Wellsboro PA

Kasey Cox

In 1990, Kenneth C. Davis wrote his first bestselling history book, "Don't Know Much About History", which launched a popular series of "Don't Know Much About ..." books. (This is one of those series where you scratch your head and say, "Darn! Why didn't I think of that?") Davis's books, whose later installments are often co-authored with another teacher or historian, work well to make history - or geography, the Bible, mythology, the American presidents, the solar system, or what have you - more interesting to bored or slightly overwhelmed students. The histories are arranged chronologically featuring essays on important people or events from each era, usually opening and closing with a little humorous bon mot.

While Davis's series does not include "Don't Know Much About Wellsboro History", never fear, because even if you know a lot, Scott Gitchell can tell you more. Gitchell, of the Tioga County Historical Society, has just published the book that has been a huge labor of love for most of the past two years - if not the last couple of decades of studying the area, her history, her lore, and her people. The title of the book is not as bouncy as Kenneth Davis's books, because it reflects Gitchell's thoroughness and attention to detail. Sound the trumpets now, because it's the book you've been waiting for - "Wellsboro, Pennsylvania: The First Two Hundred Years: 1806 - 2006, A Pictorial History."

The "Don't Know Much" series is an easy study in comparison and contrast with a book such as Gitchell's bicentennial volume. Davis's essays, while fun and witty, have been criticized as leaning too much on entertainment value and not enough on the objective presentation of facts toward which a historian should endeavor. This criticism cannot, however, be leveled at Scott Gitchell: indeed, this objective, detailed listing of all the facts available is the true strength of the newly-released "Wellsboro book".

Spending time immersed in "Wellsboro ... The First Two Hundred Years", I found an impressive collection of facts - dates and names, building locations, early streets, laws and meetings, businesses and houses built and razed, floods, fires, churches and Odd Fellows. In Wellsboro's earliest days, before it was officially Wellsboro, I found many names I recognized - Morris, Harrison, Kelsey, Bacon, Packer, Deane, and Niles. There was a Cox near the beginning, but I am, sadly, not of his line. (I guess I can forget my membership in the "Daughters of Wellsboro's Founding Families". Bummer.) I also discovered many incidents I'd had no knowledge of - events involving freed slaves, black men on the first fire company, a heated "free soil" incident, a Ku Klux Klan chapter more angry about Catholics running for president than any racial conflicts one might believe, great bank robberies, and women postmasters and police officers. I won't ruin the stories: you need to read the details for yourself.

For many people who despair that Gale Largey's two history books of Wellsboro are out-of-print and extremely difficult to find for sale, Gitchell's bicentennial history of Wellsboro is a gift. Gitchell offers his community the gift of this book, affordably priced at less than $40 for a beautifully bound hardcover book whose paper and binding are, quite literally, built to last, to be handed down through the generations. You can be certain that Scott Gitchell, after years of research through old books, maps, documents, newspapers, letters, and photographs, understands the importance of building a book - especially one with such precious cargo as thoroughly-collected and -corrected histories - that will withstand the beatings of passing years.

History or ho-hum? Hobo knows history. His own, of course, is available in his memoir, "Hobo Finds A Home", soon to be re-released by Edgecliff Press!


... If you mourn the unavailability of Gale Largey's books, this is the book to buy, and keep, and gift. Kudos to Scott Gitchell for all his unselfish, unpaid hard work, and for a wonderful book!
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Hi, folks! We've had a huge response to the book signing we hosted this past weekend, for Scott Gitchell of the Tioga County Historical Society, and the Wellsboro bicentennial history book. There have also been a lot of questions, so I thought I'd answer the FAQ here.

(1) What's the book again? What does it contain?

This is officially titled: "Wellsboro, Pennsylvania: The First Two Hundred Years: 1806 - 2006, A Pictorial History". It is a lovely hardcover, printed by the same company that did the bicentennial history of Tioga County. It's 160 pages, packed with Wellsboro history from its very roots till today. Lots of information, lots of cool black & white photos of days gone by.

(2) How much is it?

It is $36 + tax, which comes to $38.16 total. If you'd like it shipped, just 4.00 for shipping. The price quoted in the Williamsport paper was incorrect -- that price only covers the cost of the book, and then neither the Hist. Society nor the bookstore make any money. I'm sorry, but we can't give it away at cost. I hope everyone understands. This is a wonderful book, and a treasure that you can pass down through your family, like the Gale Largey books.Which leads me to ....

(3) How many were printed? Are they in danger of running out?

1500 copies were printed. After the response we had this past weekend, and the way the phone has been ringing today, I think they will be sold out by the end of the year. Dickens will probably just about wipe them out. It remains to be seen if another printing would be done. When I broached the subject with Scott, he said it's a lot of money for the Historical Society to come up with, right up front. Possibly more could be ordered, if enough people ordered and everyone pre-paid, but this is not something we can count on.

(4) Can I get a signed copy?

Of course! If you don't have time to take your book to the Hist. Society to have it personally addressed, we will always keep a ready supply of signed copies here at the bookstore.



In other news, people are starting to think about buying calendars for 2009. If you regularly get a certain kind of calendar -- be it "The Far Side" or "Tolkien" or "Cathy" or what-have-you -- we can get these for you at a fantastic discount! If you preorder and prepay for the 2009 calendar(s) of your choice, we will give you a great price, and save you a trip to the mall, or the last-minute rush. We'll be taking these preorders for calendars up until Dec. 20th, so let us know what you need, so we can give you the personalized service and the savings you deserve.

Hope you all have a great week! Stay warm!

Cheers,

Kasey Cox(class of 90), Kevin Coolidge(class of 87), and HOBO(bookstore cat, and author of "Hobo Finds A Home", school of hard knocks)

From My Shelf Books
87 Main St
Wellsboro PA 16901
(570)724-5793
www.wellsborobookstore.com

p.s looking for a great book for the outdoor lover? Consider "Of A
Predatory Heart" by Joe Parry. Check out his blog at
www.ofapredatoryheart.blogspot.com for a FREE excerpt.

Looking for a great childrens book or book for the cat lover? Check out
"Hobo Finds A Home" now available at www.edgecliffpress.com, Amazon,
and Barnes & Noble, and a bookstore near you.





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