06/13/2026
Einaej Tuots shared this old news article she found talking about the house I shared earlier here on Facebook. The text reads:
Sunbury's curb market had already been in existence officially for 29 years when it received additional impetus by the construction of a large market house by the Rockefeller brothers at the corner of Market street and Woodlawn avenue. The large market building, still in use and managed by Isaac Rockefeller, was thrown open to public use in 1901.
The Rockefeller brothers purchased the plot of land on which it stands from a Mrs. Kiehl, respected by everybody as Granny Kiehl, who lived in a vine-covered cabin on the plot, surrounded by a white high board fence. Market Clerk Elijah Youtz wonders how many older residents can recall the site as it appeared in the days when Mrs. Kiehl lived there, in her quiet religious way, with her son and two grandchildren. He says the high fence was most important, as many Sunburians raised swine and geese, which roved above the town at night. Fences were a protection for lawns and gardens.
The plot extended from the North Branch bank building to Stroh alley and thence to Woodlawn avenue. Clerk Youtz recalls that Mrs. Kiehl's house was a one-story log cabin structure nestled among evergreen trees and almost covered with vines. Her flower garden was a thing of beauty, and an orchard and berry patches flanked a well-kept vegetable garden at the rear, where a fine well was located, to which the boys of the neighborhood flocked with but one restriction-"Close the gate!"
When the Rockefeller brothers bought the plot they erected the market house, ice house, necessary stables and a bottling works. When the market house opened its doors in 1901 there were but seven regular stands filled for some time. Stand space was offered free for a while as an inducement. Among the farmers who first occupied space were a Mr. Long, of Plum Creek, who is still there on market days; Ervin D. Traup, of Juniata county, who is also still there; Mrs. Jacob Keefer, of Keffer's Station, since deceased; and M. Lesher, a Mr. Luckhart, Cyrus Young and Mangus Burgard, all since retired.
As the years passed, attendance in the Sunbury market increased, and farmers and housewives alike found the new market house attractive, especially in stormy or wintry weather. Large stoves were set up, which reduced zero temperatures, and market patrons were free from wintry blasts. The market house is now well filled, and the curb market continues to overflow with upwards of 250 farmers and husksters attending the market at the height of crop
Seasons.
Advent of the motor truck changed the market picture. C. P. Smith, of Montandon, asserts he was the first man to come to Sunbury market in an auto truck in 1912. It was a high-wheeled International-made truck with solid tires and 3-4 ton capacity. Mr. Smith has since retired, but remembers he was the first curb attendant to place his stand east of Fourth street, and because of the curiosity occasioned by the auto truck he found it easy to attract a throng of housewives and make a sell-out each day.
W. A. Fasold also has vivid recollections of curb market days, as he attended curb market with his father for 15 years in the period of the 1880's and 1890's. He also has attended curb market in his own right for 26 years. Mr. Fasold recalls that Peter Zeliff, of Northumberland, sold matches, lemons and brimstone along the curb in the early days. He says few dressed chickens or flowers were offered for sale. Eggs sold for 10c a dozen, and butter often went for 10c to 20c a pound.
Curb and market house farmers are constantly astounded to find patronage reaching their stands from towns as far away as Wilkes- Barre, Scranton, Berwick, Ashland, Shamokin, Harrisburg and Williamsport. Mrs. Murray Kratzer reports that a customer from New York City took six boxes of huckleberries back with her for her family, who had never eaten nor seen huckleberries. The Kratzers handled 260 crates, or 6,240 quarts, of huckleberries from Shade Mountain this season.
