The museum was first established in 1949 upon the
death of Mary Marchand Woods, an art enthusiast who left her estate to the city
for the purpose of opening an art museum.&nbsp;
The museum officially opened to the public in 1959 and then reopened in
1999 after renovations that added six improved gallery spaces and educational facilitates.&nbsp; Today, the museum continues to honor American
and Pennsylvanian art.The museum's expressed mission is to "...enrich a growing public through innovative and collaborative approaches to the collection, preservation, and presentation of American art."&nbsp; It accomplishes this mission through the display of works from artists such as Mary Cassatt, Winslow Homer and John Singer Sargent.&nbsp; It also invites guests to visit its Center for Creative Connections, an interactive area where one can participate in its build-a-bridge or stop-motion animation art programs.Renovations to the museum were completed in 2015 which also added over 13,000 square-feet of exhibit and other spaces.&nbsp; A wing was added to house traveling exhibits and the museum's collection of post-1950s art.&nbsp; A community room was also added that hosts concerts, lectures and is available for private rentals.&nbsp; Finally, outdoor spaces were built, to include gardens and outdoor terraces.

The museum's official site with exhibit and other info and plenty of pics.

Website

The museum's Facebook page with visitor comments and event info.

More Info

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First opened in 1959, The Westmoreland Museum of American Art focuses on American and Southwestern Pennsylvanian art and has shared such work with the public for over 50 years.  The museum features over 3,400 pieces of art from the mid 18th-mid 20th centuries, including paintings, sculptures, portraits, works on paper, objects with images, and decorative arts.  In addition to its exhibitions, the museum also hosts many different educational programs, including programs in the classroom, art classes, and summer camps.

The Westmoreland Museum of American Art

Explore historical highlights of the 200-mile Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor in southwestern-southcentral Pennsylvania! A designated Pennsylvania Heritage Area, the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor preserves the history and heritage of America's first coast-to-coast highway. 

Note: Not all sights featured in this driving tour are along the original alignment of the Lincoln Highway--but all are within a few miles, and all have a rich history shaped by the road.

Formed in 1994, the Norwin Historical Society preserves and protects the history of the Norwin Area, which is made up of Irwin, North Irwin, and North Huntingdon Township. These three locations have an official history stretching back to the creation of Westmoreland County in 1773 with the formation of Huntingdon Township. The historical society keeps the history of what was a rapidly growing area during the mid 1800s in response to the expanding Pennsylvania Railroad Company and flourishing coal and gas mines. With the completion of the Brush Creek Valley Line, which provided a direct route to Pittsburgh, in 1852, John Irwin laid out Irwin Station in town. Irwin Station became a central location and hundreds of families flocked to the area to live and work. Today, the Norwin Historical Society offers a variety of resources to researchers. In addition, they hold several events a year, including Antiques on Main in September, a Holiday House Tour in December, and a Memorial Day Honor Guard the Sunday before Memorial Day every year. The historical society also cares for the grounds of the historic Brush Creek Associate Reformed Church Cemetery and provides speakers to local organizations and schools.

Located on Main Street of Irwin Borough, the Norwin Historical Society was formed in 1994 in order to preserve the history of Irwin, North Irwin, and North Huntingdon Township. With resources for researchers and a variety of community events, the historical society aims to preserve and promote the history of the area.  

Norwin Historical Society

While the first fire department in Greensburg wasn’t officially formed until January 12, 1891, there is evidence of firefighting activities, such as a bucket brigade, as far back as the 1700s. Hose Company No. 1 and No. 2 were the first created, and the department moved quickly to supply the Hose Companies with the supplies and equipment necessary. Greensburg Borough already possessed one 4-wheel wagon which went to Co. No. 1, and funds were raised to purchase a 2-wheel cart for Co. No. 2. Included in the initial fundraising efforts were monies to buy the first rubber uniforms for the fire department. Over the next 15 years, Greensburg expanded, and four additional fire companies were added to cover the growing territory. Hose Co. No. 3, or the “Bunker Hill Hose Company”, was formed in 1894. Prior to completion of the fire house in 1895, meetings were held at the Bunker Hill School House. The Ludwick Fire Company formed in 1896 and became part of the Greensburg Fire Department in 1906 as Hose Co. No. 6. With the consolidation of East Greensburg and Greensburg, Hose Co. No. 7 was established in the 7th ward. The last Hose Co. started was No. 8 in 1906. Before the days of motorized fire trucks, equipment was often pulled by the firefighters themselves. If the firefighters were headed in the same direction as a streetcar, oftentimes the wagon could be hooked up to the streetcar, or horses could be borrowed from the residents to pull engines. In the 1950s and 60s, the fire department recognized that the history and artifacts of the Greensburg Volunteer Fire Department were being lost. In an effort to preserve the history, the department initially acquired space in an old trolley freight station behind city hall. The museum remained there until the 1980s when a councilman no longer permitted them to stay. The museum then found space on the 4th floor of the Troutman’s building; however, the 1805 Pat Lyon and 1825 Goodwill Hand Fire Pumpers couldn’t be brought to the 4th floor. Finally, in 1998, the Greensburg Volunteer Fire Department Museum found its permanent home behind City Hall where 3 fully restored engines and hundreds of artifacts are displayed. While the Pat Lyon and Goodwill are kept at the museum, the 1949 Seagrave Pumper is brought out for various ceremonial and parade duties throughout the area.

The Greensburg Volunteer Fire Department Museum collects and preserves artifacts of the GVFD including antique firetrucks, uniforms, equipment, and pictures of historic Greensburg Fires.  In addition, the museum cares for a large collection of toy and model fire trucks. Today, the museum houses three fully restored fire engines. Both the 1805 Pat Lyon engine and 1825 Goodwill engine were used in the Great Fire of Pittsburgh on April 5, 1845 before being sold to the GVFD. The third, a 1949 Seagrave Pumper was purchased new for Hose Company No. 3.

Greensburg Volunteer Fire Department Museum

The Education Center is one of the most versatile buildings at Historic Hanna’s Town. The Westmoreland Historical Society operates out of the Education Center and runs the archival collection, library, conference rooms, museum’s gallery, and gift shop. The Edward H. Hahn Archival Collection houses photographs, documents, and archaeological artifacts that document the history of Westmoreland County. The Calvin E. Pollins Memorial Library has over 5,000 different books ranging in different topics. The library also offers assistance with research and genealogical inquiries. The Kendra Gallery is a changing exhibit which has included displays of furniture, clothing, and archaeological artifacts. Currently, the gallery displays a woodworking exhibit.The Historical Society has been involved in preserving Hanna’s Town since the 1960’s, and preserving Westmoreland County’s history since 1908. Construction of the Education Center began in 2018 and finished in 2019. With the construction of the Education Center, it was the final push to make Historic Hanna’s Town home to the Historical Society. Lisa Hays, the Executive Director of the Historical Society said, “You can immerse yourself. It feels right,” when describing the move to Historic Hanna’s Town. Hanna’s Town was the birthplace of Westmoreland County, so moving the historical society to Historic Hanna’s Town made sense. The move to Historic Hanna’s Town is a culmination of years of work that was finally completed in 2019.  The design of the Education Center was made to replicate a barn that was located on the property when the Steel family owned the land. The colors and design of the Education Center also compliment the Steel House which is located next to the Education Center.

The Westmoreland Historical Society Education Center ,located at Historic Hanna’s Town is the newest building on the property. After years of trying to finish this project, it was finally completed in 2019. The Education Center is used to interpret and preserve history from everywhere in Westmoreland County. The Education Center includes a gift shop, library, gallery display, archival collection, and ticket office for tours.

The Westmoreland History Education Center

The land that later became Hanna’s Town has a long history. It was originally settled by indigenous Monongahela Peoples who flourished in the Ohio Valley prior to European colonization in the early 17th century, evidenced by archaeological material discovered at the historic site. The Iroquois Six Nations (Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora) lived close to the present-day New York/Pennsylvania border. The Shawnee and Delaware (Lenape) lived in the western Ohio River Valley and upper Mississippi Valley. In the 18th century, what is now western Pennsylvania was considered multi-tribal hunting and trade territory, with major trails crossing through the region.European colonization intensified struggles between the British, French, and Native Americans over claim to land, particularly the Forks of the Ohio at modern-day Pittsburgh. During the French and Indian War, British general John Forbes constructed the Forbes Road to move troops over the Allegheny Mountains to capture Fort Duquesne from the French in 1758. The British erected Fort Pitt and established a British stronghold of the region. The Forbes Road soon became a travel route for European settlers moving west.The Treaty of Fort Stanwix (1768) transferred land from the Iroquois (Haudenosaunee) to the Penn Family. The “New Purchase,” as it was called, included northeastern PA and southwestern PA, following the Allegheny Mountains. The New Purchase allowed an Irish farmer and businessman named Robert Hanna to acquire land and establish a settlement west of the Allegheny Mountains along the Forbes Road.Originally from County Down, Northern Ireland, Robert Hanna immigrated to York County, Pennsylvania, with his family when he was a young child. He married Elizabeth Kelly of Lancaster County in 1762, and the couple later had four daughters. In 1769, Robert Hanna applied for 337 acres of land in what was then Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Sometime after, Robert, Elizabeth, and their daughter Jane, traveled to the property and settled Hanna’s Town. Robert Hanna leased lots to settlers predominately of Scots-Irish descent, who built log homes and engaged in subsistence farming. Some residents also arrived as indentured servants of Scots-Irish descent or as enslaved people of African descent. According to archaeological research, it is estimated that Hanna’s Town had at least thirty homes, three taverns, many outbuildings, and a stockade fort.When Hanna’s Town was founded in the early 1770s, Pennsylvania was proprietary colony of Great Britain. A growing population on the frontier, the need for law and order, and border disputes with Virginia led to the establishment of new counties in western Pennsylvania. Robert Hanna was involved in establishing Bedford County in 1771, and quickly sought an additional southwestern county. Westmoreland County, encompassing most of southwestern Pennsylvania, was formed on February 26, 1773, with Hanna’s Town selected as the county seat. The first court session was held on April 6, 1773, making Hanna’s Town the first site of English courts west of the Allegheny Mountains. Court sessions were held four times a year in “quarter sessions,” and addressed legal matters ranging from license applications to disputes to crimes including theft and treason. Hanna’s Tavern served as a courthouse, and trial were also held outdoors. As the county seat, Hanna’s Town attracted settlers, travelers, and those seeking justice on the Pennsylvania frontier.In April 1775, British soldiers fired on American militia in Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts, sparking the Revolutionary War. Word made its way to the Pennsylvania frontier in the coming weeks. Though far from the revolutionary epicenters of Boston or Philadelphia, the people of Pennsylvania were still engaged with debates around British rule over the colonies. On May 16, 1775, in response to Lexington and Concord, citizens of Westmoreland County drafted and approved the Hanna’s Town Resolves. The Resolves protested the injustices of the British Parliament while remaining loyal to George III, the English monarch. The Resolves also led to the creation of a county militia to defend the region from attacks. Hanna’s Town later served as a recruitment center for the county militia along with the Continental Army. On October 19, 1781, British General Cornwallis surrendered to American forces at Yorktown, Virginia, yet the war was not over in the west. The western campaigns of the Revolutionary War were shaped by shifting borders, betrayed treaties, raids on American settlements, and massacres at Native American villages. This violence continued well into 1782. In May, Seneca and their British allies left Fort Niagara to launch an assault on western Pennsylvania to weaken the region and push settlers east. Hanna's Town was attacked on July 13, 1782, while court was in session. Most of the town was burned and destroyed, though almost everyone in town survived, taking refuge in the fort that was spared in the attack. This event is considered one of the final conflicts of the Revolutionary War. Hanna’s Town never recovered from the attack or the untimely death of Robert Hanna in 1786, after which the county seat was moved to Greensburg.The land moved through several hands until purchased in by the Steel family at a sheriff’s sale in the 1820s. Several generations of the Steel Family farmed the land for about 140 years. In 1969, the property was purchased by Westmoreland County in collaboration with the Westmoreland Historical Society. The farmland preserved artifacts and archaeological features that have become an invaluable resource for the study of early American life. Reconstruction efforts of the site began in the 1970s and the site was added to the National Register of Historic Places.Today, Historic Hanna's Town is a county park and historic site interpreted by the Westmoreland Historical Society, which has its headquarters on the property. Historic Hanna's Town encompasses the reconstructed Hanna's Tavern, fort, and jail; five historic log buildings moved from other properties; an authentic Conestoga wagon; along with walking paths, an 18th century kitchen garden, and native pollinator gardens. The Westmoreland History Education Center includes a research library, museum shop, and exhibit gallery with changing exhibits. Programs and events are offered throughout the year, including Frontier Court Days, where visitors can witness reenacted court cases once held at Hanna's Town.

Hanna's Town served as the site of the first English courts west of the Allegheny Mountains and first seat of government for Westmoreland County, established in 1773. Hanna's Town was an outpost for settlers, travelers, and those seeking law or court interventions. In May 1775, citizens of Westmoreland County drafted the Hanna’s Town Resolves condemning British actions at the Battles of Lexington and Concord and calling for a county militia. Throughout the Revolutionary War, Hanna’s Town served as a recruitment center for the county militia as well as the Continental Army. On July 13, 1782, Hanna’s Town was burned by British and Seneca forces in one of the last conflicts of the Revolutionary War. Today, Historic Hanna's Town offers guided tours of the reconstructed historic site, educational programs, and special events. Historic Hanna's Town is a Westmoreland County park managed by the Westmoreland Historical Society, which bases its operations at the Westmoreland History Education Center on site.

