Columbia and Montour Counties’ New Summer Heritage Passport 2018 guides visitors through the “history, culture, and stories” of the region around the Inn, Farmhouse, and Brewing Co. at Turkey Hill in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. The Summer Heritage Passport features three historic buildings in Danville, just a 20 minute drive west from the Inn. The Montgomery House and Boyd House are located on Bloom Street in Danville. Visitors can find the Mooresburg Schoolhouse about five miles west of Danville.
The Montgomery House, now home of the Montour County Historical Society, displays historical items depicting the daily lives and experiences of Danville’s 18th and 19th century residents. General William Montgomery, an officer in the Revolutionary War and founder of Danville, built the house. In 1774, he emigrated with his family from Philadelphia to what was then a frontier settlement on the Susquehanna River. The Federal style stone house you see today was added to his original log home in 1792. A saw mill, grist mill and woolen mill soon followed. Settlers referred to his son Daniel’s trading post nearby as ‘Dan’s town’, the origin of the name Danville. Montgomery descendants lived in the home until 1939.
The Boyd House was built in the late 1880s by Daniel Montgomery Boyd, great grandson of William Montgomery; the Boyd family lived there until 1920. It became a museum in 2010, expanding the Historical Society’s exhibition spaces. Today it features an elegant Victorian Parlor, and a large Military Room with artifacts from every American conflict. A new Mining and Manufacturing Room will open soon.
The Mooresburg One-Room Schoolhouse is the only remaining school building of what were once over 90 one-room schools in Pennsylvania’s Montour County. Built in1875 and rebuilt in 1891, the school closed its doors in 1964. Many 19th century students both began and ended their education here. Visitors can imagine themselves as students, sitting at some of the original desks while they study schoolbooks teaching geography, history and humanities. The school bell still rings, and the heater, a Beaver Furnace manufactured by the Danville Stove and Manufacturing Company sits in a corner. In addition to the school exhibit, displays include photographs of Mooresburg, Ack pottery, a Stecker Rocker, and Native American arrowheads.
The new Summer Heritage Passport is a great way to explore our region of Northeastern PA. Each of the 13 Passport attractions has a unique experience to offer, from antique carousels to touring an anthracite coal mine. Visitors who complete at least 10 by Sunday, October 7, 2018, will be entered in a drawing for prizes totaling $1,000 in value. With three of the 13 locations in Danville, three more in Bloomsburg, and all the others less than an hour away from the Inn in Bloomsburg, it’s easy to complete all your Passport travels during your vacation. A variety of Summer Heritage Events are paired with the Passport this summer and fall. A great opportunity to learn about Danville’s history and museums is the Danville Heritage Festival, July 20-22, 2018. Don’t wait to give us a call or go online to make your reservation at the Inn!
The Montgomery and Boyd Houses Mooresburg School
Locations: 11 and 19 Bloom Street, Danville PA Location: 685 Liberty Valley Road, Danville, PA
Days and Hours: Sundays from April – November from 2:00 pm-4:00 pm Days and Hours: Open House the 2nd Sunday in October
Admission to both homes: $5.00 from 1:00 pm-4:00 pm, or by appointment
Phone: 570-271-0830 Phone: 570-271-0830
Photo courtesy of Montour County Historical Society and Columbia Montour Visitors Bureau