Olinger

Olinger, Pennsylvania is a rural fictional town in the southeastern part of the state that serves as the setting for several short stories, such as "The Alligators" and one novel (The Centaur) by American writer John Updike. It is based on Updike’s boyhood town of Shillington, Pennsylvania.

The small town’s residents are primarily Protestant and of German descent and many of them live in middle-class brick houses. Olinger is a suburb of Brewer, Pennsylvania (itself based on Reading) and it is home to a box factory and a hosiery mill.

There is a real place called Olinger, an unincorporated town in Lee County, Virginia. It sits along the north fork of the Powell River and is located in the Yokam District of the county. It is named for a Confederate Civil War commander.