DANVILLE, Pa. — A mine cart sits outside the Montour County Courthouse as a reminder of Danville's iron heritage.
And for the next few days, there is an addition to the display—a mule.
"The mule was the animal that did the hauling of that iron ore into Danville. And then the finished product was shipped out on the canals. The canals were boats pulled by mules," said Van Wagner, an agriculture teacher at Danville Area High School.
Wagner says mules were a big part of Danville's history. Ahead of this weekend's Danville Heritage Festival, Wagner and his students painted the mule and created a t-rail.
"Here in Danville, we made the first iron t-rail in the country. So, they made a wooden t-rail. We created the track structure, and the idea was to look like a mule coming out of a mine," Wagner said.
The students also refurbished a harness.
"It's pretty neat to see it all take shape and come back in form," Wagner said.
The students are happy to see their work on display.
"I think it's really neat because these kids put a lot of work into it. We all did. It was a joint effort. To see our work displayed here and something so unique coming out of an ag program, it's really neat to see," Alyssa Bergenstock said.
"People don't really talk about the mules helping or the animals' hard labor that went into building this town, forming it, or building the frame. We just kind of fit into the mold," Amber Fry said.
The project will be on display outside the Montour County Courthouse this weekend. The Danville Heritage Festival runs Friday through Sunday at locations throughout the Danville area.
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