Juniata River Valley Visitors Bureau

Juniata River Valley Visitors Bureau Discover Our Good Nature! captures the beautiful landscape of our region, but also speaks of the hos
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Celebrate Goose Day at the newest holiday event, Lucky Friday in Downtown Lewistown! There will be plenty of vendors, ex...
09/22/2023

Celebrate Goose Day at the newest holiday event, Lucky Friday in Downtown Lewistown! There will be plenty of vendors, excellent local musicians, food trucks and food specials from downtown restaurants and plenty of activities for all to enjoy!

Food trucks and vendors open up at 5, music kicks off around 6 and is spread around the downtown area—so be sure to keep moving around so you catch everything!
The Goose Lightning 1950s inspired photo shoot will be in front of the Embassy Theater. Meet Frenchie the Goose.
Don’t forget to stay late so you can catch the Goose Day Drone Light Show—the first of its kind for the area, starting at 9:30pm!

This weekend in the Juniata River Valley.🚗Goose Day Road Rally 2023🔍Bilgers Pumpkins Goose Hunt✂️Goose Day Craft at Miff...
09/21/2023

This weekend in the Juniata River Valley.

🚗Goose Day Road Rally 2023
🔍Bilgers Pumpkins Goose Hunt
✂️Goose Day Craft at Mifflin County Library
⚔️Sparks In The Barnyard Civil War Event 2023
🎡Thompsontown Fall Fest
🎡Beaver Community Fair
🔥Campfire at Seven Mountains Wine Cellars
🎹Ragtime in Rockhill at East Broad Top Railroad
✈️Top Gun movies playing Saturday at Midway Drive-in Theatre
🎤Live music at Shy Bear Brewing and Oriental Hotel LLC
🛍 Flea market at Midway Drive-in Theatre
🌽At The Barnyard Corn Maze open
🏎Racing at Seven Stars Speedway

Find more things to do in the Juniata River Valley this weekend at....
https://jrvvisitors.com/events/calendar-of-events/

The Solders’ and Sailors’ Monumet got a much-needed power wash today during the United Way of Mifflin-Juniata’s Day of C...
09/21/2023

The Solders’ and Sailors’ Monumet got a much-needed power wash today during the United Way of Mifflin-Juniata’s Day of Caring. Built in 1906, the monument honored Civil War veterans. It measures 64 feet and six inches, weighs 125 tons, and is made of Vermont granite. During the dedication ceremony, newspaper reports indicate 25,000 to 30,000 people witnessed the unveiling. The monument serves as a beacon to downtown Lewistown and now it shines much brighter today thanks to Miller’s Power Washing.

Reserve your roast goose dinner now! Some restaurants are requiring reservations, while others it's first come, first se...
09/20/2023

Reserve your roast goose dinner now! Some restaurants are requiring reservations, while others it's first come, first serve.
Don't miss out on finding your lucky bird!
Want to know who's serving goose? Visit https://jrvvisitors.com/goosedaylist/

Beautiful day for the Reedsville Apple Festival 🍎 Great job !
09/16/2023

Beautiful day for the Reedsville Apple Festival 🍎 Great job !

Built in 1873-74, the Hoopes School served generations of children in Mifflin County until it closed its doors in the 19...
09/15/2023

Built in 1873-74, the Hoopes School served generations of children in Mifflin County until it closed its doors in the 1957-58 school year.
Many come back to tour the school to reminisce, others come to learn how different attending school was in the early days.
Restoring the school and filing it with authentic school related artifacts was a labor of love by former owner Clifford Walters. Today, the Mifflin County Historical Society owns the building and it will be part of the Day in the Juniata River Valley on Saturday.
This year there are 21 museums open for free tours in Mifflin, Juniata, and Huntingdon Counties. Go to the event page to find out who's participating this year.