Historic Hanna's Town

Originally built on a one-hundred-and-five-acre farm and boasting 20 guest rooms, the Inn at Mountain View not only served as a gas station, but as a highly accredited accommodation for guests visiting from all over the surrounding area planning a short term, and as of today, long term stays for families planning to partake in what the surrounding area has to offer. Originally built in 1924, the first owners of the Mountain View Inn were struggling to stay open and maintain business during the great depression. Eventually, the establishment and its owners went bankrupt and were then taken over by the First National Bank in Greensburg.  Later in 1940, two brothers, Vance Booher Sr. where it was then passed down to Vance and Ned Booher, bought the hotel from the bank, costing them $40,000, a large chunk of cash in the ’40s. That being said, this investment boasted very little compared to the upcoming two-million-dollar renovation, to which the brothers would extend the lodge by adding thirty-seven rooms to the premises. Due to the Inn’s second bank foreclosure, there was another change in ownership over Mountain View. The current owners as of today are a group of investors named Jada View, LLC, who were more than happy to buy it off the bank, ultimately changing the name of the hotel to the Inn at Mountain View. Westmorleand County holds a large selection of things to do for the whole family, such as Idlewild &amp; Soak Zone, Twin Lakes Park, and Fort Ligonier. A few smaller attractions around include golf resorts, white water rafting, and wineries for the adults in the family. Thanks to Westmoreland County’s vast and open area, fishing, hiking, biking, and boating are all possible with ease. In the 1920s, a hotel boasting 20 rooms alone was enough to make it stand out among the rest. Add in the scenery, the gas station, a pool, and the possible activities a family could partake in, the Inn at Mountain View was a sure sign of a good choice. Frankly, the original pool that was built in 1924 along with the inn was removed in 1977, where a new in-ground, but smaller pool was added. This left room for new additions and renovations. In 1998, the Booher brothers added the Loyalhanna wing and a terrace on the main dining room. The inn also boasted entertainment shows such as antiques and even had their own gallery and exhibits of antique items and, at the time, the largest collection of single-malt scotch in Pennsylvania as well as a 3,000-bottle winery.  The Inn at Mountain View was surely a staple in the community, so much so that it gathered the attention of a few famous faces including Presidents John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, and Ronald Reagan; entertainers such as Harrison Ford, Guy Lombardo, and Bernadette Peters; as well as Arnold Palmer, The Rolling Stones, Tony Bennet, Three Dog Night, and Dalai Lama. In November 2009, the original inn was demolished. This removed the historic lobby, dining room, and the swimming pool from the premises. This also meant that all of the antiques were auctioned off as well. Today, the final hotel wing to be previously added to the inn still stands, and the current owners invested in a new lobby for the hotel.  Today, the hotel continues to thrive with an increasing number of visitors able to use the various accommodations such as a new dining room, suite-style rooms that contain fireplaces and a master bathroom, king-size-bed and queen-size-bed rooms, with a few that accommodate pets. In order for a hotel to stay above water today, it must also accommodate the current necessities that all successful hotels boast such as Wi-Fi, refrigerators, microwaves, furniture, and televisions. The surrounding area of Westmoreland County is thriving as well with an increasing amount of people passing by on Route 30. The Inn at Mountain View still thrives among the historical places of the area and is a sure way to make a weekend in Westmoreland County one to remember.

The Inn at Mountain View, now renamed to Mountain View Inn, is a historic hotel located just outside of Greensburg, PA. A hotel that has been around for nearly 100 years that has been heavily expanded and reworked to accommodate multiple generations of visitors currently boasts a high number of guest rooms along with a breathtaking view of the surrounding Westmoreland County and the Laurel Mountains peeking over the horizon. The Inn at Mountain View has been a successful landmark and staple within Westmoreland County and has given many Lincoln Highway travelers and comfortable place to stay overnight and even accommodates for long-term visitors. The landscape of the inn has changed drastically over the years, with every new owner altering the hotel to the way they see fit, whether it be adding a pool, expanding the living quarters with more room for guests, or demolishing a part of the hotel entirely. The Mountain View Inn has also seen its fair share of famous and memorable faces.

Inn at Mountain View

Born and raised in Latrobe, Fred McFeely Rogers was the creator, composer, host, and puppeteer of the award winning TV program Mister Rogers Neighborhood (1968-2001). The program, produced at WQED in Pittsburgh, emphasized kindness, compassion, and learning. An ordained minister, Fred Rogers received the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his outstanding approach to children's media and his legacy of nurturing and inspiring generations of children.                     (Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission 2016)In memory of Fred's father, James Hillis Rogers, sits a beautiful park located on the corner of Jefferson and 200 Main Street in the heart of downtown Latrobe. James Hillis Rogers and his wife Nancy McFeely Rogers were known nationwide for being the parents of TV program creator, Fred Rogers, however in their hometown community of Latrobe they were often recognized for being major contributors to many community projects. Because of their work as community advocates, the Chapel at Latrobe Area Hospital, Rogers-McFeely Memorial Swimming Pool and the James Hillis Rogers Memorial Park were added to the city of Latrobe.In the James Hillis Rogers Memorial Park sits the Fred Rogers historical marker as well as the life size bronze statue of Mister Rogers. The statue was created by sculptor and artist Jon Hair from Petersburg, Florida. Rogers is sculpted smiling, seated on a bench wearing his iconic cardigan sweater and sneakers. Sculptor Jon Hair of St. Petersburg, Fla., said he used countless photos in deciding how to create the 300-pound work of art that took more than six months to make. “I wanted him on the bench, so that you want to sit by him. From the street, it looks like you want to sit with him,” Hair said as he watched parents and children have pictures taken with the statue." Hair's final product weighs about 300 pounds and took over 6 months to complete.

Born and raised in Latrobe, Mister Rogers was the creator, composer, host, and puppeteer of the award winning TV program Mister Rogers Neighborhood; a program that emphasized kindness, compassion, and learning. Located on the corner of Jefferson and Main Street in James Hillis Rogers Memorial Park, sits the Fred Rogers historical marker and statue to honor his many accomplishments and contributions to the Latrobe community and the nation as a whole.

Mr. Fred Rogers Statue and James Hillis Rogers Park

MuseumThe main museum area features displays of artifacts covering business and industry, coal mining, prominent citizens, organizations, schools, military service and the beginnings of professional football and airmail delivery. Separate rooms portray an old-time country store, a "Grandma's" house, and a one-room schoolhouse.Library and ArchivesThe collection of books, newspapers, photographs, original documents, microfilm, family, community, and cemetery records, maps, yearbooks and scrapbooks are all made available for public use. The articles, local directories, memoirs, diaries, personal letters, ledgers, meeting minutes, and audio recordings with transcripts cover a diverse cross section of people, their occupations, associations, service and time periods in which they lived from 1780 until today.AuditoriumA 40 seat auditorium with audio and video service is available for hosting student groups, church groups, class reunions, and local organization meetings.EducationPrograms on various topics are available for presentation . A quarterly publication, the Latrobe Historical Gazette, features articles on people, places and events of our past.

Latrobe Area Historical Society is an all volunteer non profit organization chartered in 1974 striving to preserve the legacy of the southwestern Pennsylvania area in and around Latrobe through the collection, study and documentation of the community's heritage and the preservation of the local history and ethnic roots.

The focus area of the City of Latrobe, Unity Township and parts of Derry Township has a rich history, from colonial days in Unity Township to the beginnings of the industrial age, the birth of professional football, and modern innovations in business and industry.
Latrobe also is the birthplace of golf great Arnold Palmer and beloved television personality Fred Rogers, of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood.


Latrobe Area Historical Society

Latrobe Country Club was under construction in 1921 when a teenager named Deacon Palmer helped build the course. It started out as a nine-hole course that was formerly part of the Kennan Farm which bordered the Lincoln Highway, US Route 30, which was a national highway at the time. but steadily grew during the Great Depression and more land was acquired. This permitted revisions in the golf course. And major ones came when the Unity Land Company bought the course and steadily added more land to the course. In 1963, enough land was acquired to make the course an 18-hole layout.The effort to design an 18-hole layout was carried out by both Deacon and Arnold Palmer. Arnold came up with an idea to have covered bridges cross a creek (name not given), not only to enhance the Pennsylvania landscape but to also serve as shelters during a storm.&nbsp; Arnold includes the Latrobe Country Club’s 8th hole as one of the best he has ever designed, coming eight on the list.When Arnold was a young boy, he was required to work along with his father to take care of the grounds of the golf course. Palmer and the tractor he used at Latrobe Country Club as a boy was used to later pitch the highly successful ads for Pennzoil. But young Arnold had to use the tractor all the time and caught a lot of criticism whenever Arnold would cause the wheels to slip on the grass, tearing it up. Arnold Palmer has gone down in history as one of the greatest players in golf history. He won 62 events on the PGA Tour, including 62 times on the PGA Tour, 11 times internationally and 9 additional events. He won the US Open in 1960 and won four Masters and two British Opens. He was hugely popular with the fans, who followed him everywhere as "Arnie's Army." He is credited with rescuing the British Open from near irrelevance. His popularity and charisma also served him well in business.

The Latrobe Country Club is the golf course where Arnold Palmer got his start as a golfer. His father, Milfred J. Palmer - Deacon (or "Deke") designed the course and was head groundskeeper of the club and the club pro. It was founded in 1920 by some leading industrialists, professional people, and bankers in the Latrobe, Pennsylvania area. The course was purchased by Arnold Palmer and remains in the family. In 2012, it became open to the public. It is located on US-30, The Lincoln Highway.

Latrobe Country Club - Arnold Palmer

The Lincoln Highway was conceived and promoted primarily by Carl Fisher and Henry Joy who sought to create an intercontinental road that ran from New York City to San Francisco. The first section, which ran through Essex and Hudson counties in New Jersey, was completed in 1913. The rest of the highway was completed over the next decade by improving and linking already existing roads. It initially ran for almost 3,400 miles. However, that number has changed as the road was realigned over the years.Its value became readily apparent for a number of reasons as it ushered in the age of the automobile and permitted Americans to travel at their leisure--which also improved the economies of towns located along the highway. Soon, others saw its worth, and numerous roads were crisscrossing the country. The road lost its designation as the Lincoln Highway with the creation of the United States Numbered Highways system in 1926. Within the state of Pennsylvania, most of it is now known as Route 30.Founded in 1995, the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor (LHHC) is one of twelve Heritage Areas in Pennsylvania. The mission of the LHHC is to "...identify, conserve, promote and interpret the cultural, historical, cultural, recreational, and economic resources along the Lincoln Highway..." The Lincoln Highway Experience, located in the historic Johnston House along the Lincoln Highway in Latrobe, offers exhibits, bus tours, and numerous events throughout the year, including the Lincoln Highway SupperMarket, held every Wednesday in June, July, and August. At the Lincoln Highway Experience, enjoy a 13-minute award-winning film, discover a rich collection of artifacts, explore interactive exhibits such as a coast-to-coast bicycle ride and a Penny For Your Tots children's play area, and follow in the tradition of travelers by sending a postcard from the museum. A new expansion to the museum includes a full-sized 1938 diner, a gas station, and a traveler's cabin.

The Lincoln Highway, our nation’s first coast-to-coast highway, marked the birth of popular American tourism – vacationing by automobile. Visitors who begin their journey at the Lincoln Highway Experience, nestled in the Laurel Highlands, will have a more enriching tour because they will see an inspiring orientation film, view a number of interpretive exhibits on quirky roadside architecture (including the Ship Hotel and Coffee Pot), trace the Lincoln Highway across Pennsylvania in beautiful Black and white photographs, enjoy pie and coffee at the restored 1938 diner, and shop for Lincoln Highway memorabilia and fine artisan crafts. Since 1996, the not-for-profit Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor has worked with a number of local, state and federal partners on heritage preservation, sustainable community development, and responsible land conservation in south-central Pennsylvania. Enjoy your journey on the Lincoln Highway, and remember to "Keep Thinkin' Lincoln!"

Lincoln Highway Experience

According to the Ligonier Valley Rail Road Association, the railroad was "short in length," but "long in construction." In 1853, the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed an act incorporating a railroad company between Latrobe and Ligonier. Originally called the Latrobe and Ligonier Rail Road Company, this line connected the newly formed town of Latrobe, which was laid out by an engineer for the Pennsylvania Railroad, and Ligonier, a settlement first established about a hundred years earlier during the French and Indian War.  Surveys for the new railroad were completed in 1853 and 1854, yet financial issues and delays from the state legislature made grading and construction a slow process. The railroad was renamed the Ligonier Valley Rail Road Company in May 1871, with additional surveys conducted - and additional delays. The incomplete railroad went up for sale and was purchased by Judge Thomas Mellon, founder of Mellon Bank in Pittsburgh, in August 1877. Mellon saw the Ligonier Valley Rail Road as less of an financial investment and more of an opportunity to give business experience to his sons, Andrew Mellon (later president of Mellon Bank and U.S. Secretary of the Treasury) and Richard Mellon (also later president of Mellon Bank and founder of the Rolling Rock Club). Mellon opted to construct a narrow gauge (3 foot) line, which was completed and went into service on December 1, 1877.  The narrow gauge line made it impossible to directly interchange equipment with the Pennsylvania Railroad, which operated on standard gauge. The Ligonier Valley Rail Road was the first company to use a car transfer system invented by Robert H. Ramsey in 1878. Persisting complications and expenses led the company to convert the railroad to standard gauge (4 foot, 8.5 inches) in 1882. Nicknamed "The Liggie," the mainline had passenger stations or shelters at Ligonier, Bells, Millbank, Idlewild, Darlington, Long Bridge, Kingston, Osborne, Oakville and Latrobe, with three to five weekday round trips between Latrobe and Ligonier. The Mellons established a park, Idlewild, in 1878 to attract passengers from Pittsburgh as well as local communities to the beautiful Ligonier Valley. The Ligonier Valley Rail Road also carried express and U.S. mail and hauled freight including mineral products, stone, coal, coke, and timber. The worst disaster on the Ligonier Valley Rail Road occurred July 5, 1912, when a passenger train carrying holiday travelers and freight train collided head-on along the Wilpen branch of the railroad. In total, 26 people died and 29 were injured, including many children. Since the railroad relied heavily on industrial freight for income, the decline of local industry eventually led to the Ligonier Valley Rail Road's closure on August 31, 1952. The state condemned the section of line through the Loyalhanna Gorge to expand the Lincoln Highway, now the westbound lanes of Route 30 into Latrobe.  The nonprofit Ligonier Valley Rail Road Association (LVRRA) acquired the Darlington Station property in 2005. Major funding from the Richard King Mellon Foundation, Allegheny Foundation, and Kennywood Entertainment (parent company of Idlewild Park) helped the LVRRA restore the Darlington Station and transform the space into a museum. The Darlington Station, built around 1900, was both the workplace and residence of the agent operating the station, and included a ticket office, waiting room, and convenience store. After the Ligonier Valley Rail Road was closed, Idlewild Park took ownership of the property and used it as a quarters for park employees.  The Ligonier Valley Rail Road Museum opened on May 21, 2010 and offers exhibits, guided tours, programs, and research opportunities. The Museum also continues to collect objects and documents related to the Ligonier Valley Rail Road, its largest object being a restored 1905 Bobber Caboose that visitors can explore inside.

The Ligonier Valley Rail Road Museum preserves and interprets the history of the Ligonier Valley Rail Road, a 10.3-mile railway that connected the communities of Latrobe and Ligonier from 1877 to 1952. The railroad hauled freight and offered passenger service between Latrobe and Ligonier, including destinations like Idlewild Park, which was founded by the railroad's owner, Judge Thomas Mellon. The Museum was opened in 2010 by the Ligonier Valley Rail Road Association in the former Darlington station, built in 1896. Today, the Museum is home to a collection of artifacts and documents, exhibits, and a 1905 Bobber Caboose.

