Mouse over for marker text
Name:
Travel History
Region:
Valleys of the Susquehanna
County:
Mifflin
Marker Location:
US 22 & 322, 1.7 miles E of Lewistown
Dedication Date:
March 28, 1947
Behind the Marker
In many ways, Mifflin County is the crossroads of the Commonwealth. Located near the geographic center of the state, the area became a hub for traffic moving in every direction.
Early roads crisscrossed the region, but it was the eventual construction of the
Pennsylvania Canal and the railroads that followed that truly positioned Mifflin County as an economic force in the state.
Millions of tons of raw goods and produce flowed through Mifflin County during the nineteenth century. Among the staples found on the canal boats and the railcars were iron ore, coal, flour, butter, and whiskey. Thousands of passengers also passed through the county. Countless numbers of immigrants on their way toJohnstown, Pittsburgh, and beyond gazed out from their canal boats and train cars at the bustling traffic and the scenic hills of Mifflin County.
Places such as Lewistown, the county seat, saw their economies expand dramatically as entrepreneurs launched companies to construct canal boats or build inns offering lodging for travelers and workers.
At its zenith, Mifflin County was one of the busiest centers for cargo and passenger traffic in the United States. But with the demise of the canal system, Mifflin County eventually lost its place as a major transportation hub.
Map of part of Mifflin County, PA, circa 1839.
Early roads crisscrossed the region, but it was the eventual construction of the
Pennsylvania Canal and the railroads that followed that truly positioned Mifflin County as an economic force in the state.Millions of tons of raw goods and produce flowed through Mifflin County during the nineteenth century. Among the staples found on the canal boats and the railcars were iron ore, coal, flour, butter, and whiskey. Thousands of passengers also passed through the county. Countless numbers of immigrants on their way to
Johnstown, Pittsburgh, and beyond gazed out from their canal boats and train cars at the bustling traffic and the scenic hills of Mifflin County.Places such as Lewistown, the county seat, saw their economies expand dramatically as entrepreneurs launched companies to construct canal boats or build inns offering lodging for travelers and workers.
At its zenith, Mifflin County was one of the busiest centers for cargo and passenger traffic in the United States. But with the demise of the canal system, Mifflin County eventually lost its place as a major transportation hub.