Built in 1873-74, the Hoopes School served generations of children in Mifflin County until its closing in the 1957-58 sc...
09/15/2023

Built in 1873-74, the Hoopes School served generations of children in Mifflin County until its closing in the 1957-58 school year.
Many come back to the tour the school to reminisce, others come to learn how different attending school was in the early days.
Restoring the school and filling it with authentic school related artifacts was a labor of love by former owner Clifford Walters. Today, the building is owned by the County Historical Society and will be part of this Saturday's Museum Day in the Juniata River Valley.
There are 21 musuems on the tour in three counties including Mifflin, Juniata, and Huntingdon. Visit the Facebook event page to find out where you want to go to learn about our area's rich history.

This weekend in the Juniata River Valley.🏺Museum Day in the Juniata River Valley🍎Reedsville Apple Festival🎡Rothrock Fair...
09/14/2023

This weekend in the Juniata River Valley.

🏺Museum Day in the Juniata River Valley
🍎Reedsville Apple Festival
🎡Rothrock Fair
🎤Live music at Shy Bear Brewing and Oriental Hotel LLC
🛍 Flea market at Midway Drive-in Theatre
🚂Train and Trolley rides at East Broad Top Railroad and Rockhill Trolley Museum
🌽At The Barnyard Corn Maze and Bilgers Pumpkins open
🏎Racing at LCRC Raceway and Seven Stars Speedway

Find more things to do in the Juniata River Valley this weekend at....
https://jrvvisitors.com/events/calendar-of-events/

09/14/2023

Who's coming to the Goose Day Drone Light Show? Here's a teaser of what's to come from previous Firefly Drone Shows.....

The Tuscarora 50 is now scheduled for Oct. 5th!
09/14/2023

The Tuscarora 50 is now scheduled for Oct. 5th!

PORT ROYAL, Pa. (September 14, 2023) - With Mother Nature stepping in and interfering with Port Royal Speedway’s annual Tuscarora 50 on its original date, “Speed Palace” and Tezos All Star Circuit of...

Happening during Lucky Friday on Goose Day!
09/14/2023

Happening during Lucky Friday on Goose Day!

Join in the Goose Day fun!
Come to our free family event!

Lemon & Lime Craft Co is now open in their new downtown Lewistown location. The store is full to the brim with fall deco...
09/13/2023

Lemon & Lime Craft Co is now open in their new downtown Lewistown location. The store is full to the brim with fall decor and their signature wreaths. They will be offering in-store classes now including their fall wreath class on September 23.

Members of the JACKS Mountain HAWK WATCH are already perched at the top of the mountain to watch another seasonal migrat...
09/12/2023

Members of the JACKS Mountain HAWK WATCH are already perched at the top of the mountain to watch another seasonal migration of soaring raptors flying between McVeytown and Belleville.
For 30 years, trained volunteers of the hawk watch group spend hours each day during the fall migration to identify and record raptors.
Visitors are welcome to Jacks Mountain Overlook to learn from the volunteers and observe firsthand the beauty of Ferguson Valley and Big Valley below.
The overlook is located along Jacks Mountain Road/Wills Road in Mifflin County.
Volunteers are at the overlook every day, weather permitting, through Nov. 30th.

Goose Day event- stop by the hawk watch from Sept. 29-Oct. 1 and look for the goose wearing a pair of binoculars!

09/11/2023

Goose Day in the Juniata River Valley was featured on Good Day PA on ABC27 this morning! Did you see it?

09/11/2023

Museum Day in the Juniata River Valley is just a few days away. Go to the event page to see the 21 musuems that will be open this Saturday in Mifflin, Huntingdon, and Juniata Counties.

Did you know?McClure is proud of its living memorial to all veterans of all wars in the annually held McClure Bean Soup ...
09/11/2023

Did you know?
McClure is proud of its living memorial to all veterans of all wars in the annually held McClure Bean Soup Festival and Fair celebration started by veterans of the Civil War of McClure and surrounding vicinities. On July 23, 1883, a group of veterans of the Civil War met on the second story of Joseph Peters blacksmith shop in Bannerville for the purpose of organizing a Grand Army of Republic Post. After several preliminary meetings, the first session of the newly formed post was held on October 20, 1883.

