Uniting the Past and Present: Johnsonburg Community Trust's Story

papers and letters from 1997, 1998 and 2000

A passionate group of individuals started meeting midsummer 1996 to brainstorm on how to bring back Johnsonburg. They were from organizations, businesses, local government, the borough and also, private individuals. All with a deep connection to the town and were, honestly, movers and shakers. Starting simply with the creation of, what was called, the Downtown Committee, the precursor to what would be the Johnsonburg Community Trust, they formed a plan. Members of this original group were Chris Bressler, Charlie Constable, Dan Freeburg, Ron King, Joyce Maletto, Cathy Mehalko, Mary Polaski, Harriet Stahli and Steve Vallone. These pioneers started making phone calls, establishing funds then ultimately hiring a consulting service out of Brookville, Taylor & Taylor Associates. The Johnsonburg Community Trust (JCT) was formed in 1997. From here, the JCT directors began the process of becoming a non-profit - they were incorporated in the fall of 1998, bylaws were adopted, their mission statement was written and thus began the laborious process of applying for the historic section of downtown to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places, received September 27, 1999. This designation, the name Commercial Historic District, was extremely important to the growth of downtown..

As written in the National Register of Historic Places, 1999, Section 7 page 1:

The Johnsonburg Commercial Historic District is a 6-acre district which contains the extant historic buildings of the central business district of the Borough of Johnsonburg, located in Elk County, in north-central Pennsylvania. The community is small and rural in character, although heavily industrialized, and lies at the confluence of two branches of the Clarion River, nine miles north of Ridgway, the county seat. The buildings within the district date from between 1890 and the late 1930s, are primarily of brick, and are of two and three stories in height. The architectural styles evident within the district include Italianate, Colonial and Neo-Classical Revivals, and Art Deco; some buildings are built without reference to any academic style. The district includes portions of Center Street (U. S. Route 219) and Market Streets, which run roughly parallel to each other, and Bridge Street, which connects the two streets at right angles near the south boundary of the district. Just outside the district, at the north end of Market Street, the Williamette Paper Mill physically dominates the skyline of the northern terminus of the district. Thirty-eight individual resources are in the district, of which thirty-three (85%) contribute to the character of the district and five (15%) are non contributing. Of the thirty-eight resources in the district, thirty-seven are buildings and one—a piece of religious statuary—is a contributing object. Approximately 20% of the buildings in the district were built between c. 1890 and 1900, about 70% between 1900 and 1945 and approximately 10% after World War II. The district contains one residential building, one industrial building, and three institutional buildings; the remainder are primarily commercial.

United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Registration Form

JCT’s mission statement:

The Mission of the Johnsonburg Community Trust is to promote, obtain and administer revitalization projects for the Borough of Johnsonburg in order to attract new retail businesses and improve the business opportunities for existing retailers, in a way that:

1. Creates an appealing shopping environment by enhancing our existing building structures and architecture designs.

2. Utilizes and takes advantage of our region's rich natural resources and history to promote tourism and related businesses.

3. Includes ideas and input from all sectors of our population, both business and residential.

4. To improve the quality of life of the community of Johnsonburg by educating the general public as to the heritage of the community, by historic preservation, by aesthetic improvement and by the development of the arts.

In 1997 the JCT committees were formed including the Preservation/Design Committee, Arts Committee, Nominating Committee and Finance Committee. Public meetings were scheduled, a Central Business District Assessment was complete and streetscape contractors were invited to place bids and grants written to begin a facade program. In 2000, the Hamer Center for Community Design Assistance, which is an outreach unit from the School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at Penn State University developed an action plan. The recommendations of their Mobile Studio team represents four areas of action which include Community Entrances, Downtown Streetscapes, Community Greenways and Community Building and Networking.

Many of these strategic projects were implemented throughout town including tree plantings, commercial building facades, signage and more. Business owners were often contacted about how they could be a part of downtown revitalizations and grants were written.

