The Route 6 Project: Laceyville (With a Pinch of Kaiserville)

I'd like to think I'm pretty good at following directions.  I've traveled a lot.  I've driven a lot.  I follow signs well and I can read a road map with the best of them, even upside down.

On the day I decided to head out to explore Laceyville Borough, I also decided to take a little side adventure and find Kaiserville.  There is a turn off of Route 6, just as you are coming down the hill into Meshoppen.  The sign says "Kaiserville 3 miles."  In fact, the road that you turn onto happens to be named Kaiserville Road.  So I made that turn, set my odometer trip mileage calculator to zero and drove out on Kaiserville Road fully expecting to get to Kaiserville.  I mean how hard could it be?  (Famous last words.)

I probably should have checked out Google Earth before my expedition.  If only our early ancestors had had Google Earth.  I might have then discovered that it was NOT as easy as driving on Kaiserville Road.  I did discover that Meshoppen Creek is like the Platte River.  It’s everywhere.  But what I didn’t discover was Kaiserville.  I tried to be intuitive, but without getting my compass out and getting  out of my car to see what side of the trees the moss was growing on,  after a long, hilly, winding drive which included almost getting a photo of a very large bird of prey, I somehow ended up back on Kaiserville Road.  For a minute I thought I was starring in the movie  Groundhog Day.  I was afraid to try it again because I thought I would get trapped in this endless space/time continuum loop and my husband couldn't report me missing because he didn't see me leave and had no idea what I was wearing at the time.  So I headed to Laceyville.

I’ve put Kaiserville on the back burner for a bit until I can hire a guide.  But I did get this photo on the top of a large hill.  As you look at it, imagine a large osprey sitting on one of those tree branches.  It disappeared before I could change to my zoom lens.  And such are the hazards of photography.

The thing that has always fascinated me about Laceyville is that is has three exits off of Route 6.  THREE.  In fact there is a sign that looms first as you drive closer to Laceyville that says “Laceyville next 3 exits.”  Laceyville is smaller than Meshoppen.  In fact, in the 2010 census, Laceyville had a population of 379.

Laceyville was originally named Braintrim, and was one of the first towns settled in Wyoming County.  There were two other “camps” that came before, one where Tuscarora Creek begins (called Skinners Eddy), and another  at what is known today as Black Walnut.  On an aside, Black Walnut held a tavern which was a hot spot for the likes of hunters and trappers.  Black Walnut was also the place where General Sullivan set up camp with his army on August 4, 1779, as he marched up the river.  There are plenty of Sullivan’s March trail markers along Route 6, and for that matter, throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania.  That Sullivan was quite a marcher!

If Northeastern Pennsylvania’s weather back then was anything like it is now, spring rains often cause creeks to swell and overflow their banks.  It is thought that this exact weather pattern caused the settlers of Black Walnut to seek higher ground.  That’s where Laceyville came in.  The elevation made it a much more suitable and inviting location.

I drove into Laceyville via the FIRST exit, which brings you past Vern's Agway.  We are very familiar with Vern's.  We have horses and chickens who rely on Vern's to stay well stocked with feed.

I know that I have a different eye than most people, and my head is always looking at things and framing photos, but as you drive through the main thoroughfare of Laceyville you can't help but notice the mixture of "updated" versus "been here a while."  It makes for eye-catching scenery.  There are loads of eye-candy treats in Laceyville.

To illustrate this in photos, the photo above shows one side of the street, the photo below shows the other.

By 1794 families began to build permanent homes in Laceyville.  Samuel Sturdevant, Jr. built the first sawmill near Tuscarora Creek.  He is also responsible for the first gristmill.  The community was able to stay in touch with folks who did not live in this vast wilderness by using the postal route that ran from Wilkes-Barre to Tioga by way of Black Walnut in 1803.  It is very hard for me to believe that mail was delivered, at first, ON FOOT.  Not only was it delivered ON FOOT!!!!! but it was delivered once every two weeks.  It would take me a month to walk that now, even with the most expensive pair of athletic shoes and a support car following me with water and snacks.  This fact alone illustrates to me the hardiness of the people who lived during that time.

