Milestone Timeline of Austin, Pennsylvania 1856 - 1943
1856 - E.O. Austin cut a road through Costello and settled in an area called North Wharton which would later be renamed Austin.
1857 - George Turner settled in an area north of the E.O. Austin settlement.
1878 - Post office established at E. O. Austin’s resident named Freeman Run.
1881 - First telephone line in the county was built from Keating Summit to Costello,
providing service to Austin.
1885 - F. H. Goodyear built the Sinnemahoning Valley Railroad from Keating Summit to
Austin.
1886 - Two mills, referred to as the big mill and the small mill, were built in Austin by O.S. Garretson. Big mill referred to as The Hemlock Mill. Small mill cut
hardwood.
The mills were located on property previously owned by E. O. Austin and
George Turner, and, thereafter purchased by Garretson.
Railroad extended from Austin to Costello.
The United Lumber Company organized by F.H. Goodyear, president, S.S. Bullis,
general manager, J.J. Newman, secretary in order to control the lumber market
and force up the price of lumber.
1887 - F.H. Goodyear makes his brother C.W. Goodyear as partner till 1900, when it
was reorganized as the Goodyear Corporation
The name of the post office changed to Austin on April 1, 1887.
Austin’s population reported to be 500.
Blaisdell Brothers build kindling wood factory.
Electric light supplied to citizens of Austin by lighting plant put into
operation at the starting of the O.S. Garretson mill.
The Austin Autograph newspaper was established.
1888 - R. J. Gaffney built chemical works factory for the manufacture of wood alcohol.
The borough of Austin was incorporated.
A graded school building was erected by Pinney and Rees for a total cost of $3200
Crystal Hose Company formed. Painter and art teacher Paul Costa became
Austin’s first official fire chief.
First bowling alley built on Turner Street
1889 - First major fire destroyed blacksmith and wagon shop owned by John Hagen.
One man, James Moyer was burned to death.
1890 - The census shows Austin to have a population of 1670 which was the largest
borough in the county.
A.G. Lyman built hardwood mill.
Second major fire. A large part of the town was destroyed, sweeping both sides
of Main Street, burning 43 businesses and a few dwellings.
Third fire, December 1890, burned five stores on Turner Street.
1891 - March fire destroyed F. J. Gerrity boarding house. Three died and three burned
severely.
1893 - The Davidge Manufacturing Company built a hubs and veneering plant.
Railroad completed from Austin to Galeton
Goodyear railroad lines consolidated and called the Buffalo and Susquehanna.
1894 - Gas line laid to Austin from Coudersport over Mina Hill through Odin.
1897 - The most extensive fire swept Railroad, Turner Street and parts of Main Street.
89 families were burned out, two churches, a theater, several stores and
boarding houses were destroyed.
The big hemlock mill becomes the property of the Goodyear Corporation and
Remodeled into a band mill.
St. Augustine’s Catholic Church was built. (Destroyed in flood of 1911, but rebuilt)
1898 - The Austin Republican newspaper was established.
The Austin Hospital was established.
1900 - The Bayless Pulp and Paper Company was erected.
The Bayless Row and Starkweather houses built.
1901 - The Emporium Lumber Company purchases the A.G. Lyman hard wood mill.
New gas line laid to Austin from Roulet over the Lookoff.
Original dam across the valley of Freeman Run built of native stone laid in cement and flanked by earth embankments on both sides for water supply to the
Bayless Pulp and Paper Company
By a vote of 157 to 59 citizens of Austin voted in favor of a borough owned waterworks
1902 - Austin borough fire department becomes incorporated.
The Bank of Austin was built.
.
1903 - The small hardwood mill burned and was not rebuilt.
1904 - The primary school building burned, but was immediately rebuilt.
1905 - Construction of Austin Municipal Waterworks began after lengthy legal battle
decided by the Supreme Court.
1906 - The Austin Republican newspaper stopped publication.
1907 - Macadam road built from borough line in Austin to Costello.
1909 - Frank E. Baldwin of Austin elected State Senator.
The new Austin dam was built.
E.O. Austin died.
1910 - State took over road from Coudersport to Sinnemahoning via Austin and
Wharton; and, Coudersport to Keating Summit via Austin.
The new Austin dam cracked. A hole was blasted in the top of the dam, near
the top releasing three feet of water and arrested the movement of the dam.
Austin’s population reaches historical high of 2941.
1911 - Big hemlock mill closed in February
The Austin dam broke destroying the community of Austin on September 30, 1911. It remains the second worst dam disaster in the Commonwealth of PA.
The Austin Autograph newspaper ended publication due to the flood.
1912 - Brick road build on Costello Avenue.
1914 - The Emporium Lumber Company Mill was dismantled.
1916 - The lumber industry in Potter County, including Austin was nearly distinct.
1920 - The Austin Community Building was erected.
1924 - The Bank of Austin becomes a national bank.
1925 - The first hard road connecting Austin with the world outside was built to Keating Summit.
1930 - Hard road to Coudersport from Austin finished. Referred to as the Baldwin Highway after Senator Frank E. Baldwin.
The Austin Hospital building was torn down.
1933 - The Bayless Company is bankrupt.
1941 - They Bayless Company is sold at public auction. Purchased by Veta Mines
Corporation who opens the plant under the name of the Williamson Pulp and
Paper Company.
1942 - Flood of 1942 seriously damages The Williamson Pulp and Paper Company
forcing it to close.
1943 - The Pulp and Paper Company was destroyed by fire.
Events and dates were gathered from the following publications:
- History of Potter County by Victor Beebe
- 1911 The Austin Flood by Paul W. Heimel
- Community Growth in Freeman Run by Marie Kathern Nuschke
- Industry Comes to Freeman Run by Marine Kathern Nuschke
- Austin Centennial 1888 - 1988 by Austin Centennial Committee