The 2008 Our Town Johnsonburg at WPSU studio’s in St. College. Volunteers from Johnsonburg answering phones and raising money.

As the years went by the JCT took part in two WPSU Our Town series, one in 2008 and the other 2016. Funding for murals painted by the talented artist Tom Copella took place in 2014 and 2015 and, in 2019, the Johnsonburg Community Center had an overhaul of its playground.

Come June 2020, a first happened for this non-profit - the purchase of a 45,000 sq ft Armstrong Real Estate and Improvement Company's Brick Block building. This 1890’s brick structure holds great importantance architecturally, for it occupies ¼ of the downtown’s Commercial Historic District. Up to that point the JCT had never owned property but, if the 12 bay structure were to be demolished a huge portion of the district would not exist. The group became obsessed with saving the Brick Block with its multiple storefronts, recessed arcade, and lively profile. For months volunteers removed tons of debris and also made this 130 year old building weathertight and as structurally sound as the times permitted.

A Rehabilitation Plan was created/implemented for the Brick Block (BB), volunteers continued working hard to save the BB, all while the directors held events, fundraisers and completed other community projects. Starting in 2021, plans were made to build out a Heritage Education & Welcome Center in the first unit of the BB, located on the corner of Bridge and Market Street. This essential build-out would become a place for historical displays, classes & educational workshops, the JCT office, events, retail space for local artisans and an umbrella for other non-profits, welcome center, etc.

Coming into 2022/2023, the JCT is continuing to work with the borough on greenspaces through town as well as other upcoming projects throughout 2024.. Many, many exciting ventures are continuing to unfold including a Community Economic Development Coordinator being hired that the borough will share, 20 hrs in Johnsonburg and 20 hrs in Ridgway. We also partnered with Leadership Elk & Cameron on the Together We can Make a Difference survey in 2022. A very successful New Year’s Eve Party had its inaugural event 2023, Illuminate the Memories in its forth year, Casino Night now in its second year, as well as the Alumni & Friends Reunion Event now celebrating 20 years for 2024.

JCT directors at the Johnsonburg Community Center, at January 2024, meeting looking at donated original maps of a section of Johnsonburg, then Rolfe.
directors: Stephanie Distler, Arianne Iorfido, Harv Davison, Lauren Pura, Dawn Karellas, Kyle Paget, Andrew Mohney and Christina Tigani, present. Missing: Shannon Gitterman and Becky Durian

Look for more information coming out on the Johnsonburg Community Trust’s Heritage Education & Welcome Center, upcoming events, how to volunteer and also, support our mission through the website www.johnsonburgcommunitytrust.com and on Facebook or Instagram.

by Stephanie Distler
5th generation JBG native
JCT, president

Designated Johnsonburg's Commercial Historic District in 1999

September 27, 1999 is when the Johnsonburg Commercial Historic District was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the Johnsonburg Community Trust.

Follow the link below to learn more on the history and importance of Johnsonburg's architectural history as well as the historic buildings listed in the Commercial Historic District.

The Johnsonburg Commercial Historic District is a 6-acre district which contains the historic buildings of the central business district of the Borough of Johnsonburg, located in Elk County, in north-central Pennsylvania.

The community is small and rural in character, although heavily industrialized, and lies at the confluence of two branches of the

Clarion River, nine miles north of Ridgway, the county seat. The buildings within the district date from between 1890 and the late 1930s, are primarily of brick, and are of two and three stories in height.

The architectural styles evident within the district include Italianate, Colonial and Neo-Classical Revivals, and Art Deco; some buildings are built without reference to academic style. The district includes portions of Center Street (U. S. Route 219) and Market Streets, which run roughly parallel to each other, and Bridge Street, which connects the two streets at right angles near the south boundary of the district. Just outside the district at the north end of Market Street, the Williamette Paper Mill physically dominates the skyline of the northern terminus of the district.

