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Hidden “Grove” of music history

Under the shade of tall trees, swallowed up by overgrown grass, a little piece of country music’s history is hidden in Claysburg, Blair County. The stage at Musselman’s Grove was home to some of the most famous country western music stars in the 1940’s, but the history of this landmark goes back even further.

Doc Williams and his wife Chickie owned the Grove, and would rent it out to stars you may have seen on shows like Hee-Haw. Some of the country stars that performed at the Grove are currently in the Country Music Hall of Fame and inducted into the Grand Ole Opry.

Rich Allison, a local historian, told us “we’re still finding photos. Stacks of them coming in from people all over the place. I just received some from Florida. Pictures I’ve never seen before. So people have them in their closets and we ask them to please share them with us.”

Like all good things, it must come to an end. By the early 1970s, the Grove was only hosting family reunions and special occasions.  Today, it sits idle, but forever a part of history.