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==History== Before the first settlers arrived in the vicinity of what was later called the Big Spring, this area was part of the hunting grounds of the [[Lenape]] and [[Shawnee (tribe)|Shawnee]]. On July 6, 1754, a treaty was signed at [[Albany, New York|Albany]], [[New York (state)|New York]] between the [[Iroquois]] and the [[William Penn]] heirs, opening up portions of the west for settlement. However, British policy forbidding western expansion was in effect until after the American Revolution. The massacre of Captain William Phillips' Rangers took place near Williamsburg in July 1780. Ten men were murdered after surrendering to a party of Indians. On September 17, 1789, George Reynolds took out a patent from the [[Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania]] for a large tract of unsettled land surrounding the Big Spring which flows into the [[Juniata River]]. The borough was founded in 1790 by Jacob Ake. Originally called '''Aketown''', it is the oldest borough in the current borders of [[Blair County, Pennsylvania|Blair County]]. The name change was in honor of William Ake, Jacob's son. By 1810, there were 34 houses in the village; the census of 1820 notes an inn, a distillery, and the presence of one slave. The Main Line of the [[Pennsylvania Canal]] was completed in 1832 and opened on November 28 when the packetboat "John Blair" left Huntingdon, for the west. The Blair County Children's Home was located in Williamsburg for many years until its destruction by fire. Today, the borough is approximately 30 blocks, centered on High and Second Streets. This comprises the [[Williamsburg Historic District (Williamsburg, Pennsylvania)|Williamsburg Historic District]], listed by the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 1995.<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref> Nearby places also listed are [[Etna Furnace (Williamsburg, Pennsylvania)|Etna Furnace]], {{convert|5|mi|0}} to the north, and the [[Daniel Royer House]], {{convert|5|mi|0}} to the southwest in [[Royer, Pennsylvania|Royer]].<ref name="nris"/> Originally served by a canal along the [[Frankstown Branch Juniata River]], the canal was abandoned in 1872. In the following year, the [[Pennsylvania Railroad]] completed a branch line from [[Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania|Hollidaysburg]] to Williamsburg along the old canal towpath. It would eventually be extended to [[Petersburg, Pennsylvania|Petersburg]] in 1900, completing a bypass of the main line known as the Hollidaysburg and Petersburg Branch. The railroad supplied passenger service on the branch until 1933. Freight service would continue until 1982, when [[Conrail]] abandoned the line through Williamsburg. It is now the [[Lower Trail, Pennsylvania|Lower Trail]] (''vide infra'').<ref>{{cite journal | journal=The Keystone | volume=40 |date=Spring 2007 | publisher=The Pennsylvania Railroad Technical and Historical Society | first=Jim | last=Hilker, Jr. | title=A History of the H&P Branch | issue=1}}</ref> The [[Blair County]] Children's Home, established in 1902, was located in Williamsburg, PA for many years until it was destroyed by fire on Aug. 2, 1975.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Herald |first=Morrisons Cove |title=Childrens' Home Offered Kids a Second Chance |url=https://www.mcheraldonline.com/story/2019/10/10/news/childrens-home-offered-kids-a-second-chance/2867.html |access-date=2025-05-03 |website=Morrisons Cove Herald |language=en}}</ref>
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