Ligonier Valley Rail Road Museum

On
May 1st 1887, Judge Thomas Mellon leased land from William
Darlington next to Ligonier Valley Railroad for "the right and privilege
to occupy his land for picnic purposes or pleasure grounds.” With the hope of
attracting travelers to the Railroad, previously a coal transport, Mellon
converted the land into a picnic and camp grounds. One year before the park was created, the Civil War
ended and cities became congested and industrialized. This congestion prompted
crammed city dwellers to seek out “country vacations.” Leisure parks, such as
Idlewild, were created in response to this need. &nbsp;The park’s initial grounds included large halls
for picnics and spread out areas for camping. The main attraction at these
pleasure grounds was the man-made lake where visitors could go fishing and
boating.1

Idlewild
continued as a country leisure attraction until 1931, when Richard B. Mellon,
the son of Judge Thomas Mellon, and amusement park guru C.C. Macdonald decided
to expand their operations. Macdonald oversaw the construction of rides,
bandstands, pavilions, and lunchrooms to transform Idlewild into a full-fledged
amusement park. Some of the rides installed during this time are still present
today including the antique Pittsburgh Toboggan Carousel and the “Rollo Coaster."2 Around
the same time as the change in Idlewild’s operations came a change in America.
Starting in 1929, the Great
Depression hit the U.S, changing the way citizens had fun. Despite many
amusement parks shutting down due to low attendance, Idlewild was able to
sustain itself and create a place of fun during a bleak time in Americans’
lives. Idlewild face another change when America joined World War II. The park
was forced to close in 1943 due to low attendance and the national urge for
institutions to focus on war efforts. The war did not remove Idlewild ,however
because in 1947, they opened up again to receive the surge of families seeking consumer
fun in the 1950s.3

In
1952, the Ligonier Valley Railroad closed, but Idlewild adapted by creating a
bigger parking lot to accommodate the increase in automobile transport. Under
the new management of C.C. Macdonald, Macdonald’s plans of Idlewild becoming a
“kiddie” park were underway with the inclusion of miniature rides. In 1954,
Arthur Jennings, one of the Park’s performance clowns, approached Macdonald
with his dream to create a theme park “based on emotion rather than motion.” A partnership was struck and Jennings’ dream became a reality with the creation
of Story Book Forest in 1956. Idlewild and Story Book Forest were at first
marketed as two separate sites, but were joined together in 1959, forever cementing
Idlewild’s image as a place for kids.4

Fast
forward to 1983, the Macdonalds released ownership of the Park and the
Kennywood Corporation took over. The decision was two-fold for the Kennywood
Corporation. First by taking over Idlewild, the Corporation could ensure that it
would not become competition for Kennywood, their primary amusement park in
Pittsburgh. Secondly, they could honor the vision of C.C. Macdonald by
continuing to develop the park for children or “kiddies” (Futrell). In 1985, the H20hhh
Zone was added due to the rise of water-park popularity. Two years later in
1987, Mister Rogers’ Land of Make-Believe was added. In the 1990s, the park
updated their water attractions, doubling the water park’s size and earning the
name “Idlewild Park and Soak Zone."5

In
present times, Idlewild is still operating as a beloved amusement park for local
and distant visitors. Today park-goers will find a host of updated attractions
including one dedicated to the first television show inspired by Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.” In addition to rides,
there are many seasonal events such as the Memorial Day Salute, HALLOBOO! and
the annual Ligonier Highland Games. Due to its success, Idlewild has been named
the “Best Park for Families” by National
Amusement Park Historical Association and has been the recipient of the Golden
Ticket Award for Best Children’s Park eight years in a row.6
With its long history, Idlewild operates today as the third oldest amusement
park in the United States and the oldest running park in Pennsylvania. In
recognition of its historical significance, Idlewild received a historical
marker from the Pennsylvania Historical and
Museum Commission in 2012.7__________________________________________________________________________1. "The History of Idlewild." Idlewild and Soakzone. Accessed February 13, 2018.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.idlewild.com/plan-a-visit/about-idlewild">https://www.idlewild.com/plan-a-visit/about-idlewild</a>. 2. "The History of Idlewild." 3. Futrell, Jim.&nbsp;Amusement Parks of Pennsylvania. (Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2002.), 51-63. 4. Croushore, Jeffrey S.&nbsp;Idlewild. Images of America ed. (Chicago, IL: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.), 51. 5. "The History of Idlewild." 6."Family-Friendly Fun &amp; Adventure." Idlewild.com. March 20, 2019.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.idlewild.com/things-to-do/attractions">https://www.idlewild.com/things-to-do/attractions</a>. – for attractions 7. Wintermantel, Mike. "Idlewild Park." The Historical Marker Database. October 06, 2016.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=60066">https://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=60066</a>.

Located on Route 30 along the historic Lincoln Highway is Idlewild Park and Soak Zone in Ligonier, Pennsylvania. Opened in 1887, Idlewild was initially developed by Judge Thomas Mellon as a means of drawing passengers to the Ligonier Valley Railroad. The Park started as a picnic/camp grounds for visitors to take a “country vacation.” In the 1930s, the Park changed management and began to form into an amusement park. It was in the 1950s when the focus of the Park began to be centered on children and family fun. Maintaining business through the Great Depression, World War I and II, Idlewild stands today as the longest-operating amusement park in Pennsylvania and the 3rd oldest in the nation.

Idlewild Park and Soak Zone

In the eighteenth century, Native American tribes and colonists from Britain and France competed for land that is now western Pennsylvania. Both the British and French claimed this land as rightfully theirs, based on their respective surveys of the land, settlements, trade routes, military outposts, and treaties with Native American tribes who had occupied the land for centuries. Most Native American tribes in the region joined the French effort to drive out the British. In the 1750s, the French began building a chain of forts stretching down the Allegheny and Ohio Rivers, strategic trade and travel routes that the British claimed as part of their colonies. The French, though greatly outnumbered, held Fort Duquesne at the Forks of the Ohio and defeated Colonel George&nbsp;Washington at Fort Necessity and General&nbsp;Edward Braddock's in the Battle of the Monongahela.In 1758, the British planned a counterattack on the French by simultaneously targeting forts at Quebec, Crown Point, Niagara and Duquesne. General John&nbsp;Forbes, assigned to attack at Fort Duquesne, and his men took a different route than General Braddock to the Forks of the Ohio. Their route, known as the Forbes Road, meandered through the forested Allegheny Mountains towards Fort Bedford. Along the way, Forbes's second in command,&nbsp;Colonel Henry&nbsp;Bouquet, ordered an outpost be built between&nbsp;Fort Duquesne&nbsp;and&nbsp;Fort Bedford.&nbsp;This fort would provide the Forbes Expedition with an advantage that the failed Braddock Expedition did not have:&nbsp;a staging area to prepare British forces for the final attack on Fort Duquesne.In September 1758, construction on the fort began. Known as the "Post at Loyalhanna," the fort was&nbsp;later named Fort Ligonier in honor of Sir John Ligonier, a French-born nobleman and Field Marshall of the British Army. In mid-September,&nbsp;British forces under Major James&nbsp;Grant left Fort Ligonier to capture Fort Duquesne, but were quickly defeated by the stronger French forces. In response, the French forces planned an attack on Fort Ligonier to seize their supplies and weaken British presence in the Ohio Valley.&nbsp;On October 12, French and Indian&nbsp;forces attacked Fort Ligonier. At the time, the fort was still under construction. It&nbsp;held around 2,000 British soldiers under the control of Colonel James Burd, whom Colonel Bouquet had left in charge.&nbsp;Though the French and Indian forces pushed British guards and battalions to retreat into the fort, British artillery successfully drove the attackers away. Rather than launch a counterattack, the British continued planning their assault on Fort Duquesne.Fort Ligonier remained an essential outpost as the British gathered supplies, troops, and intelligence that prepared them to attack Fort Duquesne.&nbsp;In mid-November 1785, Fort Duquesne was vulnerable enough for the British to strike. General Forbes and his men, including Colonels Washington, Bouquet and&nbsp;Archibald Montgomerie of Scotland, departed Fort Ligonier. They successfully captured Fort Duquesne, which the French burned as the fled. The reconstructed fort on this location was named Fort Pitt, after William Pitt, the British Secretary of State. This later became the city of Pittsburgh.&nbsp;Fort Ligonier&nbsp;was never taken over by another army, and it served as a refuge for settlers in the Indian Wars. It also was the only strong hold that never fell in the Pontiac Revolt of 1763. After serving seven strong years, Fort Ligonier was abandoned in 1765 by Bouquet's recommendations.&nbsp;Though Fort Ligonier disappeared more than 175 years ago, its location was able to be identified from early military records and maps that outlined the fort. Fort Ligonier's design was based on the principles of continental Europe structure. The structure was mainly made out of earth and timber; which the army had a large surplus. The inner part of the fort was a square shape with pointed projections on all four corners. In the center of the square were storehouses, officer's barracks, power magazine, and other structures.&nbsp;Beginning in 1947, the fort was partially reconstructed. The most recent renovation was the lower inner half inside the walls which includes the officer's barracks and two bastions which are connected by a wall of palisades.&nbsp; Within the reconstructed fort are the officers' mess, barracks, guardroom, underground magazine, commissary, and officers' quarters.&nbsp; Reconstructed buildings outside the fort's&nbsp;walls include the Pennsylvania hospital, a smokehouse, saw mill, forge and bake ovens.&nbsp;The museum's exhibits include&nbsp;the History Gallery, French and Indian War Art Gallery, The World Ablaze: An Introduction to the Seven Years' War exhibit, and the George Washington Exhibit.&nbsp; The&nbsp;eight-acre site recently added its new Fort Ligonier Center for History Education which will be used for educational programming, workshops, lectures and exhibitions.&nbsp;Finally, the fort is the main attraction of Fort Ligonier Days, a three-day arts and heritage festival held every October around the time of the Battle of Fort Ligonier.&nbsp;

Fort Ligonier is a reconstructed eighteenth century fort in Ligonier, Pennsylvania. The fort was established as an outpost for British forces planning an attack on Fort Duquesne in modern-day Pittsburgh. On October 12, 1758, the British successfully defended Fort Ligonier from an attack by French and Indian forces. Less than two months later, General John Forbes, along with Colonels George Washington, Henry Bouquet, and Archibald Montgomerie, departed Fort Ligonier and successfully captured Fort Duquesne on November 25. The capture of Fort Duquesne, replaced by Fort Pitt, solidified British occupation of the Forks of the Ohio and led to the establishment of Pittsburgh. Fort Ligonier was reconstructed in the mid-twentieth century and is the setting of historical reenactments, tours, and a state-of-the-art museum that interprets the history of the Pennsylvania frontier and French and Indian War. 

Fort Ligonier

The Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art (SAMA) was founded in 1976 at Saint Francis University in Loretto, Pennsylvania. The Museum began with a permanent collection of 67 works of art. Other locations opened in Hollidaysburg (1979) which moved to Altoona (1995), Johnstown (1982), Ligonier (1997) and Bedford (2018). SAMA now has a permanent collection of 5,000 works across all locations featuring nationally-recognized artists such as Will Barnet, William Baziotes, Albert Bierstadt, Mary Cassatt, Walt Kuhn, Thomas Moran, Gilbert Stuart, Thomas Sully, and Andy Warhol. SAMA's location in Ligonier opened in the fall of 1997. Since then, more than 100,000 visitors have attended more than 50 exhibitions at the Museum. These exhibitions have highlighted local, regional, and national artists, and included juried shows for professionals and students. Additionally, the Museum is home to the Walter Carlyle Shaw Paperweight Collection, and showcases these beautiful, unique works of art spanning 150 years in changing exhibits. Elizabeth Shaw Gamble donated the collection of 169 glass paperweights to SAMA in 1992 in memory of her father. SAMA-Ligonier is located in an historic house along Route 711, just down the road from downtown Ligonier. The Museum's exhibits extend outdoors with beautiful gardens and the Donald M. Robinson Sculpture Park, named in memory of a photographer from Altoona who has much of his work housed at SAMA. As a community museum, SAMA-Ligonier emphasizes community art projects and education. Programs like their Arts-in-Education (AIE) and Artist-in-Residence (AIR) initiatives connect artists and art educators to students in local schools, who learn about artistic techniques, history, criticism, and aesthetics. Other programs include children's art camps, workshops for adults, speaker presentations, art walks, and various community events throughout the year. SAMA also participates in the Ligonier Valley's Free Museum Day, an annual event that offers free admission and special activities at local museums. SAMA received accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) in 1996 and has been a partner of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) since 1998.

The Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art (SAMA) is a community art museum with locations in the southwestern Pennsylvania cities of Altoona, Bedford, Johnstown, Ligonier, and Loretto, where the museum was founded in 1976. The Ligonier location opened in 1997 and has since collected and exhibited the works of numerous local, regional, and national artists working in various mediums. The museum at Ligonier offers changing exhibits, educational programs, juried shows, artists-in-residence programs, workshops, and a sculpture garden, connecting people of the Ligonier Valley and surrounding area with the arts. SAMA successfully operates the nation’s longest-running museum satellite system.

Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art, Ligonier

Driving along the Lincoln Highway in the Ligonier Valley, all visitors would be in for a satisfying surprise to come to the Ligonier Beach sign that stood as the entrance to the gigantic pool that was home to fun summers, music, laughter, and a relaxation spot welcome to all.&nbsp; The Ligonier Beach was one of a kind measuring a tremendous 400-foot by 125-foot pool that held over 1.3 million gallons of water.&nbsp; Tourists traveling along the Lincoln High were always welcomed with a smile to envision themselves relaxing on a beach with their children playing in the pool water.&nbsp; The Ligonier Beach is touched the lives of everyone who came and soaked in the fun.&nbsp; “People like to tell stories about spending time at the pool.&nbsp; Now they bring their grandchildren here to see it” (Brehun).&nbsp; Once the largest swimming pool in America, the Ligonier Beach offered a family experience to all with great food and other attractions that kept visitors coming year after year.

The Ligonier Beach all started by Nick Gallo, a Ligonier native who found hot summer days needing a cooling outlet for the community.&nbsp; The Ligonier community had never had a pool as vast as the one Nick Gallo created himself with the help of his family in 1925, but on the day July 2 the Ligonier Beach was officially open to the public.&nbsp; It was an instant hit for the community and all driving across the Lincoln Highway and looked to stop on a seemingly endless drive on a summer day.&nbsp; With a diving board, sand surrounded entrance to the cooling waters, and a beautifully designed fountain in the middle of the enormous pool, the Ligonier Beach had all the features to make visitors wanting to turn their cars right back around and come for more.&nbsp; The Ligonier Beach included a small restaurant with great homemade foods, a pool house, and bar for the adults.&nbsp; It acquired musical guests over the years that would have special concerts some days in the open field the Ligonier Beach consisted of with beach chairs lined up around the pool.

