Highlights of our ever changing collection… | Collecting Vintage Saegertown and Meadville

Here is a group of early Saegertown bottles. For descriptions and more pictures, go to our SAEGERTOWN ITEMS page. — Here is a group of early Saegertown bottles. For descriptions and more pictures, go to our Saegertown Ginger Ale etc. Page.

Updated October 4, 2024.

We have been collecting Saegertown, Pa. Mineral Water, Ginger Ale, and Hotel items for many years. We also have a collection of Meadville, Pa. Whiskey collectibles and many other related local bottles and items. We would like to share our collection and information, while reaching out to anyone who has items that we are still seeking.

The Saegertown, Pennsylvania companies we focus on are: Eureka Mineral Springs Company, Eureka Springs Hotel Baths Mineral Springs and Sanitarium, The Saegertown Mineral Springs Company, The Saegertown Mineral Water Company, (The Aristocrat of Sparkling Beverages), The Saegertown Ginger Ale Company, The Saegertown Inn, Springs Hotel, The Arlington Hotel, Hotel Tilbrook, Grace Hotel, Renner Hotel, Floyd Hotel, Chantilly Beverages, and Baldwin Laboratories.

Here is a card from the Meadville Pa. Distilling Co. Limited. It has a great illustration of the distillery buildings.

We also collect items from The Pennsylvania Distilling Company, Meadville Pennsylvania, including: Puryo, Meadville Pure Rye Whiskey, Old Erie Brand Blended Whiskey, and David Meade Rye Whiskey.

Click on any of the pictures for a larger version. (There are now more than 2,100 images on this website.) Looking for something specific? Use our search engine, located on the right side of the header on every page.

Here are five Meadville whiskey bottles. They can be seen with many more Meadville whiskey bottles and other related items, on our Meadville Whiskey Page.

Other local items in our collection are from: Stern’s Rye Whiskey (Meadville, Penna.), local pharmacies, Keystone View Company, Hookless and Talon items, Soyer Company (perfect sauce, etc.) local dairies, postal and historical paper items, items made locally or advertising from local companies no longer in business.

These historical items illustrate the history of Crawford County, Meadville, Saegertown, Northwestern Pennsylvania, and more, while physically connecting us with the past. Collecting these vintage items, has revealed the past intimately, one piece at a time, and it has been and continues to be, great fun! To see great images from our past, see our Meadville Post Cards Page, Saegertown Post Cards Page, and More Local Post Cards Page. Some of the post cards are real-picture post cards, and a few are promotional. It’s interesting to note, that right now, there are seven Meadvilles (AL, MI, MO, NB, PA, VA, WV) and eleven Crawford Counties (AR, GA, IL,IN, IO, KS, MI, MO, OH, PA, WI) in the United States.

Image in front of the Meadville Market House. See text for detailed description.

Above is a real picture post card of a boy with his buggy and pony sitting in front of the Meadville Market House. H.E. Ellsworth opened a photographic studio in Meadville in 1892. In 1897 he moved to 887 Market Street, where he remained for many more years. If you wanted to easily share your photograph, he could make it into a real picture post card. You can see more of these post cards on our Meadville Post Card Page. Below left, is another Ellsworth post card of what appears to be a Meadville athlete. Below right is photograph of a Spanish American War soldier, taken by I. E. Hall, 203 Arch Street, Meadville, Pa., circa. 1898.

See text above – another Ellsworth post card. Meadville athlete?

See text above. Spanish American War soldier circa. 1898.

Here is one more Meadville photographer, H. E. Ellsworth real picture post card of a uniformed postman in his official horse-drawn buggy.

Image H1 has a picture of three uniformed policemen with badges and batons. This image is from H.H.Harris Gallery of Art, Meadville, Pa. For more images and information on Meadville’s early photographers, visit our Meadville Items Page.

Caption: Chestnut St. March 26, 1913. In the background, you can see the Meadville, Pa. train depot, and to the right, is the trolley station.

The end of the card has a notation: Flood at Meadville, Pa. March 8, 1910. This card was made by Ellsworth (photographer), Meadville, Pa.

This real picture post card of a train wreck (no caption) is by L. E. Hall Photographer, Meadville, Pa. The box car has BESSEMER on the side.

Here is another H.E. Ellsworth (Meadville Photographer) post card, showing a train wreck. I don’t know if this wreck actually occurred in Meadville, Pa.

