There are three "Concords" in Pennsylvania, but somehow I had missed Old Concord, PA, during my other two trips through the state. For quite a while, I was unsure whether Old Concord was a place or just a name attached to a church. By contacting the local historical society, I was able to confirm that Old Concord was indeed a town. They also directed me to one of their members, Dale Leech, who lives in Old Concord. We were lucky to have Dale as our guide. He's a history buff, and he regaled us with stories about his hometown.
While Dale lives in a lovely 19th-century home, his barn is particularly interesting. In 1942, the Mail Pouch Tobacco Company painted the barn and gave the owner $3 per year to turn it into a roadside billboard. The Mail Pouch Tobacco advertising campaign began in the early 1890s, initiated by the Bloch Brothers Tobacco Company of Wheeling, West Virginia. There were once about 20,000 Mail Pouch Barns spread across 22 states. By 1986, when Dale bought his property, Mail Pouch was paying barnowners $10 per year. Originally, they would paint all four sides of the barn, but they reduced that to one side, and then, in 1994, they stopped painting them altogether. Dale repainted his barn in 2014, sent Mail Pouch a photo, and duly received his annual $10 payment.
"Every year, I would call Wheeling, West Virginia, and say, 'How about paying a little more?' and every year they said, 'No.' So, in 2023, I did a bunch of research and emailed their parent company’s corporate headquarters in Tampa. I told them that back in 1942, they would paint the whole barn and pay $3, but nowadays we only get $10, and they don’t paint anything. I sent them my research about how billboards cost between $500 and $2,000 per month. Nine days later, I got a call back, and I could see on the caller ID that it was from Tampa. I thought, 'Oh boy, now we are going to get some money.' Well, it was their corporate lawyer, and he thanked me. He told me I had done my homework, and he appreciated all the research. He said, 'You told us something we didn’t know... that Wheeling is still sending checks.' Back in 2004, Congress banned all advertisements for tobacco products, and that included my barn.”
The conversation ended with a laugh.”'I guess you should have been happy with what you got. You were getting $10 a year, and now you and 1,747 other Mail Pouch barn owners ain’t going to get nothing.”
The conversation ended with a laugh.”'I guess you should have been happy with what you got. You were getting $10 a year, and now you and 1,747 other Mail Pouch barn owners ain’t going to get nothing.”
The second story Dale told us was about how his home was the site of a triple slaying. Dale gave me a photocopy of an old newspaper article. In the published version, Wilber Day came home from a hospitalization, shot his wife, Hazel, while she slept, then went to the neighboring home and killed his sister-in-law, Edythe, before turning the gun on himself.
Dale’s version was much more interesting.
While the two Day brothers, Wilbur and Clayton, enjoyed living next to each other, Clayton’s wife, Edythe, made everyone’s life miserable. She complained about everything and everybody, including her husband and his family. The paper says the shooting arose over a dispute about three acres of land, and there may have been some truth to that, but according to Dale, the real reason was jealousy and hatred. Wilbur had been ill for some time and had a prolonged hospital stay. While Wilbur was away, his brother Clayton started sleeping with Wilbur's wife, Hazel. Wilbur returned home still weakened and, as the paper said, "nervous."
Dale’s version was much more interesting.
While the two Day brothers, Wilbur and Clayton, enjoyed living next to each other, Clayton’s wife, Edythe, made everyone’s life miserable. She complained about everything and everybody, including her husband and his family. The paper says the shooting arose over a dispute about three acres of land, and there may have been some truth to that, but according to Dale, the real reason was jealousy and hatred. Wilbur had been ill for some time and had a prolonged hospital stay. While Wilbur was away, his brother Clayton started sleeping with Wilbur's wife, Hazel. Wilbur returned home still weakened and, as the paper said, "nervous."
After his brother Clayton had gone off to work, Wilbur shot Hazel, with a rifle as she slept. He then took his shotgun and headed next door. Wilbur pounded on the kitchen window and said he had a flat tire and needed the key to the shed to get the jack. When Edythe opened the window to give him the key, Wilbur fired, injuring Edythe. He came inside to finish her off but was met by Edythe’s mother, who tried to calm him down. Edythe slipped out the door. Wilbur fired but missed. He chased after her while fumbling to reload his gun. Wilbur dropped five unused shells, but caught up to Edythe near the corner of the barn and blasted her in the face.
Wilbur headed back to his kitchen where he wrote: "Law - I confess all" (signed) W.E. Day. "Find my loving wife and best friend upstairs. The woman Edythe Day made life so miserable that we couldn’t live beside her." As an afterthought, Wilbur wrote, "Clean out the refrigerator so the food won’t spoil." He then went up to his springhouse, where, with the aid of a four-foot stick, he shot himself in the heart.
Wilbur headed back to his kitchen where he wrote: "Law - I confess all" (signed) W.E. Day. "Find my loving wife and best friend upstairs. The woman Edythe Day made life so miserable that we couldn’t live beside her." As an afterthought, Wilbur wrote, "Clean out the refrigerator so the food won’t spoil." He then went up to his springhouse, where, with the aid of a four-foot stick, he shot himself in the heart.
