Bellefonte, Pennsylvania
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Bellefonte is a
borough A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History In the Middle Ag ...
in, and the
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
of,
Centre County Centre County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 158,172. Its county seat is Bellefonte. Centre County comprises the State College, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. History The lands ...
in the
U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...
of
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
. It is approximately twelve miles northeast of State College and is part of the State College, Pennsylvania
Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...
. The borough population was 6,187 at the 2010 census. It houses the
Centre County Courthouse The Centre County Courthouse is a historic courthouse located in the Bellefonte Historic District in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, Bellefonte, Centre County, Pennsylvania. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. ''Note:'' ...
, located downtown on the diamond. Bellefonte has also been home to five of Pennsylvania's governors, as well as two other governors. All seven are commemorated in a monument located at Talleyrand Park. The town features many examples of
Victorian architecture Victorian architecture is a series of architectural revival styles in the mid-to-late 19th century. ''Victorian'' refers to the reign of Queen Victoria (1837–1901), called the Victorian era, during which period the styles known as Victorian we ...
. It is also home to the natural spring from which the town derives its name ("la belle fonte", bestowed by
Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord (, ; 2 February 1754 – 17 May 1838), 1st Prince of Benevento, then Prince of Talleyrand, was a French clergyman, politician and leading diplomat. After studying theology, he became Agent-General of the ...
during a land-speculation visit to central Pennsylvania in the 1790s). However, the spring, which serves as the town's water supply, has been covered to comply with DEP water purity laws. The early development of Bellefonte had been as a "natural town." It started with one house and a crossroad, then iron was found and the town grew.


History

William Lamb sold his mill to John Dunlop in 1794. The following year, John’s father James Dunlop and John’s son-in-law James Harris (1756-1841) laid out the town that would become known as Bellefonte. As the years went by, Bellefonte boomed and soon became the most influential town between
Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
and
Harrisburg Harrisburg is the capital city of the Pennsylvania, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, Dauphin County. With a population of 50,135 as of the 2021 census, Harrisburg is the List of c ...
.


Bellefonte Historic District

The
Bellefonte Historic District Bellefonte Historic District is a national historic district located at Bellefonte, Centre County, Pennsylvania. The district encompasses 296 contributing buildings in the central business district and surrounding residential area of Bellefon ...
was added to the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
in 1977. Other buildings on the National Register of Historic Places are:
Bellefonte Armory Bellefonte Armory is a historic National Guard armory located at Bellefonte, Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States. It was built in 1930, and consists of an administration building and stable building executed in the Colonial Revival style. B ...
,
Bellefonte Forge House The Bellefonte Forge House, also known as the John Dunlop House, is located just south of Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, in Spring Township, Centre County. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, due to its connection with prominent ...
,
Brockerhoff Hotel Brockerhoff Hotel is a historic hotel located at Bellefonte, Centre County, Pennsylvania. It was built in 1866, and is a large brick building on a stone foundation, measuring 170 feet by 60 feet. The original building was executed in the Italian ...
,
Centre County Courthouse The Centre County Courthouse is a historic courthouse located in the Bellefonte Historic District in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, Bellefonte, Centre County, Pennsylvania. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. ''Note:'' ...
,
Gamble Mill Gamble Mill, also known as Lamb Mill, Thomas Mill, Wagner Mill, and Bellefonte Flouring Mill, is an historic grist mill located at Bellefonte, Centre County, Pennsylvania. Located in the Bellefonte Historic District, it was added to the National ...
,
McAllister-Beaver House The McAllister-Beaver House is an historic, American home that is located in Bellefonte, Centre County, Pennsylvania. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. History and architectural features Built circa 1850, ...
,
Miles-Humes House Miles-Humes House, also known as the Potter Home, is a historic home located at Bellefonte, Centre County, Pennsylvania. It currently serves as the Centre County Library & Historical Museum. History The Miles-Humes house was originally built ...
,
Pennsylvania Match Company The Pennsylvania Match Company, known locally as the ''Match Factory'', was founded in 1899 by Col. W. Fred Reynolds, Joseph L. Montgomery and S. A. Donachy with $200,000 of their own money. Mr. Donachy owned several patents for match-making mach ...
, South Ward School, and the William Thomas House. The
Bellefonte Academy Bellefonte Academy was a historic school building located at Bellefonte, Centre County, Pennsylvania. The original building was built in 1805, as a two-story, rectangular limestone building. It was enlarged between 1839 and 1845, with the additi ...
was listed until 2008, after having been destroyed by fire in 2004.