Image H2 shows a clock that hung in the Saegertown Market for many years, that advertises the local Meadville radio station WMGW. Note the misspelling of Saegertown or Saegerstown.

When you visit our Saegertown Ginger Ale etc. Page, you will see soda bottles and labels from the following bottlers:

1. Eureka Mineral Spring Co., Saegertown, Pa.
2. The Saegertown Mineral Springs Co., Saegertown, Pa.
3. Frank M. Fox, Prop., Saegertown, Pa.
4. Frank M. Fox & Co. Props., Saegertown, Pa.
5. The Saegertown Mineral Water Co., Saegertown, Pa.
6. The Saegertown Mineral Water Co. Inc., Saegertown, Pa.
7. Saegertown Sparkling Beverage Co., Saegertown, Pa.
8. Saegertown Sparkling Beverages Inc., Saegertown, Pa.
9. Saegertown Ginger Ale Co., Saegertown, Pa.
10. Saegertown Ginger Ale & Bottling Co. (no address)
11. Saegertown Mineral Water Co., Cleveland, Ohio
12. Saegertown Ginger Ale Co., Cleveland, Ohio
13. Chantilly Beverages, Saegertown, Pa.

We also have items from various local pharmacies (and doctors). Some of these items can be seen on the Pharmacy Items Page.

For a detailed description of these Soyer’s Company items, see image M18 on our Meadville Items Page.

For a detailed description of these Baldwin Laboratories items, see image S16 on our Saegertown Items Page.

Here is a Corporal of the Guard badge from the Keystone Ordnance Works, a Crawford County Constable badge, an early Saegertown Fire Dept. badge, and a Lieutenant badge from the American Viscose Corp. Police. These Crawford County, Pa., Meadville, Pa. and Saegertown, Pa. badges are just a few of the items shown on our Badges, Tags, etc. Page.

The Crawford Democrat newspaper, Tuesday, February 11, 1862, Meadville, Pa. The Cambridge News newspaper, Thursday, August 22, 1878, Cambridgeboro (now Cambridge Springs), Pa. The Weekly Press, Thursday, September 15, 1887, Saegertown, Pa. (Vol. 1 No.1). Here are three of the newspapers listed on our Newspapers, Pennsylvania Page.

Here is a sample of local currency and scrip that can be found on our Banknotes, Checks, Scrip, and more Page.

From our Meadville Items Page: six crocks. From our Pennsylvania Items Page: a Cambridge Springs, Pa. crock jug.

Here is a small sample of Meadville and other local tokens from our Tokens Page.

Here is a group of Saegertown and Meadville milk bottle caps. We have milk bottles, caps, and other related items, on our Milk Bottles and Caps Page.

Get a better look at these souvenir spoons on our Meadville Items Page and our Saegertown Items Page. There are a few more, on our Pennsylvania Items Page.

Here is a small sample of our postal covers collection. These envelopes, and many others, can be seen on our Local Postal Covers Page and our Meadville Postal Covers Page. (Saegertown postal covers are on the Local Postal Covers Page.) Local businesses used a wide variety of postal covers to promote their businesses with ingenuity.

Talon, Inc. anniversary items, see text below.

In 1963, Talon, Inc. of Meadville, Pa., celebrated its 50th anniversary. It gave out a large folder that contained a company history, and great illustrated information on the invention and evolution of the zipper. Attached to the bottom right on the inside of the folder, was “THE GOLDEN TALON ZEPHYR” zipper. The image above shows the corner of the folder with this zipper (plus an extra one, to give you a better look). If you go to our Badges, Tags, etc. Page, you will also see a vintage Talon employee badge, Talon and Hookless machine tags, and a group of Talon zipper pulls made for special occasions, such as the 1976 Bi-centennial celebration.

All of the newspapers and newspaper articles and ads shown on this page, and throughout this website, are listed on our Newspapers, Pennsylvania Page and Newspapers, Non-Pennsylvania Page.

February 1910 issue of The Air Brake Magazine. Published monthly at Meadville, Pa. For more railroad and trolley items, see our Railroad & Trolley Items Page.

This fourth of July celebrations ad, appeared in the Crawford Journal newspaper, June 26, 1879. Part of the celebration was the balloon ascension of Prof. Thurston.