Nick Gallo handed over the ownership of Ligonier beach to another Ligonier native, Ray Graham.&nbsp; With his run as owner for ten years came minor changes, and then the ownership was put in the hands of daughter and son-in-law of Graham, Sherry and Steve Kozar (Smykla). One item that stayed consistent throughout the years is the Ligonier Beach sign.&nbsp; “A row of raised red neon reads LIGONIER as a double line traces BEACH, greeting motorists traveling east and west.&nbsp; Once America’s largest” (Baron).&nbsp; The sign greeted all who passed and became a lasting welcoming to visitors, and a friendly goodbye as drivers went back on their way after staying at the Ligonier Beach.&nbsp; The Ligonier Beach sign has been touched up and repaired but has been being still the same exact that stood as the “gateway to Ligonier” (Brehun) as it did when first put up by Nick Gallo.

After passing the Ligonier Beach sign and entering the pool, guests were welcomed by homemade meals, guest singers, and even a poolside bar.&nbsp; Ligonier Beach hosted activities like dance nights where they would bring live singers, that made the poolside a dancefloor for everyone.&nbsp; The later years of Ligonier Beach offered a disc jockey instead of live performances.&nbsp; The music was captivating to everyone and the food Ligonier Beach offered made the stay so much more worthwhile.&nbsp; Every attraction needs great food, and Ligonier Beach definitely delivered.

There would be home-cooked food by patrons, specials like 90 cent pizza, hamburgers, hotdogs, and a variety of foods that everyone could find something they’d enjoy on a hot summer day.

What truly made the people rush out of their cars and into the pool were the prize wooden chairs laid out poolside.&nbsp; As they were numbered, the chairs were a hot commodity for the early birds.&nbsp; Those who would get to Ligonier Beach first would rush to claim their chairs and hold them the entire day spent at the Beach.&nbsp; These chairs became so valuable to some visitors they have turned into household furniture as a way to keep memories of Ligonier Beach alive.&nbsp;It may not have been the ocean, but Ligonier Beach was more than worth the stop on the Lincoln Highway on a hot summer day.&nbsp;

Flooding in 2018 closed Ligonier Beach indefinitely. The owners, Mr. and Mrs. Kozar began to have trouble keeping the pool in its original condition after severe flooding before the 2018 season and felt it was best to retire the pool. Prior to the flooding, in 2016 a teenage boy stole from the Ligonier Beach, opened the beer taps, and burned a pool house down (Hilmer).&nbsp; The costs and reconstructions took a toll on the Beach and the owners then shut the pool and resort down until it was functional and safe again. The Ligonier Beach remains permanently closed and it has taken its effects on the entire community.&nbsp; The Ligonier Valley suffered a loss when the Ligonier Beach closed because it was a foundation to so many great times throughout the years, and old patrons have come to try to resurrect the Beach.&nbsp;&nbsp;The community has begun to act to try and buy the property back from the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (Pierce).&nbsp; The community is coming together to try to bring back the Ligonier Beach and recreate the place so many came to love year after year, driving across the Lincoln Highway passing through Ligonier Valley.&nbsp; The reopening would make a local landmark once again live on for the entire community.

Founded on July 2nd, 1925, Ligonier Beach was a fun and relaxing way for travelers driving across the Lincoln Highway.  The massive 400-foot by 125-foot pool was once America’s largest swimming pool.  Accompanied by a slide, fountain and great local, homemade food added for one of the best summer stops among tiresome families.  The giant swimming pool offered many activities like live bands, buffets, and lowered admission days.  The famous Ligonier Beach sign was welcoming to all who were looking to cool off and enjoy the Ligonier community. After severe flooding in 2018, Ligonier Beach is closed indefinitely. 

Ligonier Beach

Linn Run is a national state park that was purchased in 1909. This land was originally bought and purchased from the Byers and Allen Lumber Company for $42,662. Although years ago, this park was considered a waste land it now stands as a flourished park located in the Pennsylvania mountains. This park has many commodities that include, camping, fishing, public trials, waterfalls, and scenic views that can be enjoyed any time of the year. 	The heart pf the Laurel Mountain is what is to be considered of this park. The park had land ranges that started from 1,300 feet to 2,800 feet above sea level. When the land was purchased, the commonwealth had marked it as one of the first major public purchase of denuded forest land in the Ohio Rover Basin. That is where the common use of “wasteland” had come from when the land had been purchases because someone people had questions the wisdom of the purchases and how to imagine what and would end up looking like in the future. During the time of the original purchase the newly formed Pennsylvania Game Commission had cooperated with the former Department of Forestry to restock the deer population in the park. White- tailed deer were imported from New York and Michigan for release.	Some of the most profound historical aspects of this park are where some budlings that had been built in the 1920s still have some remaining standing structures. Within the land of Linn Run State Park there is an abandoned hunting lodge that still sits with some of its original structure. The stone constructed fireplace is one of the still standing structures within the lodge. During the 1920’s the state of Pennsylvania had encouraging city dwellers to building “weekend retreats”. One of the most famous structures known was the McGinnis Rod &amp; Gun Club Inc that was built ion 1922, the club had existed for roughly 20 years before the building had a fire and only left the remained of the stone walls and the fireplace that is seen today when visiting the park. The land that the lodge had sat one was then absorbed by the Linn Run State Park.	The park offers multiple activities for all sorts of individuals wanting to experience the park and the recreations it offers. Some of the activities include, bicycling, camping, fishing, hiking, historical sites, horseback riding, hunting, picnicking, and water sports. There are nine rustic cabins and one modern cabin that are available for year-round rental. But during the summer months only weekly rentals are available.  The streams that run through this state park are very often used for fishing and man of them lead to scenic waterfalls. One of the most commonly known waterfalls is the Adams fall. This particular waterfall you have the ability to stand behind the falls in the recess of the rocks that surround the waterfall.

Linn Run is a national state park that was purchased in 1909. Although years ago, this park was considered a waste land it now stands as a flourished park located in the Pennsylvania mountains. This park has many commodities that include, camping, fishing, public trials, waterfalls, and scenic views that can be enjoyed any time of the year. The heart pf the Laurel Mountain is what is to be considered of this park. The park had land ranges that started from 1,300 feet to 2,800 feet above sea level. Some of the most profound historical aspects of this park are where some budlings that had been built in the 1920s still have some remaining standing structures. Within the land of Linn Run State Park there is an abandoned hunting lodge that still sits with some of its original structure. The McGinnis Rod &amp; Gun Club Inc that was built in 1922, the club had existed for roughly 20 years before the building had a fire and only left the remained of the stone walls and the fireplace that is seen today when visiting the park. The park also offers multiple activities for all sorts of individuals wanting to experience the park and the recreations it offers. Some of the activities include, bicycling, camping, fishing, hiking, historical sites, horseback riding, hunting, picnicking, and water sports.

Linn Run State Park

In 1797, Laughlintown was founded by Robert Laughlin as a
small town which would grow to accommodate travelers along the Pennsylvania
State Road and later the Pennsylvania Turnpike.&nbsp;
Roughly following the path of Forbes Road, the State Road was the first
official road stretch across Pennsylvania.&nbsp;
Situated at the foot of the Laurel Hill, the small town of Laughlintown
developed into a rest stop, boasting at least six inns and dozens of small
businesses.

As the State Road deteriorated, the state made the decision
to construct a turnpike, primarily funded by private companies.&nbsp; It was during this time that Robert and
Rachel Armor came to Laughlintown and purchased what was then a log inn, which
was originally a drover’s inn.&nbsp; Situated
directly on the Turnpike, the couple saw the potential for increased business, made
the decision to expand the inn and added a stone wing, creating a higher class
Inn for stagecoach passengers.

Stagecoaches played a vital role in American history.&nbsp; The first form of mass communication and
transportation, it connected the young country through rapid travel times.&nbsp; By the 1830s, a stagecoach could make it from
Philadelphia to Pittsburgh in approximately 56 hours. Most stagecoaches adhered
to a strict schedule, as many carried the mail.&nbsp;
People relied on the stagecoaches and travelers to find out what was
happening in other parts of the country. Travel was crowded and uncomfortable, but
it was the fastest at the time.

Once at Compass Inn, passengers and drivers were able to
find everything they needed.&nbsp; The Inn and
family provided lodging and meals for the travelers, and a barn and Blacksmith
shop were available to tend to the needs of the coach and horses. Inside the
tavern, the family worked hard to supply guests with the necessities.&nbsp; By our standards today, these taverns would
be dirty, uncomfortable places with a staff that wouldn’t go out of their way
to accommodate visitors. What made Compass Inn a nicer place was the use of a
sitting room, or ladies parlor in addition to the common room, and ample
sleeping space upstairs with beds for guests. Food would be provided in
abundance.

Today, Compass Inn Museum captures the history of stagecoach
travel and the daily life of the 19th century.&nbsp; Guided tours take visitors through the inn,
which is filled with period furnishings, as well as the fully functioning
cookhouse and Blacksmith shop.&nbsp; There is
also a reconstructed barn which houses a restored Conestoga Wagon and
Stagecoach.

Compass Inn Museum and Historic Site is a restored 19th century stagecoach stop along the original Philadelphia-Pittsburgh Turnpike.  Originally built in 1799, Compass Inn captures the history of fast-paced stagecoach culture and the family history of seven generations of the Armor family who lived there.

The site features a fully functioning cookhouse and Blacksmith shop along with a reconstructed barn containing a restored Conestoga Wagon and stagecoach.  Compass Inn Museum was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995 and sits along the Lincoln Highway.


Compass Inn Museum

Green Gables Restaurant is a place for fine-dining and exploration. A modern-day marvel, crossing the threshold takes you back in time to Jennerstown Pa. in 1927, when James (Jimmie) Stoughton decided to make a change. &nbsp;	Jimmie decided working on Maurer Farm (his grandfather’s farm)&nbsp;wasn’t going to satisfy him any longer. Together with his sister, Louise Maust, he opened a sandwich stand and served chicken salad sandwiches and angel food cake. The sandwich stand was erected on the southwest corner of the farm, due to its proximity to Route 985, and the famous Lincoln Highway. Jennerstown is a ‘road town,’ with most of its homes and eateries located on The Highway, or a few short miles off the main road. The culture of the Highway during its heyday in the 20’s and 30’s was one of deliberate, casual travel. It was always more about the drive than the destination. The beautiful scenery along the road as well as the landmarks along it made for an exciting and memorable experience. After a successful first year, an indoor dining room was added onto the simple stand. As the restaurant continued to grow in popularity, more and more was added on, leaving us with the charming patchwork building we see today. Stoughton was more than an entrepreneur, he was an artist. Many of his paintings, including a self portrait in the main dining room, hang throughout the restaurant. He loved antiques, and many pieces of his collection decorate the establishment. His eye for art is clear as you walk through the restaurant. Stoughton's works aren’t the only ones featured in his restaurant, many paintings by interesting artists can be discovered as you explore the building.&nbsp;	One of the most extravagant rooms of the restaurant is the Tuscany Room. After a fire in 1962, Stoughton hired a local architect to design a new banquet room. Unheard of at the time, he hired a female. A unique feature of the design of the Tuscany Room are the four tree trunks, over 400 years old at the time they were cut down, that act as pillars and the corners of the dance floor. The collaboration between Stoughton and Teresa Mullane, the architect, resulted in a beautiful design...and a beautiful marriage. Through the project, they fell in love. They had two daughters, Teresa and Mary Louise; and the eldest,&nbsp;Teresa Stoughton Marafino, now carries on&nbsp;her father’s legacy by continuing to operate the restaurant.	Green Gables Restaurant remains today as a piece of the areas history. A far cry from its humble beginnings, Green Gables now offers a laid-back and luxurious dining experience throughout the&nbsp;year. A tradition started in 1936, weddings are often held amidst the beautiful scenery. Charming and unique, the spirit of Green Gables has to be experienced to be believed. So stop in; today visitors are invited to explore the restaurant and grounds, request a tour to learn more about the history of this hidden gem, and enjoy a meal.

Green Gables Restaurant in Jennerstown, Pa. is an upscale eatery with a historic past. In 1927, James Stoughton opened a sandwich stand on the corner of his grandfather’s farm. After a successful first year, the stand was expanded, and rooms and gathering spaces were added on as necessary. Today Green Gables offers a look into the past, displaying many of Stoughton’s paintings and antiques, while offering a modern dining experience. Stop in to explore the grounds, admire the architecture, and learn a thing or two as you wait for a meal. 

Green Gables Restaurant 

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;On July 24, 2002, eighteen coal miners at the Quecreek Mine in Somerset
County Pennsylvania &nbsp;accidentally&nbsp;dug into an abandoned mine, the Saxman Mine. Around
50 million gallons of water rushed in and flooded the room at around 9pm. Eighteen
miners were 240 feet underground and in danger. The miners were split into two
groups of nine at the time. The nine miners in the 2-Left panel escaped around 9:45pm
and called 911 immediately. Emergency personal were at the site by 10:30pm and
families were waiting to hear news of their loved ones. Around 11:30 rescuers
were making calls to find a drill that would make a big enough hole for bring
the men to the surface. They found one in Clarksburg, West Virginia. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The first attempt to help
the miners was to slow the flooding by pumping pout water and to drill a hole
down to the trapped miners for air. When the drill arrived from Clarksburg it
was put to use at once. The drill got to about 105 feet when it broke. It was
brought back up but a piece was stuck in the hole. After 18 hours drilling
began again with a 26 inch drill bit. A second hole had been started as a backup
as well. The drill bit for the second hole broke and was in progress of being
fixed when hole number one broke into the mine.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;After the drill broke into
the mine air tests were taken to see if airlock was needed but they were equal
and it would not be needed. Communication was then sent down to the mine. All
nine miners were in good condition except for one with chest pains. The 8½-foot
high steel mesh escape capsule was then lowered to the miners with supplies.
The miner with chest pains was the first to arrive on the surface at around 1am
on July 28th. The rest of the miners would come up with the heaviest
first and the lightest being last. At around 2:45am all miners were safely
brought to the surface.The site where the drilling
rescue occurred is now a memorial park open to visitors and includes all the capped shafts drilled to save the miners, a 7-foot bronze statue of a miner, and the Monument for life Memorial.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Visitor's Center houses numerous artifacts from the rescue to include the miner's clothes, the rescue capsule used to&nbsp;bring the miners to the surface, and an NBC television van used to cover the rescue.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Quecreek Mine Rescue took place July 24-28, 2002 in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. Miners accidentally dug into an abandoned mine which caused flooding. Of the eighteen miners, nine were able to escape while the other nine were trapped underground for over 77 hours. All nine miners were were rescued successfully. The site is now open to visitors to see where and how the miners were rescued. There is also a memorial named the Monument for Life which honors the men and women who helped save the miners. 

