IN THE NORTHEASTERN CORRIDOR OF PENNSYLVANIA'S SCENIC BRADFORD COUNTY,
JUST SOUTH OF THE NEW YORK STATE BORDER; THE HISTORIC VILLAGES OF ATHENS,
SAYRE, AND south waverly, PENNSYLVANIA AND WAVERLY, NEW YORK LIE PEACEFULLY NESTLED BETWEEN THE SUSQUEHANNA RIVER TO OUR EAST, AND THE CHEMUNG RIVER TO OUR
WEST. THESE FOUR CONTIGUOUS COMMUNITIES MAKE UP THE GREATER VALLEY AREA.
GENTLY FLOWING BENEATH THE BEAUTIFUL BLUE RIDGE ENDLESS
MOUNTAINS WHICH SURROUND OUR PICTURESQUE VALLEY; THE CHEMUNG AND SUSQUEHANNA RIVERS EVENTUALLY MERGE AT
HISTORIC TIOGA POINT JUST SOUTH OF ATHENS AND BECOME THE MIGHTY SUSQUEHANNA
RIVER. THIS BEAUTIFUL AREA OF NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA IS AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS
"THE VALLEY";
HENCE THE NAME OF OUR MUSICAL ORGANIZATION, "THE VALLEY
CHORUS".
SAYRE, PENNSYLVANIA IS RICH IN RAILROAD
HISTORY AND OWES IT'S VERY EXISTENCE TO THE LEHIGH VALLEY RAILROAD. THE
RAILROAD YARDS IN SAYRE PROUDLY SERVED AS A MAJOR BUILDING
FACILITY AND
REPAIR SHOP FOR STEAM LOCOMOTIVES AND ROLLING STOCK OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY RAILROAD.
OUR 1881 LEHIGH VALLEY TRAIN STATION IN
SAYRE WAS RECENTLY RESTORED AND NOW SERVES AS A SHOWCASE HISTORICAL MUSEUM DETAILING THE ROLE THE L.V.R.R.
PLAYED IN OUR COMMUNITY. TODAY, THE ROBERT PACKER HOSPITAL AND
GUTHRIE CLINIC CAMPUS IN SAYRE SERVES AS ONE OF THIS AREAS MAJOR
LEADING MEDICAL CENTERS.
FORMERLY KNOWN AS TIOGA; ATHENS, PENNSYLVANIA IS EQUALLY RICH IN HISTORY.
THE FAMOUS AMERICAN COMPOSER, STEPHEN COLLINS FOSTER (1826-1864)
LIVED IN ATHENS AND ATTENDED THE ATHENS ACADEMY school. AT THE
AGE OF 13, FOSTER WROTE HIS VERY FIRST SONG IN ATHENS, "THE TIOGA WALTZ";
A COMPOSITION HE PENNED FOR
FOUR FLUTES. ON APRIL 1, 1841, THE ATHENS ACADEMY HELD AN EXHIBITION IN THE ATHENS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
WHICH WAS THE ONLY HOUSE OF WORSHIP IN ATHENS AT THAT TIME.
IT WAS AT THE ATHENS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH THAT STEPHEN FOSTER FIRST
GAVE PUBLICITY TO HIS EFFORTS AS A COMPOSER. HE ALSO PERFORMED
this composition AT THE SCHOOL'S 1841 COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES.
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