Recollections of an older Pleasant Gap

PLEASANT GAP — Pleasant Gap is a pleasant little town nestled at the foot of Nittany Mountain. Curious about its origin and past, I talked to some local residents for their memories and stories.

When researching the town, I discovered a history of Pleasant Gap written by Mrs. Myrtle Magarel. She published segments in the Centre Daily Times in 1936. It was reprinted on December 1, 1975, transcribed by Rick Hughes in January 1997. It is in-depth and lengthy, but very interesting. Many family names of people still in this area are scattered throughout her recordings.

The town of Pleasant Gap was founded in 1845, according to signs erected by the state, but of course, long before that, there were brave souls carving out settlements both in the mountain and along the streams. Magarel also used “Linn’s History of Centre County” as a resource.

John Swaney (Swiney or Sweeny) is believed to be the first one to build a house in Pleasant Gap in 1845 at the Cross Roads. He kept a tavern there called the Green Tree Inn, but it is also reported that a man named Bates may have kept the tavern first.

All this is fascinating, but I then sought people living now with memories of what the town might have been like in years past. Doug Moerschbacker, of Doug’s Rug Cleaning in Pleasant Gap, has a picture at his business of the house at the corner of College Avenue and Route 144, which houses Little Mammas now. It is dated 1914. The property looks much the same. He told me about how he had his original business in that building and when he moved to his present location, he was given the picture. Identified in the picture are Ray Noll, Geo Hile, Sam Noll and Ward Hile.

Denny Ripka shared some pictures that his father, Ron had collected. The pictures are of White Rock Quarry and of the employees and the mules used to pull wagons of stone out of the quarry. Identified in the picture are some of those present. To far left an unidentified man, then Merrill Gill, John Lutz, Larue Hazel, Doyle Hazel, Paul Waite, Steward Musser and Nyle Hazel.

In Pleasant Gap’s early days, life was difficult, and the men mostly had to leave the town to find work. According to Magarel’s writings, a blacksmith, shoemaker or store keeper could earn a living, but others worked at the mine banks that furnished ore for Bellefonte’s furnace. There was the axe factory or lumbering for job possibilities also, but wherever the work, the pay was pitiful, Magarel wrote. Wages ran about $1.25 per day for a 10-hour day.

Pleasant Gap began to thrive more with the opening of the limestone industry. In 1905, the White Rock Quarry Corporation produced 40 lime-related products and employed 250 people.

The first public building in Pleasant Gap was used not only as a school — the Horntown School (Harrison Road) — but also as a meeting place for Methodists.

Frank Royer has lived in Pleasant Gap for his entire 79 years. He shared many of his memories of growing up and going to school in the several schools.

He said, “I went to first and second grade at the Horntown School. From second through fifth grade, I went to the Dentzel School. During sixth through eighth grade, we had to get there early to fill up and carry water jugs and get the fire started. During ninth and tenth grade, I attended school at the one on the corner of Linn and Allegheny in Bellefonte and then eleventh and twelve were spent at the Bellefonte High School.”

The Little League was a big part of the life of a kid and the Little League field in Pleasant Gap is named for Carl Kettig, who managed the organization for many years.

“There was a huge pond below where the Legion is now and we swam there and ice skated there in the winter,” said Royer. He described other businesses in town, such as the Red Horse Tavern, which is still operating. He said there were four grocery stores: Chet Rote’s; Earl Burd’s between the school and the Legion, on the left side of the road; IGA on College Avenue; and Mamie Stickler’s. College Avenue was called Sheep Street in those days.

Before the Uni-mart, that property had housed the Chet Rote Grocery, Buchanan’s Auto Repair, the bowling alley and Stover’s. In front of the Red Horse was a business called the Round House, which actually was round and sold milk, ice cream and had eight gas pumps in a circle. There was also a gun shop next to the Round House. Beyond that was Pops Spicher’s Sunoco Station. There was a Ford tractor dealership and repair business on Harrison Road.

There were just two churches in the 1960s in Pleasant Gap — the Methodist and the Lutheran, which are still active.

The American Legion in Pleasant Gap turns 100 years old this week and on Sunday it will celebrate with a meal for veterans.

Another part of summer that people remember fondly are the firemen’s picnics and carnivals. The Pleasant Gap Fireman’s Parade and Carnival will be held July 25 and 26 at 475 Robinson Lane. This is known as one of the largest carnivals that is run entirely by the fire company.

There is much more to learn about Pleasant Gap and about all the small villages and towns in Centre County. As you travel about, take time to talk with people and collect their stories. You’ll be surprised and entertained.