Quecreek Mine Rescue Site and Visitor's Center

The Lincoln Highway was America’s first coast-to-coast highway that winds its way through centuries of Pennsylvania’s history. The creation of the Lincoln Highway had a significant impact on how people of that time period traveled. As automobiles became more popular, they faced challenges to keep up with the demands of the tourists traveling along these roads. Roadways such as the Lincoln Highway helped generate jobs such as gas stations, hotels, restaurants, and diners for the convenience of tourists who were traveling along these roads. Another reason why the Lincoln Highway was so popular is because of the roadside attractions along the way of the highway. These type of roadside attractions were so unique compared to any other highway. One attraction in particular that is unique in its own right is the Bicycle Roadside Giants. Architectural structures such as the Bicycle Roadside Giant are what make the journey along the Lincoln Highway so interesting.

During the days of the early formation of the Lincoln Highway, Roadside Giants were very influential for the roadways popularity.&nbsp; It was the roadside giant concept of the early 1900s that triggered a great partnership between the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor and the five Career and Technology school districts in 2009. The organization has helped create roadside giants along the Lincoln Highway in Pennsylvania's Westmoreland, Somerset, Bedford, Fulton, Franklin and Adams Counties. The Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor (LHHC) is a nonprofit organization that was founded in 1996. Each school involved with this project all had the same guidelines and budget. &nbsp;Each school was also given a committee of 7-10 individuals from each community worked in an advisory capacity with the students on a regular basis at the school. A professional structural engineer, Paul McQuade, oversaw all design and installation elements. However, the main goal for this campaign was not just to attract tourists and create brand new additions to the Lincoln Highway Roadside Museum, but also to teach all the students about its historic impact. The project seeks to bring together people in the community and provide them with a unique opportunity to educate students and allow them to leave there own personal impact/footprint through the creation of a sculpture.

Roadside Giants have had a lasting impact, especially on the Lincoln Highway. Still to this day more are being created because they are such a popular attraction to tourists who travel along the Lincoln Highway. One attraction, in particular, that is more modern from the other attractions is the Bicycle Roadside Giant. The roadside giant is near the intersection of Routes 30 and 219 near Jennerstown PA. The tandem bicycle is one of five Roadside Giants that you can see driving along the Lincoln Highway in Pennsylvania. The steel and iron bicycle itself is 17-foot-tall, 22’ wide and weighs nearly 2,000 pounds. It is located on the property of the owners of a local re-sale shop, called Second Time Around.&nbsp;Construction of this roadside giant was done by the students at Somerset County Technology Center. The administrative director of the project was Georgia Yeager and had nearly 420 student volunteers helping with the project. The students at this school found their inspiration for this sculpture because of Somerset County's many bike trails, like the popular Great Allegheny Passage. Cycling and Somerset County seem to go hand in hand. Whether it is the Great Allegheny Passage, or another of the County's rails to trails, residents and visitors alike love cycling there. So, there wasn't much discussion when the students designed a Bicycle Built for Two as their Roadside Giant of the Lincoln Highway.

Much of any successful student project come from an enthusiastic and capable instructor who was willing to have the students experience something outside the standard classroom project; and interested in showing students how the skills they have learned in high school today can be translated into employment opportunities in the future. &nbsp;The history of the Lincoln Highway shows how travel has evolved over time - from the good roads movement&nbsp;to a movement to also improve roads for bicyclists. People who go and visit these types of roadside attractions are able to come away with the history, architecture and tradition that comes from these structures.

The Bicycle Roadside Giant was constructed in 2009, near the intersection of Routes 30 and 219 near Jennerstown PA. The tandem bicycle is one of five Roadside Giants that you are able to see as you drive along the Lincoln Highway. The bicycle itself is 17-feet-tall and weighs nearly 2,000 pounds. The construction of this roadside giant was done by the students at Somerset County Technology Center created this Bicycle Built for Two for the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor's Roadside Giants project. The students at this school found their inspiration for this sculpture because of Somerset County's many bike trails, like the popular Great Allegheny Passage. The Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor (LHHC) is a nonprofit organization that was founded in 1996. In 2008, the nonprofit Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor worked with Career and Technology Center students from five school districts along the 200-mile Pennsylvania Corridor to create supersized welded roadside sculptures, reminiscent of early 20th century buildings along the historic Lincoln Highway. 

Bicycle Roadside Giant 

The Flight 93 National Memorial was technically created when President George W. Bush signed the Flight 93 National Memorial Act on September 24, 2002 and added the site to the National Register of Historic Places. It wasn’t until November 8, 2009 that ground was officially broken at a ceremony led by then Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and attended by Governor Ed Rendell, Senator Bob Casey, and Representatives John Murtha and Bill Shuster, as well as National Park officials, first responders, and family members of the passengers. It was originally planned to dedicate the memorial on September 11, 2011 but construction was delayed due to a variety of factors.The “field of honor” is now divided into Memorial Plaza, Tower of Voices, and Wall of Names. The Memorial was designed by Paul Murdoch Architects of Los Angeles, California with Nelson Byrd Woltz of Charlottesville, Virginia who were the winners of an international design competition in 2005. Their design was selected from 1,000 designs from forty-eight states and twenty-seven countries.The construction on the Tower of Voices didn’t begin until 2017 and is the first thing visitors see upon entering the park. The tower contains forty chimes to represent the “eternal voices” of the passengers and are meant to serve as an audible and visual reminder of their heroism. The tower consists of chimes that vary in size, between five and ten feet, and each chime as its own unique pitch that contribute to a collective tune.Memorial Plaza, the actual crash site is marked by a 17-ton sandstone boulder that also serves as a grave maker for the victims whose remains were unable to be recovered. First responders describe the place where the plane crashed as an irregularly shaped crater about fifteen feet deep and about thirty feet across filled with unrecognizable pieces of twisted metal, frames of seats, pieces of luggage and other debris. Investigators found debris in nearby farmer’s fields, peoples yards in a pond nearby. Once the investigation was completed the coroner established a fence line to encompass the crash site and ordered that the crater to be filled in. The crater was backfilled and layered with six inches of topsoil and seeded with grass and wildflowers. The site is often referred to as “Sacred Ground”.Black sloping granite walls run parallel to the line established by the coroner and guide visitors along Memorial Plaza with the crash site on the left and the Visitors Center on the right as the visitor walks towards the Wall of Names. The wall consists of forty white marble slabs standing ten feet high, three inches thick and positioned next to each other follow the flight path of the plane before its crash and point to the boulder. Each slab bears the name of one of the thirty-three passengers or seven flight crew who died in the crash.The Flight 93 National Memorial will always be the final resting place of the forty victims who died ensuring that the plane would not reach its intended target. It is significant not only as a memorial of a national tragedy, but also as monument to the heroes who died to ensuring the plane would never reach those who would have been its victims.

The Flight 93 National Memorial sits on about 2,200 acres of land while the actual memorial occupies only about 400 acres. The land where the memorial sits is often referred to as “A common field one day. A field of honor forever.” The land became a crash site on September 11, 2001 when the passengers of Flight 93 fought back against three hijackers. It became a memorial two days later when a Pennsylvania State Trooper, who was providing security to what was at the time an active crime scene, brought a flag to his post to inspire the workers at the site and to show support in the time of a national crisis. A temporary memorial, referred to as Memorial Gate, was erected on a forty-foot fence, for the forty victims, where people left cards, flowers, teddy bears, rosaries, flags and cards. The permanent memorial is free to enter and open to the public.

9/11 Flight 93 Memorial

The S.S. Grand View Point Hotel’s story began long before it was built. It started in the mid-1920s when Herbert Paulson bought a stand on Grand View Point near Bedford, Pennsylvania. This stand was owned by a guy the locals called Mr. Richelieu when Paulson bought it for $3,200. Paulson expanded the stand calling it Grand View Point Inn. Then he expanded again using a castle theme accompanied by a matching gas station. This was the start of what would later become the famous S.S. Grand View Point Ship Hotel.

The construction process was not a smooth as Mr. Paulson, who would later be known as the “Captain,” would have liked. The state was worried that it would slide off the hill. Paulson was reluctant and said, “It’s my property- either you let me build it or you buy the property.” So, construction went underway. The ship closing, over the piers of the existing building. The project required 63.5 tons of steel and cost $125,000 borrowed at 16% interest. Another hurdle that needed to be overcome was the steepness of the hill. The construction team had to go down thirty-two feet before they hit rock solid enough to support the foundation. After construction was finished, it was ready for its “Grand” opening.

Around noon on May 29th, 1932, the ship hotel was officially opened for the first time. Articles in the May 6th and 27th, 1932 Bedford Gazette announced the grand opening dates to the public. An estimated 500,000 visitors stopped on the dedication day. Upon entering, a gift shop was to the right, the bow, filled with knick-knacks from around the world, including American Indian jewelry and moccasins Paulson especially liked. To the left was the main dining room and marble-topped bar and soda fountain. Linoleum flooring resembled waves on water, life preservers hung on sea-green walls and the room was painted with murals recalling the captain's trips to Holland. A smaller dining room at the far corner was reserved for banquets and parties; it featured a mural of eleven sailors said to be the Grand View Orchestra. Both rooms boasted a fabulous and famous view. &nbsp;The hotel offered concerts, tours, and staff inspections during the grand opening. Herbert’s granddaughter recalls the upstairs rooms were called “first class,” the lower rooms were called “second class” and “third class.” The employees who lived on the bottom floor joked that they lived in the steerage.&nbsp;The ship kept a log of customers and included famous names like Clara Bow, George Burns, Joan Crawford, Henry Ford, Greta Garbo, Lillian Gish, Tom Mix, J. P. Morgan, Buddy Rogers, Rudy Vallee, George Raft, Mary Pickford. The ship’s ninth log which ran from September 1936 to June 1938, had more than 102,000 names, including tourists from every state and 72 foreign countries. 

The S.S. Grand View Point Ship Hotel had a lot to offer to its visitors. One of the main attractions is the fact that a person could view seven counties and 3 states (PA, WV, MD). The ship had a lookout deck on one corner with various telescopes to view the sights. It was only located about eighty miles east of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This was not a far drive to spend a night on a ship hotel and enjoy what it had to offer such as dances. Dances were held on the decks during evenings in the 1930s and early 1940s. The only downside to this hotel was the fact that the restrooms were down the hill on a long walk. To make up for this walk, visitors could see ponds filled with fish on the way down.&nbsp;

The Ship Hotel had many years of great success. However, business declined in the 1940s as the Pennsylvania Turnpike took most of the travelers from the Lincoln Highway. The Paulsons retained ownership of the ship until the 1970s, when they sold it off. The new owners tried reviving it, calling it Noah’s Ark. They covered it with wooden planking and built a zoo over by the gas station. The decaying Ship Hotel burnt down in 2001. While it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997, it was delisted in 2002 after its destruction.

The S.S. Grand View Point Ship Hotel was a place where many memories were made. Many of the previous staff remember each other as family. During its’ nearly forty years of service, it has seen many visitors with many different backgrounds. There was an effort to try an restore the ship before it burnt down. An estimate was done, and it would cost about $2.6 million to restore the structure. That is a lot of money to raise, however, there may be hope. Will it be possible to once again see the S.S. Grand View Point Ship Hotel back on its’ glorious perch on Grand View Point? Many people would like to revisit the once-hopping establishment.

Upon climbing the Appalachian Mountains and rounding the corner of Grand View Point, a ship stood on the side of the mountain. The S.S. Grand View Ship Hotel was the site of live bands, good food, and a place to stay the night. Since 1932, people have stopped at the ship hotel at Grandview Point to "See 3 States and 7 Counties," as the sign on the ship's hull proclaimed to all passing motorists for nearly 60 years. After closing , the Ship Hotel burned down in 2001. The ship was part of a time when people did not race to their destination, when the success of a trip was measured by the enjoyment of the journey, not just the number of miles accomplished per hour.

S.S. Grand View Ship Hotel

Taking
a trip along the Lincoln Highway, the first road to cross the nation, was so
much more than a drive. Traveling on the highway was about the whole experience.
While the Lincoln Highway, established in 1913, has undergone several
improvements and changes over the years, some businesses, such as the Lincoln
Motor Court, aim to preserve the community-oriented experience of life along
the highway.1

The
Lincoln Highway quickly grew in popularity. By the 1920s, travel by automobile was becoming very popular, causing
the roadside landscape to change.2 During the 1930s the road had to
be widened and straightened out to accommodate the growing number of travelers.3 The expansion of the
roadway resulted in an increase in the number of businesses along the road,
especially at the top of large hills. A steep climb could result in the
overheating of older cars, meaning that they would need a chance to cool down.
While they waited, the travelers would make use of the new business’ services.4

There
were many popular attractions in and around Bedford, Pennsylvania, such as the
Coffee Pot5, established
in 1927, and the Shawnee State Park, that attracted many travelers.6 The expansion of the
Shawnee Lake, in particular drastically increased the number of tourists. With
the growth of the town, visitors would often want to come and spend the night,
to rest from their travels, and make time to see many of these well-known
attractions. Before the advent of motor courts and cabins, people would stop
along the road and camp near their cars. People tended to camp in clusters, which
was the beginning of cottages, motels, and motor courts. Many people started to
establish their own cottage court businesses because they were simple to make
and relatively easy to manage.7&nbsp;Between 1930 and 1939 the total number of tourist cabin businesses
drastically increased.8 <div><div>

</div>

</div>



Clyde
Crissey Jr established the motor court, with the help of Thomas Mitchell, a
carpenter, between 1940 and 1945. The Lincoln Motor Court was an attempt to
expand business, as Crissey already owned the Hotel Lincoln on the opposite
side of the road. The Lincoln Motor Court was built near the top of ‘Tull’s
Hill’ in Bedford, PA. ‘Tull’s Hill’ was named after the Tull family, whose farm
was located on the hillside. In 1777, the family was killed on their farm by Indian
tribes.9 Despite its violent
background, the hill was a great spot for a roadside business. 

