BIRTHPLACE. 
See the link below. From the article:
“UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State and the Centre County Historical Society (CCHS) today (Jan. 11) officially unveiled a new historical marker — “Birthplace of Penn State” — on the grounds of Centre Furnace Mansion in State College. The mansion is the home of the society and the location of the 1855 decision that sited "The Farmers’ High School of Pennsylvania" on 200 acres in Centre County.
On Sept. 12, 1855, 150 local dignitaries gathered at Centre Furnace Mansion in Centre County and determined establishing a site for an idea that, at the time, was considered a bit of an experiment — The Farmers’ High School — to encourage the application of science to farming. The charter had been signed on Feb. 22, 1855, by Pennsylvania Gov. James Pollock, but the new school did not yet have a location.
The new blue-and-white marker commemorates the trustees’ decision — after much consideration of other sites — to locate the new school at the confluence of Nittany and Penns valleys, near the Centre Furnace ironworks, and reads:
“The charter for the Farmers’ High School of Pennsylvania was signed on Feb. 22, 1855, and on June 26 the Board of Trustees Site Select Committee visited Centre Furnace Mansion to inspect 200 acres offered by ironmaster James Irvin and enjoy a dinner hosted by Moses and Mary Thompson. After visiting sites across the state, on Sept. 12, 1855, the trustees approved Board President Frederick Watts’ motion to locate the fledgling school here.”
Roger Williams, Centre County Historical Society president, welcomed Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi on her first visit to Centre Furnace Mansion, noting the connection between Bendapudi’s role as the University’s president and “what happened on these very grounds, 169 years ago, where it all began,” he said. Bendapudi and Williams, along with Mary Sorenson, CCHS executive director, unveiled the marker to an appreciative crowd of attendees.”
So this is where it all began.
Now I know what Roger Williams is doing in retirement from PSU.
See the link below. From the article:
“UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State and the Centre County Historical Society (CCHS) today (Jan. 11) officially unveiled a new historical marker — “Birthplace of Penn State” — on the grounds of Centre Furnace Mansion in State College. The mansion is the home of the society and the location of the 1855 decision that sited "The Farmers’ High School of Pennsylvania" on 200 acres in Centre County.
On Sept. 12, 1855, 150 local dignitaries gathered at Centre Furnace Mansion in Centre County and determined establishing a site for an idea that, at the time, was considered a bit of an experiment — The Farmers’ High School — to encourage the application of science to farming. The charter had been signed on Feb. 22, 1855, by Pennsylvania Gov. James Pollock, but the new school did not yet have a location.
The new blue-and-white marker commemorates the trustees’ decision — after much consideration of other sites — to locate the new school at the confluence of Nittany and Penns valleys, near the Centre Furnace ironworks, and reads:
“The charter for the Farmers’ High School of Pennsylvania was signed on Feb. 22, 1855, and on June 26 the Board of Trustees Site Select Committee visited Centre Furnace Mansion to inspect 200 acres offered by ironmaster James Irvin and enjoy a dinner hosted by Moses and Mary Thompson. After visiting sites across the state, on Sept. 12, 1855, the trustees approved Board President Frederick Watts’ motion to locate the fledgling school here.”
Roger Williams, Centre County Historical Society president, welcomed Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi on her first visit to Centre Furnace Mansion, noting the connection between Bendapudi’s role as the University’s president and “what happened on these very grounds, 169 years ago, where it all began,” he said. Bendapudi and Williams, along with Mary Sorenson, CCHS executive director, unveiled the marker to an appreciative crowd of attendees.”
So this is where it all began.
Now I know what Roger Williams is doing in retirement from PSU.
