Borough News

Reinventing Smethport’s Forest Legacy

Biomass Magazine — by Susanne Retka Schill

Smethport, Pa., is a little town with a history of biomass use, and abuse. The forest around the small town in the Alleghany Mountains of northcentral Pennsylvania was first logged to supply tall, white pine poles for the masts of sailing ships when they were the primary mode of world commerce. Hemlock bark was harvested to supply tannic acid to the hide tanning industry. In the next industrial development, a dam was built in 1825 to power the sawmills that turned the hardwood forest into lumber for furniture and construction. In the mid-1800s, the chemical wood industry moved in to clear-cut the remaining forests to manufacture chemicals such as acetate, acetone and wood alcohol, and by the 1930s, the hills were bare.

“That will never happen again,” says Tim Pierson, forestry specialist for the Pennsylvania State Cooperative Extension Service in McKean County, who works in Smethport. Read more »

Smethport Residents

New Planter Dedicated at Hamlin Lake Park

The Garden Club dedicated a new planter at the Water Street entrance to Hamlin Lake Park on Saturday. The planter consists of several courses of stone holding a variety of blooming flowers. Under the welcome sign to the park, a new plaque on eye hooks now replaces the one that had been lost.

Mayor Ross Porter congratulated the Garden Club for all of its accomplishments over the years to beautify the community with flowers, not just in the park but along Main Street.   Read more »

 

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History of Wooly Willy
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Latest Updates

Wonderdaze Window Art Contest

Smethport Web – by Les Jordan Jr.

The Smethport Area Chamber of Commerce was pleased with the amount and quality of entries in the Wooly Willy Window Art Contest held during the Wonderdaze festival from June 18-21.

The judging on all the entries was close with only a few points between the top and bottom places.

Participants in the contest included:
Read more »

Opening Ceremony Kicks Off Wooly Willy Wonderdaze

The first annual National Wooly Willy Wonderdaze festival officially opened Thursday afternoon in Smethport with a ceremony on the Court House steps. Retired Marine Corps Master Sergeant George Tufts and the American Legion Color Guard started the ceremony with the National Anthem.

Event chairman Jeff Andrulonis of Colonial Radio Group welcomed Smethport residents and visitors to the four day festival and thanked the committee chairs for making the festival possible: Jackie Taylor (vendors), Lester Jordan, Jr. (street dance), Nathan Muller (car show and parade), Christy Andrulonis (fireworks). Read more »

Preparations continue for this week’s Wooly Willy Wonderdaze festival

Preparations for the first annual National Wooly Willy Wonderdaze festival are in full swing, with Mid Valley Amusements already trucking in rides and vendor vehicles for set up in Hamlin Lake Park later this week. The four-day festival runs from Thursday, June 18th to Sunday, June 21st, (Father’s Day), culminating at 4:00 p.m. with a parade of car show vehicles down Main Street at 4:00 p.m. Read more »

Irish Hollow Fishing Derby yields a catch worth bragging about

A fishing derby hosted by Jamie and Amy Pierotti was held recently at their Irish Hollow East Farm Pond where Bass, Perch and Blue Gill abound.

Hunter O’Stricker, 9 years old, and grandson of Connie and Sandy Wolfinger, won the Irish Hollow Fishing Derby with a 16 inch Bass.

Colby O’Stricker, 6 years old, won the prize for the biggest Perch, at 12 inches at the Irish Hollow Fishing Derby. He is the grandson of Connie and Sandy Wolfinger.

The fishing derby and picnic provided an opportunity for friends to get together again amid lush fields and twittering birds after a long winter.

Abe Lincoln exhibit at Old Jail Museum in Smethport marks 200th anniversary of president’s birth

The Bradford Era – by Fran De Lancey

Since this year marks the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth in a log cabin in Hardin, Ky., an exhibit honoring the sixteenth president has opened in the Feature Room of the McKean County Historical Society’s Old Jail Museum in Smethport.

