Gale Largey : His Newest Film

Presidential Elections: 1789-2024 Facts, Tidbits & Cartoons

Focus: Tioga County

When and Where: 61 North Main 2 PM Sunday Nov. 3

New “hyper-local” history documentary to be shown four times!

Presidential Elections 1789-2020 - Facts, Tidbits, & Cartoons; with a Focus on Tioga County

Wellsboro, PA –October 10, 2024 – The Deane Center for the Performing Arts and The History Center on Main Street are pleased to announce three special screenings of the film Presidential Elections 1789-2020: Facts, Tidbits, Cartoons - Focus: Tioga County

This engaging documentary will delve into the fascinating history of presidential elections, with a unique spotlight on the voters of Tioga County,

Pennsylvania.

The film, written and directed by Gale Largey, edited by Mark Polonia, and narrated by Michael Capuzzo, offers an intriguing exploration of how Tioga County has influenced and been influenced by national elections.

Highlights of the Film:

 Historical Voting Patterns: Discover how often Tioga County residents have voted for the winning presidential candidate.

 Party Loyalties: Uncover the identity of the last Democratic candidate to win in Tioga County and why some districts favored McClellan over Lincoln during the Civil War.

 Political Powerhouses: Learn about the most powerful Republican and Democratic leaders in Tioga County's history.

 Popular Candidates: Who was the most popular presidential candidate in Tioga County history?

 Historical Anecdotes: Find out which candidate supported by Tioga County voters, dueled ten times and killed a man in doing so, and which districts supported FDR.

 Unique Tidbits: Explore interesting facts, including the only lifelong bachelor president.

This one-hour film is sure to captivate political enthusiasts, trivia buffs, and anyone interested in Tioga County's rich history.

Showing in Mansfield:

 Date: Sunday, November 3 rd at 2pm

 Location: The History Center on Main Street, 61 N. Main St. Mansfield, PA 16933

 Admission: Free (Donations appreciated)

Showings in Wellsboro:

 Date: Wednesday, October 30 th at 2pm and again at 7pm, Monday, November 4 th at 7pm

 Location: Coolidge Theatre, Deane Center for the Performing Arts, 104 Main St.,

Wellsboro, PA 16901

 Admission: Free (Donations appreciated)

Join us for an afternoon or evening of political insights and historical revelations. This film screening promises to be an engaging and educational experience, offering a rare glimpse into the intersection of local and national history.

Tioga : From River to Railroad

The History Center and Kelsey Academy of Tioga present:

Tioga: From River to Railroad

by Phil Hesser

When and Where: 61 North Main 1 PM Friday Nov. 8

Did you know that the first railroad to reach Tioga County originally was known as "Tioga Navigation"? Did you know that the first US post office for Blossburg first was called "Canal Port"? 

Phil Hesser will talk about the first projects to transport coal down the Tioga River and how investors in the Twin Tiers backed the new technologies of canals and railroads to make it happen. Join us on November 8 at 1:00 PM at the History Center to see how Tioga coal made its way to the North Atlantic and to California gold fields thanks to the 19th century transportation "moon shot" undertaken by the tech-savvy shareholders of the Tioga Navigation Co.

Phil Hesser has focused on the history of Chesapeake Bay and its watershed following a career with an international NGO and at universities in two continents. He is the author of many articles and two books: What a River Says - Exploring the Blackwater River and Refuge (2014) and with co-author Charlie Ewers A Guide to Harriet Tubman's Eastern Shore - The Old Home Is Not There (2021). 

100 Years of Mansfield's Girl Scouts

October 2024 marked the centenary of the formation of the first girl scout troop in Mansfield. To commemorate the occasion, long-time leader, Deb Bowen Calkins, presented items from her collection of Scout memorabilia at The History Center with a program on September 21.

The exhibit remains on display at The History Center through October 27. A visiting hour at 4 pm on Sunday Oct. 27 is open to all. Visitors can stop in at The History Center during our open hours until that day to see it.

