McKEAN COUNTY,
PENNSYLVANIA

ILLUSTRATED BOOKLET

The history of McKean County, PA, is recalled through a mixture of colorful tales and factual data in this NEW 20 Page Booklet, reprinted primarily from two hard-to-find books: the 1843 edition of Historical Collections of the State of Pennsylvania by Sherman Day, and An Illustrated History of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (1876) by William Egle, M.D. The spiral-bound booklet is printed one-sided on 60# paper, with the print enlarged for easier reading. A clear vinyl sheet has been added to protect the front cover.

Communities mentioned include: Smethport, Port Allegany, Farmer’s Valley, Mt. Jewett, Kane, Ludlow, Foster Brook, Bradford, Custer City, Eldred, Sergeant, Wetmore, Port Kennedy, Ceres (formerly King’s Settlement), Norwich Settlement, Instanter (Bunker Hill), Teutonia, and Ginalsburg.

Since the source books are concerned with the same subject, there is some duplication of material, but the time elasped often changes the perspective and emphasis.

Among the many and diverse subjects in the booklet are: First Settlers, first county court, first printing press, etc.; Physical Features of the County; "The Society of Industry," an unusual combination of socialism and capitalism; the Importance of Canoes in Transportation; Francis King and his “Friends”; a Hunting Tragedy at Port Allegany; Hindrances to Development of the the Area; "The Land Office" of Messrs. Keating & Co., "The Boston Land Co." and "Ceres Land Company"; Futile Attempts to "Mine Oil"; the Lobo Wolf Pens, Kane Manor Inn, "Oil, Oil Everywhere..." in Bradford; a Bull and Bear Fight that “Ran Amuck,” and and and other interesting bits of history and trivia.

ILLUSTRATIONS include: McKean County Prison in Smethport, and McKean County Court House.