By Sue Poremba
Last week I talked about the drive along Route 45, heading east from State College, and the little towns you pass along the way. I told you about Aaronsburg. This week, I’ll tell you a bit about Millheim.
Millheim always feels like an Old West town to me, with the buildings built snug against each other with stately looking storefronts.
In the 20-odd years I’ve been traveling this road, Millheim has changed more than any other community, from businesses along Route 45 even to that beautiful Victorian house by the creek that used to be covered in Christmas lights in December. The house is still there; the holiday decorations, at least when I’ve driven by, are not. Over those years, I’ve seen businesses leave, businesses come in, businesses move from the center of town to the little shopping plaza on the western outskirts.
One staple in downtown Millheim is the Millheim Hotel, built around 1794 and rumored to be the home of the ghost of President Millard Fillmore’s mistress. The place is truly a dying breed of Americana – a hotel and restaurant that relies on its heritage and old-fashioned service to attract customers. It doesn’t have a website, but you can get more information by calling 814.349.5994.
A relative newcomer to downtown Millheim is the
Elk Creek Café and Aleworks. I haven’t been there yet, but my friends rave about the place and tell me I must go for the handcrafted beers, the food, and most of all, the music. Elk Creek Café is quickly gaining a reputation for its intimate setting for jazz, folk, and blues music. Sounds like my kind of night out.