Throughout
the following years, ownership of the motor court changed quite a few times. The
Lincoln Motor Court was passed to Holmes and Margaret M. Boore in 1945. In
1956, Holmes Boore was given the property, but ended up selling it to Blanche B
Mitchell, Thomas Mitchell’s second wife, ten days later. In 1965, the court was
sold to the Mitchell’s daughter Harriet and her husband Joseph G. Mihelcic who
owned it until 1978. At that point, the Mihelcics sold the court to Joseph and
Joyce Gossard for $33,500. &nbsp;Finally, in
1983, the court was sold to the current owners, Robert J. Altizer, Jr. and his
wife Deborah Altizer for approximately $25,000. In addition to the ownership,
the name of the motor court was also changed. In 1983, the Altizers changed the
name to the Country Comfort Motel, but it didn’t last very
long.10 A few years later, the court was restored to its original name, The
Lincoln Motor Court, to commemorate the historical significance of the highway.11

Today,
Robert and Deborah Altizer work hard to preserve the unique charm of the Lincoln
Motor Court, as it is the last remaining, functioning motor court along the
Lincoln Highway. The court is still complete with 12 separate cabins positioned
in a “U” shape around a courtyard and the owners’ house. Each cabin is complete
with a small porch overlooking the courtyard which promotes that important
value of community. The owners have tried to maintain as much of the original
style and character of the cottages as possible. Inside each cabin, there are
objects typical of the 1940s and 50s, such as radios, quilts, dollies, and
suitcases.12 Wood paneling and ceramic
bathrooms are an iconic part of the Motor Court’s cabins, to transport the
guests back in time.13

As
the last remaining motor court still serving overnight guests along the Lincoln
Highway, the Lincoln Motor Court has a significant role in preserving unique
parts of the Lincoln Highway experience.14 Pennsylvania Preservation had a program in 2014 called "Pennsylvania at Risk" that helped support the Lincoln Motor Court. In 2008, they were featured in a documentary, "A Ride Along
the Lincoln Highway," which also helped to support the success of the business.15 The court continues to
serve all kinds of guests, providing them with much more than a place to stay.
The Lincoln Motor Court offers its visitors an immersive experience to witness
the lifestyle and culture of life on the Lincoln Highway.&nbsp; <div><div>

</div>

</div>

Between 1940 and 1945, The Lincoln Motor Court was established by Clyde Crissey Jr and carpenter Thomas Mitchell. The Motor Court was built along the Lincoln Highway in the ever-popular Bedford County, PA to provide travelers a place to stay along the roadside. The Lincoln Motor Court is the only remaining, fully-functioning motor court along the highway today. The 12 cabins have been kept as close to original as possible, offering visitors an opportunity to immerse themselves into the rich history and culture of the Lincoln Highway. 

The Lincoln Motor Court

The Lincoln Highway was
the first transcontinental highway across the United States. It winded from New
York to San Francisco, going through states like New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West
Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and
Nevada, reaching a length of 3,389-mile. The highway brought with its family
road trips and a booming economy along its roads. Diners, gas station and
hotels all saw opportunities to attract travelers. One of the ideas they came
up with were roadside giants. Roadside giants became normal stops for travelers
along the Lincoln Highway because they were seen as novelties of classical
Americana. These giants consisted of giant shoes, ships, gas pumps and more.<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[1]</a>

In Bedford County,
Pennsylvania, Albert (Bert) Koontz had&nbsp;an 18-foot-tall and 22-foot-wide brick
building constructed in the shape of a coffee pot. This structure was connected to Koontz
Garage and Service Station and was originally a small luncheonette. It was
commonly known as Koontz Coffee Pot. The Bedford section of the Lincoln Highway
was a very high-volume traffic area, so it was an ideal spot for the Coffee Pot
to be placed here. Programmatic and novelty architecture was quite popular in
the early 20th century because when “the automobile became
affordable and roads improved, businesses competed visually along the highway
promoting business owners to erect these eye-catching structures.”<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[2]</a>

The Coffee Pot caught
fire on the morning of December 29th, 1955 while in the hands of Mr.
and Mrs. Dawson who lived in the attached hotel. It was saved but suffered
about $8000 worth of damage in today’s economy (2019).<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[3]</a> After the fire, the
building had different roles and could not replicate its production from its
hay day. It was used as a bus station, a bar, and a diner. It ultimately closed
in the 1980s and fell into disrepair as the years went by all the way up until
the year 2000. It was purchased by Samuel Lashley and his sons along with the
gas station that it was connected to.

Lashley and his sons did
not have the required funds to repair the Coffee Pot. Sam Lashley told The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette,
“...it should be restored. I’d like to see it restored.” Luckily, for Lashley
and the city of Bedford, The Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor was very
interested in restoring this roadside giant. The Lincoln Highway Corridor was
designated in 1995 by Governor Tom Ridge; it is one of twelve Heritage Areas in
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.&nbsp; The
LHHC’s work of economic development through tourism takes place along a
six-county, 200-mile Corridor from North Huntingdon in the west to beyond
Gettysburg in the east.<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[4]</a> The LHHC applied for a
$100,000 grant through the Pioneer Historical Society and the PA Department of
Environmental Resources to renovate the Coffee Pot. In 2003, The Lincoln
Highway Corridor had the funds for the relocation and restoration of the Coffee Pot. It
cost $80,000. They sold the Coffee Pot for $1, the price for a cup of coffee,
to the Bedford Fair.<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[5]</a>

Today, the Coffee Pot is
located at the Bedford County Fairgrounds, colored in its original colors of
red with a tint of silver to simulate the sheet metal that used to cover it and
the words “The Coffee Pot” painted along its side. Visitors and Bedford County
residences may enter the restored Coffee Pot and view historical artifacts and information
that belongs to Bedford. With the evolution of travel and highways, this Coffee
Pot is only one of five Coffee Pots that survived the decline of the popularity of
the Lincoln Highway. At the height of the Lincoln Highways popularity, there
were 15. The Coffee Pot is appreciated by the people of Bedford and those who
stop to visit it as they travel along the old Lincoln Highway.

The Koontz Coffee Pot was constructed in 1927, just west of Bedford, Pennsylvania, along the Lincoln Highway. Albert Koontz was the original owner who also owned the automobile service station next door. The Koontz operated the Coffee Pot as a restaurant until 1937 when it was sold to the Neil Pebble and Lorraine Pebble, who then turned it into a bar with an attached three-story hotel. Due to its proximity to the Bedford County Fairgrounds across Route 30, the Coffee Pot had a lot of attraction from fairgoers even though traffic was shifted from the Lincoln Highway to the Pennsylvania Turnpike. In 1977, Wilmer Lashley purchased the Coffee Pot and operated it as a bar until it closed in January of 1989 when it began to fall into disrepair, until 2003. The Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor purchased the Coffee Pot restored it and relocated it for a total of $120,000. It now resides at the Bedford County Fairgrounds.

Koontz Coffee Pot

The Espy House, named after its former owner, David Epsy is a historic building in downtown Bedford, Pennsylvania constructed in 1770. Today it is candy and gift shop. The building is significant in that President George Washington stayed here one night in October, 1794. He led a militia of 12,000 men to quell what was a serious threat to the federal government's authority: the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794. The government passed excise tax laws that favored bigger farmers over smaller ones, who, not having access to currency, boiled wheat grains down to whiskey and used the liquor as a form of money. The law meant that they would have to pay the tax with their whiskey. Washington stayed at the house because it was the nicest one in Bedford. He was the only president to lead a military force into an armed conflict. The decision to quell the rebellion gave the federal government legitimacy in that it could enforce, by military means if necessary, laws it passed. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1983.

Espy House

Bedford County is a prime example of an area whose dynamics have been completely altered by the presence of tourism. This area was widely recognized for their agriculture at one point in time. However, the implementation of the Pennsylvania Turnpike in October 1940 certainly shifted the focus away from agriculture, and more on tourists traveling in and out of the area. According to the “Lincoln Highway”, roughly only 7 percent of the county of Bedford worked in farming by 1970, compared to 1910, when farming practices were at an all-time high in Bedford County, and this was due to the two exits, which were placed at two locations, one located in Bedford and one in Breezewood, who also experienced, firsthand, how tourism can truly make a permanent change in a small, rural town. Breezewood became widely acclaimed to be “the town of motels” and the “gateway to the south”, but consisted primarily of rural land before the spread of tourism. Breezewood, according to a 1990 NY Times article, had “no less than 10 motels, 14 fast food restaurants and 7 fuel and service stations, including two sprawling truck stops."The Gateway Travel Center, otherwise acknowledged as the “Gateway”, came about in the midst of this expansion of tourism and as a result of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, opening directly after &nbsp;It was originally run by Merle Snyder, and his wife, Marion Snyder. Interestingly, they started an insignia patch collection from the soldiers whom they would serve at the service station and restaurant which they owned, during World War II. There were contracts in place where the Snyders were responsible for providing the soldiers with fuel, and they usually exchanged meals and gas for the soldier’s patches, which is currently preserved and exhibited in the restaurant where the soldiers ate their meals.Across the street from the restaurant lies the Breezewood Diner, which was originally owned by Sara Drenning, but, however, is no longer in business. The Crawford Gift Shop, which is also located across the street from the Gateway Restaurant, is one of the few small businesses to survive the influx of chain restaurants and hotels around the area of Breezewood. Although the Crawford Museum, which was interconnected with the gift shop, closed due to the unintentional damage by visitors, primarily children, &nbsp;to the taxidermied items. The Wiltshire Motel is also among the few businesses to remain open, and one which is also still operated by its original owners. Unlike motels such as “The Breezewood” and “The Village”, located at the entrance of I-70, the Wiltshire withstood the test of time.During the time of World War II, particularly, tourism held an entirely different meaning for the town of Breezewood and for those who traveled through “The Gateway." Although rest stops were originally intended to provide travelers with clean restroom facilities and a place to lounge in the midst of a, presumably, long journey, this idea has been altered over the course of time. The Gateway is among several other travel stops which has been transformed throughout the decades, and which has resulted in controversy. Many are concerned about the shift from being places of rest to being places of business, taking the focus away from the traditional approach that was once adopted by nearly all rest-designated areas.The entrance of I-70, heading south towards Maryland, is one area of controversy, considering that some would like a direct link through the Turnpike, while businesses located along Route 30 fancy the idea of a traffic light at the intersection. Regardless of the arguments made by those standing at either side of the spectrum, The Gateway’s mission has shifted slightly, through time. While it was once literally regarded as “The Gateway” to the soldiers’ destinations, and a place where travelers could seek rest and relaxation, it is now a relatively popular tourist attraction. As Brian Butko expressed in “The Lincoln Highway: Pennsylvania Traveler’s Guide,” it is not so much the density which is surprising, as the suburban strips are similarly populated, rather it’s the strangeness of the scenery. Butko described it as “the truck traffic and the rural land to either side of the concentration of bright lights”, and brings light to this fascinating, yet strange fact, which sets The Gateway apart from a number of other travel centers. Today, The Gateway still stands open to the public, welcoming tourists with their wide variety of “food, fuel, shopping, and lodging" services. &nbsp;

The Gateway Plaza Travel Center is a popular tourist stop-off point located along the Lincoln Highway in Breezewood, PA. It offers several restaurants for traveling guests, along with gas stations and gift shops. The implementation of the PA Turnpike in October of 1940 changed the face of Bedford County and the neighboring area of Breezewood permanently, shifting from what was once nearly completely comprised of rural farmland to becoming a place of rest for tourists traveling towards the south. “The Gateway," as it was called, was an essential resting point for military servicemen and women. Breezewood became recognized as “the town of motels”, and also became home to multiple fast-food restaurants, and several fuel and service stations, which was a tremendous shift from the dynamics of Breezewood previously. It began as a restaurant and service station, around the same time of the Turnpike’s construction,  which were both owned by Merle and Marion Snyder until 1956. Throughout the years, there have been a variety of changes made to the Gateway, all of which add to its overall historical value. 

Gateway Travel Center 

The original Fulton House structure was built in 1793 of native limestone, with an addition added in 1820. Almost all of the interior woodwork is original to the house. Several porches have covered the façade over the years. The current frame landing with two flights of steps is a restoration of the original arrangement. McConnellsburg was an important stop on the main east-west road—first on the Chambersburg-Bedford Turnpike, and later on the Lincoln Highway. The town itself town was established in 1786 by Daniel McConnell. By 1800 the town had approximately 50 houses and 4 taverns. The Fulton House, one of the oldest surviving inns in the area, is an excellent example of the inns which lined the early wagon roads and turnpikes. The interior of the 1793 section are mostly original. Some of its guests include John and Abigail Adams, William Henry Harrison, Zachary Taylor, James Buchannan, and Eleanor Roosevelt.The building has been restored starting in the 1970s by the Borough of McConnellsburg and the Fulton County Historical Society. Currently the Fulton County Historical Society uses the rooms on the east side of the Fulton House as museum and display rooms to show furnishings, tools, utensils, and decorative items relating to the history and heritage of Fulton County from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. Rooms are open during special events and by appointment. A museum exhibit is planned for the Fulton Fall Folk Festival, the third weekend each October.

The Fulton House is a stone tavern built c. 1793 and located on Lincoln Way East in McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania. Originally known as the Union Hotel, the inn has boarded four governers and four presidents, and has been an important stop for travelers along the road it sits (first the Pennsylvania Road, and then the Lincoln Highway)A fire in 1944 destroyed much of the 18th centiry interior, but has been restored to much of its original condition. It also currently houses the offices of the Fulton County Historical Society.

Fulton House

Cowans Gap was part of Burd’s Road, and important supply road during Braddock’s Expedition during the French and Indian War in 1755. Col. James Burd began a supply road that was supposed to reach Braddock’s forces at Turkey Foot. Braddock’s forces were working on Braddock’s Road from Fort Cumberland, Maryland, to the Forks of the Ohio River, in order to drive the French out of Fort Duquesne in present-day Pittsburgh. Burd’s Road climbed Tuscarora Mountain by passing through a gap eventually named Cowans Gap.Braddock’s army was defeated and, as a result, Burd’s Road was never completed past Berlin in present-day Somerset County.In 1758, the British again sent a campaign toward the Forks of the Ohio. General John Forbes, along with his aide, Colonel George Washington and second in command, Lieutenant Colonel Henry Bouquet, carved a new road (Forbes Road), which followed Burd’s Road through Bedford County then headed due west to the Forks of the Ohio.General Forbes drove the French out of Pennsylvania. In 1763, Colonel Henry Bouquet again used Forbes Road to break the siege of Fort Pitt during Pontiac’s War, a Native American uprising that resulted from the end of the French and Indian War. The name Cowan’s Gap reportedly comes from a Revolutionary War couple, John Samuel Cowan (a British Loyalist) and Mary Mueller, who married, eloped, and later settled in the area. In the 19th century the area was used to mine iron ore, which industry led to the clear-cutting of portions of the forests in the gap and the valley every 20 to 25 years.In 1893, Harrison Kalbach of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, began purchasing land and timbering rights amounting to 4,800 acres around Cowans Gap. Kalbach and Company built a railroad of wooden rails from Richmond Furnace up the mountain and into the gap to move the lumber to market. Today’s Richmond Furnace Road follows the old railroad right-of-way. Kalbach and his partner, Charles Spangler of McConnellsburg, operated a portable sawmill in the valley, cutting mainly pine and oak. The final cut was completed in 1907, leaving a landscape of over-cut forests and erosion.In the 1930s, the recovery of Cowan’s Gasp fell on the nearly-created Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC), a New Deal program to relieve unemployment in men. The CCC built roads, trails, and recreational facilities; fought fires; planted trees; and participated in many other conservation activities.Richmond Furnace Camp S-54 was built next to the new forestry station at Cowans Gap. From 1933 to 1941, the CCC built 30 miles of road, four bridges, 32 miles of fire trails, and 11 miles of telephone lines.In Cowans Gap State Park, the CCC built the cabins, picnic shelters, and spent three years building the dam. The Cowans Gap Rustic Cabins are on the National Register of Historic Places.Improvements continue at Cowans Gap, with additions like the campground and modern restrooms. Visitors today enjoy the scenic beauty of this historic park.

