The Medical Center is a 197-bed facility located in central Pennsylvania, about 40 miles from State College, home to Penn State, and 40 miles South of Williamsport. The town population is about 10,000 while the Medical Center has a service population of over 40,000.

The city was originally settled in the late 1700s, when a log house fort and stockade were constructed as a defense against attacks from the local Indians.  Known as Fort Reed, it was one of many frontier forts situated along the banks of the Susquehanna River. 

The first plan for the city was put together in 1833 by two heirs of the area’s first settlers, Jerry and Willard Church.  They were the first to recognize the economic potential of the natural resources in the area, particularly timber.  The construction of the Pennsylvania Canal, completed in 1834, provided the necessary transportation to get these products to market and set the stage for an era of significant growth for the town.  The arrival of the railroad in 1859 provided a more reliable means of transportation and ultimately replaced the canal.

By the end of the century, the lumber industry was declining.  Fortunately, other industries had begun to take hold that provided a new economic base. Furniture, paper, fire bricks and silk were all produced in the City.  In 1938, the Piper Aircraft Corporation began producing small planes on the site of the old silk mills. Piper Aircraft remained one of the City’s largest employers until they relocated to Florida in the 1980s.  

The City has seen a number of boom and bust cycles through its history - much like many of the rural cities and towns that have grown up along the River.  Broad changes in the manufacturing industry around the country have had far reaching impacts on the small communities that grew up around their factories.  Today, there is still a manufacturing presence in the City, in fact 16 percent of the City’s residents are employed in that sector. However, the major employers fall into the Educational, Health and Social Services Sector.

Five state parks offer outdoor activities such as fishing and hunting. There are 2 golf courses, a Country Club, 2 museums, and numerous restaurants and hotels, making this city a wonderful place to work and raise a family.