Lewisburg, Pennsylvania

File:Pennsylvania - Lewisburg through Marcus Hook - NARA - 68148318 (cropped).jpg

Lewisburg was founded in 1785 by Ludwig Derr. A settler of the area (since as early as 1763–1769), Derr purchased several tracts of land from the William Penn family and other neighboring landowners, the largest of which was known as "The Prescott". Having been on the land for such a long time, Derr had befriended the local Native Americans of the area. His relationship with these indigenous peoples was so well founded that, even as many of the other local settlers' homesteads were routinely sacked by Native Americans, Derr's lands remained free from attacks. Subsequently, in 1784, he worked with Samuel Weiser to lay out his combined land tracts, and create Derrstown. The name was later changed to Lewisburgh when Snyder County was created from Union County in 1855 (according to a local Keystone marker sign), but was known on original plans and deeds as Lewisburg before that time.

U.S. Postal Service states that it was named Lewisburgh when it was established in 1796; in 1893, the name was shortened to Lewisburg.{{cite web|url=http://webpmt.usps.gov/pmt002.cfm|title=USPS - Postmasters by City|work=usps.gov|access-date=December 16, 2016}}

The origin of the street names that run east-west is also unknown. St. George, St. Catherine, and St. Louis appear to be named for saints. While Lutherans, as was Derr, do recognize historic Catholic saints, the street names are more likely named for Derr's family members, whose names happen to coincide with saints. Those streets are consecutively parallel and emanate from what was then Derr's home and the location of the first available lot sold (which were both situated on what is now Mill Street). George was Ludwig's son, his wife was Catherine, and himself, Ludwig/Lewis/Louis (sic). The other original street names that still exist are St. John, St. Mary and St. Anthony, which may be the names of other children from families with whom Derr's own family were friends. However, there is an indication that Derr also had a daughter named Mary. The premise is further supported by the notion that the German word for street is Strasse (Straße, abbreviated St). At the time, street names were pronounced as Strasse Mary or Strasse George. Later, when signs were made to note the street names, the abbreviation for Strasse was allowed to remain, but the US/English abbreviation was redundantly added to the signs.{{Citation needed|date=December 2016}}

Over the centuries, Lewisburg has been a center of commerce in Union County. The West Branch Susquehanna River was used for logging and shipping, and remains of old factories and other ancient stone structures exist along the river banks. Prior to, and during, the Civil War, many abolitionists lived in the area, and several locations within the town of Lewisburg served as stopping points on the famous Underground Railroad.

The Susquehanna River has flooded on several occasions, notably in 1889, 1936, and 1972. The 1936 flood saw record-high water levels, while after the 1972 flood, the houses that formerly stood where Hufnagle Park is today were demolished.{{Cite book |last1=Huffines |first1=Marion Lois |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LmwNjrxWv2AC&q=university+avenue+university+at+lewisburg |title=Lewisburg |last2=Sauers |first2=Richard A. |date=2010 |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |isbn=978-0-7385-7335-9 |pages=27 |language=en}}

The Lewisburg Historic District, Chamberlin Iron Front Building, Packwood House-American Hotel, and Reading Railroad Freight Station are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.{{NRISref|version=2010a}}

Historic Market Street is the borough's main thoroughfare.

Lewisburg is located at {{Coord|40|57|50|N|76|53|17|W|type:city}} (40.963895, -76.888154).{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of {{convert|1.0|sqmi|km2}}, all land.

{{Weather box

| single line = Y

| location = Lewisburg, Pennsylvania (1991–2020)

