Hughesville is a borough in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania. The population was 2,220 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Hughesville is located at 41° 14' 25"N 076° 43' 29"W. It is completely surrounded by Wolf Township.
Pennsylvania was already 130 years old when Heptha Hughes arrived here in 1816, purchased land from John Heap and laid out the town which he named after himself. Residents of the infant settlement were immediately busy building a new log school which opened in 1818. The town grew slowly around a gristmill that was constructed by Jacob Clayton. In 1820 Paul Wiley opened Hughesville’s first tavern. That same year the Methodists established Hughesville’s first church. They worshiped in the log school house until a proper church was built in 1844.
Early industries in Hughesville were built to serve the farmers and citizens of eastern Lycoming County. They included a chair factory opened in 1829, a wagon shop in 1830, several distilleries, a sawmill and planing mill, and a furniture factory.
A post office was established in 1827 and Theodore Wells was appointed first postmaster. Dr. John W. Peale arrived in Hughesville in 1828 and was the settlement’s first doctor. In 1830 the first general store was opened, owned by Theodore Wells. The first Lutheran Sunday School was established by James Laird, a well-to-do lumberman, in 1850.
Hughesville was incorporated as a borough on 23 April 1852 and Enos Hawley was the first Burgess. The first dentist, Peter Rishel opened an office in 1853 and the first lawyer settled in Hughesville in 1875. After the Civil War, Hughesville shared in the prosperity created in Lycoming County by the logging industry. James Laird built Hughesville’s first furniture factory in 1869. There were still three furniture factories operating in the borough in 1929 but as the logging industry slowed so did relating industries. The last furniture manufacturing plant in Hughesville was destroyed by fire and was never rebuilt. Electricity was introduced to Hughesville in 1891 along with running water.