Harmony Forge
Harmony Forge, built in 1795 near Milesburg, was one of the first iron forges to operate in what would become Centre County. It flourished as a diversified ironworks but closed in the early 20th century.
Subject: Business & Industry
Brockerhoff Mill
Brockerhoff Mill is a historic grist mill in Benner Township and one of only two brick mill buildings still standing in Centre County. Daniel Turner developed the area around the mill on the west side of Spring Creek near Bellefonte in the 1790s, building a forge, sawmill, and gristmill.
James Potter
General James Potter was a Pennsylvania military and political leader and frontier land developer, who is best known in Centre County for the exploratory trek that led him to the crest of Mount Nittany, overlooking Penns Valley, and his declaration that he had discovered an empire.
Pennsylvania Furnace
Pennsylvania Furnace, founded in 1813 on the western edge of Ferguson Township, was one of the longest-operating ironworks in Centre County. The furnace survived ownership changes and economic downturns to continue producing pig iron until 1888.John Lyon built the furnace along a tributary of Spruce Creek to take advantage of the rich iron ore deposit in the area.
Hotel State College
The Hotel State College is a State College landmark, known as the home of the popular Corner Room restaurant. In 1855, James Jack opened “Jack’s Road House” at the corner of College Avenue and Allen Street. At the time, the hotel was a resting place for travelers waiting for trains across the street.
Iron Production
The eighteen iron works that operated across Centre County throughout the nineteenth century, including Centre Furnace, Rock Iron Works, Eagle Iron Works, Logan Furnace, Harmony Forge, and Pennsylvania Furnace, followed practices developed in Europe centuries earlier. The county had the resources necessary for making iron: timber, limestone, and iron ore, along with two major streams, Bald Eagle Creek and Spring Creek.
Pennsylvania Match Company
The Pennsylvania Match Company, founded in Bellefonte in 1899, grew to become one of the largest match producers before a reduced consumer demand for matches led to its closing. Known locally as the “Match Factory,” the sprawling brick complex is now owned by the American Philatelic Society.
Moses Thompson
Moses Thompson was the last ironmaster of Centre Furnace. He was a banker, an investor in canals, turnpikes and railroads, and at his death in 1891 the largest landowner in Centre County. His economic and political influence helped bring the Farmers’ High School of Pennsylvania, the future Penn State, to Centre County, and he was […]
Glennland Building
The Glennland Building was State College’s tallest building for more than forty years, known for its popular apartments and indoor pool. The building is now a boutique hotel. Located at the corner of Beaver Avenue and Pugh Street, the Glennland was built in 1933 by local businessman O.W. Houts and physician Grover Glenn, for whom […]
Brockerhoff House
The Brockerhoff House is one of the architectural landmarks in Bellefonte, exemplifying the prosperity of the borough in the 19th century. The imposing four-story structure, which incorporates the Italianate, Queen Anne, and Second Empire architectural styles, encompasses a full block on Allegheny Street.