Erie County (PA) Genealogy
Franklin Township - Rt 98 Bridge Dedication
Contributed by Dennis Howard
The information below was extracted and transcribed from the contributor's personal collection of handwritten family history notes. This article pertains mostly to the dedication of the bridge on Route 98 over Elk Creek. Anyone having any questions or comments concerning this material, please contact Dennis Howard directly.
Route 98 Dedication, circa 1925
The dedication of the new bridge across Elk Creek marks the opening of a highway rich in pioneer history. A vivid contrast of modern times and the ease of conveyance today to pioneer days and their hardships was recalled by Mr. G.T. Howard, one of the oldest citizens here.
We have tried to record the stories of some of the events which mark the progress of this section. Some of the following incidents happened within the memory of Mr. Howard and some are recalled as related by his father.
Jim Ryan, a noted hunter was perhaps the first to settle in the region. He was forced because of the lack of a road to leave his team of oxen and hand hewed wagon at the top of the bank of Elk Creek while he went into the valley below and built a home of the logs of the dense forest there. When his home was built he let his goods down by rope. On one of his trips down he encountered a huge panther in his path. The wagon was left at the top of the hill and, until it decayed, was more or less a landmark. The forest land was cleared and in its place today are the fertile farm lands which we see.
Mr. Fletcher, a miner, was one of the next who came here. He came by way of Elk Creek, and following a branch of it, came to what is now known as Howard's Falls. Near this point he discovered a stone quarry. The discovery of stone attracted many settlers here and for many years was a booming industry.
Chief among those attracted by the stone were Mr. Howard's father, Levi, and uncle, Henry, from Vermont. Because there was no bridge over Elk Creek when they came, they were obliged to come in by what is known as the Old State Road, Levi Howard bought the land to the West of the old road on which was opened the original stone Quarry. Henry Howard bought a large track of land to the South. This included about 400 acres and is the land traversed by the new improved highway.
Moses Baker, a pioneer from New York State later bought the farm on which the quarry is now located. He was attracted to this region by the water here and was the first to cross a small bridge which had been built across Elk Creek. He came during the winter months and because of the snow and ice on the narrow bridge was forced first to help his family across and then run his horses across to keep the old fashioned sled from sliding off the bridge.
In order to market the stone it was necessary to build a road. Mr. Howard is one of those who helped to cut and haul logs to build a corduroy road to Fairview. Over the road was hauled the stone which was used in building the Dan Rice Monument in Girard and the floor of the Court House in Erie.
In those days the wild animals and birds of the forest furnished the main items of food for the early settlers. At a point just beyond the bridge crossing Falls Run, near the Stone Quarry is a spot which is known as Deer Lick Spring. The deer came to this spot for the minerals deposited on the rocks there. Along the trails leading to this deer lick were built bough houses where the hunters concealed themselves and shot the animals.
And so we travel with an industrious people from a time when they are pioneers, suffering the hardships of a new country, building their rude homes from split logs, clearing the land from which they wrest their meager living and cutting and digging roads through a dense forest; to the present time with all our modern conveniences, peaked today by the opening of a marvelous new highway, a symbol of a civilization of which we are justly proud.
(Transcribed from the original handwritten dedication, in the possession of Dennis D. Howard)
This page was last updated on Tuesday, October 08, 2002 .
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