Fifty years later, when Dale helped his next-door neighbor remodel the bathroom off the kitchen, they found shotgun pellets embedded in the studs.
Another story was one that came out in bits and pieces throughout the course of our visit.
One of the unexpected benefits of seeking Concord all across America is that I have met Concordians who have been impacted by national issues that do not affect the Northeast. Some national issues I’ve seen almost everywhere: the demise of downtown shops, the reduction of small family farms, the impact of opioid abuse, the failure of the American Dream. There are other issues that are more regional, such as the reintroduction of wolves in Concord, Idaho, the expansion of wind energy in Concord, Kansas, and the need for immigrant workers in the meatpacking plants in Concord, Iowa. These regional issues sometimes get coverage in the national press, but they have little impact on my life in Concord, Massachusetts. Our visit to Old Concord, PA, taught us about the impact, both good and bad, of fracking.
One of the unexpected benefits of seeking Concord all across America is that I have met Concordians who have been impacted by national issues that do not affect the Northeast. Some national issues I’ve seen almost everywhere: the demise of downtown shops, the reduction of small family farms, the impact of opioid abuse, the failure of the American Dream. There are other issues that are more regional, such as the reintroduction of wolves in Concord, Idaho, the expansion of wind energy in Concord, Kansas, and the need for immigrant workers in the meatpacking plants in Concord, Iowa. These regional issues sometimes get coverage in the national press, but they have little impact on my life in Concord, Massachusetts. Our visit to Old Concord, PA, taught us about the impact, both good and bad, of fracking.
Fracking, as you may know, is the process of pumping water, sand, and chemicals into the ground to extract oil and natural gas. Much of this is done in areas with depleted oil fields. Western Pennsylvania was the site of the first great oil boom in 1859. There are still conventional oil wells in PA, but the vast amount of drilling these days is focused on fracking. According to Forbes, fracking "is a key to almost 60% of the state’s electricity" and adds thousands of direct and indirect jobs. We could see signs of fracking—pumps and pipes—all along the road as we approached Old Concord.
The dangers of fracking have been well documented. By forcing water and chemical agents deep underground, aquifers are often polluted, leading to contaminated drinking water. Spill-off from wastewater damages natural habitats. The release of methane gas adds CO2 to the atmosphere. Higher rates of leukemia and lymphoma have been found in areas of large-scale fracking.
Fracking has also made billions of dollars for the U.S. and hundreds of thousands for small landowners. This windfall has benefited many people in rural Pennsylvania. At a time when farming and coal mining have become less profitable, fracking has been a boon for landowners. According to Dale, "A small percentage are against it, but most are all for it because of the financial gain. During the leasing phase, most people get between $2,000 and $4,000 per acre for the right to drill and frack, and then get 17% of whatever is pulled out of the ground to sell. I know people getting $50 a month and others getting $30,000 a month." It’s not "The Beverly Hillbillies," but income from fracking has dramatically changed lives—mostly for the better, but it has also changed communities, mostly for the worse.
Fracking has also made billions of dollars for the U.S. and hundreds of thousands for small landowners. This windfall has benefited many people in rural Pennsylvania. At a time when farming and coal mining have become less profitable, fracking has been a boon for landowners. According to Dale, "A small percentage are against it, but most are all for it because of the financial gain. During the leasing phase, most people get between $2,000 and $4,000 per acre for the right to drill and frack, and then get 17% of whatever is pulled out of the ground to sell. I know people getting $50 a month and others getting $30,000 a month." It’s not "The Beverly Hillbillies," but income from fracking has dramatically changed lives—mostly for the better, but it has also changed communities, mostly for the worse.
What I didn’t know was the impact fracking could have on a small community like Old Concord. Situated in a pretty valley, I presume that most people were farmers or woodsmen. Concord gets its name from Revolutionary War veterans who first settled in the area. In the early 1800s, the community had simply been called "Concord." It was incorporated in 1826, but a number of residents moved west, especially to New Concord, Ohio, 90 miles away. Some people retained property in both Concords and there was a fair amount of movement between New Concord, Ohio, and Concord, PA, so Concord became "Old Concord," probably just to clarify things.
The Concord Presbyterian Church was established in 1831 and the current church was built in 1884. In 1859, oil drilling began in Titusville, and this led to an oil boom. Over 10,000 oil wells were drilled in Pennsylvania. I don’t know if there were wells in Old Concord, for the center of the oil industry was over 100 miles to the north. By 1900, most of the wells had been tapped out, and the industry was soon centered on Texas and Oklahoma.
