ABCs of Centre County

Hannah/Hannah Furnace (Taylor) – This charcoal iron furnace was built in 1830 along Bald Eagle Creek and named for Hannah Lloyd, daughter of the senior partner of the firm, Lloyd, Steele and Co. In operation from 1832-1850, wood was charcoaled on lands in the township, limestone was quarried on Muncy Mountain, and the iron ore was hauled over the mountain from Half Moon Valley.

Hecla Furnace/Hecla Park (Walker) – Built in 1820 by Isaac McKinney along the Indian trail Logan's Path, Hecla Furnace used the water of Little Fishing Creek for power. Hecla France ceased operation in 1864. In 1893 a new railroad, the Central Railroad of Pennsylvania, connected Bellefonte with the New York Central line railroad established a park to serve as a resort. Hecla Park offered picnickers a fine wooded area, a large dam for bathing and boating, and a dance pavilion.

Houserville (College) – Located along the old road that connected Bellefonte and the Rock Iron Works with Centre Furnace, Pine Grove Mills, and Huntingdon County, Houserville was settled by Jacob Houser in 1788. Houser built a sawmill and gristmill, and later a fulling mill, which he quickly expanded into a highly successful woolen mill and factory – the first of its kind in the county. Local farmers sold raw wool to weave blankets and fabric by the yard. High quality finished products as well as surplus wool were shipped to Harrisburg, Baltimore, and elsewhere. The woolen factory operated until 1912.

Howard Borough – William Tipton, a millwright, keel boat operator, and the first settler in the area that would become Howard, built his house along Bald Eagle Creek in 1800. Following his lead, settlement and industrial development began to occur along the creek. Bald Eagle Creek provided power not only for a gristmill, but also for the Howard Iron Works and the Howard Brick Company. The creek also provided a location and early access to the Bald Eagle and Spring Creek Navigation Company canal system, in operation by 1837. Most recently the creek provided the water corridor for the John Foster Sayers dam and lake. Howard became an agricultural, commercial, and industrial center and, for a century, was served by the Pennsylvania Railroad.

Hublersburg (Walker) – The site of a mill as early as 1812, Hublersburg became the largest community in Walker Township. In 1830 it was laid out along a main road between Lock Haven and Bellefonte and named by Jacob Hubler. While the highway has bypassed the community in recent years, a hotel that was built for travelers using the early road system is still in operation. In its heyday, Hublersburg also had two stores, three churches, a foundry, a machine shop, two blacksmith shops, two shoe shops, and a school.

Hunter's Park (Benner) – A dam was built on Buffalo Run by owners of the Bellefonte Central Railroad to create a small lake for boating and swimming and an area for picnics and baseball. This popular train excursion destination also had a carousel and other rides. It closed in 1911.