Old Newspaper Details the Start of Electric Service in Smethport

Bradford Era — by Fran De Lancey

Jim Herzog has donated to Smethport Borough two complete and original editions of the McKean County Miner from 1921 that document electricity coming to the county seat during the Roaring Twenties, a decade that saw much change and prosperity before the stock market crash in 1929.

“The newspapers came from the estate of Mary Backus, a local woman who died at the age of 103 and whose family at one time published the Miner,” said Herzog on Monday when he presented the framed copies of the April 4 and June 16 editions to borough council. “It is very unusual to find old newspapers in perfect condition,” Herzog added. Read more