Pennsylvania is the source for so much American history. It was founded by the peace-loving Quakers yet the first shots of the French and Indian War were fired here and the bloodiest battle of the Civil War was fought at Gettysburg. Philadelphia was the first city in America to guarantee religious freedom, establish a bank, stock exchange, hospital or zoo. Pennsylvania was the first state to abolish slavery,
Perhaps William Penn, the Quaker who established the area would recognize his vision in the Pennsylvania Dutch Country. The lifestyle of has changed little since 1681. I am drawn to Amish quilts and am fascinated by the culture that manages to shun modern conveniences and thrive. They set a wonderful example.
This was my first time in Pittsburgh. It’s taken me long enough when one considers that 2008 is the city’s 250th anniversary. Well, better late than never. Pittsburgh has fallen on tough times over the years but is currently undergoing a resurgence. Big Mac’s, Bingo and the Ferris Wheel were all created in Pittsburgh. I was very impressed as I drove into the downtown area. They’ve got tunnels and bridges and tall building and thickly wooded, steep hills. The city is filled with intriguing neighborhoods each with their unique qualities. Is this really the city whose slogan was “Pittsburgh- it’s not as bad as you think!”?
I opted to overnight in Monroeville, just east of Pittsburgh and right of the turnpike. I wanted to be positioned for my pilgrimage to Fallingwater the next day. It’s home of the convention center and has little else to offer that I discovered. But it was late when I arrived so I very well could have missed something terrific. Sadly, this evening presented my very first occasion to dine at an Outback Steakhouse. I have absolutely refused to darken their door in the past and must admit with some chagrin that the Ahi Tuna Chopped Salad was quite tasty. What really clinched the deal was the location of the restaurant adjacent to my hotel. All I had to do was call ahead and take the elevator down to lobby to get my salad. Bad TV and a salad made my evening and I was very content.
Frank Lloyd Wright designed Fallingwater in 1935 as a country home for Pittsburg department owner Edgar Kaufman. The original budget of $40,000 was exceeded by over $110,000 when completed in 1939. But WOW! What a place! National Geographic Traveler magazine named it one of “50 Places of a Lifetime,” Smithsonian magazine includes it among the “28 places people should visit before they die” and I must concur. The US Department of Interior has announced that Fallingwater, among 10 other Wright-designed buildings in now eligible for nomination to the World Heritage List.
Fallingwater is now in the hands of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. I purchased a ticket a few weeks in advance to ensure admittance on the Sunday I would be in the area. Driving the 1 ½ hours from the Pittsburgh area into the thickly wooded Laurel highlands heightened my anticipation.
It was incredible. The cantilevered building is suspended over a waterfall. (Hence the name “falling water.”) I would include dozens of pictures which are the only way to truly explain the structure but the guide was very, very explicit about the their image policy. Visit if you can, or check out their website via the above link.
Two other Wright buildings are in the Laurel Highlands: Kentucky Knob and The Duncan House. Kentucky Knob is open for tours and The Duncan House is available for overnight lodging.
It was impossible to miss how sports crazy every one I encountered was. The Pittsburgh Steelers were playing the Cleveland Browns and the anticipation was palpable. Western Pennsylvania is home to sports figures that even I recognized such as Terry Bradshaw, Mike Ditka, Dan Marino & Roberto Clemente. Forgive me if I’ve left off the favorite but there’s a HUGE list. In addition to football mania the Univ. of Pittsburgh Panthers (football), Pittsburgh Penguins (hockey) and Pirates (baseball) were touted with great affection.
If you’re so inclined you can visit the Big Mac Museum Restaurant in North Huntington Township, PA. Despite being able to rattle off “twowholebeefpattiesspecialsaucelettucecheeseonionspicklesonasesameseedbun” with the best McDonalds is not my cup of tea. I do confess to being curious, though.
My song choice is Billy Joel’s Allentown. It wasn’t an easy choice: I flirted with The Band’s story of a traveler to Nazareth, Pennsylvania, The Weight, but other than a mention of at the beginning of the song there’s no real sense of place. Then there’s Elton John’s Philadelphia Freedom, Bruce Springsteen’s Philadelphia and the Theme from Rocky. My best bet for a reference to the entire state was Pennsylvania 6-5000 but that isn’t about the state, it’s about the train. I do love the Brian Setzer Orchestra’s version, though. Allentown, PA was founded by German settlers. The Liberty Bell and the bells of Christchurch were secretly hidden in Zion’s Church in Allentown after the 1777 Battle of Brandywine. It’s not all bad!