High School Reunions 2024

Our History-Genealogy Library is open any time the History Center is open. We invite you to stop by to browse, dip into volumes, do research, or just sit and read. We can search our database if you are looking for some specific book or topic. You can also check out a volume on loan to take with you.

Summer 2024

Railroad Books in our Library

      The History Center has a variety of materials on railroads. The larger part of our railroad collection was donated by railroad researcher and expert, Jim McMullin. It is concentrated on the Tioga Division of the Erie Railroad. The collection includes a number of very old ledgers and manuals from railroad stations in our area. We have two old ledgers of ticket sales, one from Canoe Camp and the other from Trowbridge. While a list of ticket sales may seem mundane, these ledgers give us a peek into how and where folks travelled in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The Canoe Camp Station ledger from 1870-1873 shows ticket sales for as close as Covington and as far away as Corning on the Tioga RR, listing points along the way for Mansfield (the most frequent trip), Fall Brook, Somerville, Arnot, Morris Run, Blossburg Lamb’s Creek, Mill Creek, Tioga, and Old Station. 

The Trowbridge Station ledger of 1915-1917 is a more casual document with simply blank pages with information written in, including stations. Tickets are numbered but show no amount, so we have no idea what folks paid to travel to Elmira or Millerton. In addition to train tickets, the ledger lists “Dog Tags.” Apparently, one went to the train station to license their pets (work animals were exempt).

Reading the diary of Thomas B. Hulslander, we find that in 1900, while working as a lineman for the telephone company, his main mode of transport was the train. The ledgers don’t list names on ticket sales, but Hulslander notes that he travelled by train to: Cohocton, Cowanesque, Oseola, Galeton, Gaines, Coudersport, Cross Fork, Elkland, Savona, Knoxville, Bath, Corning, and Addison. Later he travelled as far as Connecticut and New York City by train.

Unlike today, the train station was the place where one did business other than buy train tickets—or dog tags. We have a freight bill on the Erie RR for 1904 that lists the following from Buffalo to Millerton: box soap (100 lbs), Pkg. D Goods (10 lbs.), and Table in Flat (50 lbs.). And in 1907, Rand, McNally published a Pocket Map of the entire RR system of Pennsylvania, where one could look up: nearest mailing point; post offices for money orders; and telegraph stations. Thomas Hulslander mentions sending a letter and engagement ring in 1902 to Jennie Kiff by registered mail in this way. My, how life has changed.

In addition, our collection includes several small books containing RR information, written for the employees of various Railways. A 1925 NY Central RR Co. book includes instructions for making a freight conductors’ train report with this admonition: “Insert carbon paper between narrow and wide sheet.” Oh, the days of the manual typewriter. An Erie RR manual from 1927 entitled Maintenance of Ways and Structures, gives precise directives for allowances of grade and gauge: “No side track to have elevation of more than one inch.” Hm, we can picture these men out with their measuring instruments walking the tracks. There are even instructions on how to carry ties, mow right of ways, and maintain ditching. The Southern Railway 

Warren L. Miller Elementary School: Thirty Years of Class Photos Now Online (In Process)

In 2016, the Warren L. Miller Elementary School donated all the albums of class photos from the 1982-1983 school year through the 2010-2011 year. We cataloged the albums right away, but not until this year, did we find time to scan the photos and catalog them by class. They are now included in our online catalog at Online Collections | History Center (pastperfectonline.com), although we still have some not yet uploaded. We should be completed soon.

If you want to pull up the whole list so far, try a keyword search such as "elementary." That will get you more than you want. Keyword search "2016.08.02" will bring up all the records in that WLM collection that we have uploaded so far. If you want just one year, try keyword "1015.1983" for the school year 1982-1983, etc.

Or, take the easy path and click here. This is what we have uploaded with names so that you can find yourself with a keyword search. Search Results for 2016.08.02 | History Center (pastperfectonline.com)

Find yourself, your kids, your friends.

