‘Birthplace of Penn State’ historical marker dedicated at Centre Furnace Mansion

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State and the Centre County Historical Society (CCHS) today (Jan. 11) officially unveiled a new historical marker — “Birthplace of Penn State” — on the grounds of Centre Furnace Mansion in State College. The mansion is the home of the society and the location of the 1855 decision that sited "The Farmers’ High School of Pennsylvania" on 200 acres in Centre County.

On Sept. 12, 1855, 150 local dignitaries gathered at Centre Furnace Mansion in Centre County and determined establishing a site for an idea that, at the time, was considered a bit of an experiment — The Farmers’ High School — to encourage the application of science to farming. The charter had been signed on Feb. 22, 1855, by Pennsylvania Gov. James Pollock, but the new school did not yet have a location.

The new blue-and-white marker commemorates the trustees’ decision — after much consideration of other sites — to locate the new school at the confluence of Nittany and Penns valleys, near the Centre Furnace ironworks, and reads:

“The charter for the Farmers’ High School of Pennsylvania was signed on Feb. 22, 1855, and on June 26 the Board of Trustees Site Select Committee visited Centre Furnace Mansion to inspect 200 acres offered by ironmaster James Irvin and enjoy a dinner hosted by Moses and Mary Thompson. After visiting sites across the state, on Sept. 12, 1855, the trustees approved Board President Frederick Watts’ motion to locate the fledgling school here.”

Roger Williams, Centre County Historical Society president, welcomed Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi on her first visit to Centre Furnace Mansion, noting the connection between Bendapudi’s role as the University’s president and “what happened on these very grounds, 169 years ago, where it all began,” he said. Bendapudi and Williams, along with Mary Sorenson, CCHS executive director, unveiled the marker to an appreciative crowd of attendees.

“What an exciting time to be here with you, at the birthplace of Penn State,” said Bendapudi at the dedication. “As this historical marker celebrates, the Centre Furnace Mansion played a starring role in the foundation of our beloved Penn State. In 1855, the commonwealth of Pennsylvania showed much foresight in saying we need to establish collegiate-level education — and this was supposed to be for agricultural education, which continues to be such a key part of our state’s economy, our ethos, our culture. And so, from the very beginning, it has been Penn State's mission to support and enrich Pennsylvania.”

Sorenson expressed her appreciation for the marker, which calls to attention the mansion’s prominence in Penn State’s — and Pennsylvania’s — history.

“This is really special for us to have this marker here,“ she said, “because this designates Centre Furnace Mansion not only as the 19th century beginnings of Penn State, but also speaks to the importance of the iron industry in the history of Centre County.”

Read more about the mansion and the decision to site the school in Centre County in “Photo Story: Centre Furnace Mansion and the birth of Penn State,” on Penn State News.

The newest historical marker joins 68 others on the University Park campus and 17 at other Penn State locations that have been installed since the beginning of the program in 1990. The Penn State Historical Marker Program — a collaboration between the Penn State Alumni Association, the Office of Strategic Communications, the University Archives and the Office of Physical Plant — commemorates notable Penn State academic and research accomplishments, as well as people, places and traditions of the University as an institution of higher education.