The History of Point Township

Communication and Travel

As we think of road conditions in the nineteenth century, we are reminded of the roads muddy in springtime, dusty summer, rough in the fall and we may meet a big wagon with a large box, drawn by two horses, used to haul grain to the market or grist mill and provisions back home. The wagon was removed to bring crops from the field. The rear wheels were moved back along the coupling pole, lengthening the chassis to accommodate a large rack to hold bulky crops, such as hay or sheaves of grain or fodder.

Next we meet a top buggy - a one horse taxi cab, with a collapsible top, or a topless buggy, sometimes called a runabout. The next means of conveyance might be a road wagon with a longer wheelbase and two seats, the rear one removable, or a springwagon with three seats, two of which were removable and equipped with a top and roll down curtains in case of a storm - a sort of station wagon. The aristocrat of conveyance vehicles was the carriage, a two seated affair with top and fringed tassels.

About the turn of the century, the horseless carriage made its appearance and many a man jumped from his rig and held his horse by the bridle as the automobile went whizzing by, leaving him in a cloud of dust and sometimes voicing his opinion of the new invention.

The Danville Highway was paved in 1920 and county roads were paved in the late 1930's.

From 1905 to 1908 three telephone companies were formed in Point Township by local farmers. They were on a lease contract with Bell System for exchange service. The West Branch Telephone Company was formed by James Heckert, John Hilbish, William H. Mertz, Sr., Henry Hackenburg, and William H. Mertz, Jr. in the area along Milton Highway.

The Tuckahoe Telephone Company was in the area of Furman's Cannery and Comfort Road and was formed by Charles Lesher, Asher Hoffman, Oscar Leighow and James Taggart.

William Knouse, Henry F. Geise, Joseph Diehl and William H. Geise formed the Spruce Hollow Telephone Company in the Danville Highway area.

The companies had to construct their own lines from the borough line, install their own phones and poles, and make all necessary repairs.

City water was provided in Kapp Heights and a short section of the Danville Highway in 1894; it was extended to Oak Park section in 1957.

Electricity was provided in the late 1920's and gradually extended so that by 1948 the entire township enjoyed this luxury.

The one-room schools are gone with children going to consolidated schools in Northumberland and Sunbury, being transported in large yellow school buses.

Wagons of all types have given way to trucks, some of which could transport as much at one time, as all types of wagons combined. Buggies and carriages have been replaced by cars - from the small low sports car to the big motor cars and station wagons. Elaborate glass-sided horse drawn hearses have disappeared to be replaced by sleek, quiet, heavy-looking, motorized vehicles. The gramophones and victrolas have been replaced by radios and televisions. Home gardens and home canned products have been replaced by commercially canned and frozen products. Ice boxes have disappeared in favor of electric freezers and refrigerators. Country living boasts all the conveniences of the towns. [Back to Top]

Pioneer Life | Farming | Communication & Travel | Industry

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