A post office was finally built at Black Walnut and was maintained by Daniel Sterling (see The Route 6 Project: Meshoppen for more information on Daniel).  Laceyville also had a day school (circa 1813) which was housed in a log structure at the west end of town. (Source:  Laceyville PA The Hub of the Endless Mountains)  Through my reading, it would seem that the Sturdevant family was instrumental in many "happening" things for the town.  The family was large (11 children...winters were tough here...not much else to do) and this lends itself to grist mills, school teaching, building churches and becoming the Reverend of the church once built. I would say that early Laceyville has the Sturdevant family to thank for its growth.

The architecture of Laceyville leans heavy on the Colonial side, with a touch of Victorian and Federal styles.  Again, renovations and additions have not necessarily stuck to the previous agenda, and there are clear signs of large lots which may be missing their original structures.

The Old Doctor's House Apartments

The two images above portray what is now named The Old Doctor's House Apartments.  Reading the history of Laceyville, you find that there were two doctors who actually resided in the area.  Based on its present-day name, my best guess says one of them resided here.

Another example of the architectural style in Laceyville.

The first, smaller brick building is the Library. I loved this string of buildings. Eye candy.

This carving attracted me to it like a moth to light, and is one of the many unique things to see in Laceyville.

The second thing I ever noticed about driving on Route 6 past Laceyville (besides the 3 exits), was the sign  boasting “The Oldest House.”   A number of years ago I actually went into The Oldest House to attend an event our church held there.  Folks who traveled the river and its North Branch Canal looked forward to the house, which sits above the Susquehanna River.  It was a place to stop for a beverage, grab some food and any other goods that would see them through the rest of their journey.  (Think tour buses and Starbucks, and this is exactly how travelers looked forward to The Oldest House.)

Eliha Hall finished the dwelling in 1781.  It was built for the James Smith family.  The house still has many of its historical features, and was inhabited by a number of families throughout the years.  Today it is a monument to the simple structures of the past.  Tours are held June through September, Friday through Sunday between 1:00 and 4:00 p.m.  It’s a stop I would highly recommend.  Park and walk the rest of the way through town.

The Oldest House - The front of the house actually faces the river. This is the back of the house.

Side view. The porch was not a part of the original construction.

If you'd like to watch a little Paul Epsom tour of The Oldest House, courtesy of WNEP-TV, you can find it by clicking here, after a short advertisement and introduction the tour begins. 

Laceyville became Laceyville around 1841.  It was named after an influential town resident, Henry W. Lacey.  It did not become a borough until 1903.  Laceyville’s permanent residents number only a few more today, than they did many years ago.  Farming, logging and stone quarries are still part of the business framework.

I did not photograph the Octagon House, a plank house (only one of three in Northeastern Pennsylvania) in the middle of town built in the middle of the 19th century.  Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to visit Laceyville and find it.  You won’t be disappointed.  It is a privately owned residence today and quite unique. 

There's still plenty left to find in Laceyville, like the unique turquoise (yes, turquoise) bridge that crosses the Susquehanna River.  Turquoise is one of my favorite colors.  I was so tempted to take that photo.  Instead I took this one.

The Braintrim Baptist Church was founded  on May 24, 1794 in Black Walnut and in following years moved to Laceyville.  This is not the original location of the church, but is the location to which it grew.  I read the entire history of the Braintrim Baptist Church a few nights ago, and it gives a great insight and history to the area, as well as several of the prominent individuals of the time.  If you are interested in reading it, simply click here.

What started out as a cold, somewhat gray day, blew up into this lovely blue sky with puffy clouds just in time for this photo.  God is good.

I'm not sure where I'll head next, but for those of you who are local and following the blog, if you see a woman with a camera standing next to a dark colored Ford Explorer with a quizzical look on her face, stop and say hello.

Photographer's Notes:  I used an 18-70mm 3.5-4.5 Nikkor lens with a UV filter for most of the shots you see in the Laceyville post.  I switched to a 28mm 2.8 lens for the Braintrim Baptist Church shot.  All photos were processed with Lightroom, PSE and Topaz Adjust.