Williamsport

By Dana Borick Brigandi

Once known as "the Lumber Capital of the World," Williamsport, Pennsylvania, is more than its lumber heritage. It is an artistic and cultural hub enjoying a revitalization, much of which is due to the discovery of Marcellus Shale and the gas industry. As the birthplace of Little League Baseball, Williamsport boasts an award-winning school district and public library, two nationally ranked colleges, and several landmarks listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Businesses like the Grit newspaper and Shop-Vac have been at the forefront of major industries, including aircraft engines, railroad transport, and manufacturing. A new generation of business owners is changing the downtown landscape through public art, community events, and cultural activities. No matter what challenges residents face, they are dedicated to preserving and advancing the city they call home.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
• Release date: Jul 20, 2015
• ISBN: 9781439652381

Dana Borick Brigandi

Dana Borick Brigandi moved to Lycoming County in 2001. Having spent over 10 years writing for the Sun-Gazette, she is an award-winning journalist and freelance writer, as well as a member of several nonprofit organizations. Images for the book were collected from the James V. Brown Library, personal collections, and local organizations.

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INTRODUCTION

Once known as the Lumber Capital of the World and home to more millionaires per capita than any city at the time, Williamsport, Pennsylvania, is more than its lumber heritage. It is a growing and thriving community in the midst of a renaissance. Thanks to the dedicated community members who saw the potential, Williamsport now is an artistic and cultural hub nestled in the Bald Eagle Mountains of north-central Pennsylvania. It was visionary businesspeople who saw more than just a dying downtown shopping district and a vast expanse of Penn’s Woods when they decided to open up shops and bring the Marcellus shale industry to town.

Williamsport is a town full of possibilities. With an award-winning school district and public library, the city also boasts two colleges that bring thousands of new people to town each year. Yes, there are some businesses that no longer remain, and local folks still reminisce about the good old days. But the generations that follow them are changing the downtown landscape through public art, community events, and booming businesses. Nothing ever stays the same, and the people of Williamsport are no exception. As the home of Little League Baseball, the city’s relationship with sports is well known. Philanthropic leaders have a desire to improve the community through their altruism and generosity. It is no surprise then, that when city mayor Gabriel J. Campana, EdD, took office in 2008, he established a new motto for Williamsport—The Will Is in Us. What you will see throughout these pages is businesses, charitable organizations, educational institutions, and social groups striving to enhance the Greater Williamsport region.

Although the high school’s team name is the Millionaires, the city can no longer boast having the most millionaires per capita than any other city. When the millionaires were here, they laid a foundation that members of the community have continued to expand upon. From the meticulously restored Victorian homes to the vibrant downtown, Billtown is alive and thriving.

Several city locations are listed in the National Register of Historic Places, including city hall, Old City Hall, the Peter Herdic House, the Hart Building, Millionaire’s Row Historic District, and the Williamsport Armory, to name a few. Most recently, the Original Little League Field was added to the list of State Historical Sites. Original Little League is the birthplace of Little League Baseball, and the first games were played there in 1942, before a new complex was built in 1959 in South Williamsport, just across the West Branch of the Susquehanna River, where the games are now held. This international event puts the community in the center of a major sporting competition.

Money magazine frequently ranks Williamsport among the top 300 places to live in the United States and in 2011 ranked it No. 2 on a list of Best Shrinking Places to Live. Wegmans and Susquehanna Health, along with other employers, consistently show up on lists of Best Places to Work in Pennsylvania. The city’s two colleges, Lycoming College and Pennsylvania College of Technology, routinely score high on US News and World Report. Williamsport residents have many reasons to be proud of the community.

Williamsport has been at the forefront of major industries, and Wirerope Works, Inc., the local Bethlehem Wire Rope facility, is the largest wire rope manufacturing complex in North America. Natural gas exploration, in conjunction with the Marcellus shale industry, continues to grow, using local railroads to transport freight.

What you will not see in this book are the cultural, financial, and religious impact from the numerous churches in the Williamsport area. There are too many to mention, and they deserve a book of their own. Chapters could be devoted strictly to their architecture and stained-glass windows.

There also was not room to portray adequately the city’s public service workers—the police officers, firefighters, and other officials who work tirelessly to keep Williamsport a safe place to live and work. What I hope you will find is a highlight of the people, places, and activities that make this community what it is today—a scrapbook, if you will, of this place called home by nearly 30,000 people.

One

DOWNTOWN

WILLIAMSPORT

The downtown area, which encompasses most of West Fourth and West Third Streets, has seen many changes in storefronts, but what remains the same are the small-business owners’ commitment to the city and community members’ drive and passion to