The Junction House (Centre County)

The Junction House at an unknown date

Nestled between Nittany Mountain and Sand Ridge lies the quiet village of Nittany. Like many of the quaint communities that line this end of Nittany Valley, life moves a little bit slower here, a quality that many residents appreciate. Though some aspects have stayed relatively the same, time has inevitably changed Nittany. 

Western Maryland Dairy (Centre County)

The former Western Maryland Dairy
Author's Photo

    Milk has always been an agricultural staple of Central Pennsylvania. Bellefonte's centralized location among the rich farm lands of Nittany Valley along with its extensive railroad connections made it a prime location for processing this milk. The story of the dairy industry in Bellefonte is reminiscent of the dairies that once were common in many small towns across the region, but have since disappeared in favor of large conglomerates in major cities. So grab a glass of cold milk and relax as we dive into the history of Bellefonte’s Western Maryland Dairy.

Beech Creek Covered Bridge Ruins (Clinton County)

This concrete pier is all that is left of the old covered bridge
Author's photo

    A concrete pier is all that remains of the old covered bridge over Beech Creek in the community that bears the same name. The bridge was constructed around 1832 and was of the Burr arch design, a staple for many bridges of the era.

The Nittany Inn (Centre County)

The Nittany Inn in 2019
Author's Image

    The history of the Nittany Inn is just as extensive as a building that is approaching 200 years old ought to be. This beloved structure has witnessed the great changes within this rural community over its lifetime. To write down the complete history here would be quite lengthy. The Walker Township Historical Committee has already composed a wonderful chronology of the building in their book, "History of Walker Township 1810-1999", of which I highly recommend for anyone to add to their collection. I will simply address the building’s origin and some highlights. 

    The land for the future Nittany Inn was deeded to John Geary in May 1826. Construction of the inn commenced soon after. Geary sold the building in 1830 and relocated to Hublersburg to operate the inn there (the current Hublersburg Inn). Around 1848, John Orr purchased the Nittany Inn after presiding over the Hublersburg Inn for some time. Orr ran the establishment for about a decade before selling it. Thus the histories of both the Nittany Inn and the Hublersburg Inn are intertwined through these two common owners.

    One of the more fascinating backstories concerning an owner of the inn involves Henry Robb, who took over the business after he returned from serving in the Civil War. He had served not once, but twice during the conflict. His first term of service lasted from June 1861 to June 1864 while in the ranks of the 34th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry.

    Henry did not hang up his marching boots for long after leaving the army. Only a few months passed before he once again was headed back to war, this time as a "substitute." The Conscription Act allowed draftees to pay a substitute to take their place in the ranks. Joseph Long, a local wealthy landowner, paid Henry to take his place.

    Henry entered service with the 51st Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry in October 1864. Wounded in the leg while in Virginia, he was spared amputation in a battlefield hospital (which may have saved his life). Henry was mustered out of service in July of 1865, having witnessed the war from beginning to end. The money he received from serving enabled him to purchase the Nittany Inn upon his return.

    In the years after the war, the condition of his leg must have worsened, for in May of 1878, Henry had his leg amputated by Dr. Joseph Huston of Nittany. This did not discourage Henry, as he continued to run the inn until his death in 1894.

    As time marched on, the inn was sold, deeded, or rented to a long list of individuals. It continued to be a very popular watering hole until its closure in 2016.

    Like many historic buildings, the Nittany Inn has gone through numerous additions and renovations over the years. Originally, the inn was a simple two story frame structure. By 1839, the inn was comprised of the main building, a kitchen, carriage house, and two stables. Though updated and modified in the present day, it is not difficult to imagine the original building through the modern additions.

    The building is currently undergoing extensive work as of this post. The work has exposed the building’s “bones,” giving a glimpse at the architecture that has enabled it to stand for so long. 

EDIT:

As of 2022, the building no longer stands. From talking to the current owner, it appears the building had been neglected for far too long and could not be saved, although they tried to the best of their ability to do so. 

Information Retrieved From:

Walker Township Historical Committee (2000). History of Walker Township, 1810-1999.Published by the Walker Township Committee