On the lookout for hidden treasures of Centre County

We’re looking for hidden treasures, but we won’t find a thing.

CDT/Nabil K. Mark

Jo Hays Vista named in honor of former State Senator Jo Hays, whose efforts during his tenure let to the establishment of the site on top of mountain. CDT/Nabil K. Mark

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You will.

Two years ago, we asked readers to nominate the “Seven Wonders of Centre County” -- those places, things or events that are Centre County’s equivalent of the Grand Canyon, or the Taj Mahal.

Now, we’re back again, hands outstretched. Our search is for the little-known or underrated places or features of the county that most add to the quality of life here.

Look, we’re not greedy, just inspired. We realized, while being inundated with nominations for Mount Nittany, Beaver Stadium, Penn’s Cave and more, that we were also hearing about a lot of more obscure gems that should also be celebrated.

How about, for example, the Jo Hays Overlook?

About 800 feet above Pine Grove Mills, the overlook in Rothrock State Forest offers panoramas of fall foliage and twinkling lights, and an entrance to the Mid State Trail.

It’s named after a state senator from Centre County, who also served as the superintendent of State College schools for 29 years and, from 1973 to 1977, as State College’s mayor. He died in 1987 at age 88.

The overlook was among an abundance of state parks, lakes, canyons, forests, natural areas, trout streams, caves and other natural features that some readers considered wondrous in their submissions two years ago.

Not all treasures are natural wonders though. We know plenty of you who consider the ice cream at Penn State’s Creamery, or Meyer Dairy, to be pretty noteworthy. Then there are the attractions of Boalsburg, Big Spring, the Match Factory in Bellefonte, the Rowland Theatre in Philipsburg, the Egg Hill Church, Penn State’s elms, Centre Volunteers in Medicine, the Second Mile Foundation -- all these and more have their fans.

So you tell us. What are Centre County’s hidden treasures? We’ll take your nominations, and input, and a panel of judges will determine the top seven hidden treasures, and present them to readers this fall.

E-mail your nominations by Sept. 15 to cdtnewstips@centredaily.com, or fill out the ballot here and mail it to Hidden Treasures, Centre Daily Times, 3400 E. College Ave., State College, PA 16801.