After mulling over several contenders for my Pennsylvania food choice I’ve settled on the most iconic of all: the Hershey Kiss. Milton S. Hershey had a vision to produce chocolate covered caramels in 1894. Love it or hate it, everyone recognizes Hershey bars and kisses! The company town Hershey, PA was developed when the factory grew and relocated from Lancaster, PA. They’ve had a sometimes rocky labor history but are still going strong. The town of Hershey offers several attractions including a Botanical Garden, Hersheypark (10 roller coasters! That’s right 10!), Hershey Museum and the official visitor center: Hershey’s Chocolate World. I knew I made the right food choice when I talked with Grandma after my trip and she asked how the chocolate was.
I’ve mentioned before that all fifty states produce wine. Pennsylvania has over 100 wineries scattered across the state. PA ranks 4th in the nation in the amount of grapes grown (including juice grapes). They rank 8th in the production of wine. The nation’s first commercial grapevine nursery was in southeastern PA. I went by Glades Pike Winery in the Laurel Highlands but was, regrettably unable to get in for a tasting. Other area wineries are Christian W. Klay Winery and Stone Villa Wine Cellars. Anyone know anything about them?
I’ve decided to include references to hiking and biking in my posts because I feel it’s a perfect way to explore a region, and unfortunately all too many regions offer very poor and sometimes unsafe access to these pursuits. I was super excited to learn that the Great Alleghany Passage, a 335-mile bicycle and hiking trail that connects Pittsburgh to Mount Vernon, VA is completed this fall. I need to know more! Philadelphia is installing 1,400 bike racks around the city this fall to encourage bike riding and clear sidewalks of improperly locked bikes. Perhaps they’re trying to rectify their bike-unfriendly image. The Appalachian Trail runs through Pennsylvania from Maryland to the northern New Jersey state line before entering New York, passing outside of Harrisburg and Reading
And there are more facts:
Punxsutawney Phil first saw his shadow at the official ceremony at Gobbler’s Knob in 1887. Descendants are still carrying his groundhog torch.
Pennsylvania has another reluctant place in history: United Airlines Flight 93 was hijacked by terrorists and crashed into a Somerset County field Sept. 11, 2001.
The first oil well in the United States was dug in Titusville, PA in 1859.
The Little League Baseball World Series has been held in Williamsport each year since 1946.
www.fallingwater.org
www.kentuckyknob.com
www.polymathpark.com (The Duncan House)
Allentown video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K62DdoFoNeg
The Weight: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-xQoNDFwlE
Brian Setzer Orchestra’s Pennsylvania 6-5000: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igqlVMNta8w
http://www.pennsylvaniawine.com
Perhaps William Penn, the Quaker who established the area would recognize his vision in the Pennsylvania Dutch Country. The lifestyle of has changed little since 1681. I am drawn to Amish quilts and am fascinated by the culture that manages to shun modern conveniences and thrive. They set a wonderful example.
This was my first time in Pittsburgh. It’s taken me long enough when one considers that 2008 is the city’s 250th anniversary. Well, better late than never. Pittsburgh has fallen on tough times over the years but is currently undergoing a resurgence. Big Mac’s, Bingo and the Ferris Wheel were all created in Pittsburgh. I was very impressed as I drove into the downtown area. They’ve got tunnels and bridges and tall building and thickly wooded, steep hills. The city is filled with intriguing neighborhoods each with their unique qualities. Is this really the city whose slogan was “Pittsburgh- it’s not as bad as you think!”?
I opted to overnight in Monroeville, just east of Pittsburgh and right of the turnpike. I wanted to be positioned for my pilgrimage to Fallingwater the next day. It’s home of the convention center and has little else to offer that I discovered. But it was late when I arrived so I very well could have missed something terrific. Sadly, this evening presented my very first occasion to dine at an Outback Steakhouse. I have absolutely refused to darken their door in the past and must admit with some chagrin that the Ahi Tuna Chopped Salad was quite tasty. What really clinched the deal was the location of the restaurant adjacent to my hotel. All I had to do was call ahead and take the elevator down to lobby to get my salad. Bad TV and a salad made my evening and I was very content.
Frank Lloyd Wright designed Fallingwater in 1935 as a country home for Pittsburg department owner Edgar Kaufman. The original budget of $40,000 was exceeded by over $110,000 when completed in 1939. But WOW! What a place! National Geographic Traveler magazine named it one of “50 Places of a Lifetime,” Smithsonian magazine includes it among the “28 places people should visit before they die” and I must concur. The US Department of Interior has announced that Fallingwater, among 10 other Wright-designed buildings in now eligible for nomination to the World Heritage List.
Fallingwater is now in the hands of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. I purchased a ticket a few weeks in advance to ensure admittance on the Sunday I would be in the area. Driving the 1 ½ hours from the Pittsburgh area into the thickly wooded Laurel highlands heightened my anticipation.
