Duboistown, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Duboistown is a borough in Lycoming County
, Pennsylvania
, United States. The population was 1,280 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
before Duboistown was established as a borough
. He sold his business interests and moved west to Clearfield County
. He became quite wealthy and the city of DuBois
was named in his honor.
The town built by the DuBois brothers and established as a borough in 1878 is by no means the beginning of the history of Duboistown. It is situated at the mouth of Mosquito Run on the banks of the West Branch Susquehanna River
. A tribe of Susquehannock
Indians had what appears to have been a fairly major settlement at the mouth of the creek. The early European settlers found the remains of an Indian village there. Arhaeologic
evidence of earthenware
, soapstone
ware, pestles, hatchets, ornaments and charms were found on the land that is across the river from Lycoming Creek
and nearby where the Sheshequin Path
crossed the river.
The land on which Duboistown is located was first surveyed
in 1769. At the time it was known as "Walnut Bottom" for the vast stands of black walnut
that covered the alluvial plain
on which the borough now stands. Samuel Boone, cousin of Daniel Boone
held the first warrant
for land at Walnut Bottom.
Andrew Culbertson was one of the first settlers to have success in the Duboistown area. He purchased several tracts of land beginning in 1773, including the parcel owned by Samuel Boone, near the mouth of Mosquito Run. Culbertson is thought to have moved into the area by crossing an Indian Trail over White Deer Mountain that is now known as Culbertson's Path
. He built a sawmill
at the mouth of the creek soon after moving to the area and there he lived for several years. Culbertson was forced to flee the area during the American Revolutionary War
when settlements throughout the Susquehanna valley were attacked by Loyalists
and Native Americans allied with the British. After the Battle of Wyoming in the summer of 1778 (near what is now Wilkes-Barre
) and smaller local attacks, the "Big Runaway" occurred throughout the West Branch Susquehanna valley. Settlers fled feared and actual attacks by the British and their allies. Settlers abandoned their homes and fields, drove their livestock south, and towed their possessions on rafts on the river to Sunbury
. Their abandoned property was burned by the attackers. Some settlers soon returned, only to flee again in the summer of 1779 in the "Little Runaway". Culbertson returned to the area and rebuilt his sawmill. He also built a gristmill
, distillery, and a press that extracted nut and linseed oil
s. His gristmill was especially important to the development of the West Branch Susquehanna River Valley. It was easily accessible from canoe
. Farmers could float their grain in their canoes or other watercraft right up to the mill. Other farmers from the surrounding valleys reached his mill via Culbertson's Path. Culbertson saw another business opportunity with the farmers who were coming to his mill. He quickly built a tavern in which the weary farmers could enjoy a drink and get some food while they waited for their grain to be ground into flour
. This tavern became a popular destination for the young people of the West Branch Valley. Today Culbertson's Mill and tavern are long gone and the area is a largely overgrown riverbank with an abandoned softball field, that is surrounded by a railroad, bridge, and woods.
The 200 block of Summer Street in Duboistown is decorated for Christmas
each December and is known as Candy Cane Lane. In 2007, the mayor of the borough proclaimed the month of "December as Candy Cane Lane month forever more in DuBoistown".
to the east, Armstrong Township
to the south and west, and the West Branch Susquehanna River
to the north (with Williamsport
north of the river). As the crow flies
, Lycoming County is about 130 miles (209 km) northwest of Philadelphia and 165 miles (266 km) east-northeast of Pittsburgh.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²).0.6 square miles (1.5 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (13.85%) is water.
of 2000, there were 1,280 people, 540 households, and 372 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 2,293.5 people per square mile (882.5/km²). There were 558 housing units at an average density of 999.8 per square mile (384.7/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.67% White, 0.16% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.47% Asian, 0.16% Pacific Islander, and 0.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.08% of the population.
There were 540 households out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.5% were married couples
living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.1% were non-families. 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the borough the population was spread out with 22.7% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 20.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.9 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $35,132, and the median income for a family was $41,450. Males had a median income of $31,172 versus $22,500 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $17,348. About 4.0% of families and 5.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.5% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.
Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
-Appalachian Mountains and Allegheny Plateau:Lycoming County is divided between the Appalachian Mountains in the south, the dissected Allegheny Plateau in the north and east, and the valley of the West Branch Susquehanna River between these.-West Branch Susquehanna River:The West Branch of the...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States. The population was 1,280 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Williamsport is a city in and the county seat of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States. In 2009, the population was estimated at 29,304...
