In 1846 Henry Whitmer built the first improvement of any consequence in Centre Hall, a large building occupied as a hotel and store, whose site was marked by an old log school house. It became a post office station the same year. The Penns Valley Banking Company was organized to do business at Centre Hall April 1, 1873. The village is located on the turnpike connecting Lewistown with Bellefonte and is well supplied with mountain water by the Centre Hall .Water Company, incorporated June 30, 1858. John Hoffer laid out the principal part of the town in 1867-8, on his farm gotten from his father, Christian Hoffer in 1862. "Centre Hall Station" was laid out in September 1884 by John B. Linn for the heirs of Mary P. Wilson and General James A. Beaver. The Borough was incorporated, including Centre Hall Station, by decree of Court September 12, 1885. (1890)
(SOURCE: Eleventh Census of the Population of the United States Published by Boroughs and Townships, in Connection with a Business Directory of the Same, Bellefonte, Pa., 1890.)
CENTRE HALL BOROUGH CENSUS FIGURES
1890--441 1900--537 1910--500 1920--525 1930--658 1940--738 1950--834 1960--1,109 1970--1,282 1980--1,233 1990--1,203 2000--1,079
(SOURCE: U.S. Census of Population, Bureau of the Census, U.S. Department of Commerce.)
TAX ASSESSMENT RECORDS
Tax assessment records for Centre Hall Borough from 1886 forward can be found in the basement of the Centre County Library and Historical Museum in Bellefonte. Persons wishing to use these records must first sign the Guest Researcher register in the Pennsylvania Room.