Fallingwater: Frank Lloyd Wright's World Acclaimed Architectural Wonder

Today we take a look at what is perhaps the most famous house in Pennsylvania, Fallingwater. This is easily the most famous and highly lauded creation of Frank Lloyd Wright, one of the twentieth century's most highly acclaimed architects. The building was built in 1935 for the Pittsburgh retail mogul, Edgar Kaufmann of the former Kaufmann's Department Stores. The place is an architectural wonder, and was designated as a National Historic Landmark back in 1966. 

Not only is Fallingwater a favorite for all visitors, it has received high accolades by major organizations, including the American Institute of Architects, the Smithsonian, and others as one of the finest pieces of American architecture. Who would have known that such a building would be located right here in Pennsylvania, in rural Fayette County. The building was constructed to be one with nature, being located at the pinnacle of a waterfall. Kaufmann wanted the building to be built at the bottom of the falls, and facing towards them. Frank Lloyd Wright is said to have drawn up the bulk of the plans within two hours, upon having the information regarding a survey of the land and its boulders.

The building is located deep in the woods. The interpretive center and parking area are located a short hike away from this magnificent structure.

The view as you approach

The driveway area

Bear Run is a beautiful little creek

Here you can see the placement of the structure right over the creek. The stairway leads down to a view of the water. There are multiple patio areas, bedrooms, and living areas that all afford stunning views of the surrounding landscape.

The view looking down upon the falls from the closest balcony.

Yeah, can we live here please?

The fine details of this building are so intricate and beautiful. The design strangely feels like a part of the landscape, as if it were always there and just belongs in this location. It is breathtakingly beautiful.

Looking down upon portions of the building and how it interacts with the beautiful scenery of the area.

You can just imagine how great it would be to sit out here with a book, or to simply just listen to the sounds of the waterfall and the woods. This is one of those times that you wish you could capture smells in a photo. There is nothing quite like the smell of the woods after the leaves start falling down. Such a crisp and invigorating smell.

A view from the main patio area. Kaufmann was known for throwing parties at the house, and you can just picture how this would be the perfect setting for one. Touring this building is a real treat and I highly recommend that you take a tour yourself.

Another extremely impressive aspect of this design is the amount of height that is achieved. When you are on the upper levels, you feel really high up, like you are a part of the tree canopy.

The covered walkway up the hill to the servant's quarters and garage.

This spot in the back of the building shows how spectacularly the building's cantilevers were built into the boulders of the property. The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy had to to some serious reinforcement of these cantilevers, because upon initial construction they were insufficient. 

We loved our visit and tour in and around this magnificent structure. You need to get a full tour of this architectural wonder at some point. Walking the grounds is fun, but the insights you get with a tour of the inside of the structure really show you how impressive of a structure this is. If you want to see more waterfalls in the area, be sure to check out nearby Ohiopyle State Park. This is a stunning area to check out, especially during the autumn season.

Be sure to check out our Interesting Pennsylvania 2017 wall calendar, available through the drop down menu at the top of this page, or through this link. It is available on early-bird special for free with purchases of our book through the page, or individually for $9.99 plus shipping. 

Barronvale and King's Covered Bridges, Barronvale, PA Somerset County

Today we take a look at the two beautiful Somerset County Covered Bridges, the Barronvale and King's Covered Bridges in Somerset County, with a little bit of fall color starting to appear. This is the longest bridge in Somerset County at roughly 162 feet, with a 13 foot and ten inch width. This bridge is beautiful and it consists of two Burr Truss spans. 

Barronvale Covered Bridge

Coordinates: 39.952778, -79.270556

Barronvale Covered Bridge - Erected some time between 1830 and 1902, and built utilizing two Burr Truss spans

As far as the date of construction, it seems that there is a huge variation in posted dates. The date posted upon the bridge is 1830, which seems possible, but doubtful considering how early that was in the regional construction of covered bridges. The only date that seems to be agreed upon is that it was reconstructed in 1902. The state survey and Bridgehunter list the date of construction as 1846, whereas VisitPA lists the date as 1845. PA Covered Bridges lists the construction date as 1902. Regardless of the date of construction, it is a beautiful bridge and a rare example of a double span Burr Truss bridge.