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Duboistown is named for its founders John and Mathias DuBois who bought 489 acres (2 km²) of land between 1852 and 1857. The DuBois brothers divided their land into parcels and established the village that bears their name. John DuBois left the West Branch Susquehanna ValleyWest Branch Susquehanna Valley
The West Branch Susquehanna Valley of central Pennsylvania, United States, in the Ridge-and-valley Appalachians, is the low lying area draining into the West Branch Susquehanna River southeast of the Allegheny Front, northeast of the Bald Eagle Valley, southwest of the Wyoming Valley and nort of...
before Duboistown was established as a borough
Borough (Pennsylvania)
In the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a borough is a self-governing municipal entity that is usually smaller than a city. There are 958 boroughs in Pennsylvania. All municipalities in Pennsylvania are classified as either cities, boroughs, or townships...
. He sold his business interests and moved west to Clearfield County
Clearfield County, Pennsylvania
Clearfield County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 81,642.Clearfield County was created on March 26, 1804, from parts of Huntingdon and Lycoming Counties but was administered as part of Centre County until 1812...
. He became quite wealthy and the city of DuBois
DuBois, Pennsylvania
DuBois is a city in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, northeast of Pittsburgh. It is the principal city in the DuBois, Pa Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
was named in his honor.
The town built by the DuBois brothers and established as a borough in 1878 is by no means the beginning of the history of Duboistown. It is situated at the mouth of Mosquito Run on the banks of the West Branch Susquehanna River
West Branch Susquehanna River
The West Branch Susquehanna River is one of the two principal branches, along with the North Branch, of the Susquehanna River in the northeastern United States. The North Branch, which rises in upstate New York, is generally regarded as the extension of the main branch, with the shorter West Branch...
. A tribe of Susquehannock
Susquehannock
The Susquehannock people were Iroquoian-speaking Native Americans who lived in areas adjacent to the Susquehanna River and its tributaries from the southern part of what is now New York, through Pennsylvania, to the mouth of the Susquehanna in Maryland at the north end of the Chesapeake Bay...
Indians had what appears to have been a fairly major settlement at the mouth of the creek. The early European settlers found the remains of an Indian village there. Arhaeologic
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
evidence of earthenware
Earthenware
Earthenware is a common ceramic material, which is used extensively for pottery tableware and decorative objects.-Types of earthenware:Although body formulations vary between countries and even between individual makers, a generic composition is 25% ball clay, 28% kaolin, 32% quartz, and 15%...
, soapstone
Soapstone
Soapstone is a metamorphic rock, a talc-schist. It is largely composed of the mineral talc and is thus rich in magnesium. It is produced by dynamothermal metamorphism and metasomatism, which occurs in the areas where tectonic plates are subducted, changing rocks by heat and pressure, with influx...
ware, pestles, hatchets, ornaments and charms were found on the land that is across the river from Lycoming Creek
Lycoming Creek
Lycoming Creek is a tributary of the West Branch Susquehanna River located in Tioga and Lycoming counties in Pennsylvania in the United States.-Geography:...
and nearby where the Sheshequin Path
Sheshequin Path
The Sheshequin Path was a major Native American trail in the U.S. State of Pennsylvania that ran between two Native American villages: "French Margaret's Town" on the West Branch Susquehanna River and "Sheshequin" on the North Branch of the Susquehanna River...
crossed the river.
The land on which Duboistown is located was first surveyed
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
in 1769. At the time it was known as "Walnut Bottom" for the vast stands of black walnut
Black Walnut
Juglans nigra, the Eastern Black walnut, is a species of flowering tree in the hickory family, Juglandaceae, that is native to eastern North America. It grows mostly in riparian zones, from southern Ontario, west to southeast South Dakota, south to Georgia, northern Florida and southwest to central...
that covered the alluvial plain
Alluvial plain
An alluvial plain is a relatively flat landform created by the deposition of sediment over a long period of time by one or more rivers coming from highland regions, from which alluvial soil forms...
on which the borough now stands. Samuel Boone, cousin of Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone was an American pioneer, explorer, and frontiersman whose frontier exploits mad']'e him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. Boone is most famous for his exploration and settlement of what is now the Commonwealth of Kentucky, which was then beyond the western borders of...
held the first warrant
Warrant (law)
Most often, the term warrant refers to a specific type of authorization; a writ issued by a competent officer, usually a judge or magistrate, which permits an otherwise illegal act that would violate individual rights and affords the person executing the writ protection from damages if the act is...
for land at Walnut Bottom.
