The lands of the future Centre County were first recorded by
James Potter in 1764. Having reached the top of Nittany
Mountain, and "....seeing the prairies and noble forest beneath
him, cried out to his attendant, 'By heavens, Thompson, I have
discovered an empire!'" Centre County was created on February
13, 1800, from parts of Huntingdon, Lycoming, Mifflin, and
Northumberland counties and named for its central location in
the state. Its county seat is Bellefonte. Note: in 1800 Centre
was reported with Mifflin. THE HISTORY OF CENTRE COUNTY The act
“for creating parts of the counties of Mifflin, Northumberland,
Lycoming, and Huntingdon into a separate county, to be called
Centre.” was approved February 19,1800. [Dallas’ Laws, vol. Iv.
541.] The bounds of its territory then commenced on the river,
opposite the month of Quinn’s run (improperly called in present
maps “Queen run”); thence running nearly due south to the mouth
of Fishing creek (where Mill Hall has been built since); thence
a course a little south o