| Jan high F =35.2

| Feb high F =38.4

| Mar high F =48.0

| Apr high F =61.9

| May high F =71.9

| Jun high F =79.7

| Jul high F =84.3

| Aug high F =82.5

| Sep high F =75.3

| Oct high F =63.0

| Nov high F =50.5

| Dec high F =39.6

| Jan mean F =27.1

| Feb mean F =29.1

| Mar mean F =37.6

| Apr mean F =49.4

| May mean F =59.9

| Jun mean F =68.6

| Jul mean F =72.9

| Aug mean F =71.1

| Sep mean F =63.8

| Oct mean F =52.1

| Nov mean F =40.9

| Dec mean F =31.9

| Jan low F =18.9

| Feb low F =19.8

| Mar low F =27.1

| Apr low F =36.9

| May low F =47.9

| Jun low F =57.4

| Jul low F =61.5

| Aug low F =59.7

| Sep low F =52.3

| Oct low F =41.2

| Nov low F =31.3

| Dec low F =24.3

| precipitation colour = green

| Jan precipitation inch =3.13

| Feb precipitation inch =2.41

| Mar precipitation inch =3.48

| Apr precipitation inch =3.75

| May precipitation inch =3.93

| Jun precipitation inch =3.74

| Jul precipitation inch =4.49

| Aug precipitation inch =4.28

| Sep precipitation inch =4.41

| Oct precipitation inch =3.81

| Nov precipitation inch =3.10

| Dec precipitation inch =3.35

| Jan snow inch =8.0

| Feb snow inch =7.8

| Mar snow inch =5.3

| Apr snow inch =0.8

| May snow inch =0.0

| Jun snow inch =0.0

| Jul snow inch =0.0

| Aug snow inch =0.0

| Sep snow inch =0.0

| Oct snow inch =0.2

| Nov snow inch =1.3

| Dec snow inch =5.4

| source = NOAA{{cite web |url=https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/us-climate-normals/#dataset=normals-monthly&timeframe=30&station=USC00364976 |title=NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access |publisher=NOAA |access-date=2025-04-03 }}

}}

{{US Census population

|1830= 914

|1850= 2012

|1860= 2666

|1870= 3121

|1880= 3080

|1890= 3248

|1900= 3457

|1910= 3081

|1920= 3204

|1930= 3308

|1940= 3571

|1950= 5268

|1960= 5523

|1970= 6376

|1980= 5407

|1990= 5785

|2000= 5620

|2010= 5792

|2020= 5158

|footnote=Sources:{{cite web|title=Census of Population and Housing|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=11 December 2013}}{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}{{cite web|title=Incorporated Places and Minor Civil Divisions Datasets: Subcounty Resident Population Estimates: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012|url=https://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2012/SUB-EST2012.html|work=Population Estimates|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=11 December 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130611010502/http://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2012/SUB-EST2012.html|archive-date=June 11, 2013}}{{cite web|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=P1_001N,NAME&for=place:*&in=state:42&key=5ccd0821c15d9f4520e2dcc0f8d92b2ec9336108|title=Census Population API|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=Oct 12, 2022}}

}}

As of the census of 2000, there were 5,620 people, 1,778 households, and 787 families residing in the borough. The population density was {{convert|5,724.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,938 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1,974.1|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}. The racial makeup of the borough was 91.57% White, 2.62% African American, 0.19% Native American, 2.79% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 1.00% from other races, and 1.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.33% of the population.

There were 1,778 households, out of which 17.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.7% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 55.7% were non-families. 42.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.97 and the average family size was 2.64.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 10.0% under the age of 18, 45.9% from 18 to 24, 16.4% from 25 to 44, 12.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.3 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $30,137, and the median income for a family was $53,409. Males had a median income of $32,727 versus $25,436 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $14,146. About 6.3% of families and 22.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.9% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over.

Hufnagle Park is located along Bull Run in the heart of downtown. It offers open space, a picnic pavilion, playground equipment, and gardens. It is named in honor of former Public Safety director Gordon Hufnagle. Officer Hufnagle died saving lives during the Agnes Flood on June 21, 1972.{{Cite web |title=Jun 22, 1972, page 1 - The Daily Item at Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/481770042/ |access-date=2024-11-15 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en}} A covered footbridge just north of the park was built in his honor in 1982."Hoof-nogle or Huff-nagle? Popular park is pronounced, ‘fun’" WKOK radio news report 2007-06-16.