Andrew Culbertson was one of the first settlers to have success in the Duboistown area. He purchased several tracts of land beginning in 1773, including the parcel owned by Samuel Boone, near the mouth of Mosquito Run. Culbertson is thought to have moved into the area by crossing an Indian Trail over White Deer Mountain that is now known as Culbertson's Path
Culbertson's Path
Culbertson's Path was a Native American trail in north central Pennsylvania in the United States, which connected the Great Island Path with the Sheshequin Path. The eastern / southern end of the path was on the West Branch Susquehanna River at what is now the unincorporated village of Allenwood in...
. He built a sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
at the mouth of the creek soon after moving to the area and there he lived for several years. Culbertson was forced to flee the area during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
when settlements throughout the Susquehanna valley were attacked by Loyalists
Loyalist (American Revolution)
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
and Native Americans allied with the British. After the Battle of Wyoming in the summer of 1778 (near what is now Wilkes-Barre
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the county seat of Luzerne County. It is at the center of the Wyoming Valley area and is one of the principal cities in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area, which had a population of 563,631 as of the 2010 Census...
) and smaller local attacks, the "Big Runaway" occurred throughout the West Branch Susquehanna valley. Settlers fled feared and actual attacks by the British and their allies. Settlers abandoned their homes and fields, drove their livestock south, and towed their possessions on rafts on the river to Sunbury
Sunbury, Pennsylvania
Sunbury is a city in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city is located on the east bank of the Susquehanna River, just downstream of the confluence of its main and West branches. The population was 9,905 at the 2010 census...
. Their abandoned property was burned by the attackers. Some settlers soon returned, only to flee again in the summer of 1779 in the "Little Runaway". Culbertson returned to the area and rebuilt his sawmill. He also built a gristmill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
, distillery, and a press that extracted nut and linseed oil
Linseed oil
Linseed oil, also known as flaxseed oil, is a clear to yellowish oil obtained from the dried ripe seeds of the flax plant . The oil is obtained by cold pressing, sometimes followed by solvent extraction...
s. His gristmill was especially important to the development of the West Branch Susquehanna River Valley. It was easily accessible from canoe
Canoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
. Farmers could float their grain in their canoes or other watercraft right up to the mill. Other farmers from the surrounding valleys reached his mill via Culbertson's Path. Culbertson saw another business opportunity with the farmers who were coming to his mill. He quickly built a tavern in which the weary farmers could enjoy a drink and get some food while they waited for their grain to be ground into flour
Flour
Flour is a powder which is made by grinding cereal grains, other seeds or roots . It is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many cultures, making the availability of adequate supplies of flour a major economic and political issue at various times throughout history...
. This tavern became a popular destination for the young people of the West Branch Valley. Today Culbertson's Mill and tavern are long gone and the area is a largely overgrown riverbank with an abandoned softball field, that is surrounded by a railroad, bridge, and woods.
The 200 block of Summer Street in Duboistown is decorated for Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
each December and is known as Candy Cane Lane. In 2007, the mayor of the borough proclaimed the month of "December as Candy Cane Lane month forever more in DuBoistown".
Geography
Duboistown is located at 41°13′31"N 77°2′6"W (41.225278, -77.034953). It is bordered by South WilliamsportSouth Williamsport, Pennsylvania
South Williamsport is a borough in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,412 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
to the east, Armstrong Township
Armstrong Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
Armstrong Township is a township in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The population was 717 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
to the south and west, and the West Branch Susquehanna River
West Branch Susquehanna River
The West Branch Susquehanna River is one of the two principal branches, along with the North Branch, of the Susquehanna River in the northeastern United States. The North Branch, which rises in upstate New York, is generally regarded as the extension of the main branch, with the shorter West Branch...
to the north (with Williamsport
Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Williamsport is a city in and the county seat of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States. In 2009, the population was estimated at 29,304...
north of the river). As the crow flies
As the crow flies
"As the crow flies" or beelining is an idiom for the shortest route between two points; the geodesic distance.An example is the great-circle distance between Key West and Pensacola, at either end of the U.S...
, Lycoming County is about 130 miles (209 km) northwest of Philadelphia and 165 miles (266 km) east-northeast of Pittsburgh.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the borough has a total area of 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²).0.6 square miles (1.5 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (13.85%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,280 people, 540 households, and 372 families residing in the borough. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,293.5 people per square mile (882.5/km²). There were 558 housing units at an average density of 999.8 per square mile (384.7/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.67% White, 0.16% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.47% Asian, 0.16% Pacific Islander, and 0.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.08% of the population.
There were 540 households out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.5% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.1% were non-families. 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the borough the population was spread out with 22.7% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 20.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.9 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $35,132, and the median income for a family was $41,450. Males had a median income of $31,172 versus $22,500 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the borough was $17,348. About 4.0% of families and 5.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.5% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.