Gone 39 Years, Back for 10: An Old-Timer’s View of Today’s Happy Valley

I’ll never forget my sense of euphoria as I pulled into the Ebensburg Sheetz one day in May of 2013.

My excitement was not anything Sheetzy, although I’ll always appreciate the taste of an MTO sandwich or the chance to save some pennies at the pump.  No, my excitement on that day 10 years ago was all about geography.  

It hit me suddenly as I stood there in the Sheetz parking lot. I was just 60 miles from State College, my dearly beloved hometown. After nearly 39 years of residing in California, Maryland and Texas, I was really and truly returning home—not just to visit but to live.   

As a “Double Lion”—a graduate of State College High School and Penn State – I freely admit to my deep love for Happy Valley. Yep, I’m Maroon-and-Gray, Blue-and-White, and I don’t even care that Atherton Street’s a blight.

But now that I’ve been back home for 10 years, I think I can offer objective comments about some of State College’s greatest strengths and greatest weaknesses.  So here we go…

INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR

When local folks hear that I lived away from State College for almost 39 years, they automatically ask one key question: “How has this town changed?”  And I always offer some variation of this answer: “It’s become more international.”

Penn State’s population of international students, scholars and faculty members is now a whopping 11,000 with the vast majority found at the University Park campus. And of course, many of those individuals are accompanied by family members who add to the international profile of State College.

If I had to take a guess on Penn State’s international population in 1974, I’d say it was perhaps 10% of the current number. But to give you a better feel for how things have changed, consider how many restaurants you have now that offer international fare that is reasonably authentic. If my memory serves me well, there was just one in 1974—the Chinese takeout known as “Suzy Wong’s.” 

Some locals might not consider the internationalization of our community as a strength. In fact, one Centre County resident told me that he and his friends use the term “United Nations” in a disparaging manner when referring to State College. 

I beg to differ with this man, and I wish he interacted more personally with our neighbors who have come here from other nations. Kathy and I have been blessed with many such opportunities, and we have been enriched by their minds and hearts. Just this school year, we were privileged to welcome students or young professionals from approximately 20 nations to our home for small or midsize dinners—and to play ping pong, Dutch Blitz, Catan and other games. Try it, you’ll like it!  

DOWNTOWN THEN, DOWNTOWN NOW

Even today, when you stroll along Allen Street, you get a small-town U.S.A. vibe.  And all the more if you’re able to call up memories from the 1950s, 60s and 70s.  

Most of the bygone businesses on Allen carried family names and offered warm, personal service.  Among them were Levine Brothers Men’s Shop (run by the irrepressible Charlie Levine), Metzgers’ (a sporting goods store that sold my brother his prized Frisbee in 1958), Moyer’s (a jewelry store now known as Miska Jewelers) and Graham’s (a newsstand and tobacco store that provided a hang-out for Penn State athletes like Lenny Moore who later starred in the NFL). 

Friendly and inviting for 51 weeks a year, Allen Street became a hotbed of activity when Independence Day approached. Believe it or not, State College’s Fourth of July carnival was celebrated right there. With the street blocked off to vehicular traffic, all of us little baby boomers could be found eating cotton candy and riding the Merry-Go-Round, Ferris Wheel and Merry Mixer in the middle of the downtown’s main street. Was it crowded?  Yes, and that’s why I prefer today’s 4th Fest. But I’ll never forget those carnivals for their community togetherness.  

To this day, I regard the 100 block of South Allen as State College’s home plate, but I feel much less positive about the rest of the downtown area. Why? Having heard the recent announcement of a proposed nine-story “State College Town Centre,” I’m wondering where the current path is taking us. Will we continue to build high-rise buildings without any limits?

WARM COMMUNITY

Buildings and streets are one thing, but the real measure of a community is its people connections. I would say that State College remains a winner in bringing people together—all kinds of people. And I’m not the only one who takes that view.  As noted by John Krumrine, my high school classmate who moved back to Happy Valley in early April, “There’s a warmth about this town—even with the growth and the high-rises—that I can’t explain.” 