A lifesize cardboard cutout of Lincoln at the door of the museum’s gift shop beckons visitors to view the displays in the next room. Prominent among the displays are two mannequins of Lincoln, the nation’s tallest president at 6’4”, and Mary Lincoln, both attired in nineteenth century fashions.  Read more »

Brittany Shelley receives first Douglas F. Bowman, MD Memorial Scholarship

Smethport Web — by Janene Dunn

Brittany Shelley, a senior at Smethport Area High School, is the first recipient of the Douglas F. Bowman, MD Memorial Scholarship.

Shelley excelled in academics and was involved in numerous sports and activities while a student. She also served her community by volunteering her time as a mentor and tutor to fellow students, entertaining residents at Lakeview and Sena-Kean, picking up trash around town, and helping at benefit dinners. She plans to attend Gannon University in the fall to study nursing.   Read more »

Discover Smethport Quiz… Get Started Now!

The Smethport Area Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a “Discover Smerthport” quiz to coincide with the upcoming Wooly Willy Wonderdaze festival that runs from Thursday, June 18 to Sunday, June 21.

The quiz is available at Costa’s Supermarket, The Country Porch, and the Senior Center. You can also download a copy right here.

The Country Porch is offering the prize, worth $125. The quiz is open to anyone –  one entry per person. One winner will be drawn from all winning entries on June 21st at 3:00 pm. The winner need not be present to win. Good luck!

Sixth Grader Poetry Slam Rocks Smethport Public Library

Smethport Web – by Matt Muller

Candles flickered as poets singly or in pairs seized the day to celebrate the power of the spoken word. The budding wordsmiths, sixth graders of the Smethport Area School District, raised the roof of the Hamlin Memorial Library in Smethport, PA with their creativity, passion and zest for life. They slung their verse at an admiring crowd who applauded in the only hip way imaginable: feet stomping, finger snapping, and hand clapping once in unison. It was as if by the magic of poetry that a room in the wilderness of Pennsylvania had metamorphosed into an open microphone night in a Greenwich Village cafe.

Ten minutes prior to show time, poets and their parents congregated on the library steps. Somebody yelled, “I’m psyched!” This elicited a chorus of cheers and laughter. The poets clumped together in groups rehearsing their poems, making last minute revisions on the fly, and otherwise warming up their vocal cords for the poetry slam.   Read more »

Annual Ride of Pride has successful outing on Saturday

The Bradford Era – by Fran De Lancey

Saturday’s weather was perfect for the annual Ride of Pride, the Vietnam Veterans Honor Ride.

Shortly before 11:30 a.m., 107 riders on 74 motorcycles left Smethport on a trip of about 120 miles through McKean and Warren counties, which marked the third year since the Vietnam Veterans Moving Wall came to Hamlin Lake Park in Smethport. Scheduled stops were made at the Warren Eagles Club, Marienville Veterans Club and Mount Jewett Veterans Club before returning to Hamlin Lake Park in Smethport.  Read more »

Bass-o-matic, Kinzua Style

Exhausted Frederick Robson (center) of Smethport took his brother Frank Robson (right) and nephew Frank Jr. both of Danville, New York on a wild Kinzua Reservoir fishing expedition last Saturday.

Fred, an experienced Kinzua angler, guided the group to incredible pockets of white bass, walleye, and pike. Although they were quite selective, the trio kept 64 of the white bass with Fred catching a remarkable stringer of 30.

Veteran gives emotional speech on courthouse steps

The Bradford Era – by Fran De Lancey

Hometown U.S. Army veteran Brandy Colley became the youngest guest speaker ever to deliver the annual Memorial Day exercises in Smethport when she addressed a large crowd Monday from the McKean County Courthouse steps.

At age 30, Colley, a former military policeman who served in Hawaii, Colorado and Afghanistan, noted that U.S. military monuments are solid symbols of Americans’ desire to commemorate their fallen heroes.

