Susquehanna Footprints

The Hardships of the Circuit Riding Preachers through the Susquehanna Valley

The old circuit riders are gone now. So are many of the trails they followed through the forests and across the mountains of the Susquehanna Valley. But scattered across the valley are churches and congregations whose beginnings reach back to those men who came on horseback. For the circuit rider, the earthly course was often long and difficult. But he rode it believing that the journey did not end at the next preaching appointment.

From Field to Grist Mill to the Table in the Pioneer Communities of the Middle Susquehanna Valley

Today, few of us give much thought to the journey that brings flour in from the field, to the grist mill and to the family table. A grist mill was among the most important establishments in a developing frontier community. It transformed the farmer's grain into the flour and meal needed for daily meals.to our kitchens. We purchase it in neatly packaged bags, seldom considering the many generations of farmers, millers, and laborers whose work made that convenience possible.

October 11, 2026 · Terry Diener

Four Years in the War: Michael Thornton of Mooresburg, Pennsylvania

On December 25, 1882, Michael L. Thornton penned his reminiscences of four years in the American Civil War. He left the fields of Mooresburg, Montour County, to serve his country and carry the memories of that service for the remainder of his life.

October 09, 2026 · Terry Diener

The Legend of Montour County’s Lover’s Leap

A forbidden love story between an Indian maiden and a brave from a rival tribe is common in many US towns and villages. Danville, in Montour County, is no exception. Meanwhile, the local Lover’s Leap carries a hint of truth.

October 08, 2026 · Terry Diener