Thirty-eight individual resources are in the district, of which thirty-three (85%) contribute to the character of the district and five (15%) are noncontributing. Of the thirty-eight resources in the district, thirty-seven are buildings and one—a piece of religious statuary—is a contributing object. Approximately 20% of the buildings in the

district were built between c. 1890 and 1900, about 70% between 1900 and 1945 and approximately 10% after World War II.

-to download the pdf

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71995980

#historicpreservation #johnsonburgPA #historyandheritage #nationalregisterofhistoricplaces #pawilds #communitysupport #savingplaces

Volunteering and Bringing Back a Historic Building in Johnsonburg's Commercial Historic District

photo credit sld

While recently researching Johnsonburg's history and heritage I read a beautiful rendition about our landscape.  Taken from the History of Elk County

A correspondent of the Erie Observer, visiting this place in September, 1887, tells the story of its modern progress. He writes: "Perhaps the finest mountain scenery in the State, and certainly the least known to tourists, is found in the Elk mountain region near Johnsonburg. To see the grandest part of the Elk mountains, one should take a carriage or horse from the Johnsonburg hotel and follow the excellent driveway to Rolfe, one mile, and continue to Wilcox, six miles distant. Striking peaks, sharp and glittering as the Matterhorn, surround one on all sides. Crystal streams flow through every valley, and the fair Clarion river supplies immense water-power for innumerable manufacturing plants. No lover of the grand or beautiful in nature should fail to take a drive through and around Johnsonburg. What is known as the Rocks is a wonderful piece of God's masonry. Solid ice may be broken off from these rocks in July and August. Besides being picturesque, Johnsonburg promises to become the emporium of a great business mart some day. L. C. Horton is the leading merchant and business man of this place. One of the largest tanneries in the United States, and owned by Wilson, Kistler & Co., is situated at Johnsonburg Junction. The monster planing-mill of Henry, Bayard & Co. employs a large number of men. There are several fine hotels. The Johnsonburg hotel, kept by L. C. Horton [now by John Foley], is a favorite place for summer tourists and business people. New buildings are going up daily, and the latest is the Park Opera House and billiard hall, built by Mr. A. Parks, one of our rising business men. Johnsonburg produces her own gas, and her churches and schools are all lighted and heated by gas. There is more freight handled here than in most towns of twice its size."

Postcard of Odd Fellow's Day, circa 1890

The allure of the mountains, rich history and architecture is unmistakable  You can feel it coming from the residents and visitors, the momentum is growing. So much is happening downtown and beyond! 

The photos below are of  this morning's group continuing to expose the brick wall in the Heritage Education Center, as we continue to spare some of the build out expense that is about to begin with hiring contractors.  

photo credit sld

Mayor Kyle Paget, Lauren Pura and Dawn Karellas

photo credit sld

Dawn Karellas 

Me, Kyle, Lauren and Dawn

photo credit Lauren Pura

Our group this morning!  Photo taken by one of our amazing volunteers, Christine Bressler.

More to come!  WE are Johnsonburg!

Johnsonburg Community Trust

www.stephaniedistler.com

*This is a blog post recently shared on stephaniedistler.com

Arcade Anchor

The Arcade Building or the “Brick Block” as we know it could be considered one of the first shopping malls in the United States; a continuous row of connected stores contained within one structure. As with modern shopping plazas every mall needs an “anchor” store. Anchor stores entice patrons to the mall, increasing customer traffic flow to nearby or adjoining emporiums who cannot draw many purchasers on their own. The second tenant on the brick block after E. F. Cummings Express Office and Stationary Store was the United States Post Office at 569 Market Street, at the corner of Market and Bridge Streets.

A present day photo of the original ceiling from the 1891 Post Office.

