Williamsport High School - Guneukitschik Yearbook (Williamsport, MD)

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY Some of the major industries include a large tannery, a silk mill, a broom factory, brick kilns, limestone quarries, and an electric power plant. On high ground at the confluence of the Potomac and Conocochegue Creek, this place was at a junction of important early trials; the major part of Braddock’s army used one of them in 1755 on the retreat to Frederick. The Williamsport Post Office stands on the site of the Blue Corner Tavern, built in 1787 of stone, stuccoed and painted a vivid blue. It oper- ated until 1881, when it burned. CHURCHES there were quite a few churches in the area. The oldest being the Methodists. The Methodists were among the pio- neers of Williamsport and had a congregation when the Town was founded. A Methodist Protestant Church was pro- posed in 1816 and later a Rehobeth Church, United Brethern in Christ, began services in 1886. The first Catholic Church was consecrated in 1851 but was destroyed in 1863. St. Augustine was then built in 1876. The Presbyterian Church, (now extinct) was then located on what is now N. Conococheague Street in 1829. The Luth- er n Church dates back to 1911. The Methodist Episcopal Church until the year 1875, was part of a Methodist Circuit known as the Antetian Circuit. After that year, Williamsport was the seat of the circuit. In recent years it has become a station with no other church affiliations. During the Civil War, churches in the community were used as hospitals. After the war, reparis were needed.

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WILLIAMSPORT! Gen. Otho Holland Williams, after whom the town was named, was born in Prince Georges County, Md., March 1749. his family came from Wales, and were highly respected. Otho Holland was the third generation of their settlement in America. His parents Joseph and Prudence Williams, lived in Prince Georges, but moved to Frederick County, Md. Williams was declared a major in 1776 of a regiment from several companies in Virginia and Maryland. The town was founded by Holland shortly after the close of the Revolutionary War. In 1786, by an Act of the Assembly, he was granted permission to lay off a Town (the town being Williamsport). In 1787, he busily engaged himself in exploring upon the banks of the Potomac and the town. He is now buried in Riverview Cemetery which he dedicated to the town. THE VAN LEAR FAMILY Among one of the oldest families in this locality, the Van Lear family occupied the well-known “Tammany” plantation, Ac- cording to well-established traditions, its founded, John Van Lear, of sturdy Cal- vanistic stock, emigrated from Holland in the early part of the 18th century. The Van Lears were quite popular and were engaged in many enterprises. There were many descendents of the family in- cluding the Findleys, Levins, Shanks, and Littles.

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WILLIAMSPORT! WILLIAMSPORT BRIDGE In 1907, after lying dormant for 56 years, the project of build- ing a bridge across the Potomac was again resurrected. A bid of $ 100,000 for the bridge was the goal. A managing company was organized as follows: Pres. — Victor Cushwa; Vice-P. — Deca- tur Hedges; Secretary — Edward W. Byron; Assistant — J. Harry Earhart, plus an additional nine directors. On May 27th, 600 Williamsport citizens rode to Hagerstown to make an appeal for the Bridge to the County Commissioners. Celebration began with parading, bands, etc., asking the Court House to appeal to the decision. It was proposed to build the bridge out of concrete, and paved brick wide enough for a trolly track. The bridge would be 2,200 feet long. On December 16, 1908, a few minutes before 9:00, the top of pier No. 10 gave way on the north side due to the heavy weight of the traveler on the new concrete. The traveler and 14 workmen were thrown a distance of 60 feet of the bridge into a mass of steel and wreckage. Nine died, the others survied. SPRINGFIELD FARM At the beginning of the Civil War, a family by the name of Febrey lived at “Springfield Farm” and then a Mrs. Harriet Lancester lived there until April 1863. The place was occupied by Elie Williams, brother of the Gen. for many years and the farm was the homestead where Pres. Wash- ington stayed on his visit to Williamsport. RIVERVIEW CEMETERY The origin of River view Cemetery dates back to the Novem- ber session of the General Assembly of Maryland, in the year 1786 when it was incorported by a special Act of that body. The land was donated by Otho Williams, the town’s founder. 9 v