Bush House Hotel

The
Bush House Hotel The Bush House Hotel was an historic hotel that was located in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. It was built between 1868 and 1869, and burned down on February 8, 2006. History The Bush House was built by Bellefonte attorney and developer Daniel G. Bus ...
was built in 1868-69 by Bellefonte attorney and developer Daniel G. Bush. It was one of the first hotels in the country to have electric lights. A man would stand at the train station and call out to the passengers, "Walk ya' to the Bush House." The Brockerhoff House, the Haag House, and other area hotels were competitors. Many notable guests stayed at the Bush House including
Thomas Edison Thomas Alva Edison (February 11, 1847October 18, 1931) was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices in fields such as electric power generation, mass communication, sound recording, and motion pictures. These inventio ...
. The Bush House burned down on February 8, 2006.


Cadillac Building

Another fire heavily damaged one of the borough's other landmark buildings less than four years later. The Cadillac Building, so named because it was originally built as a Cadillac dealership in 1916, was a mix use commercial and residential property hit by a devastating fire on December 22, 2009. Christmas tree lights in one of the apartment units were determined to be the cause. Cadillac Building was rebuilt in 2016 and is now home to 11 two and three bedroom apartment units. It remains a part of the Bellefonte Historic District.


Garman Opera House

The Garman Opera House was originally built in 1890 and hosted many notable stars of the day including
George Burns George Burns (born Nathan Birnbaum; January 20, 1896March 9, 1996) was an American comedian, actor, writer, and singer, and one of the few entertainers whose career successfully spanned vaudeville, radio, film and television. His arched eyebr ...
and
Gracie Allen Grace Ethel Cecile Rosalie Allen (July 26, 1895 – August 27, 1964) was an American vaudevillian, singer, actress, and comedian who became internationally famous as the zany partner and comic foil of husband George Burns, her straight man, ...
,
Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...
performer
Tom Mix Thomas Edwin Mix (born Thomas Hezikiah Mix; January 6, 1880 – October 12, 1940) was an American film actor and the star of many early Western films between 1909 and 1935. He appeared in 291 films, all but nine of which were silent films. He w ...
, and illusionist/escape artist
Harry Houdini Harry Houdini (, born Erik Weisz; March 24, 1874 – October 31, 1926) was a Hungarian-American escape artist, magic man, and stunt performer, noted for his escape acts. His pseudonym is a reference to his spiritual master, French magician ...
. The popular song " After the Ball" was said to have been first sung in public here. It was eventually also used as a movie theater, first showing silent films and then "talkies." By the early 1960s, the property was converted to primarily commercial/warehouse use. In the 1990s, the building was restored and returned to its roots as a live performance venue and cinema. The opera house was severely damaged by a fire on September 9, 2012 that also destroyed the Garman House Hotel. The cause of the fire has been ruled as arson. Preservationist groups' attempts to save the Garman were unsuccessful and the building was razed in January 2014. Garman House was rebuilt in 2016 and is now home to 21 one and two bedroom apartment units.


Victorian era

First-time visitors who walk along the Victorian streets of Bellefonte see primarily Victorian houses. One of many examples is the Hastings Mansion, which was owned by Mrs. John Lane and was bought and remodeled by Governor Daniel H. Hastings. In the 1800s, the first jail was built. It had an 8-foot underground dungeon, which was located on the rear of the lot of the present YMCA. A second jail was on East High Street.


Renaissance

One of the town's historic sections experienced a renaissance in 2004. The ''Match Factory'' (officially the
Pennsylvania Match Company The Pennsylvania Match Company, known locally as the ''Match Factory'', was founded in 1899 by Col. W. Fred Reynolds, Joseph L. Montgomery and S. A. Donachy with $200,000 of their own money. Mr. Donachy owned several patents for match-making mach ...
), after standing vacant since 1947, was being renovated by the
American Philatelic Society The American Philatelic Society (APS) is the largest nonprofit stamp collecting foundation of philately in the world. Both the membership and interests of the society are worldwide. History The organization, originally named the ''American Phi ...
as their new home, one building at a time. The site was placed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
in 2001.