The site of a historic 18th century road, Cowan's Gap State Park has experienced the American history of war, industry, and recreational history spanning from the 18th-21st centuries.

Cowans Gap State Park

In the winter of 1756, during the French and Indian War, Fort Loudoun was erected by Col. John Armstrong at the order of the province of Pennsylvania. The fort was built for the protection of the frontiers against the French and Indians, and took the place of the fort at McDowell's Mill, which was situated at Bridgeport a short distance northward.  The French and Indian raiding party that abducted Mary Jemison's group mandated they stop in the swamps a relatively short distance north of here to spend their first night in the wilderness. In Mary's account the fort is referred to as Fort Canagojigge by her father. Tragically, all but two of the abductees (Mary and a young boy) were murdered, scalped, and their bodies hidden in the swamps before they left this area. Although they were not a great distance from the fort, escape was impossible due to the heavy forest, muddy swamp, and the skill of the Indians at quickly tracking and dispatching any escapees. However, Fort Loudoun did play an important role in protecting other frontier settlers during the French and Indian War. It was also a staging area for logistics being marshaled in preparation for military offenses in the west toward Fort Ligonier and Fort Duquesne. During the expedition of Gen. John Forbes, in 1758, and that of Col. Henry Bouquet, in 1763-4, this fort was used as a rendezvous for troops and as a base of supplies. Fort Loudoun was built as one part of a network of protective enclaves throughout the frontier to provide safe havens for settlers in danger. The broad dispersion of these forts, combined with the thickness of the woods and rough terrain, significantly hampered their effectiveness in offering substantial protection for the settlers. As with Mary's group, the swiftness of the raids and the settlers' inability to quickly take flight, exposed serious flaws in the defensive system at the time.

This is a reconstruction of historic Fort Loudoun.  The original fort was built in 1756 during the French and Indian War to protect settlers and to stage troops and supplies for the western campaign.  A tragic event occurred a short distance from here, as referenced in the book, "A Narrative of the Life of Mrs. Mary Jemison." 

Fort Loudoun - Pennsylvania State Historic Site

As a private home that offered rooms for travelers, 619 South Main Street was a key stopping point for African Americans as they travelled U.S. Route 30 and U.S. Route 11. It is significant that Chambersburg, where these two historic highways intersect, was home to three Negro Motorist Green Book sites. The Lincoln Highway was a main east-west artery running from New Jersey to Oregon. U.S. Route 30 linked large populations of African Americans from Philadelphia to Chicago. As an African American traveler during Jim Crow, picture yourself and your family traveling these routes to new places, not knowing if a town’s restaurants or hotels held comfort or hostility for you. As an African American, you could have been welcomed or forcefully excluded. Consider the humiliation of being denied the basic necessities of food and shelter because of your race. Where Jim Crow laws legally segregated white and Black travelers, you might have faced violent repercussions or arrest if you did not comply with Jim Crow. This was the situation an African American family would have encountered while traveling. Carrie Stevenson’s home appears to have been a lodging or boarding house, in addition to its status as a tourist home from 1938 to 1940. Chambersburg’s Public Opinion newspaper highlights how Stevenson had visitors from Philadelphia, New York, and St. Louis. She was an active member of the St. James A. M. E. Church, located less than two streets away from 619 S. Main St., and church meetings were hosted at her home. From written records, her home appears to be a place of social activity in a thriving African American community, as well as a travel destination for African Americans. At 619 South Main Street, travellers would have had access to a safe, welcoming place, a hot meal, and a warm bed.

The current, original structure of Mrs. Carrie Stevenson’s Tourist Home in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history. From 1938 to 1940, the home was listed in The Negro Motorist Green Book, a traveler’s guidebook for African Americans during the dangerous Jim Crow era. Very importantly, of three sites originally listed in the Green Book in Chambersburg, Mrs. Stevenson’s Tourist Home is the only Negro Motorist Green Book site left in Chambersburg remaining intact; urban renewal of the 1960s saw the demolition of the other two sites. It stands as a testament to the work of African Americans like Mrs. Carrie Stevenson and those who arranged the Negro Motorist Green Book. It is a significant site for understanding African American history, our country’s past, and the narratives and physical locations we must preserve for our future.

Carrie Stevenson Tourist Home

Today, the Capitol
Theatre is situated in the middle of downtown Chambersburg, PA. The Capitol
Theatre was founded by the Pottstown Theatre Company on February 3, 1927 as a movie house and performing arts
theater for the local community.1 It opened in
grand fashion, with a showing of the comedy film “The Waning Sex” and an organ
recital by local organist Wilfred Binder.2 During the mid-20th
century, the Capitol Theatre showed famous movies starring John Weissmuller as
Tarzan and Roy Rogers as a star cowboy.3 Eventually though,
time took its toll over the theater, and it needed to undergo serious
renovations. Hence, starting in 1996, the Capitol Theatre underwent a
seven-year reconstruction project to improve and to expand the original
structure of the building.4 On June 6, 2003, the theater was
completely restored, and it was expanded with the new Wood Center Stage Theatre
(a multi-purpose room for theatrical events) to complement the historic stage.5The current mission
statement of the Capitol Theatre is to enrich the cultural environment of
Chambersburg and provide a service for a broad constituency of patrons, which
includes tourists.6 To provide a great service,
the Capitol Theatre is designed in an Italian Renaissance style by Gibelli. The
curtains for the stage are made with rich and luxurious fabrics, and
the theater's railings are made of elegant mahogany wood.7
Beautiful crystal light fixtures and a shiny chandelier hang from the intricately pattern ceiling of the theater.8 Also, there are blush and green
panels of faux marbling displayed in the theater, and gilded ornaments run along
the theater's walls.9 So, one can see that this theater is a
big testament to people’s admiration for the beautiful cultural traditions of Chambersburg. The
Capitol Theatre is related to the general history of Chambersburg, PA. The town
of Chambersburg was founded in 1732 by Benjamin Chambers, an Irish immigrant.
He helped create the Diamond Park as a central place of the community, where people
can meet with one another and perform the local business of the day.10 However, the town of Chambersburg was burned down in
1864 when the townspeople refused to pay a $100,000 gold ransom to the
Confederates.11 The fire destroyed 550 buildings, including
homes, and so it left over 2,000 people homeless.12 The destroyed buildings also included 266 businesses that were valued at
$783,950.13 As a result, the townspeople had to rebuild their
city from scratch. They did not have enough time to create places of
entertainment, such as the Capitol Theatre. Instead, the people of Chambersburg
needed to focus on rebuilding the essentials for life, such as homes and grocery
stores. After all the essentials were rebuilt, employees of Cumberland Valley
Railroad worked hard to create trains so that everyone can travel more
efficiently and faster to get to places, such as the Capitol Theatre.14 Thus, the Capitol Theatre was built due to the
cultural atmosphere of the time in Chambersburg. The theater provided people a
relaxing break from work and a way to forget the harsh reality of life. The Capitol
Theatre satisfied the recreational interests of the townspeople, who had no
other major forms of entertainment to enjoy at the time. The
Capitol Theatre is very significant to the Pennsylvania portion of the Lincoln
Highway. The Lincoln Highway in Pennsylvania was created to make traveling easier
and more efficient, which helped bring more visitors to the local towns of PA
(e.g., Chambersburg). As a result, the highway helped facilitate a vibrant
cultural atmosphere in Pennsylvania where visitors learned about the history of
the region and embarked on fun tourist adventures. In addition, the Lincoln
Highway aided the growth of many businesses, such as Keefer’s Restaurant and the
White Cottage Inn, because many visitors wanted to buy souvenirs or needed a
place to eat and stay during their vacations. Keefer’s Restaurant served
tourists delicious steak, chicken, soup, and waffles, and it had gas pumps as
well as a garage so that tourists could get car service.15
Similarly, the White Cottage Inn had several cabins where tourists could sleep
overnight.16 So, the Capitol Theatre was built on the Lincoln
Highway to cater tourists who were visiting the landmarks along the highway.
The Capitol Theatre’s films and shows provided many happy and life-long
memories for the tourists, such as a first date.17 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The Capitol Theatre is related to
the history of theater in the United States during the 20th century.
The European styles of theater gave much inspiration to the designs of American
theaters. Joseph Urban, a Viennese production designer, was hired to create
scenic and simple murals for the Boston Opera Company.18 Also,
Robert Jones designed a stage that expressed the sentiments of European home
life for a drama play called The Man Who
Married a Dumb Wife.19 Furthermore, drama programs were
introduced into many U.S. colleges, which greatly influenced the creation of American
theaters. Professor George Baker taught playwriting at Radcliffe College, and
Professor Thomas Stevens established the first theater degree program in the
U.S. at the Carnegie Institute.20 Thus, the Capitol Theatre was
established due to the large European influence on the American theater. The
people in Chambersburg wanted to partake in the same cultural events as
everyone else in America was experiencing at the time. The Capitol Theatre showed
that there were many people who wanted to watch the art of theater as well as
act in theater plays.The
Capitol Theatre is still historically significant today, and it matters to
locals and visitors who attend the theater’s shows and performances. The
theater reminds people what the entertainment industry in America was like
during the 20th century, where people used to pay only 25 cents for
a movie ticket and only 10 cents for a bag of popcorn.21
Similarly, the theater reminds visitors that people in the 20th
century only watched films on movie projectors and not on smart phones or flat
screen TVs.22 In addition, the Capitol Theatre makes people feel
nostalgic because they seem to be transported back in time when seeing the 1930s
colors of pink, dark green, and maroon.23 Moreover, the Capitol
Theatre is an important cultural site for everyone because all people,
especially children, can experience for the first time classic musical plays,
such as “The Four Freshmen” and “The Best of Broadway."24 Also, at
this theater, people want to see talented performers, such as the Chambersburg
Ballet Theatre School, act out classical renditions of entertainment, such as “Sleeping
Beauty” and “The Nutcracker."25 Finally, everyone realizes that
the Capitol Theatre has a big impact on society because the theater is seen as
a local and rare gem, which has unique European designs that are not found in
many other American places.26 In conclusion, the Capitol Theatre
is an entertainment center that provides all visitors an opportunity to learn
and experience the rich cultural traditions of a small and quaint town.

 Founded in 1927 by the Pottstown Theatre Company, the Capitol Theatre is a historic and quaint entertainment center in downtown Chambersburg, PA. Designed in the ornate style of the Italian Renaissance, the theater was built to give Americans a fun venue to spend their leisure time and to forget the worries of the day. Currently, the theater offers visitors a variety of classical movies and performing art shows from the twentieth century. This place gives members of the local community an opportunity to create happy and life-long memories with their families and friends. The Capitol Theatre is the only old-fashioned theater of the twentieth century that still exists in Chambersburg today.

The Capitol Theatre, Chambersburg

The
first Franklin County Courthouse to be built on the eastern side of Memorial
Square (originally called the Diamond) was constructed by Captain Benjamin
Chambers, son of Chambersburg founder Colonel Benjamin Chambers (who deeded the
land for the courthouse to the county in 1774 for $26.66 2/3).
Construction was completed on a fifty-foot-square, two-story brick building in
1794, which remained in use until the erection of a new courthouse in 1842 built
in the Greek Revival style with a colonnaded front and oversized cupola.&nbsp;Confederate
raiders under Brigadier General John A. McCausland destroyed the second
Franklin County Courthouse on July 30, 1864, as part of the burning of
Chambersburg. The residents of Chambersburg completed construction on the third
and current iteration of the Franklin County Courthouse in 1865, incorporating
portions of the former courthouse that had remained standing after McCausland’s
attack the previous year. A 1902 addition expanded the rear of the building and
is faced with brownstone rather than the white stone of the original structure.
On top of the building stands a metal statue of Benjamin Franklin, for whom the
county is named, which replaced a wooden statue of Franklin that stood there
from 1865 to 1991 and now resides in the Chambersburg Heritage Center on the opposite side of Memorial Square.

The
Franklin County Courthouse that stands in Chambersburg today is a result of the
efforts of the city’s residents to rebuild in the aftermath of Confederate General
Jubal Early’s decision to destroy a northern community in retaliation for Federal
attacks on towns in Virginia. There has been speculation since the time of the
attack itself, thus far unproven, that Early chose Chambersburg for its
association with the abolitionist John Brown, who boarded in Chambersburg while
making preparations for his famous raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859. (Early
himself stated afterward that he chose Chambersburg simply because it was
convenient to his location at the time.) Regardless, Early ordered his
subordinate Brigadier General John A. McCausland to hold the town for ransom,
demanding either $100,000 in gold or $500,000 in “greenbacks.”<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[1]</a> If
the town could not or would not pay, Early had authorized McCausland to destroy
it.

McCausland
arrived at the outskirts of town from Martinsburg, West Virginia on July 30,
1864 with 3,000 Confederate cavalry and two artillery batteries. After
establishing his batteries on a hill overlooking the town from the west, McCausland
opened with a brief bombardment before advancing into the Diamond with 500 cavalrymen
under Major Harry Gilmore. Upon reaching the Diamond, he had his men ring the
courthouse bell to call Chambersburg’s residents to him. Those that arrived
chose to refuse the demands McCausland issued to them, after which he ordered the
destruction of the town. The courthouse was among the first buildings destroyed,
but it was by no means alone. McCausland’s men progressed through the town by
quarters, systematically setting fire to businesses, residences, and
outbuildings without any warning to potential occupants. The attack left
thousands of Chambersburg residents without homes and caused an estimated $1.6
million in damage. Their plight prompted a nationwide aid campaign, which
helped fund early reconstruction efforts (including the rebuilding of the courthouse
on the remains of the old one). The new courthouse, opened in October of 1865, enlarged
upon the dimensions of the former in order for the cupola’s proportions to
match the rest of the building and featured a newly installed wooden statue of
Benjamin Franklin on top of the cupola to commemorate the county’s namesake.

