Welcome to the Mifflinburg Buggy Museum
Our History
Our Story
It was an ordinary Sunday in May, 1978, but something extraordinary happened. A group of Mifflinburg citizens, led by retired history professor, Dr. Charles McCool Snyder, had been discussing the need for a museum to celebrate the town’s buggy making heritage. At an earlier meeting, Norman Heiss (son of the buggy maker) and his sons, Owen and Glen had asked, “Would you like to see a buggy factory?”
The Heiss Family
Peter Heiss and Catherine Williams were married September 2, 1848 in Cumberland, Pennsylvania. Peter, a minister, moved his family from Dauphin County to Luzerne County, then Clinton County and finally to Union County. In 1855, they purchased an 141 acre farm in Forest Hill (West Buffalo Township, Union County).
Buggy Town
In 1792, Elias and Catharina Youngman (Jungman) settled on land given to them by Catharina’s father. They divided Youngmanstown into 60’ x 120’ plots to sell to other adventurous settlers. Buyers were also offered the option of purchasing outlots for grazing livestock in one acre increments.