UTICA

From "The Historical Album and Daily Program, Venango County Sesquicentennial, 1805 - 1955"

The little town of Utica, situated on the banks of French Creek, has always been proud of this beautiful stream.

The business history of Utica began with the coming of A. W. Raymond to this location and purchasing the land where the town now stands. It was purchased in the 1832 for the sum of $2000.00. The town was laid out and named for Utica, New York.

At the time of the purchase James Adams already had built a small woolen mill, a saw mill, and a grist mill. The woolen mill was the first of its kind in Venango County.

Some earlier industries of the town were a foundry, planing mill, sucker-rod shop, chair factory, cooper shop, harness shop, cider mill, two hotels, a distillery, also several stores.

In the early 1860s the Methodist Church was erected. This was soon followed by a Presbyterian and a United Presbyterian Church.

The first school was a log building. A two-story building known as the Utica Academy was erected in 1855. This building burned in 1886. The present school building (1955) was erected in 1887-88. Anyone who attended Utica High School in the earlier days will be sure to remember the curfew. The school bell rang at seven-thirty o'clock and every pupil started for home. The penalty for disobeying this law was often suspension from school.

Some of the pleasures of the town were coasting, skating, swimming, tennis, sleighing parties and the Utica Harvest Home.

Transcribed by Penny Haylett Minnick
minnick862@verizon.net

Disclaimer:there may be errors due to transcription of information from both early and late (current contributors) work.