Lock Haven
The Bus Stops Here Celebrating our 32nd Anniversary in Lock Haven!
It ' s the end of school year...
Spotlight on:
Lock Haven
LOCK HAVEN BEGINS by Lou Bernard
If you’ re going to learn about Clinton County, you have to learn about Lock Haven. It’ s the only incorporated city in the county, it’ s the county seat, and it’ s got an amazing history to it.
Lock Haven is not the oldest community in Clinton County--- that honor belongs to Dunnstown. Lock Haven was founded in 1833 by Jeremiah Church.
Jerry Church was thirteen when he was thrown out of school for attempting to kiss the teacher. He traveled around the country, finally coming to a central Pennsylvania area to visit his brother Willard--- a nice, pleasant area by the Susquehanna River, part of Lycoming County, where a new canal was under construction. And Jerry Church loved the area and wanted to found a community there, naming it after the canal locks.
He went to Williamsport and got an anonymous donor to loan him twenty thousand dollars. Today, we know this donor to have been Judge Alexander Jordan. Church made a deal with Dr. John Henderson, owner of the land, and bought the property, selling lots in a public auction on November 4th, 1833.
The first lot, on the southeast corner of Water and Jay Streets, went to Frank Smith, a hotel owner and aspiring actor. Smith helped found the Thespian Society, a group of hotel owners who put on plays to provide entertainment to the earliest citizens of Lock Haven.
Early Lock Haven had one woman who was eligible for marriage--- Sarah Spear. Every other female in town was too young, old, or already married. Sarah was the entire dating pool.
Six years later, after several tries, Jerry Church got Clinton County founded by the state legislature, because he wanted Lock Haven to be the county seat. Originally to be named Eagle County, he changed the name after repeatedly being turned down in order to trick the legislature into voting for the new county and naming it after a New York governor.
Today we can see, in the local names, remnants of these early times. Henderson Street, Jordan’ s Alley, Willard’ s Alley, Sarah’ s Alley, and Church Street are all nods to the early days, when Lock Haven began.
- Lou Bernard is a local writer and can be reached at loulhpa @ gmail. com.
The Bus Stops Here Celebrating our 32nd Anniversary in Lock Haven!
THE BUS STOPS HERE
25 East Main Street Lock Haven 570-748-0321 the-bus-stops-here. com
Open: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday 10- 6, Saturday 10-3.
Closed Saturday, May 17th; reopening Monday, May 19th, at 10am. 10“ Good News”-- May-- www. bearcountrygoodnews. com
Photo courtesy of Maria Boilieu Photo courtesy of Maria Boileau.
It ' s the end of school year...
Parents, come visit us to find exciting things for your kids to learn all summer!
Check out great new toys and games, including:
Big Fish Game... Marshmallow Cuties... Sugar Squeezy Dice... & Wiggits!