(Editor’s Note: This is the final column written by local historian Lou Bernard, celebrating The Express community newspaper’s 140th anniversary.)

Anniversaries are a big thing. They’re important, or at least we consider them to be, which is why we tend to celebrate the big, round numbers. In 1983, Lock Haven turned 150 years old, and the local people put together a book about the city’s history. Among other things, it contains a timeline of big events that happened, year by year. The Express was founded in 1882, and this local newspaper was such a big deal that it’s the only thing listed for the entire year.

In 1882, Lock Haven was 49 years old. It had been incorporated as a third-class city for 12 years. The mayor was Seymour Durell Ball.

One hundred and forty years ago, the newspaper began as “The Evening Express.” Sadly, I haven’t been able to get my hands on the first issue, but the Ross Library has some very early issues on microfilm. I thought, for the anniversary, that it might be fun to see what sort of news The Express was covering in its first year in business.

In those early days, The Express ran a front-page column called “City Chit Chat.” The big news in May was the death of local citizen Edward Major, who left Lock Haven on a raft, got as far as Sunbury, and then fell over due to heatstroke. Several companions met him on the shore, and took him by train to a hotel, where medical help was summoned. He passed away in a few hours, however, and his body was shipped back to his family in Lock Haven by train.

On the same train was City Treasurer L.R. McGill, who was returning to Lock Haven in good health after getting some out-of-town medical attention of his own. Also, local businessman Wilson Kistler was traveling to Elk County to supervise the construction of a new tannery there.

It was noted, in those early days, that the courthouse was in need of some paint and repair. Odd, as the courthouse was only a few years old by that time, but you know how it is with the lowest bidder. The Express mentioned that the commissioners’ offices had already been done, and the sheriff was next on the schedule.

Chief Westbrook, local police chief at the time, came upon three little girls one night. One was lost, and the other two were trying to help her find her parents. As he joined in to help, he was informed that a Grove Street family named Zessinger was looking for their daughter. He brought her home to the family, to everyone’s delight.

In July, the headline was “Friday’s Findings.” (Later it became “Town Transpirings.”) The column put to rest a rumor, saying,”A rumor was started in this city yesterday afternoon that some man living over the creek had committed suicide. The rumor had not more than got started when someone increased the size of it to a bloody tragedy, and reported that a murder had been committed in or near the quiet village of Castanea.”

The rumor spread, and was a great surprise to Chief Westbrook when he heard it, as he hadn’t been informed of any murder. He asked around, and it turned out that the rumor had begun when Mayor S.D. Ball had discovered some blood-covered clothes in his stable the day before. Though the newspaper squashed the rumor, it never did explain the bloody clothes.

The big story, however, was the wedding of William Kinsloe, the man who founded The Express in the first place. He married Nellie Marsh at the home of her parents, 504 Clinton Avenue. This is today’s Bellefonte Avenue; it was called Clinton back then. This would be Carter Towers today; at the time it was the Prendible Building, once the oldest building in Lock Haven. It was described as a “delightful evening with friends,” and then the couple went to their new home on Bald Eagle Street.

It’s been 140 years, but that sums up the first. And I’m pleased to be writing for the most recent year… here’s to a lot more to come.

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Lou Bernard is a Lock Haven resident with a keen interest in the history of this area. He is adult services coordinator at Ross Library and may be reached at loulhpa@gmail.com or 570-660-4463.