Centre County Historical Society

4. Fostering and partnering with local and statewide organizations to promote and advocate for Centre County history and historic resources. Fostering and partnering with other organizations who maintain and promote history and culture of Centre County. 5. CCHS focuses first and foremost on preserving the recently restored Centre Furnace Mansion, historic Furnace Stack and surrounding grounds, on the National Register of Historic Places, that compose the most significant historical site in Centre county for the following reasons: A) They commemorate the birth of the iron industry in Centre County and environs. Centre furnace went into blast in 1792, the first iron furnace in what soon after became Centre County (in 1800) and the second in Central Pennsylvania.

B) Half a century later, Centre Furnace Mansion became the birthplace of The Penn State University. On June 26, 1855, a committee of the board of trustees of the newly chartered Farmers' High School Of Pennsylvania visited the site to view the proposal of 200 acres of land offered freely by Centre Furnace iron master Gen. James Irvin. On September 12, 1855, after viewing other proposed sites and after much debate, the trustees approved the motion of trustee president Frederick Watts to accept the Centre county site. The farmers' high school opened for collegiate instruction in 1859 and today has grown into the Pennsylvania State University, ranked among the top 100 global research universities.