Buggies in Mifflinburg, Antiques in Lewisburg and, Chef Boyardee in Milton, Pennsylvania

Sunday, July 25, 021

Today we did a walking tour of Mifflinburg, a small town near our campground.  Mifflinburg began as a small settlement to support the surrounding farms.  Began as two villages in 1792 and 1797 they joined and were incorporated in 1827. Typical businesses were blacksmiths, clockmakers, tanneries, and feed mills.  In 1855 a new industry was introduced, carriage manufacturing. 

We enjoyed walking along the streets of this quaint town, but it was rather hot and our next stop was the Buggy Museum.  Here at the museum, we met very interesting and passionate docents.  I enjoy talking to people who love what they are doing; docents and reenactors are the best people to preserve history.

We started out in the museum proper and then the home of the Heiss family.

Radio, wood stove, ice box, and not a cell phone.

How would you like to do laundry with this machine?

Next, we toured the buggy factory.  Had a little problem with the door.  It would not open for the guide so we went in on the upper floor and once we got in, we set off an alarm.  The guide had to go back to the visitor center to get the alarm shut down.

We spent a lot of time touring this building.  It was just bursting with interesting items.  You could see each step of building a buggy from the selection of wood, style, use, and interior design.  Also, there were so many exhibits representing the era.

Monday, July 26, 2021

Visited the Roller Mills in Lewisburg, PA.   The original structure was built in 1883 as a flour mill.  The beams in the front cashier area are fifty feet long without a joint.  Stacked on top of those beams are twelve 100-ton grain bins.  Flour was produced under the brand name "Oriole".  The business was sold in the 1920s, changed to small animal feeds, and ultimately sold to Ralston Purina Co. in the 1970s.

In January 1991, the Roller Mills Antique Center opened.  It is now three floors with 400 dealers.  You feel like you are entering a small town of antiques.

Our quirky stop for the day was outside the Con-Agra food factory in Milton, Pennsylvania.  A lifesize statue of Chef Hector Boyardee. I have eaten my weight in his ravioli.