"Welcome to Billtown!" Williamsport by wstaib

This area of town is probably the most-documented and (mostly) best-maintained. Recent shuffling of ownership of these buildings seems to have led to a lot of renovation, with the exception of a few holdouts who are letting their properties get frayed around the edges.

Millionaire's Row is located on West 4th Street in downtown Williamsport, and it covers a couple of miles' worth of space. Most of the homes here were built in the 1800's by people who became millionaires (thus, the name) during the logging boom. (The Susquehanna River runs through town, and was a primary transport route for the lumber industry.) These days, most of the mansions have been converted into apartments for students who attend Penn College (www.pct.edu) and Lycoming College (www.lycoming.edu). Others have been turned into luxury office suites. Visitors to Williamsport can arrange to have formal Millionaires Row guided tours. I'd recommend doing something like this during late Spring and early Summer, when the trees and flowers are at their peak - it's absolutely beautiful then!

Little League Baseball playing field

What little tidbit about Williamsport would be complete without some Little League Baseball thrown into the mix? Located in South Williamsport (across the Susquehanna River that divides the north and south parts of town), the playing field that can be seen on ESPN every August is just waiting to be filled with fans from all over the world.

Hotels book up quickly in the month prior to the games. I'd recommend contacting the lodging space of your choice at least two months in advance, based on what I've heard around town. Oh, and a great family-friendly post-meal game can be had at Park Pizza! (No, I don't work for them; I grew up on their pies and nothing has EVER come close to being their equal for me!) Just be sure to call ahead there, too. My boyfriend and I tried to eat in one Friday night and we were told it would be an hour before they could even start making it. It's THAT GOOD!!!

Williamsport's Mural

Here's a shot of the mural that's currently in the process of being completed downtown. You can visit it in the parking lot shared by the Bullfrog Brewery and the Coffee and Tea Room on West 4th Street (near the intersection of W 4th and Hepburn Streets). The artist's name is Michael Angelo Pilato (no kidding!), and you can read more about him and his work at www.pilatomurals.com.

The mural was commissioned by the city, and it highlights people and events significant to the history of Williamsport (as well as a tribute to the heroes of 9/11 and other national and international milestones).

This is probably the most artsy part of town. In addition to the mural, you can take in a show across the street at the Community Arts Center, or enjoy some great food and live music at the Bullfrog.

• Pros:If you like mid-sized towns with beautiful Victorian architecture (and Little League Baseball), you're gonna love it here!
• Cons:Too many hillbillies and narrow-minded folks.
• In a nutshell:It's been nice living here, but I'm ready to move on!