By: Dylan Bowman, HAHS Board Member
December 1, 2024
The Harman family at the HAHS November Program. Photograph by Dylan Bowman.
Winter Haven
I am loving this weather. In fact, it is my opinion that this time of year, as Thanksgiving hits, then slowly fades out into an even jollier season, we should be getting cold biting days and yes...perhaps even some snow. Nothing sounds better to me than having the house snowed in, filled with warmth, Christmas tunes, and a cup of something hot to drink.
However, in my perfect winter haven, there would have to be one of those beautiful contraptions of man's ingenuity to cycle said heat throughout my home; a toasty wood stove with flames charring the interior and taking the edge off of the winter air.
That being said, who could be a better guest for our monthly program than Dane Harman and his family from Harman Stove Company?
The Harman Family Legacy
After designing and building his first wood-burning stove in 1978, Harman's success took off like a rocket. With increasing electric and heating bills, his friends, neighbors and community came to him to order his unique stove that would both efficiently and reliably heat their homes in the cold months of the year.
Due to his patented "spiral flame" concept that he implemented into many of his stoves, he was quickly running out of space for the amount of work that was receiving. In 1979, the family built their first manufacturing facility which sat right next to their home in Halifax. After hiring several full-time employees, the Harman Stove Company was officially born.
Over the following decades, the company continued to grow, expand, and prosper due to their efficiency, high-quality products, unshakable standard of excellence and continued innovative stove designs which would end up burning a variety of fuels including wood, gas, pellets, coal and corn. Harman Stove Company would end up selling to over 800 dealers all over the world including in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Canada, winning numerous awards for their innovation and products.
When the 2004 documentary that was shown at the program was released, Harman Stove Company had 48 models of freestanding stoves, fireplace inserts, central heating furnaces, boilers and gas fireplaces. With the "spiral flame" design spearheading their ever-growing ingenuity, their products are at the forefront of the industry to this day with other patented inventions including the Verti-Flow coal stoker system which, in turn, led to the creation of the unrivaled PelletPro pellet stove technology.
In November 2007, HHT purchased Harman Stove Company, bringing additional stove production to Halifax, PA, for the Quadra-Fire and Vermont Castings brands, making it the largest stove plant in the United States of America to this day. Since acquisition, the Harman product line has been reduced to only pellet burning stoves and inserts (which is the core claim to fame patented technology that spans across the United States, Europe and Japan.
Community members enjoy the HAHS program featuring Harman Stove Company's founder and CEO, Dane Harman. Photographs by Dylan Bowman.
Warmth in Winter Cold
The turnout of the event was beyond anything I could have imagined...over 50 people were drawn to the warm glow of the Society's windows that evening, eager to hear the story of the Harman family, see old friends, and wish one another happy holidays, in case they would not see each other again until after the New Year.
Refreshments were had and laughter emanated from the building until long after the program had ended. To me, the holidays have already begun, and not just from that desirable chill in the wind (or the Belsnickel coming in less than a week to Halifax). I am feeling the Christmas Spirit in the friendships, community and love shared with one another and Americans and family coming together at the edge of a new beginning.
I look forward to seeing what comes next for the Society...it only seems to keep growing bigger.
The Harman family, past Harman employees and community members mingle and enjoy refreshments after the program. Photographs by Dylan Bowman.
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