Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for pennsylvania
Gateway to the Endless Mountains
By Linda Tancs
Gateway to the Endless Mountains sounds like the title of a novel, but it’s actually a scenic byway in the Endless Mountains region of northeastern Pennsylvania. Running along US Highway 6 (Tunkhannock to Dushore), the mountain vistas do appear to be endless as are the hiking and birdwatching opportunities. The route is also known for spectacular views of the Susquehanna River.
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America’s Oldest Theatre
By Linda Tancs
Founded in 1808, Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia is America’s Oldest Theatre. Given its historic bearing, it’s also the Official State Theatre of Pennsylvania as well as a National Historic Landmark. As with any historical property, stories abound. During a backstage tour, you’ll hear many of them, like who took the first curtain call and how the venue started as an equestrian circus. Some of the world’s most famous performers have played there, including Marlon Brando, Paul Robeson, Audrey Hepburn, Helen Hayes, Groucho Marx and Sidney Poitier. If only the walls could talk, and in some cases they do, considering that centuries-old brick is exposed in some places. The theatre is conveniently located in the heart of Center City.
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Memorial to a Freedom Fighter
By Linda Tancs
Within walking distance of Philadelphia’s Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell Center is Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial. Located on Pine Street, the national monument is the house where Kosciuszko, a Polish freedom fighter, lived. A military engineer, he fought in the Revolutionary War and designed fortifications that earned him the rank of colonel. Among his successes, his structures and use of topography are credited as contributions to the American victory at Saratoga. In addition to exhibits highlighting his military career in Poland and America you’ll see the room where he received notable visitors such as Chief Little Turtle and Thomas Jefferson.
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Swiss Bliss in Pennsylvania
By Linda Tancs
Nestled in the Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania’s Jim Thorpe is affectionately called “the Switzerland of America” thanks to the picturesque views of its mountainous location and its Victorian architecture. Originally founded as Mauch Chunk in 1818, the borough was renamed Jim Thorpe in 1953 in honor of Olympic medal winner, James Francis Thorpe. The town is popular for its outdoor activities, including nature hiking, biking, whitewater rafting and skiing. And, since it’s nestled in the breathtaking Lehigh Gorge, take a ride on the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway in a vintage coach, which runs from downtown and parallels the Lehigh River north into Lehigh Gorge State Park.
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Steam Over Scranton
By Linda Tancs
One of the earliest rail lines in northeastern Pennsylvania was the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad. About 40 acres of that old railroad yard in Scranton is now occupied by the Steamtown National Historic Site. The park’s collection includes locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars and maintenance-of-way equipment from several historic railroads. The locomotives range in size from a tiny industrial switcher engine built in 1937 by the H.K. Porter Company for the Bullard Company to a huge Union Pacific “Big Boy” built in 1941 by the American Locomotive Company. The oldest locomotive is a freight engine built by American Locomotive Company in 1903 for the Chicago Union Transfer Railway Company. You can learn more about railroading history at the museum and, seasonally, enjoy a train ride.
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Let Freedom Ring
By Linda Tancs
Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Liberty Bell is an iconic symbol of American independence and freedom. Once housed in the steeple of the State House, it’s now ensconced in a glass chamber at Liberty Bell Center with a view of Independence Hall in the background. The bell rang out from the tower of Independence Hall in 1776, summoning the citizens of Philadelphia to hear the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence by Colonel John Nixon. The center is located at 6th and Market streets in Independence National Historical Park.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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Railroading in Pennsylvania
By Linda Tancs
Pennsylvania has a rich railroad history, its Pennsylvania Railroad (the “Pennsy”) having become one of the nation’s most significant railroads. Its affiliated lines connected New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington with Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Louisville, Chicago and St. Louis. The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania offers visitors a look into the past with its historical displays and more than 100 locomotives and vintage railway cars. Several key pieces of their collection are accessible to the public on a regular basis, including a steam locomotive cab, a caboose and a passenger car. Thanks to a restoration program, the museum has restored many cars to their original appearance. Another highlight is Stewart Junction, housed in a recreated 1915-era freight station. It features a 110-foot, G-scale model railroad switching layout, a LEGO train display and building zone, an operating telegraph and an HO-scale model railroad diorama.
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As coronavirus proceeds, it is likely that the vast majority of us will be limited in our travels. But this, too, shall pass. Our love for travel remains, so Travelrific will continue offering travel inspiration in this medium. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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Grey Towers
By Linda Tancs
Gifford Pinchot is legendary in Pennsylvania. Son of a wealthy wallpaper merchant, he was twice Governor of Pennsylvania and the first Chief of the U.S. Forest Service. His family’s summer home, Grey Towers, is in Milford, under the care of the Forest Service. Designed in the style of a French château to reflect the family’s French heritage, it’s open for guided tours during the summer season. The stunning grounds, however, are open year-round.
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A Christmas Village in Philadelphia
By Linda Tancs
German Christmas markets are legendary, but if you can’t make the trip, then consider Philadelphia’s Christmas Village. You’ll certainly be feeling the gemütlichkeit with over 80 vendors selling authentic European food as well as arts and crafts and ornaments from around the world. The event is located at LOVE Park through Christmas Eve.
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Old Wheels in Hershey
By Linda Tancs
There’s more to Hershey, Pennsylvania, than its chocolate-themed park. Indeed, just minutes away is the AACA Museum, an automotive museum dedicated to the preservation and presentation of vintage automobiles and their vast history. A Smithsonian affiliate, the facility showcases vintage vehicle displays and interactive exhibits featuring cars, buses, motorcycles and other vehicles from the 1890s through the 1980s. Permanent exhibits include the Cammack Tucker Gallery (the world’s largest display of Tucker ’48 automobiles and related artifacts), the Route 66 gallery exploring this iconic stretch of roadway and the Museum of Bus Transportation. Special themed exhibits and car shows are plentiful.
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