Sonestown, Pennsylvania

Village in Pennsylvania, United States
41°21′13″N 76°33′15″W / 41.35361°N 76.55417°W / 41.35361; -76.55417CountryUnited StatesStatePennsylvaniaCountySullivanFounded byGeorge SonesPopulation
 (1996)
 • Total200

Sonestown is a former unincorporated village in what is now Davidson Township, Sullivan County, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.[1]

History and notable features

In 1843, George Sones built a sawmill and founded Sonestown, an unincorporated village within what is now Davidson Township in Sullivan County, Pennsylvania.[1][2] This occurred before Sullivan County was formed from part of Lycoming County on March 14, 1847.[3]

A bridge was then erected in 1850. During the late nineteenth century, Sonestown "boomed like crazy"[4] as the county's lumber industry grew. The village was home, at that time, to a plant that manufactured staves for barrel making. The Eagles Mere Railroad (1892-1928), a narrow-gauge line providing rail access to the resort town of Eagles Mere, also had its southern terminus in Sonestown.

Although the town had a clothespin factory that operated roughly from 1903 to 1929, it lost almost all of its industrial capacity by the 1930s.

As of 1996, Sonestown had a population of roughly two hundred; most commuted to work in Muncy, Montoursville, and Williamsport. In 1996, the village had a few stores, an inn with a restaurant, which attracted tourists and hunters.[4]

The village gives its name to Sonestown Covered Bridge, which is 1 mile (1.6 km) south of the village on Route 220.

References

  1. ^ a b Moore, Catherine (1996-12-08). "Covered Bridge to Reopen". Williamsport Sun-Gazette. p. A3.
  2. ^ Ingham, Thomas J. (1899). History of Sullivan County, Pennsylvania: Compendium of Biography. Chicago, Illinois: Lewis Publishing Co. Retrieved 2015-01-07.
  3. ^ "Sullivan County 8th class" (PDF). Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Retrieved 2015-01-07. Note: Davidson Township was formed in 1833 from part of Shrewsbury Township while both were still part of Lycoming County.
  4. ^ a b Moore, Catherine (1996-12-08). "People not alone in liking Sonestown". Williamsport Sun-Gazette. pp. A2–3.
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Municipalities and communities of Sullivan County, Pennsylvania, United States
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