Kings Covered Bridge

Coordinates: 39.9375, -79.271389

Just down the road from the Barronvale Covered Bridge is King's Covered Bridge. This is another beautiful span that even has a nice pull off and picnic area for sightseers to take in the bridge and the peaceful setting of Laurel Hill Creek. The date of construction for this bridge is also widely disputed, with the marked date being 1806, with a previous marker at the bridge dating 1802. This is pretty unlikely, considering the first confirmed American covered bridge was made in 1805 across the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia. PA Covered Bridges has the date listed as 1906, which is a confirmed date of construction for what was either the construction of the bridge, or a reconstruction. It utilizes multiple Kingpost construction.

Regardless of the date of construction, King's Covered Bridge is beautiful. It was fully redone in 2009 after being in pretty poor shape. Now it is a great gathering place for the community. These sorts of efforts are laudable and very important, especially considering how the number of covered bridges in the state has dramatically decreased over the last few decades.

It is only a 15 minute drive to this bridge from Ligonier and the Seven Springs and Hidden Valley Ski Resort areas, but its location feels extremely remote. The bridge crosses over Laurel Hill Creek, the namesake for nearby Laurel Hill State Park. It is also only about a six minute drive away from Cole Run Falls, one of the most beautiful sets of falls in Western PA.  We highly recommend having a meal or staying the night at the nearby Trenthouse Inn. 

Be sure to check out our Interesting Pennsylvania 2017 wall calendar, available through the drop down menu at the top of this page, or through this link. It is available on early-bird special for free with purchases of our book through the page, or individually for $9.99 plus shipping. 

Allegheny Portage Railroad: Hollidaysburg to Johnstown

In the age of the infancy of Pennsylvania's canal and rail era, traversing the state was a huge challenge. The nation's iron, steel making, and coal industries were centered around western Pennsylvania, thanks to the region's then plentiful resources and easy access to rivers for shipping. The problem Pennsylvania had was in getting these products to the extensive and exponentially growing markets of Philadelphia, New York, and points east. The terrain, however, was not so cooperative in making this happen. New York came up with an engineering marvel to connect the booming Great Lakes and the growing markets on the eastern seaboard with the creation of the Erie Canal. This 363 mile canal was an unprecedented wonder that transformed industries and regions. Pennsylvania needed a similar mode of transportation to get product from east to west, and to carry passengers from Pittsburgh to the port city of Philadelphia. The solution was to create a canal, one of the largest civic projects in the history of the state. This plan was easier said than done though. The planners had a huge challenge when it came to traversing the rugged terrain of the Alleghenies. Some tunnels were created to cross through the rugged terrain, including this one at Tunnelton, one of the first tunnels ever built. Once it came to the Johnstown and Altoona areas, something else needed to be done.

A 4.5 mile tunnel was initially proposed to cross the Alleghenies on the canal, though this idea was deemed to be impractical. If that had occurred, it would still rank as one of the longest canal/rail tunnels in the world. I assume that the tunnel would have likely been converted into rail by the Pennsylvania Railroad, had the tunnel been bored. The solution to this conundrum was the creation of an unprecedented system of rail combined with a series of funiculars pulling the canal boats up steep cliffs. The plan even included the creation of the Staple Bend Tunnel, the first rail tunnel in the country. The Allegheny Portage Railroad completed the first direct and expedient link between the port of Philadelphia, and the forks of the Ohio River in Pittsburgh.

