming Pants Company. He hired one hundred women and paid them about six dollars a week. The business was not successful and lasted less than a year. Singer moved to New York City but held on to the lease until 1903. That summer the Trade leased the building to W. J. Henry, owner of the Empire Shirt Company. He employed fifty people and operated the business here until 1905. Other tenants included Dr. Chester E. Albright (automobile springs) and Brady Artley (farm machinery) and others with equally short lease durations its proximity to Glade Run, which like Muncy’s other waterways, is prone to flooding and might have contributed to the turnover. In May 1949, the Lycoming Corporation became its final tenant. Warren Peterman was named the manager and thirty men were hired to make wood cabinets, furniture and fixtures. Like many other businesses, the operation was transitioned to support the Korean War efforts and from 1951 until its closing in 1953 it made life rafts for the government. Other than a storage facility for a few private citizens, the Pants Factory building remained empty until a fateful event on June 30, 1966. A fire broke out, of undetermined origin! By the time the firemen arrived, the building was fully engulfed, and their only recourse was to throw water on the neighboring buildings to prevent the fire from spreading. At the time of the fire, the building was owned by Matthew Martini and George Sparks, of Maspeth, Long Island, NY and their loss was estimated at $15,000-$20,000. Except for what the photos show, the building burned the Borough eventually acquired the property and had the debris removed from the site. The following images of the resulting fire damage were just discovered in the museum’s collection.

Join Us for Muncy Historical Society's "Virtual" Artists Exhibition & Sale ... A holiday shopping experience through November 30, 2020 Featuring Artists Bruce Storm and others ... shopping details at www.MuncyHistoricalSociety.org

Join Us for Muncy Historical Society's "Virtual" Artists Exhibition & Sale ... a holiday shopping experience through November 30, 2020 Featuring Artist/Jeweler Dorothy Fisher, among others .. see www.MuncyHistoricalSociety.org for details

Join Us for Muncy Historical Society's "Virtual" Artists Exhibition & Sale .. a holiday shopping experience through November 30, 2020... Featuring Artist Lynn Kibbe, among others ... see www.MuncyHistoricalSociety.org for details