My Roots

Now that I've gotten two blogs under my belt, I'll give you a little insight on their author. I was born and raised in small-town USA nestled in a sleepy valley of approximately 2,000 people and two traffic lights.

Our claims to fame include and are not limited to:

The Patton Clay Manufacturing Company which was incorporated in 1825 and later became one of the largest clay manufacturers in the world making clay products that were used world wide to build such things as the Panama Canal.


The Van Heusen shirt factory and ... Patton just happens to be the place where the legendary Bobby Lee Guitar Straps were made and sold to both famous and not-so-famous guitarists worldwide.

Two hundred plus a few years ago, we were a whistle-stop for rail travelers flocking to the Sunset Ballroom a few miles away. The Sunset Ballroom hosted many entertainers including Duke Ellington and his Orchestra, Tommy Dorsey, the Ink Spots and perhaps Benny Goodman, too. This once booming town has fallen into obscurity. With the closing of said industries followed by the demise of union supported coal mines, most of the working class have been forced to seek alternate employment. The fortunate were able to find work close enough to remain here; others moved away.

My husband and I are a mixture of both. I work within 25 minutes of home but he's not as fortunate, hence my frequent trips to Hershey. Although maintaining two households is quite expensive and leaves little in the way of nest feathering, it's necessary evil at this time.

This town, which I affectionately refer to as "Whoville" ... (minus the Grinch) ... is home.