A look at Centre County’s history reveals its impact in our present day: OpEd

November 7th was history day for the Leadership Centre County Class of 2019. What, exactly, did we learn about Centre County history during this day-long event? I am certain if you questioned each of the 46 class members, the answers would be varied. Some would find it hard to name only one thing that made an impact on them about the rich and storied history of Centre County.

To start, we met at The Match Factory Building in Bellefonte, a location with its own educational opportunity steeped in American history. The vision, labor, and massive undertaking implemented to repurpose this site gave rise to the beautiful business and community space you see today.

Lectures on Centre County History 101 and The Spirit of Reform offered us a wealth of knowledge delivered to us by Lee Stout and Patti Hillard. We gained a better understanding of the key people, families, and events that formed Centre County’s past growth and present place in history.

Next, we boarded buses bound for Curtin Village and another site off Roopsburg Road. These tours helped to show us the tangible reminders of a bygone day and allowed for our own reflection on the early settlers and their way of life. These amazing folks put forth so much human effort while utilizing the abundant resources found in this area.

The iron ore industry was responsible, in part, for much of the wealth and commerce that exploded. As a result, this wealth led to political power and influence which materialized in Bellefonte’s grand claim of seven governors and other persons of distinction. After we were done with lunch (thanks Pizza Mia and LCC), we headed to see the Cadillac building, the Linn House, Talleyrand Park, the train station, and the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial at the Centre County Courthouse.

Up and down the streets of Bellefonte we went “scavenging” to find answers to the many questions posed to us in this exercise. Of course, there was some friendly competition going on for bragging rights and to lay claim to the group prize awards. By the end of the day, I believe we had less pep in our step and we were ready to wrap up with the day’s mission accomplished.

I personally walked away with a better sense of what makes Centre County tick and the important part history plays in mapping out the future success of a region. We were reminded several times throughout the day to volunteer, to visit the historic sites again, and to give and take responsibly within our community. Also, to always remember we each play a part in developing our own piece of the story and history of Centre County.

Lori Haines is the Executive Director for the Centre County Housing Authority and a member of the Leadership Centre County Class of 2019. For more information about Leadership Centre County please go to www.leadershipcentrecounty.org.