Location(s)

Bellefonte was founded in 1795 by James Harris and James Dunlop. Within 5 years, the town housed a post office (opened 1798), a gristmill, a sawmill, two ironworks, and a tavern. Its economic and political power grew rapidly, and Bellefonte became a borough in 1806. It soon was a thriving city with beautiful architecture. This mini-exhibit highlights a few of the buildings and institutions that existed during Bellefonte's Victorian heyday.

Bellefonte became the seat of newly erected Centre County in 1800. As historian John Blair Linn tells it:

"In 1800, when Centre County was created, Milesburg and Bellefonte competed strongly for the honor of becoming the county-seat. Milesburg appeared to possess an advantage in the fact that it stood at the head of navigation on Bald Eagle Creek, and as that circumstance seemed to operate materially in favor of Milesburg, the proprietors of Bellefonte were spurred to a more than ordinary effort to overcome it. In this emergency the tradition is that those interested in having the county-seat, attached a team to a flatboat having on board a lot of second-hand furniture (borrowed from some man's house), and dragged the boat up Spring Creek as far as Bellefonte. That done, they hurried a messenger to Lancaster, armed with a properly attested affidavit that the first boat of the season, with freight aboard, had arrived at Bellefonte. This statement of facts appeared to indicate that Bellefonte, and not Milesburg, was at the head of navigation, and being expeditiously pressed by parties in interest, it resulted in the passage of the act making Bellefonte the county-seat."

Centre County Courthouse, 1900
Centre Countians celebrated their centennial 100 years ago by decorating the courthouse. The one architectural feature this photograph does not show is the cupola, with its fish weathervane.CCHS Collections

Bush Arcade, 1900
The Bush Arcade in Bellefonte was fully decorated with bunting for the centennial of Centre County. The stores on the ground floor are (l to r): American Express Company; Liebermann's; a confectioner's; post office; Ed. C. Rowe, carpets; W. Rowe & Bro., furniture and carpets. The second floor housed an office for Dr. Tate and for Western Union.Gift of J.W. White

Big Spring
Other than the courthouse, Bellefonte's best-known feature is the Big Spring. The spring has a daily flow of 11,500,000 gallons. It was, according to local tradition, the origin of the town's name, "Bellefonte," (beautiful fountain) when exiled French statesman Talleyrand visited the area in the winter of 1794-95. CCHS Collections

Reynolds Mansion
The Reynolds Mansion, on the northwest comer of Allegheny St. and Linn St., is one of Bellefonte's many imposing homes. It was built in 1885 by Major William Frederick Reynolds, a wealthy businessman, landowner, and banker. It was he who owned the Big Spring and gave it to the citizens of Bellefonte.CCHS Collections

Allegheny Street
Bellefonte's distinctive Victorian architecture is clearly seen in this turn-of-the-century view taken from in front of the courthouse. Gift of J.W. White

"The Square, Bellefonte"
This area in front of the courthouse is more commonly known as the Diamond. The large building on the right, on Allegheny Street, is the Crider Exchange. CCHS Collections

Brockerhoff House Hotel
The Brockerhoff was built in 1866 as a three-story brick hotel that served visitors to the courthouse and the shops in town. It was built on the site of an 1827 tavern owned by Philip Benner, and was in a very significant location on Bellefonte's diamond, across from the county courthouse. The Brockerhoff was extensively remodeled in 1890 to its current high Victorian appearance. CCHS Collections

J.M. Benner House
J. Matlack Benner, son of General Philip Benner, built this house in 1825.CCHS Collections

Bellefonte Academy
The Bellefonte Academy, the "School in the Mountains," operated from 1805 to 1934 as a well-respected private academy. Rev. James R. Hughes was headmaster from 1868-1900, when his son James R. Hughes took over; he served until the academy closed. The building, shown here in 1891, had undergone many architectural changes, with its Greek pillars dating back to 1904.CCHS Collections

PRR Depot
Bellefonte was the center of the local iron industry, and the hub of political and economic life of Centre County. As such, most of the rail lines that entered the county ran through Bellefonte. Passengers who stopped at this station could stay at the Bush House Hotel, immediately across the street.CCHS Collections

"Northward from Half-Moon Hill"
The handwriting on the bottom of this postcard reads: "Am home over Sunday. Will try and stop off Monday night the 6th. Leave Tyrone at 6 o'clock and will get there about 9:30." The 3.5 hour train ride makes sense; on the Bald Eagle Valley Railroad, Bellefonte would have been the 15th stop after leaving Tyrone! CCHS Collections

Bellefonte Hospital
The Bellefonte Hospital began in 1902 in a house on N. Spring Street, and later moved to this grand building. Its name was changed to the Centre County Hospital in 1925. The hospital building, at the corner of Benner Pike and Holmes St., is now the Willowbank Building, home of Centre County's government offices. CCHS Collections

Coourtesy of The Centre County Historical Society

http://www.centrecountyhistory.org