SUNBURY - In a city that can trace its roots to the pre-Revolutionary War era, Sunbury has been synonymous with Northumberland County since both were founded.
According to Bell's History of Northumberland County, the area was known as the Indian village of Shamokin, headed by Chief Shikellamy. In 1756, during the French and Indian War, the British built Fort Augusta, which became a stronghold for Pennsylvania's military forces for several years.
Before the Revolutionary War, surveyor General Lukens was given the task to head for Fort Augusta and, with the assistance of William Maclay, "lay out a town for the county of Northumberland to be called Sunbury."
By the time the 1800s rolled around, Sunbury had been established as the hub of Northumberland County, because it is located at the forks of the Susquehanna River. At its founding in 1772, it became the seat of government for the county as well.
As historic as Fort Augusta was, it no longer stands. It fell into disrepair and only a powder magazine and a well remain. A third historical sight near the area, "Bloody Spring," also remains.
Located a half-mile from the fort, the site gets its name from an incident when a Col. Miles and one of his lieutenants encountered Indians hiding in a thicket, trying to position themselves between the soldiers and the fort.
When a third soldier arrived to drink from the stream, the Indians fired and killed the soldier, while Miles and the lieutenant escaped to safety. When a rescuing unit arrived at the scene, they found the soldier had been scalped, his blood running into the stream, turning the water red.
Edison
The city's other contribution to the history of the nation sits at the corner of Fourth and Market streets. In 1883, The City Hotel was visited by a young inventor named Thomas Edison, who wired the building for electricity using his patented three-wire system. To commemorate the occasion, the hotel was renamed the Edison Hotel, which became the first commercial building to be wired for electricity.
St. Edward's Church, now Mother Cabrini Church, in Shamokin, wired in the fall of 1882, was the first structure in the world to be wired for electricity.
Market Street is also the birthplace of another popular business, thanks to two brothers who established a pure foods market there in 1912. From Harry and Sigmund Weis to Harry's son Robert and his grandson Jonathan, Weis Markets has gone from "the little store in Sunbury" to a grocery empire, employing more than 18,000 people with its stores in five states, manufacturing facilities and corporate office.
The company and the Weis family have their charitable side as well, and helped establish Janet Weis Children's Hospital at Geisinger Medical Center, Danville; the Sigmund Weis School of Business at Susquehanna University, and the Weis Center for the Performing Arts at Bucknell University, Lewisburg.
Employees are also work to raise money for health and wellness causes and raising money for its annual Fight Hunger program, donating food to local food pantries.
River festival
One of the biggest events in the city will be even better in 2012, according to Sunbury River Festival officials.
The festival will take place Aug. 16 to 18 on Front Street at the new Sunbury Riverfront and in Merle Phillips Park.
With the new amphitheater and Phase I of the Sunbury Riverfront area set to be completed in May, this year's festival will welcome hundreds of vendors and thousands of visitors to the streets of Sunbury for such events as the car cruise, the Cardboard Regatta and the Valley's Got Talent performance competition.