Northumberland County Historical Highlight: 

Notable Residents included Chief Shikellamy, Joseph Priestley and Thomas Edison

While Northumberland County covers a lot of ground today, several hundred years ago it was so expansive that six counties were formed out of it, according to Northumberland County Historical Society’s Librarian John Lindermuth.

Today the County includes the towns of Elysburg, Herndon, Kulpmont, Milton, Mt. Carmel, Northumberland, Paxinos, Riverside, Shamokin, Sunbury, Trevorton, Turbotville, Watsontown, and many smaller towns.

A Brief History

Northumberland County was founded in March 1772, from parts of Berks, Lancaster and Cumberland Counties. Before European settlers came to the area, the region was inhabited by the Susquehannock people, and later the Lenape.

In early settlement, the region’s economy focused on agriculture, but the discovery of anthracite coal in the early 1800s, along with the development of canals and railroads, forever changed the trajectory of the County’s industrial development. Coal mining further fueled other industries locally such as iron production. Sadly, the industry’s decline in the 20th century, particularly after the Great Depression, had a significant impact on local economies.

While we associate the river with recreation today, the Susquehanna River was a vital waterway for trade and transportation, initially for Native American tribes and later for European settlers. The river provided power for mills, and the Pennsylvania Canal, built alongside it, transported goods – especially timber and coal.

The Susquehanna also encouraged the development of towns along the banks, such as Sunbury, which was named the County seat due to its strategic location at the confluence of the West and North branches.

Notable Figures

One cannot overstate the importance of these three notable figures:

  • Chief Shikellamy (c. 1680-1748) was an influential Native American leader of the Oneida people, serving as an Iroquois viceroy and diplomat for the Six Nations. He resided in the area that would be known as Northumberland County and was instrumental in facilitating early interactions between Native Americans and European settlers, particularly with Moravian missionaries.

  • Joseph Priestley (1733-1804) is best known as the discover of oxygen. He was a prominent English chemist, theologian, and political theorist who came to the United States in 1794 to escape persecution, settling in Northumberland. His house and laboratory are open to the public on weekends. The historic site has been dubbed a National Historic Landmark and National Historic Chemical Landmark.

  • Thomas Edison (1847-1931) has a significant historical connection to Sunbury, Pennsylvania, as it was the location of a major milestone in the history of electrical power. On July 4, 1883, the City Hotel in Sunbury became the first building in the world to be commercially wired and illuminated by incandescent electric lights using Edison’s three-wire system.

    The Edison Electric Illuminating Company of Sunbury, Edison’s company, founded in April 1883, built a coal-fired power plant in Sunbury to generate the electricity. Sunbury was chosen partly because of its proximity to the coal region.

Other historical figures include James Pollock, a politician who served as the 14th Governor of Pennsylvania. Pollock was also the Director of the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia and famously recommended the motto, “In God We Trust” be added to U.S. coins.

Christopher Latham Sholes invented the first practical typewriter, leading to the creation of the familiar QWERTY keyboard layout, which he developed to prevent the type bars from jamming.

Fort Augusta and Hunter House

There are many historical landmarks in the County, including Fort Augusta and Hunter House. Fort Augusta was a significant colonial-era fort located in Sunbury, at the confluence of the North and West Branches of the Susquehanna River. Its history is deeply tied to the French and Indian War and the American Revolution.

According to Gemini AI:
"French and Indian War (1756): The fort was built on the site of the former Native American village of Shamokin. It was the largest and most strategically important of the provincial forts in Pennsylvania. Its purpose was to protect the Pennsylvania frontier from French and Native American raids originating from the upper Allegheny region. Its formidable size and location deterred any direct attack, and it served as a key stronghold for the British in holding the Susquehanna Valley.

American Revolution: During the Revolutionary War, Fort Augusta became the military headquarters for American forces in the upper Susquehanna Valley. It was a crucial base for coordinating the Northumberland County Militia and for protecting settlers from raids by British-allied Native Americans. Following the Wyoming Massacre in 1778, the fort served as a refuge for thousands of fleeing settlers in what became known as The Great Runaway.

After the Revolutionary War, the fort gradually fell into disrepair. The last commander, Colonel Samuel Hunter, was allowed to live in the commanding officer’s quarters, which remained until it burned down in 1848.”

Today, the site of the fort is home to the Northumberland County Historical Society Museum, which is located in the Hunter House. While the original fort itself is gone (it was dismantled in 1796), a few key features remain, including a well and a powder magazine (this also served as the first jail for the County!). The site offers a glimpse into the region’s colonial and Revolutionary past.

What is the relevance of history today?

Northumberland County Historical Society’s Librarian John Lindermuth said the importance of learning from history can’t be overstated, “Hopefully we learn from the past and avoid the same mistakes.”

Northumberland County Historical Society Contact info:
Located in the Historic Hunter House
1150 North Front Street, Sunbury
570-286-4083
nchs1756@gmail.com
https://www.northumberlandcountyhistoricalsociety.org/

Hours are March-December: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 1-4 p.m. They are also open until 7 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month. They are closed in January and February.

Starting in June, the Museum will be open Sunday afternoons from 2-4:00 p.m. for guided tours. Come see and hear about Fort Augusta and its impact during the French & Indian War and the American Revolution in Pennsylvania. Visit the site of Fort Augusta and see its two original remaining features from the 1750s, the well and the powder magazine.