Addison gears up for historic celebration
For the first time in decades, children will once again attend classes in the one-room Humbertson School in Addison during the National Road Festival. Joan Whetsell reported that between 40 and 50 third- and fourth-grade students from Friendsville Elementary School will attend classes from 9 a.m. to noon on Friday at the Humbertson School, while third-grade students from the Turkeyfoot Area School District students will attend in the afternoon.
“Each year, we try to plan different activities for the festival,’ said Whetsell. “We have this schoolhouse. We use it for a children’s spelling bee and the Turkeyfoot students have their poster contest on display. We thought, why not have children from modern schools attend classes?’
Since it’s the 250th anniversary of the start of the French and Indian War, the students will have classes on George Washington and the war. Even classes in spelling and math will be related to these subjects, noted Whetsell.
The schoolhouse, now located at the intersection of the National Pike and Old Tannery Lane in the middle of Addison, was originally located at the intersection of Markleysburg Road and the National Road. The school opened in the early 20th century and remained in operation until the early 1950s. The Old Petersburg Addison Historical Society acquired the schoolhouse, restored it and in 2001 had a dedication during the National Road Festival.
Once again, the National Road Festival will be celebrated for four days in Addison from Thursday through Sunday. The Petersburg Toll House and the Old Petersburg Addison Historical Society Museum will be open all four days. A special stamp cancellation will be offered at the post office and an old tools display will be in the borough building Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The National Pike Wagon Train Association arrives in Addison Thursday at 4 p.m., staying at both Community Park and Glotfelty’s Farm. An encampment program begins at 7 p.m.
Vintage 1860s baseball games for men and women are played Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday from 1:30 to 4 p.m. behind the Addison Cemetery
Other Saturday highlights include a 5K walk and run at 9 a.m., a chili cook-off Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., a quilting bee and show in the Lutheran Church from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., spelling bee at 11 a.m., veteran’s memorial service at noon, firemen’s parade at 3 p.m. and The Seldom Scene Players present “The War Comes Home’ at 7 p.m.
Sunday highlights include a 9 a.m. church service with the Steel City Quartet and the Blessing of the Animals on the lawn between the two churches, old car show from 11:15 a.m. to 3 p.m. and “The War Comes Home’ at 6 p.m.
Addison offers many other activities over the four days of the festival with a little bit of everything and attracts former residents who come from as far away as Baltimore and Boston.
“Some people come for the fun. Some come for the historical part,’ said Dwayne Welling of Addison, coordinator of the National Road Festival Committee. “A lot of people come back to visit the whole weekend.’