This organization held many get-togethers and observed bean soup festivals from time to time, but not until 1891 did the Bean Soup Celebration invite the public to a real Civil War bean soup dinner. Records show Comrade Ner B. Middleswarth was chairman in charge of his celebration and secured from the war department “hard tack” to be served with soup. Comrade Henry Kahley who was a cook in the Civil War was in charge of the soup. Another veteran named in cooking was Comrade Aaron Bickel. From 1891 on, the thinning of the ranks in the early 1900’s caused them to feel that the celebration should be carried on by their sons. Since then, the present Henry K. Ritter Camp Sons of Union War Veterans and citizens of McClure have put forth a united effort to the novel celebration using a ton of beans and a ton of crackers to serve the tens of thousands who attend each year.

The making of the soup in large iron kettles is done over a wood-fire battery of furnaces capable of handling 16 large 35 gallon capacity kettles at one time. Each man stirs two of the kettles during two hours and twenty minutes shifts. After seeing it being made and partaking in the main attraction of eating the soup, one can enjoy the many varied attractions which have been added including amusement rides and concessions, displays, parades, nightly entertainment and Civil War re-enactment.

Stop by the Bean Soup this week to try some bean soup for your self. Soup is served starting at noon each day.

Above information from mcclurebeansoupfestival.com.

If you ever get the opportunity to fly over Big Valley, take it!
09/10/2023

If you ever get the opportunity to fly over Big Valley, take it!

Want to know where you can unwind and relax in PA? Here are some great ideas including Hameau Farm in the Big Valley.
09/07/2023

Want to know where you can unwind and relax in PA? Here are some great ideas including Hameau Farm in the Big Valley.

No matter how you define wellness and “self-care,” PA offers a variety of experiences to help you de-stress and find your inner peace. Create your own itinerary to suit your wellness journey with inspiration from these self-care destinations throughout the Keystone State. 1. Discover a woodland ...

This weekend in the Juniata River Valley.🎡Juniata County Fair🎤Live music at Shy Bear Brewing, Hungry Run, Burnt Timbers ...
09/07/2023

This weekend in the Juniata River Valley.

🎡Juniata County Fair
🎤Live music at Shy Bear Brewing, Hungry Run, Burnt Timbers Winery, Brookmere Winery & Vineyard Inn, and Oriental Hotel LLC
🏖Paddleboard Yogalates at Whipple Dam State Park
🛍 Flea market at Midway Drive-in Theatre
🚂Train and Trolley rides at East Broad Top Railroad and Rockhill Trolley Museum
🏎Tuscarora 50 at Port Royal Speedway
🌽At The Barnyard Corn Maze opens for the season
🛩Fly-in, Drive-in, Walk-in Breakfast at Mifflin County Airport
🐎Rodeo at Rocky Ridge Ranch
🚗Keystone State Muscle Cars Cruise In

Find more things to do in the Juniata River Valley this weekend at....
https://jrvvisitors.com/events/calendar-of-events/

Here we go! The biggest weekend in racing starts tonight at Port Royal Speedway. Green, green, green!
09/07/2023

Here we go! The biggest weekend in racing starts tonight at Port Royal Speedway. Green, green, green!

It’s raceday with the All Star Circuit of Champions for the HVAC Distributors, Inc. opener during the Juniata County Fair!

$10,000 on the line for the 410 sprint cars, plus the PennsValley MeatMarket PA Sprint Series 305 sprints!

All gates open at 4pm, Racing at 7pm
GA- $25, S- $10, P- $35

09/07/2023

Learn more about Big Valley on tonight's Our Town episode on WPSU. Catch it online at wpsu.org.

September is full of great events! Also, be sure to check out all the Goose Day events happening this month at jrvvisito...
09/06/2023

September is full of great events! Also, be sure to check out all the Goose Day events happening this month at jrvvisitors.com/goosedaylist

Looking for one of the best Instagrammable spots in the Juniata River Valley? A trip along Route 655 to Belleville will ...
09/06/2023

Looking for one of the best Instagrammable spots in the Juniata River Valley? A trip along Route 655 to Belleville will deliver.