Geography

Bellefonte is located in the
Nittany Valley Nittany Valley is an eroded anticlinal valley located in Centre County, Pennsylvania. It is separated from the Bald Eagle Valley by Bald Eagle Mountain and from Penns Valley by Mount Nittany. The valley is closed to the north by a high plateau t ...
of the
Ridge and Valley Appalachians The Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, also called the Ridge and Valley Province or the Valley and Ridge Appalachians, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division and are also a belt within the Appalachian Mountains extending ...
. It lies 12 miles northeast of State College. According to the
U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the borough has a total area of , all land. Bellefonte is in the northwestern corner of and is surrounded by Spring Township.


Demographics

As of the 2010 census, the borough had 6,187 people, 2,837 households, and 1,496 families. The borough was 96.3% White, 1.5% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.3% other, and 1.3% were two or more races. 1.4% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino ancestry. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 3,510.1 people per square mile (1,356.7/km²). There were 3,038 housing units at an average density of 1,669.2 per square mile (644.5/km²). Of the 2,837 households, 23.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.2% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 3.5% had a male householder with no wife present, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.2% were non-families. 38.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.10 and the average family size was 2.81. The population distribution by age was as follows: 18.4% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 89.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.9 males. The median income for a household in the borough was $48,211, and the median income for a family was $62,292. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...
for the borough was $26,938. About 4.4% of families and 10.2% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 3.8% of those under age 18 and 11.0% of those age 65 or over.


Economy

The Bellefonte area, as part of
Centre County Centre County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 158,172. Its county seat is Bellefonte. Centre County comprises the State College, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. History The lands ...
, typically enjoys one of the lowest unemployment rates in the state. The primary industries are education, health care, construction, retail, and government.


Major employers

* Bellefonte Area School District *Centre County Government *
Geisinger Health System Geisinger Health System (GHS) is a regional health care provider to central, south-central and northeastern Pennsylvania. Headquartered in Danville, Pennsylvania, Geisinger services over 3 million patients in 45 counties. History Geisinger is na ...
*Graymont *Hilex Poly *Restek *
State Government A state government is the government that controls a subdivision of a country in a federal form of government, which shares political power with the federal or national government. A state government may have some level of political autonomy, or ...
*Supelco *
U.S. Federal Government The federal government of the United States (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the United States, a federal republic located primarily in North America, composed of 50 states, a city within a fed ...
*
Weis Markets Weis Markets, Inc. ( doing business as Weis and stylized as weis) is a Mid-Atlantic food retailer headquartered in Sunbury, Pennsylvania. It currently operates 199 stores with over 23,000 employees in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, New Jer ...
*YMCA of Centre County


Prisons

The Centre County Correctional Facility is in Benner Township, just outside Bellefonte. It is county-run and houses between 250 - 300 inmates. The State Correctional Institution – Rockview is a
Pennsylvania Department of Corrections The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PADOC) is the Pennsylvania state agency that is responsible for the confinement, care and rehabilitation of approximately 37,000 inmates at state correctional facilities funded by the Commonwealth of P ...
prison located in Benner Township,
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
, from Bellefonte. The prison houses Pennsylvania's execution chamber. The State Correctional Institution – Benner, a
Pennsylvania Department of Corrections The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PADOC) is the Pennsylvania state agency that is responsible for the confinement, care and rehabilitation of approximately 37,000 inmates at state correctional facilities funded by the Commonwealth of P ...
facility, is a 2,000 bed prison located adjacent to SCI Rockview.


Government


Federal

Bellefonte forms part of
Pennsylvania's 15th congressional district Pennsylvania's 15th congressional district has been located in western Pennsylvania since February 2018. The district includes all of Warren County, McKean County, Forest County, Venango County, Elk County, Cameron County, Clarion County, ...
. The current representative is Glenn "G.T." Thompson.


County

Bellefonte is the
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
of
Centre County Centre County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 158,172. Its county seat is Bellefonte. Centre County comprises the State College, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. History The lands ...
and home to the
Centre County Courthouse The Centre County Courthouse is a historic courthouse located in the Bellefonte Historic District in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, Bellefonte, Centre County, Pennsylvania. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. ''Note:'' ...
.