The Lewisburg Community Garden is a joint venture between Lewisburg Borough and Bucknell University. Opened in 2012, the community garden provides educational opportunities for students and area residents, rents garden plots, and grows and donates 3,800 pounds of organic produce to local food access programs.{{Cite web |title=Lewisburg Community Garden – Growing Together since 2012 |url=https://lewisburgcommunitygarden.blogs.bucknell.edu |access-date=2024-11-15 |website=lewisburgcommunitygarden.blogs.bucknell.edu}}

Other parks in the borough are: Soldier's Memorial Park and Mariah's Garden (both located on the Susquehanna River), Lewisburg Area Recreation Park, Wolfe Field and St. Anthony Street Park, and D.F. Green Field.{{Cite web |title=Parks & Recreation |url=https://www.lewisburgborough.org/community/parks-recreation/ |access-date=2024-11-15 |website=Borough of Lewisburg Pennsylvania |language=en}}

• Ward R. Bliss, Pennsylvania State Representative (1889–1905)
• Thaddeus Mortimer Fowler, cartographer, who lived in Lewisburg between 1881 and 1885{{cite web|title=Thaddeus Mortimer Fowler Panoramic Town View Lithographs (4867)|url=http://www.libraries.psu.edu/findingaids/4867.htm|work=Historical Collections and Labor Archives, Special Collections Library|publisher=Pennsylvania State University|access-date=3 June 2013|archive-date=October 24, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171024114319/https://libraries.psu.edu/findingaids/4867.htm|url-status=dead}}
• Jason Bohn, professional golfer, was born in Lewisburg
• Doug Lebda, founder and CEO of LendingTree, was born and raised in Lewisburg
• George H. Ramer, U.S. Marine Corps Medal of Honor winner graduated from and taught at Lewisburg High School and is buried in Lewisburg Cemetery
• Christy Mathewson, Major League Baseball player and one of first five inductees into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum attended Bucknell University and is buried in Lewisburg Cemetery
• Berhanu Nega, Ethiopian politician, taught at Bucknell University{{Cite news |last=Hammer |first=Joshua |date=2016-08-31 |title=Once a Bucknell Professor, Now the Commander of an Ethiopian Rebel Army |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/04/magazine/once-a-bucknell-professor-now-the-commander-of-an-ethiopian-rebel-army.html |access-date=2024-02-21 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}
• Philip Roth, prolific Jewish novelist, attended Bucknell University{{Cite news |last=McGrath |first=Charles |date=2018-05-23 |title=Philip Roth, Towering Novelist Who Explored Lust, Jewish Life and America, Dies at 85 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/22/obituaries/philip-roth-dead.html |access-date=2024-04-01 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}
• Mary Oliver, American poet, moved to Lewisburg in 1986 to be the "Poet in Residence"{{Cite web |title=Poet Seers » Mary Oliver |url=https://www.poetseers.org/contemporary-poets/mary-oliver/ |access-date=2024-04-01}}

{{Gallery

|width=180

|height=180

|align=left

| File:Campus Theatre, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.jpg

| alt4=Campus Theatre.

| Campus Theatre (1939) built in the Streamline Moderne style.

| Beaver Memorial Methodist Church, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.jpg

| alt7=Beaver Memorial Methodist Church

| Beaver Memorial Methodist Church (1890) one of four Victorian Gothic churches in Lewisburg.

| File:First Presbyterian Church Lewisburg.jpg

| alt8=First Presbyterian Church, entrance.

| Entrance to the First Presbyterian Church (1856) in the Greek Revival style.

|File:Lewisburg, PA Keystone Marker.jpg|Keystone marker}}

{{clear}}

{{Notelist}}

{{reflist}}

{{commons category|Lewisburg, Pennsylvania}}

{{wikivoyage|Lewisburg (Pennsylvania)|Lewisburg}}

• {{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Lewisburg}}

{{Union County, Pennsylvania}}

{{County Seats of Pennsylvania}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Pennsylvania populated places on the Susquehanna River

Category:County seats in Pennsylvania

Category:Populated places established in 1784

Category:Boroughs in Union County, Pennsylvania

Category:1784 establishments in Pennsylvania