Note: The earliest albums from the 1970s to 1982 were lost before we had them.

Wander Through our Records Online

Online Collections | History Center (pastperfectonline.com)

While we have nearly 30,000 cataloged items, about 5,000 of them have so far been uploaded in our online catalog where you can see them.

Take a look. The ONLY way to learn your way around this utility is to read the guidelines and poke every link. Just explore, go wandering. You'll be surprised.

You will find lists of people (all by name at birth), lists of subjects, or try searching on keywords which is just about anything. Our genealogy database of local connections includes over 100,000 individuals. Over 11,000 of them are also included in our museum files with links to schools, cemeteries, businesses, etc. People are only included online if we have an object or photos associated with them, although they are in our files if they are/were local (lived here, buried here, went to school here). If your family is not shown, send us photos so they can be.

You can select Random Images and follow something that catches your eye.

Try searching for advertisements. They link to businesses and the life stories of the people who ran them, and even the buildings they operated in.

You can also link to the online catalogs through our landing page at joycetice.com.

We have lots more fine-tuning and linking to do for our online presentation, but you'll be surprised what you find when you get lost in our files.

Renewed Members - New Members - Join us for 2025

We'd like to have twenty new members for 2025. As a bonus, we'll send each of them a journal issue from previous years in addition to the 2025 issues as they are published. You can send a check or pay by PayPal. Directions link from the button at left.

If you are planning a reunion, consider a casual afternoon Meet & Greet at the History Center's Museum of Us. In an informal environment, you can chat with your friends, watch a slide show of Mansfield's historic photos, and find traces of yourself, your friends, and your family. Many of our exhibits are designed for those who grew up here. The Blue & Gold Room is full of MHS sports mementos. The pictorial display includes YOU along with all the other MHS graduates in its first hundred years.

Thank You to Our Gold Level Sponsors

Law Offices of Larry Mansfield

First Citizens Community Bank

VFW Post 6757

Mansfield Auxiliary Corporation

Lutes Foundation

Gale Largey : His Newest Film

Presidential Elections: 1789-2024 Facts, Tidbits & Cartoons

Focus: Tioga County

When and Where: 61 North Main 2 PM Sunday Nov. 3

New “hyper-local” history documentary to be shown four times!

Presidential Elections 1789-2020 - Facts, Tidbits, & Cartoons; with a Focus on Tioga County

Wellsboro, PA –October 10, 2024 – The Deane Center for the Performing Arts and The History Center on Main Street are pleased to announce three special screenings of the film Presidential Elections 1789-2020: Facts, Tidbits, Cartoons - Focus: Tioga County

This engaging documentary will delve into the fascinating history of presidential elections, with a unique spotlight on the voters of Tioga County,

Pennsylvania.

The film, written and directed by Gale Largey, edited by Mark Polonia, and narrated by Michael Capuzzo, offers an intriguing exploration of how Tioga County has influenced and been influenced by national elections.

Highlights of the Film:

 Historical Voting Patterns: Discover how often Tioga County residents have voted for the winning presidential candidate.

 Party Loyalties: Uncover the identity of the last Democratic candidate to win in Tioga County and why some districts favored McClellan over Lincoln during the Civil War.

 Political Powerhouses: Learn about the most powerful Republican and Democratic leaders in Tioga County's history.

 Popular Candidates: Who was the most popular presidential candidate in Tioga County history?

 Historical Anecdotes: Find out which candidate supported by Tioga County voters, dueled ten times and killed a man in doing so, and which districts supported FDR.

 Unique Tidbits: Explore interesting facts, including the only lifelong bachelor president.

This one-hour film is sure to captivate political enthusiasts, trivia buffs, and anyone interested in Tioga County's rich history.

