Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for pennsylvania
Seeing Double in Orangeville
By Linda Tancs
Columbia and Montour counties in Pennsylvania have the third largest concentration of covered bridges in the state—25 of them, to be exact. And in the tiny hamlet of Orangeville (Fishing Creek), you can double the pleasure of seeing these storied structures because there you’ll find the rarity of twin covered bridges. Known as East Paden and West Paden, they were constructed in 1884 and named after a local sawmill operator, John Paden. The price of construction was $720. When West Paden washed away in a flood in 2006, its reconstruction cost in 2008 would have been much higher were it not for a federal grant and the generous work of a contractor. A detailed driving map of the area bridges is available from the Columbia-Montour Visitors Bureau.
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Water on the Mountain
By Linda Tancs
Ricketts Glen State Park is an oasis in Benton, Pennsylvania. Covering over 13,000 acres in three counties, it’s named after Col. Ricketts, a Civil War soldier who led the defense against a Confederate attack on Cemetery Hill in 1863 and acquired much of the parkland after the war. Ricketts named the 22 waterfalls gracing the area after native tribes, family and friends. Ganoga Falls is the highest at 94 feet, named after a Seneca Indian word meaning “water on the mountain.” Most of the waterfalls are visible from Falls Trail, the most difficult hike of all the trails. Less difficult, especially this time of year, is leaf peeping. You’ll experience true splendor thanks to the rich crimson shades enveloping the gum, dogwood and oak trees.
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The Horseshoe Curve
By Linda Tancs
What do Abraham Lincoln, William McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt, Herbert Hoover, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, Jimmy Carter and dozens of Hollywood’s elite have in common? They’ve all traveled the Horseshoe Curve. Constructed entirely by hand by 450 Irish immigrant workers, the Curve is an engineering feat at the base of the Allegheny Mountains in Altoona, Pennsylvania. A National Historic Landmark, the 220 degree arc opened in 1854 to facilitate train travel across the state through rough mountain terrain. Access the curve via the funicular or a 194-step nature walk and enjoy the stunning views.
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World’s Oldest Roller Coaster
By Linda Tancs
If you were to name your favorite roller coaster, one with a nine-foot drop probably wouldn’t make the list. Then again, in 1902 that was likely quite the thrill ride. The coaster in question is Leap-the-Dips, the oldest operating roller coaster in the world. Located at Lakemont Park in Altoona, Pennsylvania, the old gal has operated continuously for 112 years. The amusement park is the eighth oldest in the country. Get there this weekend before the close of summer season.
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A Place in Railroad History
By Linda Tancs
It might seem hard to imagine that a railroad bridge in McKean County, Pennsylvania was once hailed as the “Eighth Wonder of the World.” That honor was bestowed upon the Kinzua Bridge, an iron marvel of the 1800s that was the tallest railroad bridge in the world before being dismantled. Subsequently restored, it was the fourth-tallest bridge in the United States before its partial collapse in 2003 from a tornado. Still attracting visitors to Kinzua Bridge State Park in Mount Jewett, the main attraction these days is the skywalk, a 225-foot-high observation deck offering stunning views of Kinzua Gorge.
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The City of Bridges
By Linda Tancs
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is located at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers, the source of the Ohio River. Needless to say, a water town will have its share of bridges. But 446? That’s the oft-quoted number of bridges in Pennsylvania’s second largest city, reason enough for the nickname “City of Bridges.” This Gateway to the West has more bridges than Venice, Italy (431 tops most estimates). But if you think the ooze of romance emanating from the trusses and beams of its European counterpart is lost on this city of steel, think again. Even The New Yorker magazine proclaimed: “If Pittsburgh were situated somewhere in the heart of Europe, tourists would eagerly journey hundreds of miles out of their way to visit it.” And why not? Where else will you find a bridge crossed by a young George Washington while acting as a messenger of the governor of Virginia to the French forces. Or a trio of identical bridges across the Allegheny River, the only such group in the world. Or a bridge whose name depends on the outcome of the annual football game between the two rival high schools of Rochester and Monaca. And then there’s historic Smithfield Street Bridge, designed by John Roebling, America’s best known civil engineer and architect of the Brooklyn Bridge. You get the drift.
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A Colorful Anniversary
By Linda Tancs
That emblem of childhood, Crayola, recently celebrated 110 years! To mark the occasion, they offered a limited edition crayon pack featuring a renaming of its eight major hues: yellow, purple, orange, blue, brown, red, black and green. Due to overwhelming popularity, the limited edition may resurface in the coming months. In the meantime, watch the colors pop at the Crayola Experience. Located in downtown Easton, Pennsylvania, the crayon company’s birthplace, the four floors of interactive exhibition feature attractions like instruction in crayon making, custom marker mixing, a crayon clinic, and an 85-foot water table attraction with Crayola boats. Here’s one place you can definitely think–and color–outside the box.
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Gettysburg Remembered
By Linda Tancs
In July 1863 the residents of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania witnessed a battle that left them with 22,000 dead and wounded soldiers. To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg (a turning point in the Civil War), the National Civil War Battle Reenactment will take place from 4 to 7 July. Soldiers and civilians alike will re-enact the battles and encampments, giving visitors a glimpse at the cavalry, artillery and the lives that soldiers led during the war. The re-enactment will feature 15,000 re-enactors, civilian interpreters, 400 horses and 100 cannons. And that’s just one of many events marking this distinctive anniversary. Yesterday the Seminary Ridge Museum opened–150 years to the day that the Battle of Gettysburg began. The museum building itself became the battle’s largest field hospital. Hikes, bus tours and other family events will continue until 7 July.
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Penn’s Woods
By Linda Tancs
The name of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is derived from “sylvania” (Latin for “woods”) and Penn–as in William Penn, who in 1680 requested lands from England’s King Charles II to establish a Quaker colony. Pennsylvania’s founding father loved the wholesomeness of country life and enjoyed an estate along the Delaware River known as Pennsbury Manor. By the early 1800s, the house was in disrepair and ultimately torn down by its owners. On the grounds today is a reproduction of that country estate, a living museum and testament to the Colonial Revival movement. Some artifacts remain from the excavation of the site begun in the 1930s, such as the fireplace tiles, a pewter serving platter, a walnut-caned day bed and a wig and dressing table suite. Guided tours are available Tuesday through Saturday.
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A Journey Through the Underground Railroad
By Linda Tancs
The Underground Railroad was a series of secret stations that enslaved Africans used to escape to the North and to Canada during the mid-1800s. One of those stations was located at the Bethel A.M.E. Church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. At that site they provide reenactments of the journey, a spiritual and creative endeavor called “Living the Experience.” The event runs on select Saturdays from February through December at noon and includes a Southern-style buffet lunch thereafter.
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