Back to North Main



1802 - 1806
On the west corner of North Main and the Square was a large red house occupied by Thomas Duane as a tavern and store;

Next was a frame two story building owned by Stephen Tuttle.

Toward Union street were two log houses owned by Solomon Johnson. One was occupied by Mrs. Marble, the town baker; the other by Benjamin Hillman, a stone mason. This Solomon Johnson was an eccentric character. He was a spiritualist and was said to be an educated man. He had periodical trances and visions of coming events, which he gave to the world through the Luzerne Federalist. He also published some "Commentaries" upon the Bible.

On the east side of Main, near Public Square, was the residence and blacksmith shop of Benjamin Drake, and afterwards occupied by Isaac Bowman after he left Bowman's Hill;

Next was a house and cooper shop occupied by Oliver Helme; afterwards by the widow and family of William Wright.

Prior to 1830
At the west corner of North Main street and the Square was the store and hotel of John Hancock, born in 1768 in Maryland, camer here in 1791, and opened a hotel (a frame buliding) in 1802, calling it the "Freemason's Coat of Arms". Colonel Eliphat Bulkley kept this tavern from 1808 to 1810, it then being owned by Isaac Carpenter. Mr. Bulkley was born in Colchester, Connecticut, 8 August 1746, and died here 11 January 1816.

Next to the tavern was the store of Ziba Bennett;

Then came the home of Mr. Gills;

Then the home of George Dennison;

Next was the home Gilbert Barnes;

On the southwest corner of Main and Union lived Mother Sprague, who kept a boarding house there. She was born in Colchester, Connecticut, as Eunice Chapman, and married her second husband Dr. Joseph Sprague, the first practitioner of medicine in this section, while she herself was the first midwife in the County. She died April 12 1814, age 82.

Lord Butler, son of Colonel Zebulon Butler, had his residence on the east corner of North Main and Public Square. "Butler's Alley" takes its name from him;

Next came Mr. Drake's;

Then came the home of the Rev. James May, D. D., who came from Georgetown, D. C. and was rector of St. Stephen's church from 1827 to '37, removing thence to St. Paul's Church, Philadelphia, where he died 18 December, 1863. He married 8 January 1829, Ellen S., daughter of General Isaac Bowman;

Dr. Jones lived next north

A. Johnson house stood on the southeast corner of Main and Union.

After 1840
On the northwest corner of North Main and the Square was a hotel owned and kept by George P. Steele. It was a frame structure with a wide porch where the stages and Democratic politicians made their headquarters. Steele was sheriff of the county and afterwards a representative at Harrisburg;

Next was Ziba Bennetts residence, with his store adjoining, where he sold hardware, dry goods and groceries and ranked as one of the wealthy men of the town.

Then came one or two small offices;

Next in order was a dwelling occupied by a Mr. Wells. He had a boy and girls nicknamed “Doney” and “Lucretia”, or “Tute Wells”;

a little further down was Charles Dennison’s law office;

Next was Z. Gray, who kept a bakery;

Then, near Union street, was Mr. Bidlack, who was a minister abroad and left a widow with several daughters and sons.

At the northeast corner on North Main and the Square lived Lord Butler, who was one of the pioneers in the coal business. He had several sons and daughters, Joseph, Zebulon, Ziba and Edward;

Then came Mrs. Nancy Drake’s home;

Next came Laurence Myers feed store and livery stable;

Then Adam Behee, the blacksmith;

Then, near Union street, was Dr. Jones;

Going over the old Main street canal bridge which was raised above the water high enough to allow boats to pass under, and with a foot walk on each side and a drive way in the center we come to the famous Gabtown corner, which was a cluster of small houses and a broken stump of the Liberty pole. This was all changed in 1843 when the Hilliard block and Mill replaced it. On the north corner was the residence of Dr. Thomas Miner, who for many years was a prominent practitioner and was later folowed in the same profession by his son Dr. Bow Miner.

1802 - 1806

From Union, on the east side of Main, was a house and cooper shop occupied by Oliver Helme; afterwards by the widow and family of William Wright.

Next below was the residence and blacksmith shop of Benjamin Drake, and afterwards occupied by Isaac Bowman after he left Bowman's Hill.