Meet "The Belle of Saint Mary's," or commonly known as the Dairyland Cow as it once stood in the parking lot of the now leveled dairy/cafe/antique co-op. This fiberglass giant stands at the end of the lane to Hameau Farm, a working dairy farm, a girls' summer camp and artist retreat.

Want to visit the farm?
In the fashion of Monet and friends who retreated to a farm for inspiration and good food, Hameau Farm in the Big Valley has been the host site for artists desiring the ‘plein air’ of central Pennsylvania. Instructors and novices alike are invited to capture the pastoral views and bucolic vistas on their canvas. This September, sign up for a plein air class with Susan J. Nichols Fine Art.

Learn more about the farm and Big Valley during WPSU's Our Town: Big Valley airing Thursday evening.

Continue your Goose Day weekend with a fun kayaking trip down the Juniata. Book your trip now.
09/05/2023

Continue your Goose Day weekend with a fun kayaking trip down the Juniata. Book your trip now.

This is a way to make the reservations process more efficient and convenient. You are always welcome to call if you prefer. If I don't answer, it is because I am with customers or campers so please leave a message. Completing this form does not guarantee a reservation. I will be in touch with you as...

For 169 years, the Juniata County Fair has been one of the highlights of the year. Held every year except during the Civ...
09/02/2023

For 169 years, the Juniata County Fair has been one of the highlights of the year. Held every year except during the Civil War, locals flock to the fairgrounds to see old friends, cheer on their favorite race car driver, and try the delicious fair foods. The fair kicks into full swing this week. Check out the great line-up of entertainment at

Since 1854, our Juniata County Fair has been an agricultural fair. Our fair creates educational, social, cultural, and economic opportunities for our community that preserve and promote agriculture.

Happy National Tailgating Day! Between the races at Port Royal Speedway and the home Penn State football game, where wil...
09/02/2023

Happy National Tailgating Day! Between the races at Port Royal Speedway and the home Penn State football game, where will you be tailgating or picnicking this weekend and more importantly, what will you be eating?

Photo by Roxie Garrett of Guante Family Restaurant LLC food at the Juniata River.

Lewistown First Friday was sure a fun way to kick off our Goose Day celebration!
09/02/2023

Lewistown First Friday was sure a fun way to kick off our Goose Day celebration!

The official Goose Day List is out! Plan now to come for the goose, stay for the weekend!Click the link to find out ever...
09/01/2023

The official Goose Day List is out! Plan now to come for the goose, stay for the weekend!
Click the link to find out everything that is happening this year.
www.jrvvisitors.com/goosedaylist

Carried here by an early settler, Goose Day has been a tradition in the Juniata River Valley for two centuries! Legend has it that if you eat goose on Sept. 29th, you will ensure wealth and prosperity for the coming year. Join us to lock in your luck by eating goose and celebrating all weekend long.

This weekend in the Juniata River Valley.🎡Juniata County Fair🎤Live music at Juniata Valley Wineryy, Hungry Run, and Shy ...
08/31/2023

This weekend in the Juniata River Valley.

🎡Juniata County Fair
🎤Live music at Juniata Valley Wineryy, Hungry Run, and Shy Bear Brewing
⛲️Lewistown First Friday
🏖Concert on the Beach at Whipple Dam State Park
🏡Burnham Community Day
🎬Midway Drive-in Theatres last weekend
🛍 Flea market at Midway Drive-in Theatre
🚂Train and Trolley rides at East Broad Top Railroad and Rockhill Trolley Museum
🏎Racing at Port Royal Speedway

Find more things to do in the Juniata River Valley this weekend at....
https://jrvvisitors.com/events/calendar-of-events/

Friday, Sept. 1st is a big day for us. The official Goose Day List is released and we are celebrating with some goosie f...
08/31/2023

Friday, Sept. 1st is a big day for us. The official Goose Day List is released and we are celebrating with some goosie fun at Lewistown First Friday.
Join us for some wine from Brookmere Winery & Vineyard Inn, get your photo taken at Goose Lightning, chalk the walk, and get some Goose Day merch from GetGoosed.Store.
See you at 6 p.m.!