While fracking for oil has been around for over 60 years. Fracking the Mercellus Shale deposits in Appalachia for oil and natural gas began in 2004. According to Forbes, fracking is a key to almost 60% of the Pennsyvannia’s electricity. Over the past 10 years, the impact on Old Concord has been profound. The local energy company Consol Energy signs leasing fees with local homeowners. The fee varies depending on the quantity of gas produced. Water and sand make up 95% of what is pumped into the ground to break up fissures in the shale and the final 5% are chemicals that are often proprietary. Wells are drilled 4000 feet down and then they bend horizontally into the shale beds A National Institute of Health (NIH) report in 2017 identified 55 chemicals used in fracking that may cause cancer. Most ground water sources are badly polluted in the area. While some people in Old Concord have become rich due to coal deposits and the productivity of their wells, some of Dale’s neighbors have become ill and moved away. When properties are put up for sale, it is often more profitable for Consol to buy the property, bulldoze the perfectly fine house and mine and frack or mine the underground resources. In some cases, homeowners are destroying their own homes so that they can sell the property to Consol unencumbered.
An example of the damage this can cause to the community is the destruction of the 1830 Parkinson Farm. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and valued as a local landmark, when it went up for sale, it was purchased by Consol Energy. They knew they couldn’t remove the historic house, so they leased it to a third party who tore the property down. Consol Energy gave a statement.
“Although we currently own the property where the structure was located, we were not responsible for the demolition. This property is under and subject to, a private agreement with a third party.” And with that another historic house was lost, another thread holding together the community was destroyed, and another 123 acres had been opened up for fracking.
“Although we currently own the property where the structure was located, we were not responsible for the demolition. This property is under and subject to, a private agreement with a third party.” And with that another historic house was lost, another thread holding together the community was destroyed, and another 123 acres had been opened up for fracking.
As Dale drove us around town, he repeatedly said something like “That’s where the so-and-so's used to live, before they tore down the house,” or "the so-and-so’s deserted that house and moved to Florida.” A total of 61 local houses had been removed. This had knock on effects.
There had been two centers of town life in Old Concord. One was the Old Concord Presbyterian Church. This had been one of the oldest Presbyterian Churches in the area. It features beautiful stained glass windows and magnificent painted ceilings and interior walls. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to see the interior. No one could find a key. The church membership had fallen so far that the church was rarely used for services. Next door was a wide partly-paved field.
This expanse had been the home of The Mansion House.
The main part of the Mansion House had been built by Elias Day back in 1837. The history of the Mansion House is pretty convoluted. From what I can gather, it was a family farm, then a boys orphanage/reform school named The Thorn Hill School, then a restaurant and then reverted back to being a reform school for boys and girls. The orphanage or reform school started in 1910.. The boys were taught to cook and they started serving meals to the public. This became successful, so around 1947 they added a banquet hall, gift shop and several dining rooms. From on-line reviews, it appears that The Mansion House had a double life: For over 50 years, the restaurant was the hub of the community of Old Concord. When the restaurant was scheduled for closing in 2001 a letter was published in the local paper:
“Having worked at the Mansion House Restaurant for the past six years, I have seen what the restaurant really means to the community and those that are visiting the area. Every person that walks through the door has a story, a memory or a compliment relating to the restaurant. Many people, who were married in the restaurant, come back for their anniversaries or even to renew their vows. Countless birthday parties, family reunions, showers, banquets and meetings have taken place at the Mansion House. Regular customers enjoy being greeted by familiar faces, and those who have not been to the Mansion House for quite some time, enjoy telling stories of the last time they were there and 'how it used to be.' There are very few places that have such a historical background as the Mansion House Restaurant.”
Those who stayed at reformatory had less fond memories. Stories of life boarding in the Mansion House paint a grim picture of abuse:
“The school was called TLC transformation learning center or holy family in Washington county. (The) mansion house was for boys that were 16 and around that age to 18 and The one next to the mansion house became storage but it was a secondary unit for kids around the same age bracket as the mansion house and we all ate at the mansion house only thing this place was good for was (for) grown ass adults come to work and abuse there power ive still wear scar till this day and im 24 now i got hit by a car there seen riots got my ear cut off and chased by rednecks and possibly shot and killed if we ran soooo it was basically a outta town feel free to run cause you’ll die typa vibe.”
“The staff told us it was haunted I've even had like Indian like gruesome fires and killings in my dreams plus they said sum girl hung her self in neglect of her father not being there i mean i can only remember bits and pieces cuz mind u i was age 8 to 13 when i stayed there.”
“The school was called TLC transformation learning center or holy family in Washington county. (The) mansion house was for boys that were 16 and around that age to 18 and The one next to the mansion house became storage but it was a secondary unit for kids around the same age bracket as the mansion house and we all ate at the mansion house only thing this place was good for was (for) grown ass adults come to work and abuse there power ive still wear scar till this day and im 24 now i got hit by a car there seen riots got my ear cut off and chased by rednecks and possibly shot and killed if we ran soooo it was basically a outta town feel free to run cause you’ll die typa vibe.”
“The staff told us it was haunted I've even had like Indian like gruesome fires and killings in my dreams plus they said sum girl hung her self in neglect of her father not being there i mean i can only remember bits and pieces cuz mind u i was age 8 to 13 when i stayed there.”
The Mansion House, its garage, workshops, cabins, outbuildings, dining halls, and garden beds have all been plowed under in pursuit of what lies 4000’ below the ground.