The Allegheny Portage Railroad ran from  Hollidaysburg and to Johnstown.  The railroad was 36 miles long and an architectural wonder. The famous engineering feat of Altoona's Horseshoe Curve alleviated the need for this set of inclines, however, this engineering feat still proves to be impressive. The right-of-way of parts of the old railroad were converted into conventional rail, and created an important bypass off of the Pennsylvania Railroad Main Line. If the areas around Altoona, primarily the Curve, were blocked for any reason, this bypass line was essential. Blockage reasons included issues such as derailments, landslides, weather, and maintenance issues. During World War II the Germans plotted to destroy Horseshoe Curve, which was a critical artery for transporting supplies to the efforts in Europe. Had this plot not been foiled, the bypass line would have proven essential.

This is the Skewed Arch Bridge. It dates back to 1834 and is one of the oldest remaining bridges west of the Alleghenies. The canal boats ran under the bridge, and wagons once crossed over it. Number six of the ten funiculars was located in this spot. Later on, when the historic William Penn Highway/Route 22 corridor was built, great care was taken to preserve this awesome old bridge.

Here is the Lemon House Tavern, a popular place for travelers on the Pennsylvania Canal to spend the night. One of these travelers was Charles Dickens. He even wrote about his journey on the canal. The house is now currently used as a visitors center and museum covering the history of the canal. Several other remnants remain, including Staple Bend, the first railroad tunnel in the country, and a recreation of the engine house for one of the inclines, a rail trail on the old right-of-way, and multiple bridges and culverts.

The railroad ended near Johnstown in South Fork, where the canal picked up once again. A dam was built there that supplied the water for the canal to finish its run to Pittsburgh. When the canal was purchased by the Pennsylvania Railroad and subsequently abandoned, the lake and dam near Johnstown were passed off to private owners. The lake area was eventually converted into a resort for the wealthy, and over the next few decades the relief valves for the dam were removed, and screens were put onto the release area to keep the fish in the lake. This caused the dam to fail during storms in 1889, leading to the 1889 Johnstown Flood, one of the biggest tragedies to ever hit our nation. The transportation history of this region is incredible and well worth checking out.

Be sure to check out our Interesting Pennsylvania 2017 wall calendar, available through the drop down menu at the top of this page, or through this link. It is available on early-bird special for free with purchases of our book through the page, or individually for $9.99 plus shipping. 

Cruiser's Cafe, Mt. Pleasant Mills, PA Snyder County

When driving around, I always love to take in places that look awesome. Cruiser's Cafe in Mt. Pleasant Mills, Snyder County, is one of those places. This place offers a nice menu of American cuisine, ice cream. They've kept the styling of an old service station on this beautiful section of Route 35. If you are in this area, you definitely want to check out this cool restaurant. 

The restaurant almost feels like a museum, with an eclectic mix of different memorabilia from days gone by. They often have theme nights and car cruises as well. These sorts of small family businesses really add so much to the state with their awesome character and spirit. For more information, be sure to check out their website, http://www.cruisers-cafe.com

Be sure to check out our Interesting Pennsylvania 2017 wall calendar, available through the drop down menu at the top of this page, or through this link. It is available on early-bird special for free with purchases of our book through the page, or individually for $9.99 plus shipping. 

Hollidaysburg: Chimney Rocks, Canal Basin Park, and Railroad History

Hollidaysburg is home to some pretty cool surprises. The borough is a museum of sorts for 19th and early 20th century transportation history, with remnants ranging from the Pennsylvania Canal, to the Pennsylvania Railroad, to the start of the automobile age with Route 22/William Penn Highway. Not only does this history remain in the borough, it is recognized, memorialized, and celebrated by the people of the borough, with the creation of community parks and more. Today we will look at three points of interest in Hollidaysburg, the geological wonder of Chimney Rocks, a memorial to some ruins of the Pennsylvania Canal at Canal Basin Park, and some old rail infrastructure.

An overview of Hollidaysburg from one of the overlooks at Chimney Rocks Park 

Hollidaysburg has erected a park in honor of one of the coolest geologic wonders in Blair County, Chimney Rocks. Included at the park are some wild vertical rock features that offer breathtaking views of the Juniata Valley and Hollidaysburg. At the lowest point in the park you can see this iron furnace that dates back to circa 1836.

