I’ve spent almost a month on assignment researching and writing about a unique house in Middle Valley, and I’ve loved it.
The home was conceived and built by Jacob J. Whitehead, a successful entrepreneur who, after purchasing vast amounts of land in upstate Pennsylvania, used it to harvest and sell wood, coal, and silicon.
Whitehead had amassed such a fortune that he had the freedom to pursue various personal interests, one of which was the design and construction of this magnificent estate on 40 private acres adjacent to Middle Valley.
Built on high ground with elevated views of our fabulous Chickotee River to the north and to the south, the home’s position in the area here would be more than enough to consider it important and historic and influential.
Its walls held other stories.
Turns out it was a perfect spot to be headquarters for a crime organization dealing with several forms of smuggling. This secret, now uncovered and public knowledge, was not discovered until after Whitehead’s death and the smuggling had long ceased.
The house has since suffered from neglect and in recent years has been taken over by a public organization with the hope that it might be reasonable to restore and become a historic and interesting site. I have become convinced that, with a moderate investment, this little-known estate could indeed become a background story that would shed light on history and generate interest in Middle Valley’s past.
My editor, it seems, agrees.
I make the pitch to continue, and hope, with his confidence, to convince him that investigation into Carson may be warranted.
An investigation outside the annals of government and the likes of Merc and Silas.
I push him further. “I’d like to look into Carson’s life in depth — his background, early career, partnership, and business successes and especially his subsequent investments, interests, and personal involvement in Middle Valley life. Why Carson relocated to Middle Valley is especially of interest. But now questions have arisen as to where he has gotten to recently, whether he is moving again, and if so what may be leading him to do so after such a short time. Whether he is actually moving again is conjecture at this point but it is a fact that he has not been seen in the area for quite a few weeks.”
To my surprise, he’s in.
I hang up the phone.
Why do I care?
My phone rings, and suddenly I know the answer.
Elyse.
Jenny Page