The biggest racing week of the year begins at Port Royal Speedway this Saturday. With the Juniata County Fair as its bac...
08/30/2023

The biggest racing week of the year begins at Port Royal Speedway this Saturday. With the Juniata County Fair as its backdrop, the speedway will welcome thousands of race fans and drivers from across the country to see the 56th running of the Tuscarora 50.

Racing starts this Saturday with the 20th annual ULMS Late Model “Butch Renninger Memorial” race, Monday is the 72nd annual Foss Jewelers Inc., of Lewistown Labor Day Classic, Thursday is the All Star Circuit of Champion race; Friday is the “Night Before the 50” All Star Circuit of Champion event; and Saturday is the Tuscarora 50.

Started in 1968, the Tuscarora 50, a 50-lap sprint car feature, has been the highlight of the track’s season. Only a select few drivers have the honor of placing “Tuscarora 50 winner” on their resume with Lance Dewease being the biggest winner of all time with seven wins. This year’s winner will take home $56,000!!

If you haven’t been to the speedway this season, now’s the time to make your way to the track and stop by the food stands at the fair to fuel up to cheer on your favorite driver!

08/29/2023
The new Dunkin' in Reedsville is officially open for business! Conveniently located off Route 322 at the start of Big Va...
08/28/2023

The new Dunkin' in Reedsville is officially open for business! Conveniently located off Route 322 at the start of Big Valley, customers can make a Dunkin’ run through the valley or as they head to Penn State.
Nedo, Inc.

Peer through the windows of the former Peterson’s Garage in Mifflintown and you may think it’s still an auto mechanic sh...
08/25/2023

Peer through the windows of the former Peterson’s Garage in Mifflintown and you may think it’s still an auto mechanic shop but look closer. A large, gleaming, copper still dominates the former repair shop, now home to Hazard's Distillery. Vintage license plates, hub caps, and automotive advertisements are showcased in the modern industrial style tasting room while maps of the United States are decoupaged on the walls. Even the façade of the building features a mural with a 1960s Chevy Nova and old gas pumps. Back inside, you’ll find a family-owned micro-distillery, producing hand-crafted batches of artisan whiskey and moonshine. Try flavors like butterscotch, root beer, apple pie or we dare you to try the hot “Blowtorch” cinnamon whiskey.
Visit https://www.hazardsdistillery.com/ for recipes and to order your new favorite drink!

This weekend in the Juniata River Valley.🎤Live music at Juniata Valley Winery, Hungry Run Wine And Spirits, Shy Bear Bre...
08/24/2023

This weekend in the Juniata River Valley.

🎤Live music at Juniata Valley Winery, Hungry Run Wine And Spirits, Shy Bear Brewing, Iron Ridge Brewing and Brookmere Winery & Vineyard Inn
🎪Centre County Grange Encampment and Fair
🎬 Midway Drive-in Theatre open
🕰 Tuscarora Academy Museum and McCoy House Museum open
🛍 Flea market at Midway Drive-in Theatre
🚂Train and Trolley rides at East Broad Top Railroad and Rockhill Trolley Museum
🏎Racing at Port Royal Speedway, Seven Stars Speedway and LCRC Raceway

Find more things to do in the Juniata River Valley this weekend at....
https://jrvvisitors.com/events/calendar-of-events/

Address

1 W Market Street
Lewistown, PA
17044

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm

Telephone

(717) 248-6713

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Q: What do Lady Gaga, flea markets, co****le tournaments, the Youth Fair and Juniata County Fair, "Weird Al" Yankovic and Goose Day all have in common?

