Walking tour is talk of town

Lewistown Intermediate School fifth-grade teacher Tim Clark wanted to make sure his students learned about the olden days, so he and his teaching colleagues Kristin Kauffman and Nicole Chambers made certain they were wearing a good pair of walking shoes to go with a strong sense of curiosity and took them on a Walking Field Trip of Historic Lewistown on Thursday.

"Most kids hear all negative things about our town, so this is a way to teach them about the rich history we have," Clark said. "The field trip is part scavenger hunt, part history lesson. We stop at the Dorcas Buchanan Cemetery, old courthouse, Monument Square and McCoy House to do mini lessons."

Clark designed the event, which about 60 fifth-graders participated in. It's now in its eighth year.

"The kids and parents love it," he added. "We go up for one route and two lessons in the morning. Head back to school for lunch and then back up for the other route and lessons in the afternoon."

Clark said the students seem to enjoy themselves at the different sites.

"They ask quite a few questions," Clark said.

And learned a lot as well. Fifth-graders Allie Thornburgh and Jaxlyn Frazier both agreed the old historic Mifflin County Courthouse was their favorite stop.

Thornburgh said, "We sat where the jury used to sit," while Frazier liked the "books in the back ... they were old and mysterious."

Dorcas Holt

Buchanan Gravesite

The restoration of Dorcas Holt Buchanan's gravesite was completed last October.

The hand-carved sandstone that marks Buchanan's grave is in remarkable shape for something made in 1804. Several of the large, horizontal grave markers -- known as ledger stones - were lifted and leveled as well.

Frazier hadn't heard of the cemetery, "... and all the land she had. I didn't even know that was a thing."

Old Historic Mifflin County Courthouse

Built between 1842 and 1843, the old historic courthouse has been restored, with the second-floor courtroom restored to a late 19th-century appearance. The building features large artwork of local significance, and houses the offices of the Mifflin County Historical Society and Juniata River Valley Chamber of Commerce.

"Part of this was a scavenger hunt, so the kids will be looking for clues all through town on signs, buildings - like the year they were built, windows, etc." Clark said. "I think this is a really fun and important lesson for local kids."

Sailors and Soldiers Monument

Monument Square is the site of the 64-foot Sailors and Soldiers Monument, which honors the Navy, Cavalry, Infantry and Artillery - one military branch on each of the four sides. While a war memorial isn't unusual, look a little closer down along the base of the south-facing side, and you'll find the unusual.

There's a small granite block with the inscription, "This stone from Lincoln's Tomb, Springfield, Ill."

Men from Mifflin County served in each of the branches and were some of the very first recruits to respond to President Abraham Lincoln's call in 1861.

When looking for a unique way to honor their brave men, the people of Lewistown looked to one of their own for help, George R. Frysinger, editor of the Lewistown Gazette and head of the monument committee.

Frysinger had been a childhood friend of another Mifflin County native, Maj. Robert B. Hoover, who was in charge of the Lincoln Memorial Foundation. Frysinger got Hoover to send a small granite block from the tomb, which was imbedded in the bold new Soldiers and Sailors Monument.

Reportedly, there is also a glass jar behind the block that contains the names of Mifflin County Civil War soldiers and their corresponding war records, a Grand Army of the Republic button and badge, United States coinage representing each of the war years, and an 1895 medal commemorating the centennial of the City of Lewistown.

"I liked walking around in general," Thornburgh explained. "I learned a lot of history. I never knew there were that many monuments around."

McCoy House

The McCoy House, now a museum operated by the Mifflin County Historical Society, was the birthplace of distinguished United States Army officer Frank R. McCoy. He served in the Spanish-American War and was a member of the General Staff of the American Expeditionary Force during World War I. His father was a brigadier general so it was natural for Frank to follow in his father's footsteps.

"We selected the cemetery to teach them about Dorcas Buchanan," Clark added. "The old courthouse for a lot of historic events they would never have heard of and maybe a cool ghost story or two."

Yes, legend has it the courthouse is haunted by a lawyer who became distressed during a trial and died. He haunts a first-floor office where he was taken while waiting for medical attention.

Clark continued, the tour went to "the McCoy house to teach them about the impact two local men had and the wars they participated in. Monument Square mainly to tie in the Lincoln Stone with our Civil War unit, but also the meaning behind the monument. Plus, we also do a super quick stop to talk about the Logan Guard."