Drifting, once known as Cooper Settlement, is the sight of St. Severin Catholic Old Log Church built in 1851.
The log church was recognized in 1975 as a national historical landmark. Severin Nebel donated the land that the church was built on.
He was named after the Roman Catholic Saint Severin of Bordeaux. The church just celebrated the 146th annual Cooper Picnic this past Labor Day at the Cooper Grove.
Some folks say Drifting was named for the huge snow drifts that occurred in the farm fields when the primarily German settlers arrived in the mid-1800s.
Most likely, the name came from the drift mines that were cut into nearby slopes.
Not only known for the historic log church, Drifting is home to a Zetts Fish Farm and Hatcheries that has been in business for nearly 100 years.
People from all over the world have ordered different fish and aquatic life from this family-run business.
Pictured is the Hartle’s Service Station. This was located along Route 53 with a service station, restaurant and five tourist cabins for those visiting the area.
Hartle’s was a favorite stop for many travelers on their way to Bellefonte and Lock Haven with something for everyone.
Drifting offered rich soil and cleared land for settlers to build their homesteads and start their farms. Even today around every turn in the road, there are still acres of beautiful farmland with the feeling of those generations that first planted their feet on the land.
You can hear yourself singing John Denver’s “County Road Take Me Home,” as you travel through this historically-rich community.
