Welcome to Norwich, PA
Norwich, PA: Goodyear Lumber Company & View of Main St.

(SEE RELATED STORIES BELOW)

Giant Panorama of Downtown

(so big in fact it takes 2 pages)

 

New Lumber Town
To Be Located Near Smethport by Goodyear Lumber Company.
Potter County Journal, Oct. 1, 1909
(Mckean Co. Miner)
It is understood that it is an assured fact that the Goodyear Lumber Co., will start cutting and bark peeling next spring at the head of Potato Creek in Norwich township, about 12 miles from Smethport, on the huge tract of timber which they own at that point.  It has been an annual and invindicated report that the company was to start cutting on this tract for several years past, but this one seems to be a go.

This is probably the largest tract of virgin timber in the State of Pennsylvania and consists of in the neighborhood of 30,000 acres in McKean, Cameron and Elk counties.  It has been a sportman's paradise deer, bear, other small game and fine trout streams being abundant and is a spot truly in the primitive.  Its demolishment seems to be a pity as it should have been secured by the State for a preserve.  The State of Pennsylvania is unsentimental in regards to such things and this beautiful spot of nature must succumb to the hand of man,

To further the work the Buffalo & Susquehanna R.R. is being extended through from Liberty to the scene of future activities and as soon as this is done next spring work will begin in earnest and the ring of the woodsman's ax will be a familiar sound in that quiet region.

Cutting and peeling will be stared in the woods surrounding the new town and the products will be taken to the big Goodyear mill at Austin, Pa., by railroad, where it will be sawed up -- all other products from this tract will also be manufactured at Austin it is understood.

As the scene of activities moves away from the town the railroad will be extended out but the town will continue to be headquarters.

The job will consume at least ten years in the cutting and chances are that the new place will become a permanent town.


 
The Passing Of Norwich
Wellsboro Agitator. July 26, 1920
E. E. Dutcher

I have read the Agitator two or three times in the past few months, articles about the passing to the Norwich Mill,  I am now going to write you as nearly as possible this time the actual situation.

In all probability the end of the present month will be the finish of the sawing at said mill.  As to the removal of the mill and operations to another location, nothing so far has been decided.

The operation here has covered a period of about ten years  including 20,000 acres, something over 400,000 feet. At the same time they have cut and delivered to the Pennsylvania Stave Co.  at Betula, about 90,000,000 feet of hardwood for staves and heading; also many thousands of cords of chemical wood to the Keystone Chemical plant at Keystone.

The Norwich Lumber Co. is owned and controlled by the Goodyear interests, of Buffalo, N. Y., and is really a continuation of the Austin, Galeton and Medix Run Lumbering operations.

I am reliably informed that since the beginning of the Goodyear operations in Potter county, some time back in the eighties (1880s), they have manufactured and marketed very nearly four billion feet of Pennsylvania hemlock.  This includes Medix Run, Austin and Galeton production as well as Norwich.

They have sold several logging engines and some 80 log cars, but still have cars and engines enough to operate extensively.  Employees' houses in Norwich are being torn down and remove as fast as vacated, and probably by the end of the present year Norwich will be like Cross Fork only a pleasant memory. 


 
Twenty Five Families, Norwich.
McKean County Democrat Enterprise, Mar. 24, 1920
All that remains of Norwich's once large population
by Harry Blake

H. R. Moran of Norwich was a Smethport business visitor Saturday.  In conversation with the writer, Mr. Moran stated that there were still about twenty five families residing at Norwich, which passed its hey day last fall when the mill finished operations and most of the several hundred population moved away.  The offices of the Norwich Lumber Company and the shops of the Potato Creek Railway still employ a number of hands and there are two train crews stationed in the town. One store is still being conducted.

It is stated that 1,000,000 feet of lumber remain in the mill yards to be sold.  Owing to the depression of the lumber market only two car loads have been shipped since the first of the year.  At this rate it is figured the office force will be pretty old men by the time the last stick is moved to market.  However, the day when Norwich will revert back to the primitive state of that region will not be long delayed.  The State has already started work on its game and forest preserves at Norwich, having purchased several thousand acres of the lands over which the lumbering operations were conducted
 
 

The Old Fashioned Engine
McKean County Journal; July 21, 1920 

The Norwich Lumber Company which has just finished slaughtering millions of feet of timber on Potato Creek in McKean county, has sold one of its engines to a lumber firm in Arkansas.  This old residentor is now on its way.  Quarter century is proved by this splendid relic which must travel on the slowest freights, and will consume several weeks in making the trip.  It was three days going from Norwich to Williamsport including a brief stop at Renovo for slight repairs.

Mother Hubbard stacks were put on the log trains at Norwich, Pa. The Climax was the yard engine.  Lincoln link 88 cars were the most cars coming into the mill on a peak day.

  Partial Census
David Dunkle 45 head
Anna Dunkle 43 wife
Gwyneth Dunkle 17 daughter
Lindsly Dunkle 9 son
Margaret Kelly 64 head
Frank Kelly 33  son
Stella Kelly 42 daughter
John Paxton 50 head
Mary Paxton 46 wife
Arvid Hernquist 44 head
Elma Hernquist 46 wife
Harold Hernquist 18 son
Elmer Hernquist 16 son
Helen Hernquist 13 daughter
Harry Hernquist 5 son
Emil Hernquist 31 brother
Fred A. Winter 57 head
E. Iva Winter 62 wife
? 24 son
Dorothy Winter 19 daughter
Arthur Garman 36 head
Catherine Garman 41 wife
May C. Garman 15 daughter
Chester Garman 14 son
Margaret Garman 9 daughter
Joseph Nickels 26 brother in law
Alex Carlson 46 head
Ellen Carlson  31 wife
Helgar Carlson 9 son
Ferdinand Ely 61 head
Frances Ely 52 wife
Lyle Ely 27  son
Pearl J. Ely 24 daughter
Earl E. Ely 19 son
Raymond Ely 14 son
Ben Beamon 34 boarder
Allen Winslow 47 head
Jennie Winslow 37 wife