Here is a 4 x 9 1/2 inch promotional ink blotter from the Crawford County Mutual Insurance Company, John Dick, Pres. and F.H. Bemis, Agent, Meadville, Pa., “INCORPORATED A.D. 1840”.

Image H4: Here is a group of items from the Ancient Order of United Workmen (A.O.U.W.).

The Ancient Order of United Workmen (1868-1952) was formed in Meadville, Pa. by John Jordan Upchurch. It had lodges in both Canada and the U.S., and by 1885 was the largest fraternal benefit society in America. In Image H4, the first item from the left, is a large, plated metal plaque. The engraving on the back, states that it was presented to Charles Hoyt, of Buffalo, for his efforts in recruiting 51 new members in 1902. The next item, is a beautiful brass with blue ribbon medal, sitting on its original box. The last item on the right is a large, solid brass casting, with an eagle on top. I don’t know if this is another plaque, or if it was used in some other fashion. At the bottom, is an envelope with the A.O.U.W. logo, and W. Sacket, S.R., Meadville Pa., postmarked Dec. 5, 1902.

Image H4a shows a set of 18 magic lantern slides that show the history and goals of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. The slides are of excellent quality with some beautiful images.

Image H4b has four of the magic lantern slides contained in the collection shown in image H4a. They show the Order’s emblem, founder, and symbolic images used to tell a story explaining the order’s goals.

Here is an A.O.U.W. belt buckle and an A.O.U.W. medal, that says: ORGANIZED OCT.27.1868 AT MEADVILLE PA.

Here is another A.O.U.W. belt buckle (could have been silver plated originallly) with two different styles of uniform buttons.

Here is a Teachers’ County Certificate for Crawford County, signed in Meadville, Pa., June 2, 1860, by Samuel P. Bates, County Superintendent. Mr. Bates, is an accomplished historian, who wrote several history books, including his well-known book about Crawford County, published in 1899.

The images below, show a ledger that contains the official Crawford County Election Results for 1883-1894. This is a very large, 678-page hardbound ledger, that the county clerk recorded the official election results for all of the municipalities in Crawford County, Pa. except the cities of Meadville and Titusville. There is an index followed by all the election results for each year entered and signed by hand. This book, is a complete record of who held every elected local office in Crawford County, Pa. (including Evansburg and Vallonia) and who ran against them with the final vote totals (except Meadville and Titusville). In the (right) image below, the ledger is opened to two pages showing the official results of special elections of Various School Districts and the City of Titusville (the only Titusville entry I found).

Cover of the Crawford County election ledger described immediately above.

Open Crawford County election ledger described immediately above.

Here is a 1927 receipt, from the Register and Recorder of Crawford County, Meadville, Pa. It has a great illustration of the old court house.

Here is an exemption from military duty note, signed in Meadville, July 5, 1849. It is for Christian Blystone of the 1st Regiment, 1st Brigade, 17th Division of Penna. Militia.

This is page 1 of a very early Crawford County, Pa. court document for the September term 1800. Attorney George Armstong is filing for non-payment of a debt originally written up September 7, 1799.

This is page 2 of a very early Crawford County, Pa. court document for the September term 1800. Attorney George Armstong is filing for non-payment of a debt originally written up September 7, 1799.

Here are three 1816 Crawford County, Meadville, Pa. Court of Common Pleas documents described below.

These three documents are from the Court of Common Pleas of Crawford County, Pennsylvania – November 1816. The left sheet is written out and signed on November 1, 1816, by John Brooks. John Brooks was one of the earliest settlers of Crawford County. Born in Ireland May 12, 1765 and arriving in the territory that would become Crawford County in 1794. He was a wheelwright, a merchant, a Major in the War of 1812, the first Justice of the Peace in the newly formed Crawford County, and appointed by Gov. Simon Snyder to Associate Judge of Crawford County in 1817, which he served for 14 years until his death, June 3, 1831. These three sheets are plain paper, all hand-written and detailing court costs.

Image H5 has two Crawford County court documents from 1815 and 1886.

