By Douglas Macneal Located in the center of Pennsylvania, Centre County lies on a striking landscape overlaid with history. Rock and water shape the surface. The County is divided diagonally almost equally into two parts, bisected by the Allegheny Front: The northwestern half, the Allegheny Plateau, is a forested high plateau divided by deep valleys […]
Prepared by the Centre County Historical Society Centre County’s iron industry began with the building of Centre Furnace in 1791 – only the second charcoal iron furnace in the area known as the Juniata Iron Region. The region had been scouted for its raw materials potential, and entrepreneurs found everything they needed in central Pennsylvania. […]
As high rises and other modern structures continue to replace or dominate historic buildings and districts in our area, what is left are memories and a few photos of early streetscapes that people have wisely documented or captured over the years. We owe thanks to Helen Breon Volz (1937-2015) for writing her memories of living […]
Iron Objects of the 18th and 19th Centuries Everyday Iron explores the progression from “furnace to market”, with a special emphasis on the role of the blacksmith. This exhibit featured a rich and wide variety of over 100 iron artifacts from CCHS, private collectors and other local historical organizations, this broad range of artifacts made […]