Showing in Mansfield:

 Date: Sunday, November 3 rd at 2pm

 Location: The History Center on Main Street, 61 N. Main St. Mansfield, PA 16933

 Admission: Free (Donations appreciated)

Showings in Wellsboro:

 Date: Wednesday, October 30 th at 2pm and again at 7pm, Monday, November 4 th at 7pm

 Location: Coolidge Theatre, Deane Center for the Performing Arts, 104 Main St.,

Wellsboro, PA 16901

 Admission: Free (Donations appreciated)

Join us for an afternoon or evening of political insights and historical revelations. This film screening promises to be an engaging and educational experience, offering a rare glimpse into the intersection of local and national history.

Tioga : From River to Railroad

The History Center and Kelsey Academy of Tioga present:

Tioga: From River to Railroad

by Phil Hesser

When and Where: 61 North Main 1 PM Friday Nov. 8

Did you know that the first railroad to reach Tioga County originally was known as "Tioga Navigation"? Did you know that the first US post office for Blossburg first was called "Canal Port"? 

Phil Hesser will talk about the first projects to transport coal down the Tioga River and how investors in the Twin Tiers backed the new technologies of canals and railroads to make it happen. Join us on November 8 at 1:00 PM at the History Center to see how Tioga coal made its way to the North Atlantic and to California gold fields thanks to the 19th century transportation "moon shot" undertaken by the tech-savvy shareholders of the Tioga Navigation Co.

Phil Hesser has focused on the history of Chesapeake Bay and its watershed following a career with an international NGO and at universities in two continents. He is the author of many articles and two books: What a River Says - Exploring the Blackwater River and Refuge (2014) and with co-author Charlie Ewers A Guide to Harriet Tubman's Eastern Shore - The Old Home Is Not There (2021). 

100 Years of Mansfield's Girl Scouts

October 2024 marked the centenary of the formation of the first girl scout troop in Mansfield. To commemorate the occasion, long-time leader, Deb Bowen Calkins, presented items from her collection of Scout memorabilia at The History Center with a program on September 21.

The exhibit remains on display at The History Center through October 27. A visiting hour at 4 pm on Sunday Oct. 27 is open to all. Visitors can stop in at The History Center during our open hours until that day to see it.

High School Reunions 2024

Our History-Genealogy Library is open any time the History Center is open. We invite you to stop by to browse, dip into volumes, do research, or just sit and read. We can search our database if you are looking for some specific book or topic. You can also check out a volume on loan to take with you.

Summer 2024

Railroad Books in our Library

      The History Center has a variety of materials on railroads. The larger part of our railroad collection was donated by railroad researcher and expert, Jim McMullin. It is concentrated on the Tioga Division of the Erie Railroad. The collection includes a number of very old ledgers and manuals from railroad stations in our area. We have two old ledgers of ticket sales, one from Canoe Camp and the other from Trowbridge. While a list of ticket sales may seem mundane, these ledgers give us a peek into how and where folks travelled in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The Canoe Camp Station ledger from 1870-1873 shows ticket sales for as close as Covington and as far away as Corning on the Tioga RR, listing points along the way for Mansfield (the most frequent trip), Fall Brook, Somerville, Arnot, Morris Run, Blossburg Lamb’s Creek, Mill Creek, Tioga, and Old Station. 

The Trowbridge Station ledger of 1915-1917 is a more casual document with simply blank pages with information written in, including stations. Tickets are numbered but show no amount, so we have no idea what folks paid to travel to Elmira or Millerton. In addition to train tickets, the ledger lists “Dog Tags.” Apparently, one went to the train station to license their pets (work animals were exempt).

Reading the diary of Thomas B. Hulslander, we find that in 1900, while working as a lineman for the telephone company, his main mode of transport was the train. The ledgers don’t list names on ticket sales, but Hulslander notes that he travelled by train to: Cohocton, Cowanesque, Oseola, Galeton, Gaines, Coudersport, Cross Fork, Elkland, Savona, Knoxville, Bath, Corning, and Addison. Later he travelled as far as Connecticut and New York City by train.

