Mount Union PA Snapshot of a Small Town

It is a small town, pressed up against the Juniata. It is a fairly quiet town in a rural county; nothing much ever happens. via Associated Content

[resident]

"...nothing much ever happens." You either don't live here or you exagerate regularly. If you want to buy illegal drugs in our county, you go to Mount Union. Want to pay a teenage girl to "party" with you, check out Mount Union. Violence - ask the school employees about that. Drive on streets that aren't the main throughfare and you'll see the dirt and poverty that are rampant here. If I could move, I would. Like yesterday!

[Old Resident]

It's poverty stricken to say the least.
We go there only because we have relative buried there and we go to visit their grave sites to pay our respects. When we do we just pray we aren't car jacked or worse when we have to sit at a red light or stop sign. Drunks all over the place, even at the cemetary they are hanging out drinking and begging for money. Mt Union is not like it used to be 40 years ago.....it's not the ideal place to live and raise a family.

All I have to say to the person who commented before me from Mill Creek....we moved away from Huntingdon all it takes to move is a suitcase and a few dollars. Believe it or not there is a world outside of where your at and good jobs too. If we made it out you can too. Good luck!

[Huntingdon born]

kinda funny.
Some 20 years ago, in my presnt locale, I was summoned to report for jury duty. Some guy from across the Juniata was accused of selling drugs from a market.
Living east of the Susquehanna, thought it odd that he'd be tried so far from the "scene" of the crime. Anyway... told the judge I used to live across the river and quite possibly may have been to that market.
The court said my services would no longer be required.
How to Beat Jury Duty 101
:)

[Old Resident]

I was born in Huntingdon...but lived in Smithfield!(but no longer live in PA...yea!)

What market were you talking about? The one on 22?
We all have probably been to that market. ;)

[Huntingdon born]

OR,

I often confuse Mt. Union with Smithfield. Smithfield was just across the river from the Blair paper co.'s warehouse, right?

As for markets, there were 2 as I recall. One was an all purpose shack. Produce, plants and some dry goods. always smelled like dirt and plant gas.

The other, though not a market - was in a house just a stone's throw away from said market. more of a dry goods store. I thought at the time the bad man had a connection to the latter.

Small world, eh?

Best,

James

P.S. OR. Yer as young as yer mind allows ; )

[Old Resident]

Hi James,

The one with the planes and stuff might be the one on RT22 called Country Garden Market. The other one...I have no clue.
..........

To the person on here who used "resident" as their posting name you say you'd like to move away from there. It's simple get on a job website like Monster Jobs or the like and find yourself a good job, pack a suitcase get in your car or what ever and find a small apt, work, save and go from there. Sitting around Mill Creek "WISHING" you could move and find a good job is and excuse. What you need is a "BACKBONE" not a "WISHBONE"! I get so upset when I read posts like yours where people sit around thinking their doomed to have to stay where their at and live the way they do and that is just the way life is gonna be for the rest of their lives. It doesn't have to be like that.

The only one who can change the way you live is.. Y O U! If you want to be happy and live a better life...GET UP and GET OUT OF THE BOAT...do something about it!

[Old Resident]

HAHAHA.....the above was to say plants not planes!
Now you know I am old!

[silverfordheight s]

sure mount union is bad but car jacked come on get a life.there are as many good people in that town as there are bad.im not taking up for people or anything.i just think that you might be racist and you dont feel comfortale driving into a somewhat all black community.

[Old Resident]

I did not say anything racist in my above post. Not one thing was said about the color of anyone's skin. You read my post and automatically "assumed" that was what I was talking about. Could it be you like to take other people's comments and make them into something racist just to start something?

[MUAHS GRAD]

I really think it's funny reading all of these comments. YES, Mount Union is bad, for Huntingdon County. Being a former grad of MU and living in town for almost 10 years, I realized there is a whole other world out there. I moved to a BIG city in PA and I have to tell you, it's a complete 360, but seeing what I see, good & bad, Mount Union is just another "normal community town" I've been through a lot, growing up in MU and going to school there and having rival communities like Huntingdon & Lewistown..but all-in-all, it goes with the territory. You take some of the "bad-things" out of MU and take them to Philly or Pittsburgh...those bad things are nothing but a drop in the bucket. What you see on tv..IS REAL...it happens in the BIG city..that's why there are tv shows. I've just about seen it all.
I often sit & reflect (when I get a chance from the fast-pace) about my tiny little town (MU) and believe it or not..I do miss it. It's the fast-city, that makes me want to unwind & go visit my "country-town" by Captain Jack's mountain & the 1000 steps.