Local

The Borough of Bellefonte government is currently run by the following elected officials: * Mayor: Gene "Buddy" Johnson * President of Council: Joanne Tosti-Vasey * Vice President of Council: Randall Brachbill * Council Members: **Evan Duffey **R. Michael Prendergast **Melissa Hombosky **Anne Walker **Renee Brown **Randall Brachbill **Jon Eaton **Doug Johnson **Joanne Tosti-Vasey


Education

Bellefonte Area School District operates public schools in the borough and wider area. Centre County Christian Academy is a private school located in Bellefonte. Since 1890, Catholic Education has been present in the Bellefonte community and vicinity through Saint John Parochial School. Saint John the Evangelist Roman Catholic School provides 3 and 4 year-old Pre-Kindergarten classes, as well as full-day instruction in Kindergarten through grade

Bellefonte is 10 miles from
Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a Public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related Land-grant university, land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsylvan ...
. Joel Rose of
National Public Radio National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other n ...
said, "These days, it seems everyone in Bellefonte has ties to Penn State, or knows someone who does."


Infrastructure


Transportation

Bellefonte is served by the Centre Area Transportation Authority for local bus service, linking Bellefonte to various points in State College including the
Nittany Mall Nittany Mall is an enclosed regional shopping mall in State College, Pennsylvania. It is located at the intersections of Route 150 and Route 26, one mile off the I-99 corridor. It is uniquely situated within four miles of the Pennsylvania Sta ...
, downtown and the Penn State main campus. The town is also served by the
University Park Airport University Park Airport is a public airport in Benner Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania, serving State College and Bellefonte. The airport covers 1,091 acres (442 ha) and has one active runway. The airport is owned by The Pennsylvania S ...
for commercial air travel. Bellefonte does not have passenger train service, with the nearest
Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
stations located in Lewistown (approximately 32 miles away) and Tyrone (approximately 35 miles away) and serving Amtrak's '' Pennsylvanian'' train between Pittsburgh and
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
.


Law enforcement

The law enforcement agency in Bellefonte is the Bellefonte Police Department, headed by Chief Shawn P. Weaver.


Early railroads

Up to 1946 the
Bellefonte Central Railroad The Bellefonte Central Railroad was a shortline connecting Bellefonte and State College, Pennsylvania. Constructed in the late 19th century to haul local iron ore to furnaces in the Bellefonte region, it later hauled freight traffic to Penn St ...
served the town on a Bellefonte-Lemont (State College) route. Until 1933 the BCR continued the route south to Tyrone over the Pennsylvania Railroad's former Fairbrook Branch. Additionally, the
Pennsylvania Railroad The Pennsylvania Railroad (reporting mark PRR), legal name The Pennsylvania Railroad Company also known as the "Pennsy", was an American Class I railroad that was established in 1846 and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was named ...
ran passenger trains from Altoona to Williamsport, after Milesburg heading into Bellefonte, then backing out to return to the Bald Eagle Valley Branch's route to continue the trip northeast. The last Altoona -
Lock Haven Lock Haven is the county seat of Clinton County, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Located near the confluence of the West Branch Susquehanna River and Bald Eagle Creek, it is the principal city of the Lock Haven Micropolitan Statistical Area ...
train was between August 1950 and 1951. The PRR also operated trains until the late 1940s from Bellefonte south to Lemont (nearest train station to State College), then east to Northumberland and
Sunbury, Pennsylvania Sunbury is a city and county seat of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in Central Pennsylvania's Susquehanna Valley on the east bank of the Susquehanna River, just downstream of the confluence of its main and west ...
.


Turnpikes and roads

A
turnpike Turnpike often refers to: * A type of gate, another word for a turnstile * In the United States, a toll road Turnpike may also refer to: Roads United Kingdom * A turnpike road, a principal road maintained by a turnpike trust, a body with powers ...
was created in 1822 after twenty years of construction. This turnpike, named The Northumberland and Anderson's Creek Turnpike, connected Bellefonte to Clearfield on the west and Sunbury on the east."The Tallyrand Park Citizens Committee" 'Background to the Virtual Walking Tour of Bellefont''e'', PA'. Bellefonteearts.org. Retrieved on August 31, 2020. " Today, Pennsylvania Route 550 runs through the town.
Interstate 99 Interstate 99 (I-99) is an Interstate Highway in the United States with two segments: one located in central Pennsylvania, and the other in southern New York. The southern terminus of the route is near exit 146 of the Pennsylvania Turn ...
/
US Route 220 U.S. Route 220 (US 220) is a spur route of US 20. It runs in a north–south layout in the eastern United States, unlike its parent route as well as conventionally even-numbered highways which run east-west. US 220 extends for fr ...
pass by the eastern outskirts of the town.


