High atop a gleaming white 17-story building is the plush Pier 66, a rotating, glass surrounded club with a 360 degree view of the magnificent Gold Coast’s Fort Lauderdale.

Nightly, in a booming voice you’d hear, “Ladies and Gentlemen, Pier 66 proudly presents Carl and Mary Keller!”

Castanea-born in the city’s Nittany Road reservoir home, Carl was the son of Boyd who bore two daughters (Kate and Helen) and two sons (John and Carl).

When you hear of our Keller reservoirs and dams, they are the namesake of Carl’s father. The given name Keller traces back to Peter Keller, the 1871 Castanea co-founder.

Carl left the area, studied music and mastered the electronic organ and piano. He married a stunning Boston opera singer, Mary Phillips, and they formed a duo.

Arriving with glitz each summer in a shiny, new Cadillac, Karl, spelled with a “K,” visited his Castanea sister Kate (my ‘second Mother’ and neighbor) and taught me a few keyboard tricks.

Just as Doctor Winner was an inspiration to write a book, Karl was an inspiration to study and record music. And, I did both. Karl once said, “Stevie, you’ve got to get out of Castanea if you want to make it in this industry. Go to Florida.” I did that, too.

While Karl appeared around the country, for 25 years his base was Pier 66 and today, our Florida residence is near that renowned club. But Karl and his music are silent.

The restaurant seating rotated every 66 minutes and on the center stationary stage, you’d hear Karl playing and singing.

The Piertop glass elevator couldn’t move fans up fast enough as they poured in to enjoy keyboard magic.

Karl’s brother, John, once arranged a local appearance at the Church Street Loyal Order of Moose after its massive restoration.

Lock Haven folks formed groups that traveled to Pier 66 to spend time with this notable Havenite. Karl was never too busy to leave the stage and chat with hometown friends.

He was an inspiration leading me to combine the love of music with business to grow the ninth largest music store chain in the country. And, that’s how I met magnate Lester F. Widmann (1900-1983).

Mr. and Mrs. Widmann lived in Lock Haven’s largest brick mansion on West Water Street (still standing), He, along with Phillip A. Teah, who lived in the “white elephant” (still standing) on the corner of North Vesper and East Water streets, were entrepreneurs who owned drug stores, breweries and speakeasies during prohibition years. They opened their first of four Lock Haven drug stores and eventually, in 48 other communities.

Early one brisk morning, while walking on a Coudersport street to check on my music store, a long, black limousine pulled up to the curb. The dark window rolled down and a stately, small stature man said, “Poorman… get in here.” I sat in the leather coach and the passenger said, with a slight British accent, “I’m Lester Widmann.”

He said he was 70 miles from Lock Haven, to verify his pharmacy would open sharply at 10 a.m. He offered business strategies and I remember every word.

As President of Commonwealth Bank, the man took time to share wisdom. One day he called with an invitation to the private Ross Men’s Club, across from the Williamsport Genetti Hotel. Buried in a Wall Street Journal, he looked up and said, “Poorman, you’re three minutes late.” After lunch he revealed lucrative opportunities.

Another day he called with an invitation to play golf with “people you need to meet.”

Lester Widmann eventually sold his chain of drug stores for millions of dollars and retired in Lock Haven. Thank you Mr. Widmann for your heeded wisdom.

Unearth the past at the Clinton County Historical Society or Ross Library.

There is so much more to Lock Haven than noticeable on its surface.

Stephen Poorman is a longtime area resident and business consultant.