“At these hallowed places, we can see and even trace with our fingertips the names of those in uniform who have given their lives in defense of our country,” she said.    Read more »

Non-Profit Organizations Contribute to Community Earth Day in Smethport

Smethport Web – by Lorraine Jacobs

Shavers Creek Raptor Show, Wild Woods Animal Park and Hemlocks Springs Center are among the non-profit organizations that will contribute to Community Earth Day in Smethport on May 30.

In addition to a special line-up of environmental professionals and outdoor enthusiasts, these and other non-profit organizations will contribute their expertise and special interests to the festival, which is open to the public. Read more »

Cub Scouts assist Veterans at Rose Hill

Smethport Cub Scouts assist veterans placing flags on graves at Rose Hill Cemetery in preparation for Memorial Day.

American Profile Magazine to Publish Article on Smethport Inventor

Smethport Web – by Les Jordan Jr.

When Smethport resident, Jim Herzog, invented the magnetic toy, Wooly Willy®, in 1955, he never dreamed it would one day become the subject of an article by a nationally circulated magazine.

But, that is exactly what happened on Monday, May 18 at the Patch Products’ Smethport facility (formerly Smethport Specialty Company) where Wooly Willy has been made since the popular toy company relocated its manufacturing facility there in 1965 from its original location on Fulton Street in downtown Smethport, PA. Read more »

Armed Forces Day & Peace Officers Memorial Day Service observed in Smethport

Smethport Web – Les Jordan, Jr.

The Smethport American Legion conducted a brief ceremony Friday afternoon on May 15th in honor of Armed Forces Day and Peace Officers Memorial Day.

Post Commander Jack Rosenswie led the ceremony in front of a small group of citizens who gathered together in front of the Legion building on Main Street. Past Commander, Seth Digel, and Sons of the American Legion Chaplin, Troy Herzog, aided Mr. Rosenswie in the ceremony.

The ceremony was held at the request of the Pennsylvania State American Legion Commander.

Earth Community Day coming to Smethport

Smethport Web – by Lorraine Jacobs

On Saturday, May 30, from 10 am until 2 pm, Hamlin Lake Park will be the venue for a variety of environmental and educational themed events.

At your leisure, explore the natural world aided by the experts of fishing, bird watching, wildlife, forestry, aquatics, outdoor living skills and steps toward sustainability — also known as “green living.”

The Green Stop, a 4-H fundraiser, will offer opportunities to learn about the importance of honeybees, Fair Trade and Local Shopping, and eating lower on the food chain.
Read more »

Library Grant Funds Mural by Local Artist

Smethport Web – by Nathan Muller

Local artist Julie Mader is preparing a “multi-media” mural at Hamlin Memorial Library. The feature that makes the mural unique is the inclusion of digital photo frames that will display images related to the themes Julie is painting. The digital files used in the frames can be easily updated by the library to provide a perpetual learning experience for library patrons. Read more »

Life is a bowl of Perry’s at The Smethport Sweet Shop

The Smethport Sweet Shop received a classic wooden advertising sign from Perry’s Ice Cream Company this week, capping the Elderberries’ restoration project of the ice cream parlor with a symbolic “cherry”.

The idea for finding the wooden sign originated with Phillis Barnhart, who runs the ice cream parlor at the Sweet Shop. Unable to locate one, a sign was requested on behalf of the Sweet Shop by Ross Porter, who contacted Mr. Rick Grabowski in the Perry’s organization. Read more »

National Day of Prayer observed today in Smethport

Smethport Web – by Nathan Muller

On the Court House steps at 12:00 noon on Thursday, McKean County and Smethport Borough officials, along with local clergy, gathered to observe the National Day of Prayer. The Smethport High School Choir, under the direction of Nan McGraw, sang the National Anthem and Amazing Grace.

McKean County Commissioner Joseph C. DeMott, Jr. noted in the official county proclamation that on this day “… it is eminently fitting and proper that we in McKean County observe a day when all in our communities may acknowledge our many blessings and express gratitude to God for them while recognizing the need for strengthening of religious and moral values in our land.” Read more »