[MU Resident]

My grandparents, who were immigrants from Russia and Austria, settled in MU back in the early 1920's. My parents were born and raised in MU, as was I. I also raised five children here. I am 46 years old and have lived here most of my life. I was away for six years in the early 80's when I lived in the west, down south and in Europe. I have also traveled to many other places around the country. While MU is not the best place one could choose to live, it is certainly not what "Old Resident" makes it out to be. Living here for most of the past 46 years, I do not ever recall ONE carjacking. I guess that could happen anywhere but it's much more likely to happen in many other places than here. I have on a very rare occasion seen a drunk in MU but not nearly as many as in the other places I've lived or visited. In fact, there really aren't any bars "in town" anymore. The only place "in town" left to buy a beer is the American Legion and you have to be a member to get in the door. I certainly have NEVER SEEN a drunk at the cemetery! As far as the comments on drugs, there are drugs here, as there are pretty much everywhere these days. That's an American thing, not a MU thing. This is probably the most abundant drug area in Huntingdon Co. but certainly not as bad as many other places in this country. I would say that the crime rate in MU is relatively low compared to most places in this country. As far as VIOLENT crimes, it's very very low. Drugs, again, is probably the biggest crime here. The biggest issue in MU is that it is a low socio-economic town. Not everyone here lives in poverty but a fair amount of the residents are below the poverty line. The brickyards are all gone and you have to drive an hour to shop anywhere decent. Bonney Forge is booming right now and providing a fair portion of workers from this town with a decent job. There are a few smaller employers who are decent but most people here who have decent jobs, travel out of the area to work. Anyway, I am not usually one to jump in and defend this place but I thought "Old Resident's" comments needed to be set straight.

[MU Resident]

I have no idea why it says I am "from Hesston". I live in MOUNT UNION.

MU Resident wrote:

My grandparents, who were immigrants from Russia and Austria, settled in MU back in the early 1920's. My parents were born and raised in MU, as was I. I also raised five children here. I am 46 years old and have lived here most of my life.

[Majestic]

I grew up in Mount Union back in the 50s and 60s. It was a great town. The brick yards were booming, shopping was abundant, people were friendly - the town was alive! However, in the 70s, just after graduation, I was either going to work at the shoe factory or move out. I chose the latter. I've lived in a lot of places over the past 40 years - both in this country and abroad and every once in awhile, I think about that old town and what's become of it and all I have to say is, "Thank GOD I got OUT!!!"

[Roots]

I have lived in four states and have had the opportunity to guide thousands of young people. The values learned in Mount Union have served me well and will eventually lead me back to give back. The hope, vision, vitality and dreams of America were planted, watered and nutured in MY home town. The successes, triumphs, and hurdles I've jumped have been fueled and fed by my roots in Mount Union. Excuse me, but remember for everything there is a season......and seasons are not forever.

[MUresident2]

If Mount Union scares you with the drugs and drunks don't go to Lewistown!

[MUResident2]

Old Resident wrote:

When we do we just pray we aren't car jacked or worse when we have to sit at a red light or stop sign. Drunks all over the place, even at the cemetary they are hanging out drinking and begging for money.

Oh yeah, I've lived here all my life and live near the cemetary. I've never been carjacked or saw the "drunks" at the cemetary hanging out and begging for money. Come to think of it, I've never seen beggers at the cemetary either.

[Duh---]

Oh come on people. I grew up in Coon Union. If u'r black your a dirtbag or a doper...

[WEE wee]

Hey all...Been away from good old Mt. Union for sometime and the buzz down my way is that a day care which operated on west market st got closed down by the police due to some alegations which are sexual in nature and involved children.

[mu grad]

I graduated from mu in 70, I left mu in 71, and basically, have not returned there ever since 71. I have traveled all around the world, and I still agree, that MU is still the drug capital of Huntingdon County. The police even gets invalved with drugs, yeh, buying them and selling them. the police even find all those "party girls" and party with them. I think the mayor should go back to school, and learn how to run a town. I only pass through MU, yes the by-pass. some times, I do go through the town, but, the town is still as dead as it was in the between 1960 and 1970. I will never settle there, or even withing a 50 mile radious. Chester, pa person, you got the right area, but still too many drugs in Chester, I prefer Malvern.

[Wish I were back]

I moved from Huntingdon back in 1970 (17 years old) thinking anyplace has to be better then here. Have regreted it ever since. I go back to hunt and visit at least twice a year, and love every second of my precious time spent there. Can't wait for retirement. The grass is not always greener.