Unlike today, the train station was the place where one did business other than buy train tickets—or dog tags. We have a freight bill on the Erie RR for 1904 that lists the following from Buffalo to Millerton: box soap (100 lbs), Pkg. D Goods (10 lbs.), and Table in Flat (50 lbs.). And in 1907, Rand, McNally published a Pocket Map of the entire RR system of Pennsylvania, where one could look up: nearest mailing point; post offices for money orders; and telegraph stations. Thomas Hulslander mentions sending a letter and engagement ring in 1902 to Jennie Kiff by registered mail in this way. My, how life has changed.

In addition, our collection includes several small books containing RR information, written for the employees of various Railways. A 1925 NY Central RR Co. book includes instructions for making a freight conductors’ train report with this admonition: “Insert carbon paper between narrow and wide sheet.” Oh, the days of the manual typewriter. An Erie RR manual from 1927 entitled Maintenance of Ways and Structures, gives precise directives for allowances of grade and gauge: “No side track to have elevation of more than one inch.” Hm, we can picture these men out with their measuring instruments walking the tracks. There are even instructions on how to carry ties, mow right of ways, and maintain ditching. The Southern Railway 

Warren L. Miller Elementary School: Thirty Years of Class Photos Now Online (In Process)

In 2016, the Warren L. Miller Elementary School donated all the albums of class photos from the 1982-1983 school year through the 2010-2011 year. We cataloged the albums right away, but not until this year, did we find time to scan the photos and catalog them by class. They are now included in our online catalog at Online Collections | History Center (pastperfectonline.com), although we still have some not yet uploaded. We should be completed soon.

If you want to pull up the whole list so far, try a keyword search such as "elementary." That will get you more than you want. Keyword search "2016.08.02" will bring up all the records in that WLM collection that we have uploaded so far. If you want just one year, try keyword "1015.1983" for the school year 1982-1983, etc.

Or, take the easy path and click here. This is what we have uploaded with names so that you can find yourself with a keyword search. Search Results for 2016.08.02 | History Center (pastperfectonline.com)

Find yourself, your kids, your friends.

Note: The earliest albums from the 1970s to 1982 were lost before we had them.

Wander Through our Records Online

Online Collections | History Center (pastperfectonline.com)

While we have nearly 30,000 cataloged items, about 5,000 of them have so far been uploaded in our online catalog where you can see them.

Take a look. The ONLY way to learn your way around this utility is to read the guidelines and poke every link. Just explore, go wandering. You'll be surprised.

You will find lists of people (all by name at birth), lists of subjects, or try searching on keywords which is just about anything. Our genealogy database of local connections includes over 100,000 individuals. Over 11,000 of them are also included in our museum files with links to schools, cemeteries, businesses, etc. People are only included online if we have an object or photos associated with them, although they are in our files if they are/were local (lived here, buried here, went to school here). If your family is not shown, send us photos so they can be.

You can select Random Images and follow something that catches your eye.

Try searching for advertisements. They link to businesses and the life stories of the people who ran them, and even the buildings they operated in.

You can also link to the online catalogs through our landing page at joycetice.com.

We have lots more fine-tuning and linking to do for our online presentation, but you'll be surprised what you find when you get lost in our files.

Renewed Members - New Members - Join us for 2025

We'd like to have twenty new members for 2025. As a bonus, we'll send each of them a journal issue from previous years in addition to the 2025 issues as they are published. You can send a check or pay by PayPal. Directions link from the button at left.

If you are planning a reunion, consider a casual afternoon Meet & Greet at the History Center's Museum of Us. In an informal environment, you can chat with your friends, watch a slide show of Mansfield's historic photos, and find traces of yourself, your friends, and your family. Many of our exhibits are designed for those who grew up here. The Blue & Gold Room is full of MHS sports mementos. The pictorial display includes YOU along with all the other MHS graduates in its first hundred years.

Thank You to Our Gold Level Sponsors

Law Offices of Larry Mansfield

First Citizens Community Bank

VFW Post 6757

Mansfield Auxiliary Corporation

Lutes Foundation