A Walking Tour of Historic Philipsburg, PA

Thirty-five years ago this month, I met the man who would become my husband, in a State College laundromat. He was living in a rented garage apartment in Philipsburg, and I was living in a rented room in a house in downtown State College, so we both made many trips over the mountain to see each other.

Years later, we are married and have a home in Stormstown. He has kept the same dentist all these years, and on this day he had an appointment; (probably like many others) his first since Covid. Just for kicks, I thought it would be fun to take a stroll down memory lane. So I invited myself along!

I told him he could drop me off anywhere in downtown Philipsburg and I could find my way around. I had in mind that I would like to visit the old Union (or Mud) Church on Presqueisle Street, and from there, walk over to the Cold Stream Dam, where he would pick me up.

He swung the car around and dropped me off on a side street downtown. And I looked up, and right in front of me was this adorable, colorful, old, historic house, with red trim. It was surrounded by beautiful flowers, in both yellow and pink. It turns out, quite by serendipity, I had found the oldest building in Philipsburg! It was the starting point for my walking tour.

Above is the 1807 John Henry Simler House. It is 20 by 24 feet in size. According to the historic marker by the building, the structure served as a home, a shoe repair shop, a school, a bakery, and a tavern. Luxury items included an attic window and panes of glass in all windows. The building was donated by a Simler descendant, and restored to its original appearance in 2001.

From there, I strolled up to Centre Street to the Memorial Park, which features cannons and a statue and benches and some really glorious flower beds. According to the words on the side of the statue, Philipsburg borough was first organized in 1864, the first telephone arrived in 1878, and the first electric light arrived in 1881.

My pathway for the next part of my walking tour was Presqueisle Street, where I visited a church or two: St. Paul's Episcopal Church (1911, Late Gothic Revival style), and the First Presbyterian Church (1908, Tudor Revival style).

Presqueisle Street runs along the edge of a huge estate which is known, variably, as Hardman Philips House, Moshannon Hall, and Halehurst. Hardman Philips was a younger brother of the two founders of Philipsburg. You cannot see the house (with 25 rooms and 13 fireplaces) from the road, but the estate is wooded, with lovely meadows. The house is thought by some to have been a stop on the Underground Railroad, though no evidence has been published to support this claim.

To step back a bit, here's a fact: James and Henry Philips were the original founders of Philipsburg in 1791; some reports say the land was purchased at an auction on the streets of Philadelphia for two cents an acre. Hardman Philips was their younger brother.

And then I arrived at my primary historical destination, which was the old Union or Mud Church, which is located between Sixth and Seventh Streets, and it is surrounded by a three-foot stone wall. The original log meeting house was built in 1820, at a cost of $343. It served as both a church and a school. A photo of the Union Church is included in the extras.

Now, I must tell you the story of the great, wonderful, huge, historic Founders Oak! It is a white oak tree that stands in the cemetery of the Union Church in Philipsburg and you may see it in the extras. I got out my copy of the book The Notable Trees of Centre County (a personal local tree Bible of sorts for me), published by the Centre County Historical Society in 1992. Here is the story of this tree:

Pioneers from Philadelphia followed a trail over what is now known as Rattlesnake Pike [PA route 504], and on March 6, 1797, they encountered a large white oak tree directly in their path. These founders of Philipsburg set aside the area surrounding the oak for a town meeting place, a church, and a school. In 1975, the Philipsburg Historical Foundation memorialized the white oak, attaching a permanent plate to the great tree, which bears the name "Founders Oak." Because of the exceptional quality of the wood, white oaks have been called the "king of the American hardwoods." Growing in competition with its neighbors, this oak shot up tall, extending its long branches above the surrounding trees.

The plaque at the bottom of the Founders Oak indicates that in 1975, a growth ring count made by Penn State University determined the tree to be approximately 330 years old. That means that it is now around 375 years old.

There are estimates that as many as 500 people are buried in the cemetery of the old Mud Church. The first burial was that of an infant who died of the croup in 1802. The last known burial in this cemetery took place in 1907. The oldest actual grave stone is dated 1819. Many of the stones are so worn, you cannot read them anymore; little plaques beneath many of the stones share the main details, such as first and last name and birth and death dates.

So I spent a splendid half-hour or so exploring the church and cemetery grounds. I was interested to note that the church may be reserved for weddings, baptisms, and special occasions. It is open every Sunday through Labor Day from 2 to 4 pm, and I have been told it is worth going inside to see. Wouldn't it be cool to have a wedding there, right in the midst of so much history!???

I finally left the church and completed my walk to the Cold Stream Dam. The entire distance, from the Simler House to the dam, was about a mile, and it was not a difficult walk. I walked all around the dam and admired some of the new structures and refurbishments; the area was closed for a while so the dam could be dredged and improvements could be made, but it reopened to the public in 2017. A major stand of sunflowers along the hill provides some cheerful color, and a point of interest for the local pollinators.

My husband, his teeth fairly sparkling, picked me up at Cold Stream Dam, and we headed to Black Moshannon (traveling back along route 504, in the exact reverse of the route along which the original settlers arrived) for a refreshing swim. My camera memory card was chock full of lots of history, and I am sorry I can't share many more of the photos with you. But here are three for starters! I hope you enjoyed this little walk through local history!

My soundtrack song is Sam Cooke's Wonderful World.

I don't know much about history. Don't know much biology. . . .
But I do know that I love you. And I know that if you love me too,
What a wonderful world it would be!