But, of course, it’s easier for folks to get connected in a new town if they’re raising children. Somehow through soccer teams, Scouts, pool memberships or church youth groups, kids have a way of meeting other kids and bringing their parents into the loop. (I think my parents enjoyed my 1963-1965 Little League career almost as much as I did as we all made friends at the old Gill Field—now buried under many dump truck loads of dirt for a highway modification effort.)

So even though my wife, Kathy, and I moved back to my ever-friendly Happy Valley in 2013, it wasn’t all that easy to get connected as empty nesters. It did take a while to add new friends to the folks I knew from school days. And that helped me understand why the phrase “You Can’t Go Home Again” has been debated via a novel (Thomas Wolfe, 1940), a hit song (Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora, 2006) and countless conversations.

Fortunately for us, I got the opportunity to write for StateCollege.com, and that helped us reach the point where our return was more than just alright. I could list scores of individuals who we’ve met through interviews for my columns, but the following are a few that clearly make our community stronger.

ENRICHING PERSONALITIES 

• I appreciated Jeff Byers several years before my 2013 return to State College. Always a wrestling fan, I had an itch that couldn’t be easily scratched when Kathy and I were living in Texas. But I learned how to access the Penn State Wrestling Radio Network via the internet in time to hear Byers’ accounts of the Nittany Lions’ 2011 Big Ten and NCAA titles. Not only did Byers convey good tidings of great joy, but he projected the passion that those exploits deserved. To this day, Jeff Byers remains the “maestro behind the microphone” for Penn State wrestling, while his wife, Marisa Vicere, blesses our community through the Jana Marie Foundation, a crucial support for the mental well-being of our young people. 

• I’ve almost got something in common with Neil Herlocher. Apart from two wayward vowels in our last names, we would probably consider ourselves to be “family.” And in all likelihood, says Neil, the Herlochers and the Horlachers were one until something happened in the very distant past—a spelling mistake or a relational divide. Regardless, I feel a kinship toward Neil because he’s a townie who really, really cares about State College and the future of its downtown. “I believe in development,” says Neil, “but I don’t believe in unfettered development.”   

• Todd Miner supplies a warmth and enthusiasm that can best be described as “effervescent.”  A Penn State alum who holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in meteorology, he worked for the university’s Weather Communications Group for 15 years.  But at a certain point he observed a pedicab business in San Diego and then decided to start “Vamos! Lion Chariot” here in 2012. You’ll see Todd riding around town or on campus, and you’ll notice he’s always smiling, laughing and greeting passersby. If you want some “transportainment,” arrange a campus tour for your out-of-town visitors or enjoy a relaxing ride with your favorite person. 

• And then there’s a category of folks who make extra-special contributions.  I’m talking about the mothers of our town, those self-sacrificing souls who bandage skinned knees and soothe hurt feelings.  Of course, those same heroics are performed by moms across America.  But perhaps the athletic, artistic and musical opportunities offered to kids in our high-achieving town put even greater demands on the mothers.  At any rate, I’m proud of the special moms I’ve honored each May with a “Mother of the Year” designation—Sue Paterno, Kim Sublett, Lydia Abdullah, Joyce Porter and Susan Strauss.  If you haven’t previously read their stories, you might want to take a look and be inspired by these moms.  

WISH LIST FOR THE FUTURE

Can Happy Valley get any happier? Sure, there’s always room for improvement in any locale.  For example, rather than put a casino into the old Macy’s portion of the Nittany Mall, how about a Costco?  Everyone wins at Costco every day, right? And even though we’ve already got some great purveyors of ice cream (Berkey Creamery, Myer Dairy, Dairy Queen), we’re missing out on a truly fabulous dairy delight. I’d love to see The Meadows bring their ultra-rich custard to State College, perhaps locating at the site where the old Autoport is currently decaying. And finally, how about a 10-year pause on buildings higher than seven stories?