[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 151 (Tuesday, September 16, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H4347-H4348]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1720
         CELEBRATING THE CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF PORT MATILDA

  (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize 
Port Matilda, Pennsylvania, which marks its centennial celebration on 
Sunday.
  While Port Matilda was formally incorporated as a borough in 1925, 
its roots go back to 1850, when Squire Clement Beckwith laid out a town 
plot and named it after his eldest daughter Matilda.
  Historians believe that the addition of ``port'' was hopeful on 
Beckwith's

[[Page H4348]]

part, thinking the borough would eventually be connected to the Bald 
Eagle and Spring Creek branch of the Pennsylvania Canal, though it was 
never realized.
  Nestled in the Bald Eagle Valley between Tyrone and State College, 
the borough is a glimpse into small town America. Its most famous 
landmark from the 1800s, the Port Matilda Hotel & Tavern, is still in 
business today.
  In the late 19th century, Port Matilda was a working village of mills 
and shops. In the 20th century, the borough's industrial base was 
anchored by the McFeely Brick Company, a major employer until its 
closure in 1959. Across nearly two centuries, Port Matilda has 
flourished as a crossroads town with a rich history.
  Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Port Matilda on this milestone occasion.

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