Lock Haven Top 10: town's history surprises
Kaitlyn Dolinish
Issue date: 2/4/10 Section: News
To most LHU students, Lock Haven, population of 8,541, isn't one of the most exciting places. But, there are the selected few who beg to differ.
"Lock Haven is a fascinating place and a lot of people don't realize that," said Lou Bernard, curator of the Clinton County Historical Society. "It is a place of all sorts of mysteries and adventures."
Believe it or not, Bernard is right. Here are ten facts that may actually make the average student reconsider the next time you refer to "the Haven" as boring.
1. "Rain of Fire" - According to Bernard, Lock Haven was "baptized with a meteor shower," just nine days after the town was founded in 1833. Although this meteor shower, called the Leonid Meteor Shower, occurs about every 33 years, the "Rain of Fire" as it was later referred to, was the biggest.
2. "Fascinating Founder" - The founder of Lock Haven, Jerry Church, was actually kicked out of school at the age of thirteen for trying to kiss his teacher.
"He never really grew out of that," said Bernard. Church also built an elaborate tree house, around where Robb Elementary now stands. "The tree house, where Church went to play his violin, was said to have had a spiral staircase."
3. "Follow the North Star" - Lock Haven was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Maria Molson, a black woman and resident of the city for 45 years, used her home as a refuge for runaway slaves. According to Molson's obituary published in the "The Clinton Republican" in 1890, Molson used to bandage the backs of the runaways who had received whippings just a few days prior to escaping. Molson's home still stands on 19 East Water Street.
4. "Shiver me Timbers" - Lock Haven was home to a retired pirate. James Jefferies, who retired from his life at sea in 1810, bought $9,000 worth of land in Lock Haven. His house, on 400 East Bald Eagle Street, still stands as well. Jefferies' son was also the mayor of Lock Haven.
5. "Diplomatic Connections" - The William Mayer House, also known as the TKE house, was owned by a Lock Haven merchant. However, this merchant happened to know Abraham Lincoln personally.
"Lock Haven is a fascinating place and a lot of people don't realize that," said Lou Bernard, curator of the Clinton County Historical Society. "It is a place of all sorts of mysteries and adventures."
Believe it or not, Bernard is right. Here are ten facts that may actually make the average student reconsider the next time you refer to "the Haven" as boring.
1. "Rain of Fire" - According to Bernard, Lock Haven was "baptized with a meteor shower," just nine days after the town was founded in 1833. Although this meteor shower, called the Leonid Meteor Shower, occurs about every 33 years, the "Rain of Fire" as it was later referred to, was the biggest.
2. "Fascinating Founder" - The founder of Lock Haven, Jerry Church, was actually kicked out of school at the age of thirteen for trying to kiss his teacher.
"He never really grew out of that," said Bernard. Church also built an elaborate tree house, around where Robb Elementary now stands. "The tree house, where Church went to play his violin, was said to have had a spiral staircase."
3. "Follow the North Star" - Lock Haven was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Maria Molson, a black woman and resident of the city for 45 years, used her home as a refuge for runaway slaves. According to Molson's obituary published in the "The Clinton Republican" in 1890, Molson used to bandage the backs of the runaways who had received whippings just a few days prior to escaping. Molson's home still stands on 19 East Water Street.
4. "Shiver me Timbers" - Lock Haven was home to a retired pirate. James Jefferies, who retired from his life at sea in 1810, bought $9,000 worth of land in Lock Haven. His house, on 400 East Bald Eagle Street, still stands as well. Jefferies' son was also the mayor of Lock Haven.
5. "Diplomatic Connections" - The William Mayer House, also known as the TKE house, was owned by a Lock Haven merchant. However, this merchant happened to know Abraham Lincoln personally.
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