Chimney Rocks Park has multiple levels to make observations from. It has multiple hikes that are in the half mile length range with some fun elevation changes. The lower observation area is completely flat, for those of you who do not want to do any hiking. That level also has picnic area and a playground.

As you ascend the mountain face of the park, you get different views of the Juniata Valley and Hollidaysburg

One of the limestone formations from which Chimney Rocks was named after. 

The views afforded from the multiple vistas are amazing

Notice the old rail yards

The trail itself, while steep, is not challenging for an average hiker. At roughly half a mile, tops, this is a great place to stretch your legs out and to satisfy yourself with a little bit of hiking.

Here is a view looking up towards Chimney Rocks, from within the grove and playground area of this small park. The community did a great job creating a place where everyone can enjoy this geologic beauty.

Here is a view from the lower overlook, easily accessible to everyone with a level walkway out to it from the parking area.

The lower area also has a nicely wooded hiking trail that makes a loop to the top.

Just down the street from here is an ode to a manmade wonder that once traversed these rugged lands, Canal Basin Park.

Canal Basin Park is a special place that Hollidaysburg has created to preserve one of the last intact sections of the Pennsylvania Canal. The canal once ran from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, and beyond, with a canal system. From here, the canal hooked up with the Allegheny Portage Railroad, which took the canal boats by rail and a series of funiculars up and over the Allegheny Front to Johnstown, where the canal picked up once again.

On a side note, the reservoir that was used to power the canal in Johnstown was abandoned once the Pennsylvania Railroad purchased the right-of-way, and subsequent owners of the reservoir in South Fork were negligent, leading to the failure of the dam and the horrific tragedy of the 1889 Johnstown Flood. 

The park features a bridge built to resemble one of the old canal crossings, a working lock and dam,  an amphitheater, and the historic Reiser House. This park serves as the beginning of the Allegheny Portage Railroad attractions, showing the path of the old Allegheny Portage Railroad of the Pennsylvania Canal.

More old transportation infrastructure exists further down the street at the former Pennsylvania Railroad Depot railyard. This serves as the hub for the Everett Railroad, an excursion train that runs on the old line.

They have lots of old rolling stock, with some in the process of being restored. It is great to see this kind of work happening to preserve our heritage. They do a great job in this area of preserving our past in this manner.

Hollidaysburg is a pretty cool place, especially if you love geologic wonders, hiking, scenic overlooks, canal history, and rail history. This is an often overlooked place that you should definitely check out. 

Be sure to check out our Interesting Pennsylvania 2017 wall calendar, available through the drop down menu at the top of this page, or through this link. It is available on early-bird special for free with purchases of our book through the page, or individually for $9.99 plus shipping. 

Historic PA Turnpike Midway Service Plazas

Photo Credit to the State Museum of Pennsylvania

Aside from the tunnels and the classic toll booths on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, the rest stops are one of the most familiar images to longtime travelers of America's first superhighway. The two that have always caught my eye are the Midway Rest Stops. Throughout the last fifteen years or so, every rest stop along the full length of the Turnpike has been either replaced or heavily renovated. Two of the last rest stops to get done were the Midway Rest Stops. The other rest stops were replaced, usually with a relatively cookie cutter design. These were done in a historically sensitive manner that reflected the architecture of the previous stops.

They recognized the historic nature of the westbound Midway Service Plaza and kept the colonial design inspired rest stop. They gutted the interior and made it fully modern. I was nervous that this beautiful rest stop would meet the same fate as the other rest stops, but they were wise and kept the building intact.

Across the highway, here you can see the North Midway Rest Stop. This building kept a similar shape to the older , while adding more windows for natural light within the interior. 

The original North Midway Service Plaza, circa 1968. Photo credit to the Library of Congress 

I appreciate the efforts of the Turnpike Commission in keeping some historical integrity in the modernization of these service plazas. 

Be sure to check out our Interesting Pennsylvania 2017 wall calendar, available through the drop down menu at the top of this page, or through this link. It is available on early-bird special for free with purchases of our book through the page, or individually for $9.99 plus shipping.