At the end of the last Ice Age, the first Native American inhabitants migrated to the area now known as Pennsylvania and the river basin in central Pennsylvania now known as the Susquehanna River. This era is commonly described as the Paleo-Indian Period.

Daniel and John Miller arrive at a site north of Berry's Mt. in the 1780’s. Daniel was reportedly “so taken with the beauty of the area where the Wiconisco Creek joined the Susquehanna”. On June 2, 1790, Daniel Miller received a deed for 979.25 acres at the mouth of the Wiconisco Creek from William von Phul of Philadelphia.

The exact origin of ferry service (Millersburg to Crow’s Landing) is unknown. However, Daniel Miller reserved ferry rights in 1807, selling those ferry rights to David Kramer in 1826.

The plan for Millersburg is filed with Dauphin County Court, based on a survey by Peter Williamson. The plan provides 269 lots for houses & stores, 3 lots for churches, a space of ~4 lots for Market Square, ~26 acres for parks… totaling 114.75 acres.

Coal was discovered in the Lykens Valley by Jacob Burd Sr. and Peter Kimes near Bear Creek Gap. “Red Ash” coal from the Lykens Valley was extremely desirable.

The Lykens Valley Railroad, incorporated in 1830, began construction in 1831 to connect the coal mines at Bear Gap to the Susquehanna River. On April 19, 1834, the first shipment of Lykens Valley coal—43 tons aboard Boat No. 76, captained by C. Faunce—was sent to Columbia, Pennsylvania. Coal barges, based on the Durham design, were poled across the Susquehanna River from Millersburg to Mount Patrick, where they connected to the Pennsylvania Canal's Susquehanna Division.

Initiated by State Legislative Act 74 in 1838, the 12-mile long Wiconisco Canal was completed, with the first canal boat shipment being the first steam engine delivered to Lykens Valley Coal Company. The initial project at Millersburg included a dam at the mouth of the creek, a guard lock, and one canal basin.  Eventually, multiple structures were added including, a second extensive canal basin, multiple railroad loading trestles, large stone wharves, a lime kiln, and a steam driven water wheel (completed in 1849) as detailed in the 1879 Wierman/Whitney survey.

(Photo from late 1800s)

North Central Railroad link is completed from Harrisburg to Millersburg, including the construction of the Summit Branch Hotel/Depot at the intersection of the North Central Railroad, Lykens Valley Railroad, Short Mt. Railroad, and Summit Branch Railroad. By 1858, the link north to Sunbury was completed.

Pictured here the 1957 Centennial Train.

Upper Paxton Township resident Albert Cummings applies to the war department for a “partial” invention disclosure regarding his working, flying machine model, seven years before the first flight at Kitty Hawk.

On April 1, the first train, Niagara Express, stopped at the newly opened passenger station on Center Street.

Construction of a new gun club and reclamation of Water House Grove leads to construction of an access “swinging” bridge across the Wiconsico Creek, east of the newly built dance pavilion, equipped with heat and also used for basketball. The adjacent baseball field and grandstand replaced the baseball field on the east side of the railroad tracks.

Upper Paxton Twp. resident Elmer “Single Trigger” Miller is granted a PA state charter in March to manufacture his patented design on double barreled hammerless shotguns.