Orwigsburg: Epitome of small town America

Oct. 16—The coffee sleeves taped to the wall in Market Square Coffee Shop in Orwigsburg say a lot about the place, the town and the people who live there.

Printed on the sleeves are things like "veteran," "police," "teacher" and even one that says "blue collar dude wearing Carhartt."

Anyone who falls into those and other categories grabs a sleeve and gets a free coffee.

Anonymous patrons who want to "Share Some Love," as shop owner Kris Sadler puts it, have already paid for the coffee.

It's the kind of thing that makes Orwigsburg what Sadler calls "the epitome of small town America."

Random acts of kindness like those in the coffee shop underscore the image of Orwigsburg as "a great place to live, work and play," as posted on the borough's website.

With just more than 3,100 residents, Orwigsburg is big enough to be an economic hub for part of southern Schuylkill County yet, small enough to have low crime, good schools and strong roots in which families have known each other for generations.

Indeed, that's what drew Sadler, a native Floridian, to Orwigsburg.

She was living in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where her husband, Sean, was stationed with the Navy.

From relatives living in Orwigsburg, she learned about the town and moved there with her children about 10 years ago. Sean remained in Louisiana until his tour of duty with the Navy expired.

"It was a very supportive community, and it was safe," said Sadler, whose three children have graduated from Blue Mountain schools.

Of her own initiative, with little business experience, Sadler started the coffee shop on the town square eight years ago.

Even during the pandemic, customers who she's come to know on a first-name basis remained supportive, she said.

"It's a nice, quiet place to live with few problems," Sadler said. "Sometimes I think I live in a Hallmark Christmas card town."

Deep roots

Orwigsburg is a town of firsts.

It had the first Schuylkill County Courthouse, from 1815 to 1850.

It was the first borough in the county, formed in 1813.

And it had the county's first fire department, formed in 1828.

Francis Yarnall, Orwigsburg's first resident, settled on a tract of land near the Schuylkill River in 1755. He was married to Mary Lincoln of Berks County, daughter of Mordecai Lincoln, great-grandfather of President Abraham Lincoln.

Jennifer Bowen, Orwigsburg Historical Society president, said the town's character was formed by hearty German immigrants who settled southern Schuylkill in the 18th and 19th centuries.

"They brought the skills of blacksmiths, carpenters and farmers with them," said Bowen, who's been society president for 28 years.

Heavily influenced by the Pennsylvania Dutch, the culture of southern Schuylkill is markedly different from the mining region to the north.

A tour of the historical society museum, the former Friendship Fire Company on East Mifflin Street, reveals the strong influence of railroads, shoe factories, knitting mills and farming on the town.

Craftsmen at a boat company built one of the first boats on the Schuylkill Canal, which was launched at Seven Stars north of Schuylkill Haven, Bowen said.

There's also evidence of a deep sense of patriotism, including a large wall quilt with the names of scores of borough residents that served their country.

The tradition of service predates the formation of the borough and, for that matter, the country itself.

Frederick Hesser was a drummer boy and his brother, John, played the fife in the Continental Army, headed by George Washington, during the American Revolution.

Bowen, a retired teacher and principal in the Pine Grove School District, said history is her passion. She's particularly interested in passing it on to children.

"If we don't keep the history we have," she said, "it will be lost."

A forward vision

Orwigsburg borough council recently purchased a former Santander Bank on Liberty Street, which will house the borough offices.

The $425,000 project was undertaken with an eye toward future growth, officials said.

The borough police department will move into the space occupied by the borough offices when they relocate from the current borough hall to the former Santander building, perhaps by year's end.

"As the region grows, the borough is looking to be the central location for the needs of those families and business that will be moving here," said Randall P. Miller, borough manager.

"Borough council continues to work on keeping the Borough of Orwigsburg a viable location for raising a family," he said. "We continue to support commercial, industrial and residential growth, while maintaining the cozy nature of the rural setting."

Another forward looking project involves the Veterans Community Memorial Hall, which is undergoing a long-term $3 million renovation as a modern community center.

In 2005, a task force of community leaders began a long-term update on the building built in 1950. The latest project, supported by a $750,000 Redevelopment Capital Assistance Program (RCAP) state grant, is nearing completion.

Robert S. Carl Jr., task force president, said the building stands as testament to the sacrifices veterans made for their country.

"We understand what veterans mean to the legacy of our community," Carl said. "We're indebted to veterans for our quality of life, and we're better people because of them."

Contact the writer: rdevlin@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6007