On the opposite side were two log houses owned by Solomon Johnson, and occupied by Mrs. Marble, the town baker, and Benj. Hillman, a stone mason. This Solomon Johnson was an eccentric character. I think if he had lived now he would be called a spiritualist. He was said to be a learned man. He had periodical trances and visions of coming events, which he gave to the world through the Luzerne Federalist. He also published some "Commentaries" upon the Bible.

Between his lot and the Public Square was a frame two story building on the site of Judge Bennett's present (1873) residence, owned by Stephen Tuttle. These were all the houses at that time on Main Street above the Public Square. (James A. Gordon)

Prior to 1830

At the west corner of North Main street and the Square was the store and hotel of John Hancock, born in 1768 in Maryland, camer here in 1791, and opened a hotel (a frame buliding) in 1802, calling it the "Freemason's Coat of Arms". Colonel Eliphat Bulkley kept this tavern from 1808 to 1810, it then being owned by Isaac Carpenter. Mr. Bulkley was born in Colchester, Connecticut, 8 August 1746, and died here 11 January 1816.

Next to the tavern was the store of Ziba Bennett, whose name was later perpetuated on this site by the firm of Lewis and Bennett.

Then came the home of Mr. Gills.

Then the home of George Dennison.

Next was the home Gilbert Barnes.

On the southwest corner of Main and Union lived Mother Sprague, who kept a boarding house there. She was born in Colchester, Connecticut, as Eunice Chapman, and married her second husband Dr. Joseph Sprague, the first practitioner of medicine in this section, while she herself was the first midwife in the County. She died April 12 1814, age 82.

Lord Butler, son of Colonel Zebulon Butler, had his residence on the east corner of North Main and Public Square. "Butler's Alley" takes its name from him.

Next came Mr. Drake's.

Then came the home of the Rev. James May, D. D., who came from Georgetown, D. C. and was rector of St. Stephen's church from 1827 to '37, removing thence to St. Paul's Church, Philadelphia, where he died 18 December, 1863. He married 8 January 1829, Ellen S., daughter of General Isaac Bowman.

Dr. Jones lived next north.

A. Johnson house stood on the southeast corner of Main and Union. (Old Map)

1840's

Main street north of the Square to Union street was nearly altogether occupied by residences, beyond which were very few buildings. (George R. Bedford)

Going over the old Main street canal bridge which was raised above the water high enough to allow boats to pass under, and with a foot walk on each side and a drive way in the center we come to the famous Gabtown corner, which was a cluster of small houses and a broken stump of the Liberty pole. This was all changed in 1843 when the Hilliard block and Mill replaced it. On the north corner was the residence of Dr. Thomas Miner, who for many years was a prominent practitioner and was later folowed in the same profession by his son Dr. Bow Miner. Main street from Union at that time on the south side lived Dr. Jones, who with Dr. John Smith, who lived on Washington street and Dr. Miner were the only practicing physicians in the town. Dr. Jones lived where Dr. Beck, the dentist, now has his home. Adam Behee, the blacksmith and Lauerence Myers had a feed store and livery stable on the same side. Then came Mrs. Nancy Drake’s home, then Lord Butler, who was one of the pioneers in the coal business. He had several sons and daughters, Joseph, Zebulon, Ziba and Edward, all of whom are dead except Edward. Coming down on the north side of the street Mr. Bidlack, who was a minister abroad and left a widow with several daughters and sons, The writer recalls the names of only two, Benjamin and Blanch. In the block was Z. Gray, who kept a bakery, and a little further down was Charles Dennison’s law office. Next in order was a dwelling occupied by a Mr. Wells. He had a boy and girls nicknamed “Doney” and “Lucretia”, or “Tute Wells”. Then came one or two small offices. Next was Ziba Bennetts residence, with his store adjoining, where he sold hardware, dry goods and groceries and ranked as one of the wealthy men of the town. His two children George S. and Martha are still on this side of the dark river. On the corner where the Bennett block now stands was a hotel owned and keot by George P. steele. It was a frame structure with a wide porch where the stages and Democratic politicians made their headquarters. Steele was sheriff of the county and afterwards a representative at Harrisburg. J. Bennett Smith