A: They are just some of 200+ event listings in our handy-dandy Spring/Summer Event & Recreation edition. Grab a copy FREE in today's paper or online here---> https://issuu.com/lewistownsentinel/docs/summerevents2022

Thanks to Buffie, Jenny, and the whole Juniata River Valley Visitors Bureau team for their help in assembling the list and providing the beautiful fireworks cover photo!
Travel to the quaint town of Reedsville in Juniata River Valley Visitors Bureau, where you’ll discover a farm-to-table restaurant that’s been an area favorite since it first opened in 2015. Revival Kitchen was born out of the desire to create a dining experience centered on locally sourced ingredients carefully crafted using both classical and modern cooking methods.
We had a beautiful day yesterday as we honored Dr. Joseph T. Rothrock, with a tree planting ceremony in his hometown of McVeytown with our Juniata River Valley friends! Rothrock is known as the "Father of Forestry" and remains a powerful figure in the stewardship of Pennsylvania's forests 🌲

We were thrilled to honor him yesterday and kick off . We look forward to collaborating with the Juniata River Valley Visitors Bureau and The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau to expand this week-long celebration with many fun activities each April. Stay tuned!
Tomorrow is opening day!!!!
Come take a look at what we have and get yourself some flowers! They are growing fast and we need more elbow room. 😎
Let your friends know this is where you get you amazing plants😉.

7649 US Hwy 522 South
Mcveytown PA

Open 9-6.

Juniata River Valley Chamber of Commerce
Juniata River Valley Visitors Bureau
Tatyana Vdov
Nadya V Peachey
Have you driven past the new Big Valley billboard, a team project of Juniata River Valley Visitors Bureau and Visit Big Valley. We have a list of places to buy flowers listed on our website, but we know there are more! If you have a favorite location that isn’t on our list, please comment on this post.
We are back!!!!
We stopped to take a breath, say hi and share some news!
We will be opening for the season on Saturday April 23!
Monday-Saturday 9-6

We missed you!!!
Come see us at
7649 US Hwy 522 South
Mcveytown Pa 17051
( in Strodes on top of the hill by the golf cart place)
Let your friends know.

Nadya V Peachey Tatyana Vdov Juniata River Valley Chamber of Commerce Juniata River Valley Visitors Bureau
Dreaming of your next fishing adventure while relaxing at a charming cottage? Guests of The Cottage at Honey Creek in Pennsylvania can relax on the back deck watching nature come back to life in the spring , or go fly fishing in the backyard’s premier, Class A wild brown trout fishery. Juniata River Valley Visitors Bureau
JP. Edward's is a bar and grill located in Burnham, PA. just outside of Lewistown. They have a great menu that sports a wide variety of food that could work for virtually any occasion. On top of a fantastic menu they also have a well equipped bar with plenty of options for mixed drinks or beers (including some local craft brews). JP Edward's is the perfect combination of sports bar/ causal dining, giving you the fun vibes of a sports bar without the sensory overload while also having plenty of delicious appetizers and entrees to chose from. Their staff is very friendly and accommodating and the food came out in a very timely manner. It does tend to get busy and the parking lot can get a bit tight but that is a testament to the quality of service this restaurant provided. JP Edward's is certainly Pennsylventure approved!
JpEdwards Grill and Bar Juniata River Valley Visitors Bureau Burnham, Pennsylvania
A walk around Kish Park, Lewistown this morning. Bluebirds (female pictured), Tree Swallows, Great Blue Herons, Flickers, Goldfinches, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, and Red-winged Blackbirds. I saw a Bald Eagle fly over also.
Two additions to the Wild Geese: Flock Together public art project received their all-weather coats at Barnes Body Shop in Thompsontown and are getting ready to land in Juniata County (Buttonwood Campground Port Royal Speedway Speedway)! 🏕 🐦 🌭🏁 🐦 🏎 Thanks to both site sponsors and Juniata River Valley Visitors Bureau for co-sponsorship of the Campground and Speedway goose + tons of Wild Geese promotion! 🙌 🐦

Check out this itinerary for a trip to the Juniata River Valley Visitors Bureau!
More than 180 years ago, the song “The Blue Juniata” was written by Marion Dix Sullivan. Let’s get reacquainted with the story of the song’s creation and its protagonist, the far-famed Alfarata. This catchy tune is a unique claim to fame that we share with our Juniata River Valley neighbors in The Perry, Mifflin, and Huntingdon counties.

