Oldest building in Danville connected to borough's founding

Dec. 5—Editor's Note: This is the fourth and final part in a series of stories exploring the Valley's oldest buildings still in use. The series, a collaboration between The Daily Item, historical societies and property owners, started with Northumberland County and finishes today with Montour County. The Daily Item invites readers to participate as well. If the series has overlooked a property worthy of inclusion, feel free to email jstrawser@dailyitem.com.

DANVILLE — The founder of Danville erected the oldest building still in use in Montour County, a structure that still stands as a testament to the history of the area.

The Montgomery House Museum, built in 1792, is the headquarters of Montour County Historical Society (MCHS) at 5 Bloom St., Danville. It is the oldest building in Danville, according to museum curators.

"We love history," said Diane Zamboni, one of the curators at the Historical Society. "If you love history, you should preserve it."

Ruth-Ann McCormick, another curator, said she hopes that future generations will appreciate the preservation of the Montgomery House.

"How fortunate are we that we have what we have," she said.

This is the fourth and final part in a four-part series over the last four months in which The Daily Item has looked at historic buildings that are still in use. Already published are Northumberland, Snyder and Union counties. Featured today are Montour County buildings: The Montgomery House, the American Legion, the Danville State Hospital and the Thomas Beaver Free Library.

William Montgomery, the founder of Danville, came from New Castle, Del., and bought 180 acres of land between 1772 and 1773. He owned and built much of the older properties, some of which still stand today, according to the curators.

The first thing he built was a log cabin somewhere near the Montgomery House, but nobody knows the exact location. The stone portion of the federal style Montgomery House is the original section from 1792. The framed wooden section was built earlier than 1857, but the exact date is unknown, the curators said.

The house was always a residence until it became a museum. Montgomery descendants lived in the Montgomery home until Miss Helen Russell passed away in 1939 when the home was put on the market, the curators said.

The Boyd House Museum, at 19 Bloom St. was built in the early 1880s next to the Montgomery House by Daniel Montgomery Boyd, grandson of Daniel Montgomery and great-grandson of William Montgomery, founder of Danville, according to the curators.

Two houses purchased

The Montgomery and Boyd Houses were purchased from Elsie Montgomery and her mother in 1923 by the Danville Elks 754. The Elks deeded the Montgomery House to the county and the county deeded it to the historical society in the 1940s. The museum was opened in 1941, the curators said.

The Boyd House was purchased in 2010 by the Montour County Historical Society to expand the society's exhibition and storage spaces, and to provide meeting facilities for presentations and community events, the curators said.

Local residents donated their memorabilia and historical artifacts for display in the Montgomery House Museum. The older part of the house is set up as a home of the time the Montgomery family may have lived there. There are items donated from descendants of the Montgomery family, according to the historical society website.

Another display is that of the arrowheads that were found in the surrounding fields, streams and river. There are exhibits of musical instruments, toys, clocks or early photos. The MCHS has assembled clothing and accessories that highlight the fashions from the 19th and 20th centuries. There is also a library with historical documents, including correspondence from Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Jackson, as well as a room dedicated to Mrs. Abigail Geisinger containing some of her personal belongings, according to the historical society website.

Zamboni and McCormick said in addition to the original stonework, the Montgomery House has its original molding around the doors and fireplaces, and the original flooring.

Other museums

The Boyd House is a museum of Danville's history that includes military memorabilia, business and industry, mining and iron industry, old advertisements, photographs, documents and materials, according to the historical society website.

The historical society also owns the Mooresburg One-Room Schoolhouse, located at 685 Liberty Valley Road, Danville. It stands as the only remaining one-room school building in Montour County, according to historical society materials.

It was erected in 1875 and rebuilt in 1891. The museum inside now houses some of the original furniture, school books and the still operable school bell. Many items were donated by the Danville Area School District, according to historical society materials.

American Legion

The Frank W. Sidler American Legion Post 40 at 175 Northumberland St., Danville, is one of the oldest buildings in the county. It was originally built as a home by Alexander Montgomery, the son of Danville founder William Montgomery, between 1816 and 1819. The North Branch of the Pennsylvania Canal once passed in front of the house that was built from brick manufactured near the canal, according to materials from the Columbia-Montour Visitors Bureau.

