My Town: Background

Patton: My Kind of Town

            I grew up in a very small town known as Patton, Pennsylvania.  I guarantee no one has ever heard of it, but it is 30 minutes north on Altoona Route 36.  Nowadays, it’s not nearly the size it used to be.   Only a little over 2,000 people live in Patton, but frankly I don’t even think it is that many.  Patton has a pharmacy, three grocery stores, some bars and restaurants, a Dollar General, three service stations, three gas stations, and two banks.  An ATV park called Rock Run is just outside of town as well. 

Patton boasts a pretty good economy as far as the number of businesses and attractions go, but the fact of the matter is that we are no better off than other similar sized towns.  Like other small towns, we were once fueled by industry and as a result boomed.  Our main industry wasn’t steel mills or coal mines though.  There were coal mines of course, and they helped our economy, but the mines were nothing compared to the economic boost the Patton Clay Works gave us.   This giant factory right in the middle of our town was world renowned, making what were considered the highest quality bricks and terra cotta products of the time.  They were exported all over the world!  The clay works dominated the first half of the 20^th century but closed in the 1950’s when there was no more clay in the surrounding hills.  The coal mines lasted a little longer, but most of them also closed. 

Since then our economy has declined, as well as the total population of Patton.  Since the closing of these two major industries, many people work in the nearby city of Altoona, working in various office jobs.  Many are also farmers, mechanics, electricians, and plumbers.  Recently many people have found jobs with new coalmines as they try to make a comeback, or with the Marcellus natural gas drilling that has been going on.  Finally, they are putting up windmills in our area, so some people are finding jobs with that.  The community is very nice overall, the area is pleasant as well as the people, there is a local swimming pool and park, and there is very little crime or drugs in town.   The kids of Patton, along with two other small towns close by called Carrolltown and Hastings, as well as the countryside surrounding the three towns, go to a school by the name of Cambria Heights.  I graduated from here, and I had great teachers and really enjoyed my time in school.  I love this town, the people in it, and the memories I have there will never be forgotten.   Patton is my kind of town; I wouldn’t have wanted to grow up anywhere else.  I’m going to settle down and live there someday.