Notable people

*
George Grey Barnard George Grey Barnard (May 24, 1863 – April 24, 1938), often written George Gray Barnard, was an American sculptor who trained in Paris. He is especially noted for his heroic sized '' Struggle of the Two Natures in Man'' at the Metropolitan Museu ...
– sculptor *
Alison Bechdel Alison Bechdel ( ; born September 10, 1960) is an American cartoonist. Originally known for the long-running comic strip ''Dykes to Watch Out For'', she came to critical and commercial success in 2006 with her graphic memoir ''Fun Home'', which ...
- cartoonist and graphic novelist *
Clifford Carlson Henry Clifford "Doc" Carlson (July 4, 1894 – November 1, 1964) was an American basketball coach and football player. He is a Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee as the men's college basketball coach of his alma mater, the University of Pi ...
– former University of Pittsburgh men's college
basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
coach *
Todd Christensen Todd Jay Christensen (August 3, 1956 – November 13, 2013) was an American football player who played in the National Football League (NFL) from 1978 until 1988, spending most of that time playing tight end for the Oakland / Los Angeles Ra ...
– former NFL
tight end The tight end (TE) is a position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football, on the offense. The tight end is often a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like ...
*
Doyle Corman Jacob Doyle Corman Jr. (September 17, 1932 – December 8, 2019) was a member of the Pennsylvania Senate. Prior to his Senate service, Corman worked in the insurance and real estate business. He also served as Centre County Commissioner from 196 ...
– former member of the
Pennsylvania State Senate The Pennsylvania State Senate is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania state legislature. The State Senate meets in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. Senators are elected for four year terms, staggered ev ...
*
Jake Corman Jacob Doyle Corman III (born September 9, 1964) is an American politician and former President pro tempore of the Pennsylvania Senate. He was a member of the Pennsylvania Senate 1999 to 2022, holding the same seat his father, Doyle Corman, prev ...
– member of the
Pennsylvania State Senate The Pennsylvania State Senate is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania state legislature. The State Senate meets in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. Senators are elected for four year terms, staggered ev ...
* Andrew Gregg Curtin – Governor of Pennsylvania (1861–1867) *
Nathan Alan Cutietta Nathan Cutietta (born November 29, 1980) is best known as a documentary filmmaker. After leaving the film industry, he settled in Ohio as a teacher at Heidelberg University. Biography and career Cutietta was born in the small town of Bellefon ...
– documentary filmmaker * Robert Alan Cutietta – author, composer, arts leader *
Inka Essenhigh Inka Essenhigh (born 1969) is an American painter based in New York City. Throughout her career, Essenhigh has had solo exhibitions at galleries such as Deitch Projects, Mary Boone Gallery, 303 Gallery, Stefan Stux Gallery, and Jacob Lewis Galler ...
- artist *
Scott Fry Vice Admiral Scott Allen Fry (born Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, Bellefonte, Pennsylvania), is a former Director of the Joint Staff for the United States Department of Defense, who previously served as commander of the United States Sixth Fleet, Sixth ...
– former
Director of the Joint Staff The director of the Joint Staff (DJS) is a three-star officer who assists the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a cabinet of senior military officers within the United States Armed Forces who advise the secretary of defense and the president on military ...
for the
United States Department of Defense The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD or DOD) is an executive branch department of the federal government charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government directly related to national secu ...
* Chris Garner – tennis player (R16 in Australian Open 1993) *
John Irvin Gregg John Irvin Gregg (July 19, 1826 – January 6, 1892) was a career U.S. Army officer. He fought in the Mexican–American War and during the American Civil War as a colonel and near the end of the war as a brevet general in the Union army. In 186 ...
Union army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...
general * Daniel H. Hastings – Governor of Pennsylvania (1895–1899) *
John W. Heston John William Heston (February 1, 1854 – February 1, 1920) was an American academic who served as the second president of Washington State University, the third president of South Dakota State University and the fourth president of Dakota Stat ...
– former president of three universities * William Harrison Holly – former