Alexander and his family lived in the home until Iron Industry entrepreneurs purchased it in the early 1840s. For nearly a century, the house was home to those associated with the iron mill that was located across the road. George and Abigail Geisinger lived in the home in 1878 when he was secretary and treasurer of the Kingston Coal Company, according to Columbia-Montour Visitors Bureau materials.

The house was sold in 1938 by the Reading Iron Company. Edward and Frederick Waltman purchased it for a restaurant and hotel named the Maple Hall. It was sold to the American Legion in 1942 and has remained the headquarters of Post 40 ever since, according to th visitors bureau.

Dean VonBlohn, historian of Post 40 and past commander, said the members throughout the years built additions and renovated the interior. While much of inside has changed, the historic facade of the building has stood on this site since Danville's earliest days, he said

"The forefathers of our early membership knew we needed a place to call home," said VonBlohn. "Luckily this building came to the forefront and we purchased it, and we realized it was our stewardship to take care of the building and keep Danville alive and give us a place we can call our home forever. We honor the fact that we can do that. That's a contribution back to the community."

The Legion members are proud of the fact they have been able to maintain the building, he said.

"A lot of the Legions around the area have torn their old buildings down because they couldn't afford to keep them up," said Vonblohn. "Luckily we had people smart enough that were commanders and board members and volunteers that allowed us to keep the building in the shape it is now."

The exterior brickwork and foundation of the building are original. The community room, kitchen and upstairs storage are located in the original part of the home, and the bar and social area were added on after the Legion took over ownership in the mid to late 1900s, said VonBlohn.

An original fireplace still stands in the community room. A doorway in the kitchen leads upstairs to what VonBlohn believes were the original servants' quarters. Other than that, not much remains from the original architecture.

Displayed at the Legion are local war memorabilia from area veterans, including World War I uniform and helmet, World War II uniforms, original documents from the legion's founding, pictures of veterans and former memorial markers.

Oldest state facility

The Danville State Hospital, at 50 Kirkbride Drive, Danville, is the oldest state psychiatric facility currently in operation in Pennsylvania and the oldest employer in Montour County, according to the state Department of Human Services (DHS).

The state hospital was incorporated on April 13, 1869. In October 1872, three years after the cornerstone of the Block Building was laid, Danville State Hospital formally was opened. The land on which Danville State Hospital stands today was originally a tract owned by pioneer Daniel Montgomery, co-founder with his father of Danville and for whom the town was named, according to DHS.

Montgomery willed it to his son, Daniel Strawbridge Montgomery, who gave it to his daughter, Margaret. Margaret married W.W. Pineo. As executor of her estate, the latter conveyed it to the state hospital. Its 250 acres were purchased for $26,600 and Danville citizens backed the project by contributing $16,123.12 of that total, according to DHS.

Other properties of note

The following information was collected through materials from the Columbia-Montour Visitors Bureau; Danville Business Alliance; Montour County Historical Society; archives of The Daily Item; online business biographies, business owners and plaques on historic buildings:

A log cabin in Washingtonville, believed to have been from the 1780s, was discovered in January 2020 when a former bar along Water Street was being demolished. It was dismantled in March 2020 and the Montour-DeLong Community Fair Association Board had the cabin reconstructed during the 2021 fair.

The Doctors Inn at 107 W. Market St., Danville, dating back to the early 19th century, has been a home to many of Danville's well-known ancestors: the Baldy, Wooley, and Wells families. It is a bed and breakfast and private residence now.

The building at 46 W. Market St., Danville, was originally built in the 1830s and occupied by William Jennison, an early iron manufacturer. The house served as a parsonage for the Methodist Episcopal Church for approximately 100 years. It is now office space and apartments.

The building at 42 W. Market St., Danville, was built by Simon P. Kase prior to 1840. Kase built railroads, iron mills, and threshing machines. It is now the law office of Marks, McLaughlin and Dennehy.

