Exciting news! This newsletter is a guest post by local writer Andrea Murrell. We hope you enjoy it!

The author’s kids enjoying a cool treat after a fun walk around Arts Fest, July 2022

Ask a local for directions to anywhere in State College, and there’s a good chance they’ll begin with “Well if you’re on Allen Street…” The memorable downtown scene at the corner of Allen and College serves as a perfect reference point, especially since it’s one of the few that has remained mostly unchanged over the years.

Personally, Allen Street is also a memorable reference point along my journey into adulthood. This journey, like so many others’, began at Penn State. Though unlike many others, I didn’t exactly “bleed blue and white” or have close family members who were alumni to prepare me for my experience. In fact I was a bit overwhelmed by my peers’ unwavering PSU passion my freshman year. The sheer volume of students, opportunities, and palpable energy on campus put my head and heart into overdrive as I connected with people from everywhere, all with fascinating backgrounds and future plans. I’d often stop at Ben & Jerry’s on Allen Street (a space now occupied by Sauly Boys, nestled in between the “new” McLanahan’s and even newer Allen Street Pizza) between classes just to take a breath and watch the world go by from the shop’s window bar seating. Hypnotized by the heavenly aroma of roasted coffee and freshly made waffle cones, I’d toggle between schoolwork and soul searching while a kaleidoscope of inspiration passed by on foot, wheels, and paws.

By my senior year, I was more fully immersed in the PSU rhythm and had joined the whirl of it all. During these hectic times I looked to my student films for an excuse to drag my friends out of town and into the surrounding state parks for a dose of nature. These wild places were just a short car ride from campus, yet the scenic beauty and stillness made them feel a million miles away in the most refreshing way. I often found myself visiting places like Black Moshannon State Park on my own to relax and reflect while looking over its pretty little lake.

After one of these solo visits into the woods on a Friday the 13th in January, I agreed to meet up with my freshman year roommate and her friends at Zeno’s, located on none other than Allen Street. Little did I know that another Penn State film student, this one a recent alum, had the very same plan. I can still remember that lucky moment on an unlucky day when we were introduced by mutual friends. Over the next few months, Chris and I learned we had a lot in common, including a love for our families and spending time outside. Having admitted to one another that the bar scene wasn’t our favorite, we spent a lot of time  hiking at “Black Mo” and other nearby natural gems.

The night Andrea and Chris first met, January 2006

Just after graduating, I had two job offers in D.C. with small production companies. Yet, both happily and unexpectedly, I had also connected with a person and a place that felt more like home than home itself. I decided to stay in central PA, at least a little while longer. A few months later I accepted my first real job, an entry level communications position at a statewide nonprofit headquartered in Bellefonte. This role would become the foundation of a fulfilling career with environmental and sustainability-related organizations with local, national, and global audiences. With each passing year my work strengthened my appreciation for the region’s incredible forests, streams, and wildlife.

It seems as though Chris and I hardly blinked between meeting at Zeno’s and gearing up for our honeymoon several years later at Appalachian Outdoors on Allen Street. Then we must have blinked again, because soon after we were the parents of two amazing and curious kids who are surrounded by inspiring cultural events, art festivals, museums, and awe-inspiring natural areas, all open to the public, all throughout the year. They know “their” library on Allen Street like the back of their hand from frequenting storytimes and now the young adult fiction section on the second floor. Their community is supported by an amazing web of organizations committed to equity, the environment, and the power of volunteerism.

Snack break on the trail with Mom!

Just a few weeks ago the kids and I were back on Allen Street to pick up a gift for a friend at that same outdoor shop. The staff pulled up my online order while the boys rooted through the locally made stickers on the counter and added a squirrel and salamander to the bill (two other “locals” we see here often). As we left, the brightly lit pizza shop across the street beckoned us over like a moth to the flame. It was Friday night, after all, and the college kids wouldn’t be out for hours. We ordered slices and fries then found a booth where I could face the front window and watch the people go by. Twenty years ago, a younger version of myself was doing the same thing in the building next door on Allen Street, never once making the lucky guess that she was already home.

State College Spikes games are always a hit for a fun family night!