With the large Armstrong paper mill under construction and people pouring into the community for work and business the U. S. Government in December 1887 decided to place a post office in Johnsonburg and rename the town “Quay” in honor of Pennsylvania Senator Matthew Quay. John Foley, reputable owner of the Johnsonburg House (hotel) on Pennsylvania Avenue, and former postmaster of Rolfe, Pennsylvania is named postmaster. The post office is in his hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue west of the Pennsylvania and Erie Railroad station; receipts for the second quarter of 1889 are $335. For a post office with this amount of revenue at the time the postmaster would receive 30 percent of receipts.

The office was moved to the new Armstrong Hotel in 1889 with Isiah Cobb appointed the new postmaster on April 5, 1889. Isiah is 65 years of age and maybe a little slow on the uptake; his daughter Ada Wheeler took over as postmistress on May 6, 1891. At the same time the Postmaster General decrees that the Johnsonburg Post Office will no longer be known as Quay, but as Johnsonburg. It is Ada, who with her father Isiah operates the Wheeler Boarding House on the corner of Market and Cobb Streets, who moves the Johnsonburg Post Office to the Arcade Building in 1891. George Cooley is a clerk at the post office.

What makes the post office of the 1890’s an anchor store? First Class postage was two cents and house to house delivery was restricted to certain sections of large cities. Therefore, residents of Johnsonburg, to buy stamps, mail packages, or pick up or send mail, had to frequent the new post office on Market Street. With over 1,000 inhabitants in town you can imagine the foot and buggy traffic at the corner of Market and Bridge Streets.

Market Street 1915

George Cooley reigned as Johnsonburg Postmaster from May 27, 1892 to June 6, 1896. Under his watch $5.00 worth of pennies were stolen from the office on May 5, 1896 (Wonder what those Indian head pennies would be worth today?). An associate of the Armstrong Real Estate and Improvement Company, George will take over the operations of the Armstrong Hotel after his term as postmaster. Assisting him in running the hotel is Ada Wheeler, former postmistress, and her father Isiah Cobb, also a former postmaster. Ada Cobb Wheeler is estranged from Amos Wheeler, 20 years her senior, and George Cooley resides at the Wheeler Boarding House with Ada and Isiah. She and George are the same age, you can draw your own conclusions.

James McCloskey, known in the area as a prominent hotel man (but really just a former saloon keeper), took over as Johnsonburg Postmaster in 1896 to March 1899 when he became the Johnsonburg Borough’s tax assessor. Mr. McCloskey’s successor is John Wrathall who was the Johnsonburg Postmaster from 1899 to his death on May 18, 1900. Mr. Wrathall’s first wife died in 1884, his second wife died in 1897, strangely, he married his third wife just nine days before his own death. His last will and testament, written the day before his third marriage, left $5 each to his two oldest sons, Charles and James, and his H. L. Stock and Postmaster outfit to his wife Ollie Williams Wrathall for the upbringing and education of his two younger children, Aaron Bruce and Ellen Florentine.

William Stone Gleason began one of the longest stretches of postmastering in Johnsonburg on June 5, 1900. He served as postmaster until 1920 when he became the Johnsonburg Justice of the Peace, a position he held until his death in 1928. In 1910 practically all the postage stamp paper was made in Johnsonburg, Pennsylvania. One could say at the time that all the canceled stamps at the post office in the Brick Block had returned home!

On June 13, 1919 Postmaster Gleason introduced home delivery. Regulations require the sidewalks to traverse the entire block and house numbers must be painted on the sidewalk or house. Mail is either placed in a box at the house or hand delivered. Without a box or no-one-home mail will be retained by the carrier and delivered the next day.

William Norris Jones followed Mr. Gleason in 1922. He was a house painter by trade. His tenure was cut short by his death on March 16, 1925. Mr. Jones’ son, Russell Neal Jones, worked 41 years for the Johnsonburg paper mill in various supervisory positions, retiring as the mill General Manager in 1959.

As of March 1, 1923 all homes wanting delivery service must have a box or receptacle attached to receive the mail.

James J. Donnelly, manager of the W.E. Zierden Store, accepted the position of Johnsonburg Postmaster on May 25, 1925, serving until 1934. During his service the post office was moved to Centre Street (sometime before 1929), which ended the United States Government’s postal involvement with the Brick Block.