The top item in image H5 is a court order from Meadville, Pa. Dec. 1, 1815. It has the embossed court seal on the left side of the document. It says (as hand written, with a couple of items I can’t read): Crawford County fs. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to the Sheriff of Crawford County Greeting: We command you that you take George Freidly late of you County yeoman if he be found in Your Bailiwick and him safely keep, so that you have his body before our Judges at Meadville at our County Court of common pleas there to be held in for the County of Crawford the fourth Monday in February next to answer the United States of America of a plea that he render unto them three hundred dollars lawful money thereof which to them he owes and unjustly detains (can’t read this word) and have you there then(?) with Witness the honorable Jesse Moore President of said Court at Meadville the first day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifteen. William Mac arthur Prothy. This document was folded in half and it has, hand written on the back: February term 1815 – No. 4 – The United States vs George Freidly – Capias(?) Debt – Bail in $300. – Prothy $1 – Sheff $1.25 – C,C,UB,B, So answers(?) Sam Torbett Sheff (can’t make out the last word(s)). The bottom item in Image H5, is a summons, sent to the Constable of Richmond Township, Crawford County, Pa., dated October 21, 1886, for him to deliver a person to the Justice of the Peace on October 28, 1886.

This deed was filed at the Crawford County Courthouse March, 31, 1865.

Here is an 1884 Crawford County, Pa. citizenship paper, for an English immigrant.

Here is the 1926 Saturday Evening Post Christmas ad for the Hookless Fastener, Hookless Fastener Company, Meadville, Pa., and also, a magazine ad for Spirella Corsets, The Spirella Company, Meadville, Pa.

This Spirella pin was made by Langrock Bros, Co. New York. It has the company logo, and appears to be 18 Kt gold. The Spirella (Corset) Company, Inc. was started in Meadville, Pa. in 1904. At its peak, it had facilities in Meadville, Pa., New Haven Conn., Lincoln, Neb., Niagara Falls, Canada, the U.K. and Sweden.

Here is a convention ribbon that says: SPIRELLA CONVENTION AUGUST 13-22, 1908. See the magazine ad in the last image.

Here is a July 9, 1927 ad that appeared in the Liberty Magazine for the Hookless Fastener Company, Meadville, Pennsylvania.

Here is an Allegheny College ad, that appeared in The Erie Weekly Gazette newspaper on February 2, 1865, Erie Pa. It lists the details of the upcoming fall term, and names Geo. Loomis as the president of the college.

Here is a Meadville Academy ad that appeared in the Crawford Democrat newspaper, printed in Meadville, Pa., February 11, 1862. Again, compare the costs to today’s typical schooling costs.

Here is an Allegheny College ad, that appeared in the Crawford Journal newspaper, printed in Meadville, Pa. Thursday, August 16, 1877. Compare the costs to today’s typical college costs.

Meadville Business College – see text below.

In 1865 A.W. Smith opened a Bryant & Straton Business College in Meadville, Pa. The image above, shows a College Currency Check (1891) used by this business college. It also shows an ad (lower left) which appeared in the 1897-8 Meadville and Titusville Cities and Crawford County Directory, and (to the right) an ad that appeared in 1869-70 Directory of French Creek, Oil Creek and Allegheny Valleys. There is also a listing that says: Business College, A.W. Smith principal, 910 Water Street in the Meadville section of the Directory of Crawford County, Pennsylvania 1879-80. (In the late 1800’s, business colleges across America used college currency checks, banknotes, stamps etc. to give their students a hands-on experience. The Meadville Business College, affiliated with Bryant & Straton, also participated.)

This vintage aluminum pin tray was sold as a fund raiser by First M.E. Church, Meadville, Pa. The Pastor shown on the tray, is Lucius H. Bugbee, who was also the 6th President of Allegheny College from 1874-1882.

Here are ads for the Beethoven School of Music, Meadville, Pa., and The Pennsylvania State College, State College, Pa. They appeared in The Pennsylvania Farmer newspaper, Meadville, Pa., April 22, 1897.

Here is a dedication picture of Lucious H. Bugbee from an Allegheny College yearbook. (See pin tray above, left.)

Saegertown and Meadville glass souvenirs before everything became plastic.

Here are some Saegertown and Meadville bottles.

Here are some of our local wooden beverage cases.

Again, here are some of our local wooden beverages cases.

This is a modern hand-blown commemorative flask. The front says “MARKET HOUSE MEADVILLE, PA.”. The back has a horse and buggy, and a dog.

**1876 MAP OF CRAWFORD COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA.** (Image won’t enlarge if you click it.)

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