(Editor’s Note: The following was published in “Historical Sketches of Principal Villages” by D.S. Maynard in 1877)
CENTRE HALL — The land on which Centre Hall is located was originally owned by Christian Hoffer, a native of Lebanon County. In 1828, Mr. Henry Whitmer moved from Lebanon county to Aaronsburg, Centre County, and engaged in the trade of saddler.
Afterward he went into the mercantile and hotel business at that place, and remained until 1847, when he moved upon the site of Centre Hall, where he had the previous year built the large building now occupied as a hotel by John Spangler.
The same year the building occupied by the Centre Reporter office was built by Mr. Hoffer, of whom Mr. Whitmer had purchased five acres of land, and afterward bought 18 acres more, adjoining his first purchase. After building the hotel and store, with outbuildings, Mr. Whitmer laid out and sold lots along the street below the hotel, several of which were soon after built upon.
Thus the town was started; there being no buildings upon its present site at the time the hotel and store were built, except an old blacksmith shop and an old school house — the latter building, at the time mentioned, had been converted into a dwelling and was occupied by the blacksmith, George Harpster.
To Mr. Henry Whitmer belongs the credit of founding the town of which he is now an honored citizen. He was 79 years old on July 22, 1877. Although his health is much impaired by a recent paralytic stroke, his mind is as clear and active as ever.
The village of Centre Hall was so named because of its location in Penn’s valley, it being about midway between its eastern and western ends. It occupies a beautiful site, on ground gently sloping to the south. It is regularly laid out, with streets crossing at right angles, named as follows: Main, Hoffer and Whitmer, running from north to south, and Locust, Church and Sarah, running east and west. The buildings of the place are mostly of wood, though there are quite a number, including half a dozen residences, two churches, school house and banking house, of brick; several of the private residences are tastefully constructed and decidedly attractive in appearance.
Centre Hall is well supplied with business establishments and mechanics of various kinds.
