Discover Danville

Discover Danville. A Susquehanna Greenway River Town. , Danville is a distinctive, historic community noted for iron heritage and connections to health care. Named after the son of founder William Montgomery, Danville was first settled in 1776. Local iron ore deposits fed the growth of a bustling iron industry in the mid and later 1800s- the rolling mill at the Montour Iron Works produced the first iron T-rail within the United States on October 8, 1845. Danville still celebrates its history during the annual Iron Heritage Festival held each July. Today, Danville is known as the home of Geisinger Health Systems and Cherokee Pharmaceuticals and is growing as an active community and center for healthy living and recreation., Live, Learn, Explore , 1. Discover Danville Walking Tour , Historic architecture, friendly neighborhoods, and quaint shops await your discovery as you stroll through the streets of our community. The Walking Tour begins at the Montgomery House Museum at the corner of Bloom and Mill Streets and takes you through the heart of Danville's Historic District. , www.VisitDanvillePA.org, 2. Robbins Trail , The J. Manley Robbins Trail is a former railroad line for the "Montour," a 10-ton narrow gauge locomotive used for carrying iron ore between deposits and furnaces. The line was converted to a bicycle path in the 1890s, making it the oldest "Rails to Trails" in the country. The trail now connects with additional trails and recreation amenities at the Hess Field Complex., 3. Montgomery House , This stone Federal house, now a museum, was built in 1792 for General William Montgomery and his family. Montgomery was a native of Chester County and a prominent figure in the early fight for independence from Britain. Danville, originally called Montgomery's Landing, was later renamed after the General's son. , One Bloom Street, 4. Memorial Park , This historic park was originally the site of Danville's first cemetery. Its central feature is a 73-foot stone obelisk, which was built as a Civil War monument and was dedicated on Memorial Day in 1909; several other monuments dedicated to veterans of other wars are also found within the park. Today, the park is home to many events including concerts and plays., 5. Historic Downtown , Mill Street is at the heart of the Danville business district, extending from the hills above the town to its riverfront. Flanked by well-preserved Italianate and Victorian architecture, it is bisected by historic Market Street and anchored by the Montgomery House, the Montour County Courthouse, and remnants of the North Branch of the Pennsylvania Canal., 6. Montour Preserve , [Informational, not transcribed], Additional Places of Interest , 7. Iron Heritage Festival Office and Watchbox Park , [Informational, not transcribed], 8. Basilica of Saints Cyril and Methodius and Jankola Library and Slovak Museum - Dedicated in 1939, the motherhouse chapel was built as a place of worship for the Sisters of Saints Cyril and Methodius Congregation. The Library and Museum promote and preserve Slovak intellectual and cultural life. , Located in the St. Cyril Academy on the grounds of Villa Sacred Heart., 9. Franklin Furnace - This anthracite furnace was built in 1846 and produced roughly 45 tons of pig iron per week until the 1860s. Located 0.2 miles north of Route 642 on Old Furnace Road., 10. North Branch Canal Trail - This wooded trail follows the historic canal towpath for a half-mile east out [of] Danville off of River Road. It will eventually run the 12 miles from Danville, via Catawissa, to Bloomsburg., 11. Historic Trail of Riverside , [Informational, not transcribed], 12. Geisinger Stewardship Forest and Sidler Hill Cemetery - This historic cemetery sits in the woods amidst the 300-acre Stewardship Forest which offers miles of hiking and biking trails, watershed protection, and wildlife habitat. Located behind Geisinger Hospital off Powder Mill Road.