After the Juniata Division of the Pennsylvania Canal opened in 1832, many travelers were carried over its 127-mile stretch. One such traveler was Mrs. Marion Dix Sullivan, who was traveling with her three children from Massachusetts to Ohio to meet up with her husband sometime between 1835 and 1841. Her children fancied the canal as their favorite part of the long journey since the unique arrangements were quite unlike that of a railway car.

One night while they were all sleeping, their boat hit a rock. When they awoke the next morning, their cabin floor was flooded, forcing them to vacate the boat. They took up the only other available resource, an old rickety stagecoach, presumably to take them to another part of the canal to catch another boat. As they traveled along the mountain roads, any discomfort was overridden by the charm of the scenery on the journey.

Marion’s eventful travels through the Juniata River Valley, enchanted by her surroundings and the stories about the previous native inhabitants, inspired her to write “The Blue Juniata.” She probably couldn’t have imagined that her song would become so popular throughout the nation, that it made her the first American woman to write a commercially successful song.

Some sources cite the date the song was written as 1841. Some even give her husband credit for penning the lyrics, even though he was not with her during the journey. Semantics aside, in 1844 “The Blue Juniata” was officially published and copyrighted. The original arrangement was for voice and guitar, but soon after, a piano forte score was arranged by E.L. White. As early as July 1844, the song appeared in new music advertisements in Charleston, South Carolina and quickly spread to many other states. Over the next few years, the song grew in popularity as a parlor favorite in nearly every state and territory.

By 1850, other variations of “The Blue Juniata” were being composed and published. In 1856, a new wildly popular monthly publication called Harper’s Magazine included a lengthy 8-page article lauding the beauty of the Juniata River Valley and the charms of Marion’s song. For decades, newspapers across the nation would randomly print the song’s lyrics with no further explanation or context. The song’s fictitious native character named Alfarata (likely invented for the sake of rhyming) became the namesake of countless children, horses, boats, college mascots, and even locations. Not only is there a Mifflin County community named Alfarata, but it is also a city in Georgia.

But the song’s popularity is perhaps best captured in the following three instances:

• “The Blue Juniata” is listed in Mark Twain’s autobiography as one of the tunes he recalls hearing traveling minstrels sing.

• “The Blue Juniata” has been well-documented as a favorite song of both northern and southern soldiers during the Civil War. General George Pickett mentioned it in a letter to his wife in 1864. General William Sherman famously became enchanted with the song while encamped in Georgia. An Illinois regiment began singing the song when their train started up the Juniata on their way home.

• “The Blue Juniata” was said to be a favorite song of Charles “Pa” Ingalls, as documented in Chapter 18 of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House on the Prairie. Her parents sang the song as a lullaby, but Ingalls recalled being more troubled than lulled by the lyrics. “Where did the voice of Alfarata go, Ma?” Her concern for the actions taken against Native Americans only deepened before she was silenced. Ingalls later discovered that “Pa” scribbled the lyrics in a book in 1860, the year he and “Ma” were married.

In 1937, two years after Ingalls’ book was published, “The Blue Juniata” was recorded by Roy Rogers (a.k.a. Leonard Slye) with his band the Early Sons of the Pioneers. In 2012 the song was recorded by the band Riders in the Sky, a band featured in Toy Story 2.

The Juniata River, our county’s namesake, lives on in song. There have been poems published in response to it. It is used in academic settings to teach lessons in both music and history. Yet, there are some who have not read the lyrics or listened to the song. Let’s remedy that. Listen to this recording and read the lyrics in the comments. Then tell your children, family, friends, and neighbors about Alfarata’s love and loss on the waters of the Blue Juniata!
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