United States federal judge In the United States, federal judges are judges who serve on courts established under Article Three of the U.S. Constitution. They include the chief justice and the associate justices of the U.S. Supreme Court, the circuit judges of the U.S. Cou ...
* Merle G. Kearns – former member of the
Ohio House of Representatives The Ohio House of Representatives is the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio; the other house of the bicameral legislature being the Ohio Senate. The House of Representatives first met in ...
* Anna Keichline – first female architect to be certified in Pennsylvania * James Knepper - former member of the
Pennsylvania House of Representatives The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. There are 203 members, elected for two-year terms from single member districts. It ...
* Eric Milton – Major League Baseball player * David Petrikin – former member of the
U.S. House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
*
Thomas M. Reynolds Thomas M. Reynolds (born September 3, 1950) is an American politician from the U.S. state of New York, formerly representing the state's 27th and 26th Congressional districts in the United States House of Representatives. Reynolds was chair ...
– U.S. Congressman *
Jeremy Rose Jeremy Rose (born April 1, 1979 in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse jockey. He began his career as a professional rider at Delaware Park in Wilmington, Delaware and in 2001 was his breakout year and he was voted t ...
– horse jockey * Joseph A. Smith – artist and professor at the
Pratt Institute Pratt Institute is a private university with its main campus in Brooklyn, New York (state), New York. It has a satellite campus in Manhattan and an extension campus in Utica, New York at the Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute. The school was ...
* Matt Suhey -
Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
fullback * Glenn Thompson - member of the U.S. House of Representatives *
Gregg Troy Gregg Troy (born December 19, 1950) is an American professional and Olympic swimming coach. As of April 2021, he is the head coach for the Cali Condors, which is part of the International Swimming League. Until 2018, he was the head coach of the ...
– college and
Olympic Olympic or Olympics may refer to Sports Competitions * Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896 ** Summer Olympic Games ** Winter Olympic Games * Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece b ...
swimming coach *
Jeff VanderMeer Jeff VanderMeer (born July 7, 1968) is an American author, editor, and literary critic. Initially associated with the New Weird literary genre, VanderMeer crossed over into mainstream success with his bestselling Southern Reach Trilogy. The tr ...
– author, editor, literary critic *
David Vogan David Alexander Vogan, Jr. (born September 8, 1954) is a mathematician at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who works on unitary representations of simple Lie groups. While studying at the University of Chicago, he became a Putnam Fellow ...
– mathematician * Jeffrey P. von Arx, S.J. – President of
Fairfield University Fairfield University is a private Jesuit university in Fairfield, Connecticut. It was founded by the Jesuits in 1942. In 2017, the university had about 4,100 full-time undergraduate students and 1,100 graduate students, including full-time ...
* Richard L. Walker – author and former
ambassador An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a high-ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or sov ...
to
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
*
John Montgomery Ward John Montgomery Ward (March 3, 1860 – March 4, 1925), known as Monte Ward, was an American Major League Baseball pitcher, shortstop, second baseman, third baseman, manager, executive, union organizer, owner and author. Ward, of English descent ...
– Hall of Fame baseball player


See also

*
Bellefonte and Snow Shoe Railroad The Bellefonte and Snow Shoe Railroad was a coal-hauling railroad in Centre County, Pennsylvania. Begun in 1859, it came under the control of the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1881. Closing of mines in the 1930s resulted in the decline of traffic on t ...
*
Bellefonte Central Railroad The Bellefonte Central Railroad was a shortline connecting Bellefonte and State College, Pennsylvania. Constructed in the late 19th century to haul local iron ore to furnaces in the Bellefonte region, it later hauled freight traffic to Penn St ...


References


External links


Bellefonte and surrounding area official community, dining, events and tourism website

Borough of Bellefonte governmental website

Bellefonte Intervalley Area Chamber of Commerce
{{authority control County seats in Pennsylvania Populated places established in 1795 Boroughs in Centre County, Pennsylvania Nittany Valley 1795 establishments in Pennsylvania