Express readers enjoyed articles about Lock Haven landmarks…but what about people who created them?

There have been thousands of notable, wise and successful people in the region. It would be impossible to include them all, so I’ll rely on personal recollections and apologize for missing names.

Who do you remember? Let’s retrace our original tour with Woolrich. John Rich (1777-1864), who founded the Plum Run wool making company in 1830, is described in a book (Woolrich 175 Years of Excellence). After China, Luxembourg and Japan got their hands on Woolrich, it disappeared.

John the VI and his wife, Margarette, were congenial folks who had a son, John. They were frequent diners Friday evenings at Haywoods, then a swanky country club. There wasn’t a stromboli or TV in sight. As the entertainer, I performed their favorite tunes.

The Clinton Country Club was private, adorned with velvet, burgundy drapes, tasty cuisines, linen tablecloths, real silver, finger bowls, vested wait staff, personal service and live music. Monthly statements replaced cash at the table. It was class.

Archie Ayres was a chef and his wife, Delores, the hostess. Wes Maggs, former owner of Dunkles (operated by Cindy Caprio and Lenny Gugino) on Vesper Street (now Uncle Alberts) was a club manager and its board of directors maintained a squeaky-clean facility.

Guest names included Arter (donor of club land), Cattoni (Piper CFO) Helt (Funeral Home), Armstrong (Paper Mill), Piper (Aircraft), Winner (Packing Plant) and Candor (Buick, Oil).

Physicians were often Brickley, Long, Delgrippo, Myers, Brandt, Jusic, Adams, Triers, Lytle, Greenberg, McDonough, Hoberman, DiCuccio, Wise, Thomas, Clover, Brown and more.

These more accessible doctors made house calls, didn’t ask for insurance cards, charged a few dollars and knew your family history. Triers gave you a lollipop if you got a shot!

The club was visited by local merchants, lawyers, accountants, industrialists and LHU professors.

Politicians were abundant and one must ask, “who will be tomorrow’s government leaders?” I find it ironic that Lock Haven City Council wanna-be Tristian Avenbaum is lobbying for a sanctuary city as he and his wife refuse to pledge allegiance to the flag! We have quite a contrast between those who built Lock Haven and those who run it today.

Diner Mrs. Quigley would drop a $50 in my tip jar. She lived in the Orchard Hill Mansion just off the golf course, where she housed 35 Pekinese puppies. The home, later occupied by Dr. Grey and a McDonald’s owner, is visible today on a drive between the tall lane trees. Google Orchard Hill Mill Hall and sneak a peek.

After tree-lined Woolrich is The Buffalo Inn that ultimately housed a second floor sex club. It competed with a hidden sex club over Subway in downtown.

Neither club saw a happy ending and the operators just couldn’t keep it up.

Real Buffalo roamed the fields until they became a juicy burger. Original owner Jake Kohlberger operated “moonshine” stills, ultimately confiscated by federal agents and stored in our local courthouse.

Jake’s associate was Prince Farrington, the new “theme star” at Fox’s Market House Restaurant and his sister was Gladys Porter, owner of Jersey Shore’s Gamble Farm.

The Gamble Farm was purchased by local contractor Troy Musser and later, the Bilbays.

The Gamble Farm shined when Gene, his wife and two sons operated the business. It, too, was elegant dining.

The people of yesteryear were a bit more demanding.

And, they enjoyed good times and upscale parties. Lock Haven often hosted many black tie dance and dining events.

My wife and I once took an adventurous group of 150 on the Mill Hall to Bellefonte private train for an evening of good music at The Gamble Mill Restaurant.

After the Buffalo Inn on Route 150 came Overdorf’s Tastee Freeze and the Keystone Motel. The Keystone offered comfort food and locals may recall a police raid when seven local prostitutes were arrested for serving dessert after dinner!

Eddie Greenberg, father to the late Dr. Michael Greenberg, once owned the business. Blessed with a high IQ, Mickey graduated from medical school in three short years and played coronet with me during several shows. His father also owned the Motel Mohawk (Fulmer’s Personal Care). It had a unique “sunken bar” and my brother often played piano in the lounge. Louie Luccione was the bartender.

The Keystone was sold to Paul Stover, Doyle “Junior” Gummo and three more restaurateurs.

The Keystone, no longer serving liquor, is now Dunnstown Diner but the two British sisters, Patsy and Eve, who really made the place “cook,” moved on. Former staff member Morgan Caprio is now a manager at Fox’s Restaurant.

The Second Cup was Herr’s Dairy and across the street, next to The Starlite Bowling Lanes, was JP’s Malted Milk Drive-In. Before crossing the original, real Constitution Bridge, you’d find Don Welch Pontiacs in a building I restored. He employed Nancy Renninger’s father as a mechanic.

Cross the bridge and you’d spot the old silk mill where William T. Piper located his airplane manufacturing plant in 1938, after the Bradford facility burned to the ground. A book, “Mr. Piper and His Cubs,” was written about this industrial magnate.

The 1972 Hurricane Agnes flood basically ended production but the Piper Aviation Museum now operates in the former engineering building. Read about this piece of local history at The Ross Library.

Woolrich, Piper and New York and Penn, that preceded First Quality, employed thousands of people! Lock Haven was thriving. Dad worked at the paper mill for 35 years.

They called Castanea the “new mill” (1921) and Lock Haven, the “old mill.” (1881). It was sold to Curtis Publishing and International Paper.

Heading up Main Street, there were so many merchants including Drummer Rich Hall, Car Dealer and Hotelier Bill Cook, E&L Diner’s Edna Lockhart and Leo Vucollo, Barber Ed Vucollo, Tommy Thompson’s Paint Store, Pete and Stella Anastos’ Texas Lunch, Judy Eyer’s Cafe, Bud and Faye Davis’ Restaurant, Brooke McGhee’s Clinton Electric, Barkeep Jeanette Yeager, Roy Miles, Mark Helbley, dozens of entrepreneur-tenants in my buildings, Smart Shop owners Sam, Ron and Warren Pete, Addie Rinella’s Gifts, Kelly and Bob Shadle’s Department Store, Clothier John Marshall, Rinella’s Produce, Sylvin Klewans Shoes, Gurney Wagner’s Music & TV, Gretchen Wagner Carey, Don Ricker, Bob Grossman, Art Sanders, Max Coploff, Gary Derr, Fallon Hotel’s Larry Kephart and Dick Huff, Mike Remaley, Mike Snow, Roy Herlocker (father to Charlie who founded Herlocker’s Dipping Mustard), Joe Mangan’s Bakery and Tony Torsell — just to name a few.

Lawyer visitors often included names such as Lugg, Fromm, Snowiss, Steinberg, Faulkner, Dohrmann, McKnight, Williamson, O’Connor, Smith and many more.

Lock Haven’s all about people and their pride. Some may be gone, but not forgotten because it was they who built this city, not candidates like Avenbaum who refuses to stand and salute our country’s flag!

Without the thousands of “old timers” who built the town and demanded impeccable service, this would be a sad community.

The Market House is working hard to restore that pride, history and service. Lock Haven deserves good eateries and respectable politicians.

Stephen Poorman is a consultant and philanthropist.