David Aspen was the first white man to settle in what is now known as the borough of Hughesville. He was killed by the Indians in August, 1778. Others soon followed Aspen and in 1816 Jeptha Hughes, who had settled there some years earlier, laid out the town. It first was given the name of "Hughesburg," but this was subsequently changed to Hughesville. The town grew slowly for a long time, like so many other towns in this section of the state, which slumbered peacefully until awakened by the onrushing momentum of the giant lumber industry. It became a postoffice November 19, 1827, and Theodore Wells was made the first postmaster. It was incorporated as a borough April 23, 1852. It has been greatly enlarged since it was first laid out by Jeptha Hughes.

When the Williamsport and North Branch Railroad was completed in 1872, Hughesville became its northern terminus and it connected at Halls with the Reading. The railroad was subsequently continued over to Satterfield on the Lehigh Valley, and, although passenger service on it has been abandoned, it still maintains an adequate freight service, thus giving to Hughesville an outlet for the products of its factories. There is also a convenient bus line running through Hughesville from Muncy to Picture Rocks, connecting with all trains on the Reading Railroad.

Hughesville is delightfully situated at the: base of the far famed Muncy Hills, which extend up Muncy Creek to Sullivan County. Its people enjoy the best of health and serious sickness is unknown. The town has a good water supply of the purest quality, which also contributes to the healthfulness of the place.

Except in the immediate business section it is a town of wide spaces, the houses being set far apart and surrounded with beautiful grounds and lawns. The principal street is very wide and well paved. It presents an attractive appearance.

The principal industries of the town are devoted to the manufacture of furniture, as are so many in the other small towns of the county. The J. K. Rishel Company employs about 150 men and the Hughesville Furniture Company and the Lycoming Furniture Company employ nearly as many.

Hughesville has two national banks, both of which are in sound financial condition. There is one excellent weekly newspaper. Hughesville is a community of home-owners and citizens of American birth. There are no foreigners, no undesirables and no poor. Taxes are reasonable and real estate values not excessive. There is a volunteer fire department, but its services are rarely needed as the town has been unusually free from serious fires. The community spirit runs high as shown by the citizens voluntarily bonding themselves for $100,000 to build a new high school.

In addition to the three furniture factories Hughesville has a large silk mill, the Shindel Company, employing about 200 women and girls, who are given steady employment at good wages.

The crowning glory of Hughesville, however, is the Lycoming County Fair Association, which is one of the most successul affairs of its kind in the the state. W. E. Clark is its president and Edward E. Frontz its secretary. Its slogan is, "Better Than Ever." This is no misnomer. The fair, each year, it better than the year before and new attractions are constantly being added and new buildings erected. There is no better fair in the state than that of the Lycoming Fair Association and, although it could easily be made a paying proposition, the stockholders prefer to turn the profits back each year into the treasury to be used for improvements and betterments.

This spirit of unselfishness shows the character of the men who are back of the enterprise. During the week of its activities in the fall the Hughesville fair is the mecca for thousands of farmers and others who are interested in the exhibits and who are fond of good horse racing.

Hughesville is well supplied with churches and schools, and the places of worship are well attended. In 1920 the population of the town was 1,527.