Why did the Post Office abandon the Brick Block? Likely it was due to lack of space. With Johnsonburg growing by leaps and bounds during the 1920’s and the advent of the greater usage of automobiles the post office on Market Street was devoid of parking spaces and storage space. Mail, at the time, arrived in Johnsonburg by train and was freighted up Bridge Street from the railroad stations (B & O to Grant Street to Bridge Street, or Pennsylvania to Bridge Street) to the alley (Little Alley) behind the post office on Market Street for processing. Obviously, locating the post office in the middle of Centre Street allowed for more access by auto customers and also provided easier delivery of mail from the railroads (utilizing the alley behind the Centre Street stores). Additionally, having the post office on Centre Street increased storage space for parcel post, which had been taken over by the United States Post Office from express companies in 1917.

The Johnsonburg Post Office returned to Market Street in 1962 at its current location.

Kevin “Reg” Barwin January 2023

Kevin Barwin, a Johnsonburg native, who spent his youth peddling newspapers in Johnsonburg and reading the newsprint, while walking his routes, acquired a taste for the past.

THE PAPER BOY FROM THE PAPER CITY, More on his book: here

A CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK

When the Johnsonburg Market Street “brick block” first opened in 1891 it was known as the “Arcade Building.” Arcade in architecture means a “a covered walkway that provides access to adjacent shops.” The name never caught on.

The Bradford Era wrote 7-29-1891 about the Brick Block “This is a row of 12 large business rooms built into one huge block, two and three stories high. The appearance of the block in keeping with the general air in Johnsonburg. Money has been put in it lavishly. It is built of brick with a bounteous sprinkling of stone copings, facing and decorations. Unfortunately the rooms below have been sacrificed some for the comfort of the rooms and offices above. But that will not be noticed as the whole block is so desirable as an institution that its acquisition if it were dyed green and had no front doors would still be a thing for most any town in the country to be proud of.

On 8-27-1891 it is reported that E. F. Cummings & Co. has moved into their new offices in the Armstrong Block. Edward Francis Cummings was born in New Bethlehem, Pennsylvania on January 17, 1858. When he reached the age of 12 he took a position as a store clerk, at age 18 he became a station agent for the Allegheny Valley Railroad. In 1881 he moved to Ceres, Pennsylvania and took charge of the office of the Bradford, Eldred. and Cuba Railroad. In 1890 Mr. Cummings came to Johnsonburg as the station agent for the Philadelphia & Erie Railroad Company. In May 1891 he retired from railroading and opened his own office in concert with the Adams Express Company; Mr. Cummings sold insurance along business lines. Eventually, he moved across the street to an office in the Opera House. In 1901 he sold his insurance business to Donnelly & Smith. Mr. Cummings occupied the northern most store in the Brick Block, he was the first tenant. The U. S. Post Office was the second tenant at the southern most store on the block.

It was also noted on 8-27-1891 that all the rooms above the stores have been rented and will be occupied within 30 days. W. H. Chafee of Bradford rented a room for business shortly after E. F. Cummings rented the storefront. Mr. Chafee was a bookkeeper.

In November 1891 Dr. William Palmer, one of Johnsonburg’s earliest physicians moved his office into the Brick Block. He graduated from the State University of Medicine at Buffalo, New York in 1887. On November 3, 1920 his automobile slid on ice and crashed near the bridge at Deckertown on his way to work. He died within the half-hour. At the time of his death he was chief Surgeon at the Ridgway General Hospital. He was 56.

More chips later,

Reg Barwin

Author: Kevin “Reg” Barwin

Kevin Barwin, a Johnsonburg native, who spent his youth peddling newspapers in Johnsonburg and reading the newsprint, while walking his routes, acquired a taste for the past.
THE PAPER BOY FROM THE PAPER CITY, More on his book: here