The building at 315 Mill St., Danville, originally opened as The Bank of Danville — the borough's oldest bank — in 1850. In 1865, it became the Danville National Bank and in 1881, workers constructed the main part of the stone building that stands today with additions in 1952 and 1966. It is now the First Commonwealth Bank.

The former Danville Academy at 203 W. Market St., Danville, was built in 1855. The original building was built and financed by William Montgomery and instituted in 1818. It continued to be an academy of learning until the end of the 19th century when it was sold privately. It was modified around 1900 and is now an apartment complex.

The former Danville High School at 217 Pine St., Danville, was erected between 1872 and 1873. It housed both elementary and secondary students throughout the years but became a grammar school in 1928 when a new high school was built on East Front Street. It was owned by the district until 1989 when it was sold to a private party who restored and renovated it. It is now an apartment complex.

The Abigail House Bed and Breakfast at 40 Center St., Danville, was built in the 1870s. Abigail Geisinger, the founder of Geisinger Memorial Hospital, lived in this house. It is now a rental property.

The original mansion at St. Cyril Academy and Basilica of SS. Cyril and Methodius at 1002 Railroad St., Danville, was built in 1867 by the Grove Brothers. The academy building was built in 1929 and the chapel was built in 1939. On June 7, 1919, the sale to the Congregation was made final.

The building at 615 Mill St., Danville, was built in 1869. Formerly the Union Hotel, it was purchased in 1984 by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, who still occupy it today.

The building at 608 Mill St., Danville, was built in 1870 and was the site of Cole's Hardware for 100 years. It is now Brazilian Jiu Jutsu in the front along Mill Street and Old City Bagels along Lower Mulberry Street.

The Montour County Courthouse at 253 Mill St., Danville, was designed by Charles Wetzel and built in 1871. It features quoins, brackets, arched windows and a cupola of the Italianate style. This was Montour County's second courthouse. The original building also stood on this site. William Montgomery donated land and $1,000 for the courthouse.

The building at 453 Mill St., Danville, was originally built as the City Hotel in 1872. At one time, the White Swan Hotel stood on this site. The Montour Trust Company added the massive concrete facade in the 1920s. Between 1957 and 2019, it served as the Danville Police Station and the mayor's office. It is now Altera Life Health Club.

The building at 712 Railroad St., Danville, was originally built as the Reading Railroad Station in Philadelphia to accommodate the large crowds in Fairmount Park in 1876 for the nation's Centennial Exposition. This expo celebrated the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. In the late 1800s, it was dismantled and moved to Danville. It is now home to Buckley's Carpet.

The Thomas Beaver Free Library, located at 317 Ferry St., Danville, and former YMCA was designed by Charles Wetzel. The cornerstone was laid on July 5, 1886, on the site of the former Danville Hotel. The library and YMCA cost $195,000 to build. All the funding was donated by local industrialist Thomas Beaver. The library now occupies the entire building. It is built of Ohio Graystone with granite trimmings and Scotch granite columns.

The building at 338 Mill St., Danville, was first built as a dwelling house in 1870 by Peter Baldy Sr. and then converted into a hotel by William C. Williams in 1891. At the time it was built it was the tallest building in Danville. It is now occupied by Dark House Tattoos and Piercings as well as apartment buildings.

The building at 322 Mill St., Danville, was built in the late 19th Century It is now Realty World: Booth and Deutsch Yoder Insurance Inc.

The Montour County Jail at 117 Church St., Danville, was built in 1892. The original stone jail that previously stood on the site of the current jail was built and partially destroyed in a fire in 1891. The current jail was built on land donated by Daniel Montgomery, the son of William Montgomery. Daniel Montgomery donated $1,000 toward the $28,000 construction.

The building at 362-364 Mill St., Danville, was built in late 19th century and often referred to as the Keystone Building. Valentine Best, the state senator noted for his influence in the separation of Montour County from Columbia County, lived in a building that previously occupied the site. It was once the home of the Danville Post Office. It is now occupied by McWilliams Uniform Shoppe, a community room, the Conservancy of Extraordinary Dance and apartments.