Rural Roots to Happy Valley
Near and dear to Penn State alumni, State College is a vital part of Happy Valley.
Childrens Day Parade Mask
"State College: from Rural Roots to Happy Valley," an exhibition from the Penn State University Archives, is on display through December 31, 2009, in The Eberly Family Special Collections Library, 104 Paterno Library. This online version shows historical and current day photos that demonstrate the town's uniqueness.
The 1971 State College Guidebook, reported
“State College is Our Town. That is why we are attached to
it…Home is not merely the house…he calls his own; it is
also the town in which he lives – his friends and neighbors,
his work, his church and all the other community associations
and interests that make up the sum of his daily life.”
Centre Furnace House
Before the incorporation of State College Borough, there was Centre Furnace, an iron plantation settled in 1789 by Cols. John Patton and Samuel Miles. It was at the Centre Furnace Mansion in 1855 that ironmasters James Irvin and Moses Thompson hosted a dinner party where the final decision was made to locate ‘The Farmers High School,’ now Penn State, in Centre County. The first students arrived in February 1859, and their counterparts continue coming to State College every year.
In 1896, State College was officially incorporated. It is now recognized as Centre County’s largest borough. Today, State College’s permanent population of 39,000+ can proudly claim a heritage tied closely to Penn State University academics and athletics, the annual Central Pennsylvania Arts Festival, Fourth Fest Fireworks, and much, much more. For all the permanent and temporary residents of the area, State College has grown from its own rural roots to our own Happy Valley.
For more information about the online images or the exhibit, contact Jackie Esposito, Penn State University Archivist at jxe2@psu.edu or 814-863-3791
 |
 Penn State Diner | |
| Original Idea for Lion Shrine | ||
 |
 Early 1920's, Allen Street, Looking North |
|
| 103 S. Allen Street, April 1978 | ||