Submitted photo
Bob Middleswarth stands in front of Middleswarth chip cans.

BEAVERTOWN — The Middleswarth Potato Chip Co. has come a long way since Bob Middleswarth and his mother, Lottie, started making potato chips with a single kettle in a two-room building off to the side of his family’s home in 1942.

More than eighty years later, Middleswarth Chips continues as a family-run business, offering nine flavors and more than 60 snacking products. Through its success, the company has never forgotten its hometown roots in Snyder County.

“The Middleswarth family has supported this town for years and years before they moved to Middleburg,” said Karen Burns, president of the Beavertown Historical Society. “They lived in the community and were very down to Earth people.”

Now, that hometown pride will be on display as the Beavertown Historical Society will host a program about the history of the Middleswarth Potato Chip Co. and family at 2 p.m. Sunday at St. Paul’s Reformed Church, 127 W. Walnut St., Beavertown.

Ted Herman, grandson of Joan Middleswarth Herman, will be the guest speaker.

“Being a town of like 900, there’s just a togetherness,” Burns added. “I truly feel that way. There’s been tremendous support for the historical society as such, people have donated things of importance.”

Additionally, the historical society has put together an exhibit in their museum, located at 111 W. Walnut St. in the Beavertown Borough Building. The museum will be open from 1 to 3 p.m. on the following Sundays: Aug. 27 and Sept. 10 and 24. It is also open by appointment by calling (570) 658-7385.

Admission to the program and the museum are free.

“We’re trying to get people interested in history and keeping that alive,” Burns said.

Burns knew Herman in his youth and would ask his Uncle Bob and Aunt Joan Middleswarth lots of questions regarding Middleswarth’s history.

Tom Burns, Karen’s husband, said Beavertown natives, who grew up in the area but have since moved elsewhere, often rekindle memories from home by ordering chips online. “It’s something that reminds them of home,” he explained.

The longevity of the company in the area has helped it remain popular. It’s been that way since day one since 1941 when Bob graduated from Beaver Vocational High School and purchased a bread truck that distributed bread, cookies, snack cakes and Hartley’s Chips.

In February 1942, because of war rationing, Hartley’s was no longer able to supply chips to Bob. So, he came up with the idea of creating his own chips. The first batch was made in a small house beside the Middleswarth family home at 142 E. Market St., to supplement his sales of other products.

When Bob was drafted into the United States Army in December 1942, Ira and Lottie Middleswarth took over production and distribution with help from daughters, Joan and Phyllis.

After being discharged in November 1945, Bob moved production to the barn on Strawberry Alley, behind the Middleswarth home.

The family eventually built a new plant in Beavertown on Railroad Street at the site of the former Jacob Middleswarth planning mill on the north side of Railroad Avenue. They also introduced a continuous fryer.

In 1950, Middleswarth sold chips in one- and three-pound cans, which could be returned for a small deposit.

In 1961, Ira passed, and Bob assumed leadership of the business operation. A year later, chip production expanded and moved to its current location in Middleburg. One fryer and bagging line increased to two, five-burner fryers.

In 1965, Middleswarth introduced other flavored chips, starting with barbecue. In 1974, the Middleburg factory was expanded to house a third fryer and warehouse space.

A nine-burner fryer was added in 1987 as production capacity was increased again.

In November 2007, Bob passed and the third and fourth generations of the Middleswarth family are now running the business – with David and his sons, Bret and Rob. Today, it continues as a family-run business.

For more information, find the Beavertown Historical Society’s page on Facebook.