It was incredible. The cantilevered building is suspended over a waterfall. (Hence the name “falling water.”) I would include dozens of pictures which are the only way to truly explain the structure but the guide was very, very explicit about the their image policy. Visit if you can, or check out their website via the above link.
Two other Wright buildings are in the Laurel Highlands: Kentucky Knob and The Duncan House. Kentucky Knob is open for tours and The Duncan House is available for overnight lodging.
It was impossible to miss how sports crazy every one I encountered was. The Pittsburgh Steelers were playing the Cleveland Browns and the anticipation was palpable. Western Pennsylvania is home to sports figures that even I recognized such as Terry Bradshaw, Mike Ditka, Dan Marino & Roberto Clemente. Forgive me if I’ve left off the favorite but there’s a HUGE list. In addition to football mania the Univ. of Pittsburgh Panthers (football), Pittsburgh Penguins (hockey) and Pirates (baseball) were touted with great affection.
If you’re so inclined you can visit the Big Mac Museum Restaurant in North Huntington Township, PA. Despite being able to rattle off “twowholebeefpattiesspecialsaucelettucecheeseonionspicklesonasesameseedbun” with the best McDonalds is not my cup of tea. I do confess to being curious, though.
My song choice is Billy Joel’s Allentown. It wasn’t an easy choice: I flirted with The Band’s story of a traveler to Nazareth, Pennsylvania, The Weight, but other than a mention of at the beginning of the song there’s no real sense of place. Then there’s Elton John’s Philadelphia Freedom, Bruce Springsteen’s Philadelphia and the Theme from Rocky. My best bet for a reference to the entire state was Pennsylvania 6-5000 but that isn’t about the state, it’s about the train. I do love the Brian Setzer Orchestra’s version, though. Allentown, PA was founded by German settlers. The Liberty Bell and the bells of Christchurch were secretly hidden in Zion’s Church in Allentown after the 1777 Battle of Brandywine. It’s not all bad!
After mulling over several contenders for my Pennsylvania food choice I’ve settled on the most iconic of all: the Hershey Kiss. Milton S. Hershey had a vision to produce chocolate covered caramels in 1894. Love it or hate it, everyone recognizes Hershey bars and kisses! The company town Hershey, PA was developed when the factory grew and relocated from Lancaster, PA. They’ve had a sometimes rocky labor history but are still going strong. The town of Hershey offers several attractions including a Botanical Garden, Hersheypark (10 roller coasters! That’s right 10!), Hershey Museum and the official visitor center: Hershey’s Chocolate World. I knew I made the right food choice when I talked with Grandma after my trip and she asked how the chocolate was.
I’ve mentioned before that all fifty states produce wine. Pennsylvania has over 100 wineries scattered across the state. PA ranks 4th in the nation in the amount of grapes grown (including juice grapes). They rank 8th in the production of wine. The nation’s first commercial grapevine nursery was in southeastern PA. I went by Glades Pike Winery in the Laurel Highlands but was, regrettably unable to get in for a tasting. Other area wineries are Christian W. Klay Winery and Stone Villa Wine Cellars. Anyone know anything about them?
I’ve decided to include references to hiking and biking in my posts because I feel it’s a perfect way to explore a region, and unfortunately all too many regions offer very poor and sometimes unsafe access to these pursuits. I was super excited to learn that the Great Alleghany Passage, a 335-mile bicycle and hiking trail that connects Pittsburgh to Mount Vernon, VA is completed this fall. I need to know more! Philadelphia is installing 1,400 bike racks around the city this fall to encourage bike riding and clear sidewalks of improperly locked bikes. Perhaps they’re trying to rectify their bike-unfriendly image. The Appalachian Trail runs through Pennsylvania from Maryland to the northern New Jersey state line before entering New York, passing outside of Harrisburg and Reading
And there are more facts:
Punxsutawney Phil first saw his shadow at the official ceremony at Gobbler’s Knob in 1887. Descendants are still carrying his groundhog torch.
Pennsylvania has another reluctant place in history: United Airlines Flight 93 was hijacked by terrorists and crashed into a Somerset County field Sept. 11, 2001.
The first oil well in the United States was dug in Titusville, PA in 1859.
The Little League Baseball World Series has been held in Williamsport each year since 1946.
www.fallingwater.org
www.kentuckyknob.com
www.polymathpark.com (The Duncan House)
Allentown video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K62DdoFoNeg
The Weight: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-xQoNDFwlE
Brian Setzer Orchestra’s Pennsylvania 6-5000: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igqlVMNta8w
http://www.pennsylvaniawine.com
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