Susquehanna FootprintsStories from the Susquehanna Valley

The Mystery Hidden Inside an Old Apple Tree

A Danville, Pennsylvania, man found a plug of hair inside an old apple tree in 1920. What was its purpose? Plugging illness into trees was part of older Pennsylvania folk-healing traditions. Similar remedies were used for ailments such as croup, whooping cough, asthma, seizures, paralysis, and other lingering illnesses.

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The Towns the Forest Took Back

Today, hikers entering Masten, Laquin, or the country around Ricketts and Grays Run in northern Pennsylvania may believe they are walking through wilderness. In reality, they are walking through old neighborhoods of lumber towns long since forgotten.

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September 06, 2026 · Terry Diener

Davey Lewis, Robber or Robin Hood

Most of the colorful tales about Davey Lewis appeared seventy years after his death. By then, seventy years had passed, giving memory and imagination plenty of time to transform an outlaw into a champion of the poor, as Pennsylvania's own Robin Hood.

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September 04, 2026 · Terry Diener

The Mystery Hidden Inside an Old Apple Tree

A Danville, Pennsylvania, man found a plug of hair inside an old apple tree in 1920. What was its purpose? Plugging illness into trees was part of older Pennsylvania folk-healing traditions. Similar remedies were used for ailments such as croup, whooping cough, asthma, seizures, paralysis, and other lingering illnesses.

Read More
September 04, 2026 · Terry Diener