A Mansion, a General, and a Cannonball: Part Three

Early in 1815, the townspeople of Thompsontown, Pennsylvania, gathered around a large metal ball in the middle of the street.

“What could it be?” said one man wearing red suspenders.

Another man walked carefully around it. “It must have fallen from the sky.”

“Oh, something terrible is going to happen,” said a woman in a calico dress. Read More

A Mansion, a General, and a Cannonball: Part Two

On February 10, 1802, Louis Evans, age 24, from Montgomery County in southeastern Pennsylvania bought 541 acres of land near Thompsontown in central Pennsylvania. Two hundred of the acres had been an original William Penn grant.

Mr. Evans descended from one of six brothers who left Wales in the 1700s. His father was George Evans, Jr. and his mother was Elizabeth North, daughter of Roger North from Ireland.

After buying his land, Mr. Evans moved immediately to the area and began to develop his land. He built a read more

A Mansion, a General, and a Cannonball: Part One

Juniata County, Pennsylvania, has its share of historical mansions, including the 1794 Lily Manor and the 200-year-old Wilson House Bed and Breakfast, both south on Route 35. Another mansion lies east of Thompsontown on Route 333. “Selected stone and unusual length” are two of the phrases I found in old newspaper clippings to describe this place. The current sign reads, "General Evans House," but when it was built, locals used the word, “mansion.” read more