William Wagner, a cooper of Salisbury, Somerset County, worked on farms in the 1870s and then bought a farm near West Salisbury (Elk Lick Township) in 1882. With experience in coopering and a sugar grove on property, the family started a maple sugar business that continued until 2017 with son Joseph and Jennie (Russell) and then with their four daughters. Wagner’s was an integral part of a community of farms and maple producers as the Wagner sisters, Thelma, Leona, Mildred, and Dorothy (married Robert Jeffrey), managed the farm with parents and resident farm helpers. Dorothy’s children, Dale and Sue, continued the family legacy on the farm. Their products were featured at festivals, Pittsburgh department stores, and across the country. The collection spans the late 1800s to the 2000s including the Wagner, Jeffrey, and Russell family materials. The collection includes over 2,000 images, photo albums, archives, and over 500 artifacts.
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funds from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services and through the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Library Access funds administered by the
Pennsylvania Department of Education, Office of Commonwealth Libraries.
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