Pennsylvania Match Factory. One of the nation's leading producers of wooden matches during the first half of the 20th century; founded 1899 by Bellefonte entrepreneurs. The factory buildings opened in 1900, using the vast resources of the surrounding lumber region. By World War II, the company had merged into the Universal Match Corp., and the workforce had grown to 400. The factory in 1947 closed due to competition from book matches and cigarette lighters.