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PA-Roots

…bringing our past into the future

Gebhartsburg, Somerset County

Byadmin

Mar 28, 2015

Gebhartsburg (Gebhart’s postoffice) is a small collection of houses, one-half mile east of New Centreville. Village lots were laid out in this place on November 22, 1834, at the same time with New Centreville. George Gebhart was the founder of the place, and Simon Gebhart, his son, did the surveying. Until 1881, Gebhartsburg was the voting-place of Milford township. In that year, by vote of the citizens, two polling-places were established, the eastern half of the township voting at Rockwood, and the western half at Gebhartsburg.

The first house, after the lots were laid off, was erected by Henry Walter in 1835. It is a large frame building, used both as a store and a dwelling. In this building Charles A. Walter now carries on a successful mercantile business, but it is owned by the widow of John Weller.

Opposite the old store is the site of one of the old log taverns of pioneer days. George Gebhart was the landlord, and is said to have entertained George Washington in the old house. The old structure disappeared about 1822, and the brick tavern stand, now owned by Mrs. Weller, took its place.

George Gebhart was the first blacksmith, probably over a hundred year’s ago. He had a shop on the old tavern site. It was afterward rebuilt on another spot, and has since been torn away and rebuilt twice.

The first schoolhouse in Gebhartsburg was erected in 1848, and rebuilt in 1860. The post- office, the first in the township, was established about 1808. Postmasters: John Gebhart, Geo. Gebhart, John Knable, Robert Walter, and Charles A. Walter, present incumbent.

The cheese- factory at the lower end of Gebhartsburg was built by Charles A. Walter, in 1877, and is now owned by J. C. Weller. Gebhartsburg has one store, one hotel, one blacksmith-shop and a cheese-factory.

(Source: History of Bedford, Somerset & Fulton Counties, PA; 1884)

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