The
Franklin County Courthouse doesn’t just offer a glimpse into the experiences of
a northern community uniquely impacted by the American Civil War and its
hardships. It is also a window into a transitional period in American
architecture. With the exception of an addition to the structure’s rear in 1902
and the upgrading of the building’s interior to include modern amenities in the twentieth century, the Franklin County Courthouse has remained largely intact since
its construction in 1865. Moreover, those responsible for the building’s
construction, upgrades, and maintenance have made efforts to preserve the integrity
of the second courthouse’s original Greek Revival architecture as well as its
successors core design features. The courthouse’s colonnaded front remains
standing from the courthouse burned by Confederates in 1864, evidencing the
structure’s original Greek Revivalist character, while the rest of the building
evinces a more Victorian flavor in the elaborately carved stone molding around its
fifty-four windows.

The
Franklin County Courthouse’s role in the course of events during the 1864
burning of Chambersburg and its nature as a sort of architectural time capsule preserving
the transition from the Greek Revival to Victorian periods lends it unique
historical and architectural significance. It stands at the heart of Chambersburg’s
historic downtown district, which mirrors the building’s unique character on a
larger scale. Much, but not all, of the area was destroyed in the 1864 fire and
rebuilt alongside the new courthouse. As the residents of Chambersburg worked
to rebuild their lives in the wake of the Confederate attack (and the war in
general after 1865), the courthouse served as it had before as the heart of
daily life, law, and governance. Its history can help to deepen our appreciation
of the strategic importance of the area between Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia,
and later West Virginia to both armies during the Civil War. It can also, however,
broaden our understanding of the impact of that conflict on civilian
populations, especially ones that were forced to rebuild after periods of
occupation.<div>





<div>

<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[1]</a> "The Burning of Chambersburg,"
Pennsylvania Civil War Trails, , accessed April 18, 2019,
<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.pacivilwartrails.com/stories/tales/the-burning-of-chambersburg">https://www.pacivilwartrails.com/stories/tales/the-burning-of-chambersburg</a>.

</div>

</div>

Built in the Greek Revival architectural style which flourished in the United States in the mid-nineteenth century, Franklin County Courthouse was completed in 1865 and incorporates portions of the previous courthouse that stood at this location and was burned by Confederate raiders under Brigadier General John A. McCausland on July 30, 1864. The courthouse is located just to the east of Memorial Square at the intersection of US-30 and US-11 in downtown Chambersburg and is the third county courthouse that has stood at this site. Because it includes structural elements from the second courthouse built in 1842 and attempted to replicate its basic features, the current Franklin County Courthouse of 1865 is a uniquely visible example of the change in architectural tastes from the Greek Revival to Victorian periods. The courthouse also stands as a testament to the experiences of the lone northern community to be destroyed by Confederate troops during the American Civil War, an event that spurred a nationwide aid campaign in response and resulted in the reconstruction of much of the original core of the town. The current courthouse houses the 39th Judicial District Court of Common Pleas for Franklin and Fulton Counties and is open from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM from Monday to Friday unless it is a county holiday.

Franklin County Courthouse

Frank
Furness, an influential architect in early twentieth-century Philadelphia,
designed the building that houses the Chambersburg Heritage Center for the
Valley National Bank of Chambersburg. Builders completed the bank’s
construction in 1915, three years after Furness’s death. The bank remained in
the building until 1963, after which the structure stood vacant until its
purchase by the Chambersburg Area Development Corporation in 1999. After five
years of planning and renovations, the building reopened its doors under the
operation of the Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce, which utilizes the space as
a free museum on the history of the Chambersburg area, particularly the period
between the colonial and Civil War eras. The museum includes exhibits on the
arrival of European settlers to the area in the 1700s, the community’s role in
the military conflicts of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, its
connections to the Underground Railroad, and its destruction at the hands of
Confederate raiders in 1864. The center also houses a children’s activity room
and gift shop and has, since its opening in 2004, received an average of 3,000
visitors annually (excluding school tours).

Although
largely forgotten within a short time after his passing at the age of 72, Frank
Furness’s work has garnered increased attention in recent years. Prior to his
career as an architect in Philadelphia, Furness served with the 6th
Pennsylvania Cavalry during the American Civil War; his service earned him the
Medal of Honor in 1899 for carrying ammunition through heavy enemy fire to the
relief of a Union outpost during the Battle of Trevilian Station (1864). Furness
opened his architectural office in Philadelphia a year after the war ended,
going on to receive almost 1,000 commissions (including over 200 train stations
for the Baltimore &amp; Ohio and Reading Railroads, University of Pennsylvania
Library, and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts). Furness is also notable
for acting as a mentor to architect Louis Sullivan early in his career, who
wrote later in his autobiography of Furness’s heavy influence on his work
(Sullivan himself, known as the “father of the skyscraper,” acted as mentor to
Frank Lloyd Wright). 

Because
of their relative proximity to its center in Philadelphia, Chambersburg’s
wealthier businesses and residents enjoyed a unique level of access to the
designers at the forefront of the early twentieth-century’s architectural
renaissance. Indeed, prior to designing the Valley National Bank building,
Furness had drawn up the plans for Colonel Moorhead Kennedy’s home (known
locally as the Ragged Edge). Both structures evidence Furness’s preference for
combining an eclectic mix of construction materials into hard rectangular
features in defiance of the ornate Victorian style that dominated American
architecture in the second half of the nineteenth century. The large
rectangular blocks that form the Valley National Bank building’s façade, large,
wrought iron-bound windows, and balustraded roof are all reflective of
Furness’s chosen aesthetic.&nbsp;

After
the Valley National Bank left the building in 1963, it lay vacant for almost
over three decades until the Chambersburg Area Development Corporation bought
it in 1999. After completing renovations on the building to include modern
amenities, the building reopened as the Chambersburg Heritage Center, a museum
operated by the Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce that is dedicated to the
history of the Chambersburg area from the era of the town’s founding onwards.
The museum’s frontier exhibit details the town’s founding by Colonel Benjamin
Chambers in 1764 as well as the experiences of early European settlers and the
Native groups they encountered. Exhibits related to the Civil War include one
on the history of Chambersburg’s role in the Underground Railroad (local legend
has it that the Old Franklin County Jail was a stop) and one on the destruction
of the town by Confederate raiders in 1864. The center also has exhibits on
architecturally significant sites in Franklin County and the history of travel
and transportation in the area from wagons to railroads.

Patrons
of the Chambersburg Heritage Center can enjoy a visit of dual historical
significance. As a museum, the Chambersburg Heritage Center is central to
historical education in Chambersburg and Franklin County. But, as an example of
Frank Furness’s late work, the building that houses the center deserves equal
appreciation. Because Furness’s work was for so long forgotten, city
authorities ended up destroying much of it in the urban renewal programs of the
mid-twentieth century. The former Valley National Bank building is one of a
dwindling number of structures that still bear Furness’s fingerprints, and
unlike many of his others remains largely unchanged. Its presence in downtown
Chambersburg is a testament to the place of small towns in larger cultural
movements within the United States. Architectural enthusiasts visiting
Chambersburg will thus find just as much of interest as those who might have
more enthusiasm for the past.

The
Chambersburg Heritage Center is not only a purveyor of Chambersburg-area history,
it is an instrument of its preservation. It has offered its visitors a glimpse
into the town’s past both as a museum and as the occupant of an architecturally
significant structure since it opened its doors in 2004. Patrons can visit the
museum Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM year-round and on Saturdays, 10 AM to 3
PM, from May to October. They can also schedule guided walking tours of
Chambersburg through the Heritage Center upon advance request.

The Chambersburg Heritage Center on Memorial Square in the historic Valley National Bank Building provides educational resources on the history of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania and the surrounding area of Franklin County. The Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce opened the center five years after the Chambersburg Area Development Corporation purchased the building on its behalf in 1999. The center houses a gift shop, children’s activity room, and exhibits on the frontier history, architectural history, transportation history, and Civil War history of the city. While the center may be a cornerstone of the historical community in Chambersburg, the building itself is also of significance as the work of Frank Furness, an architect whose designs have become widely celebrated in the last few decades. The Chambersburg Heritage Center is open year-round from Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM, and on Saturdays, 10 AM to 3 PM, May to October. The center can also provide guided walking tours upon advance request. 

Chambersburg Heritage Center and Old Valley National Bank Building

The generative power of the 25-foot waterfall that gave Falling Spring its name attracted Benjamin Chambers to the site shortly after his arrival to colonial Pennsylvania in the early eighteenth century. Although Chambers settled on the site in 1730, however, he evidently did not see the need at first to build any sort of fortifications around the mills he constructed there shortly after his arrival. Indeed, it would not be until the outbreak of hostilities between Pennsylvania and the Delaware Indians during the Seven Years’ War over two decades later that Chambers constructed the defenses that gave the area its name. Doing so immediately elevated the status of Chambers’ settlement in colonial politics, a rise that eventually brought him into conflict with authorities in Pennsylvania’s capital of Philadelphia. In part as a result of this series of events, the growth of Chambersburg remained minimal for much of its early history. It was only after the town became the seat of the newly-created Franklin County in 1784 that Chambers’ dream for his settlement began to become a reality. After his death in 1788, the site of Chambers’ fort remained integral to the town’s growth. The same water power that brought Chambers to the area in 1730 and facilitated the operation of his mills did likewise for a series of entrepreneurs throughout the nineteenth century, local industrialists that connected Chambersburg to the regional, national, and global markets that emerged in that period. As those markets began to change over the course of the twentieth century, however, the site’s centrality to local industry became less certain and, eventually, the borough of Chambersburg chose to purchase an unused portion of it for the construction of Chambers Fort Park. The park opened to the public in 2008 and features a reconstructed log cabin and water wheel as well as memorials to local veterans and the Founding Family, which are accessible year-round. The borough also hosts movies and concerts at the park during the summer. When Benjamin Chambers first arrived to the area of Falling Spring in 1730 he lived in a log cabin with shingles held to the roof with iron nails, fasteners that were evidently of such value in the area at the time that one of his neighbors set fire to the residence while he was away in order to steal them. Chambers replaced his destroyed home with a similar structure shortly thereafter, which remained unfortified until he attended a meeting in nearby Shippensburg with other settlers from the area in 1755. This meeting resulted in the group’s decision to construct a series of private forts throughout what was then Cumberland County to protect the region from attacks by Delaware Indians and other Native groups during the Seven Years’ War. In addition to choosing Chambers’ home as the site of one of these forts, the group also recommended the construction of fortifications at Carlisle, Shippensburg, and a number of other locations. Chambers completed work on his fort the following year. He replaced his former log dwelling with a two-story stone structure, a portion of which hung over Falling Spring to prevent attackers from cutting off the compound’s water supply. This house had a lead roof to protect against flaming arrows and narrow windows for use as loopholes by marksmen inside, all of which Chambers had secured with a perimeter of sharpened wooden stakes and a moat that encircled both his house and the adjacent mill. The pride of the fort’s defenses by far, however, was its two four-pounder cannons, weapons that quickly thrust Chambersburg’s founder into the thick of colonial politics on the Pennsylvania borderlands. Indeed, almost immediately after Chambers completed his fort in 1756 the deputy governor of Pennsylvania, William Denny, demanded that he surrender the cannons to colonial authorities. Chambers’ decision to ignore this demand, and eventually those of other representatives sent to his home by Denny in the following months, placed him firmly at the center of borderlands settlers’ opposition to colonial authorities back east in Philadelphia. Although settlers like Chambers had been taking up residence in the region for several decades at that point, Pennsylvania’s Quaker leadership had for much of the period largely avoided building forts there for fear of starting a war with local Indians. When the opposition party gained control of the colonial assembly during the Seven Years’ War, however, it promised borderlands settlers that it would finance the construction of a string of forts throughout the western portion of the colony to protect the region’s European inhabitants. When the effort proved more complicated than Pennsylvania’s new administrators had initially realized, it stalled, prompting the 1755 meeting at Shippensburg and completion of Chambers’ fort the following year. Because Chambers intended his defenses for the protection of every settler in the surrounding area his neighbors supported him in his struggle against the colonial government, support that ultimately convinced the governor to drop the matter. Acts of resistance by borderlands settlers like Chambers were relatively common during the period and the government’s inability to exert its authority in response contributed to the colony’s shift in favor of independence over the period. More locally, the affair effectively ensured that Chambers’ relationship with that government was worse than most, and though he received permission to lay out the town of Chambersburg only a few years later other support from colonial officials was less forthcoming. As a result, the area remained lightly populated for much of Chambers’ life there despite his best efforts to attract further settlement. It was only after his town became the seat of Franklin County in 1784 that it truly began to grow. The growth of Chambers’ settlement after 1784 also drew in a number of emerging industries that helped integrate the community into the larger regional, national, and global networks of trade and commerce that drove forward American industrialization during the period. The first mill on the land between Falling Spring and Conococheague Creek other than Chambers’ belonged to his daughter Ruhannah’s husband John Calhoun (the town’s first resident physician), who constructed a paper factory a short distance from his father-in-law’s mill in 1780. Calhoun and his nineteenth-century successor in paper manufacturing at the site G.A. Shyrock acted as suppliers for a number of prominent newspapers throughout the region, transmitting their shipments via long trains of pack-horses that sustained a thriving saddlery industry early on in the town’s existence. Chambers’ original mill, meanwhile, eventually wound up in the possession of his grandson Thomas Chambers, who integrated portions of the mill into a new fulling mill and cotton factory. Subsequent ventures into the wool and brewing industries succeeded him at the site, most notably the Mammoth Mill (named for its size and production capacity) north of King Street. This mill, along with the Washabaugh Brewery next to it (also powered by Falling Spring), fell victim to Confederate raiders in 1864 who set fire to much of the town in retaliation for the Union burning of Staunton, Virginia. A new woolen mill took their place after the war and remained in operation under a succession of owners into the twentieth century. This factory (and its predecessors at the site) supplied manufacturers not only throughout Pennsylvania but across the early United States, tapping into networks of demand that reached from North America into Europe and Asia. In the process, these ventures connected Chambersburg to larger processes of industrialization and global trade that reworked the face of the nation at an increasingly rapid pace over the course of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The confluence of Falling Spring and Conococheague Creek has been central to the history of Chambersburg since its founding in the eighteenth century. As the momentary epicenter of borderlands settlers’ resistance to authorities back east in the colonial era, Benjamin Chambers’ fort stands as a testament to the forces of expansion, conflict, and change that produced the surrounding town, state, and nation. As a node of local industry throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, it connected Chambersburg to the globalizing forces that emerged over the course of the period. In recognition of its significance to the town’s history, the borough of Chambersburg opened the area south of King Street closest to the confluence of Falling Spring and Conococheague Creek as Chambers Fort Park. In addition to hosting movies and concerts in the summer, the park houses a reconstructed log cabin and water wheel as well as several memorials. The first, the Founding Family statue, depicts Benjamin Chambers welcoming his son James and grandson Benjamin home from the American War for Independence, while the others honor veterans of World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam. These features, like the occupants of Benjamin Chambers’ original plot on Falling Spring over the years, connect the site to the history of Chambersburg from its inception to the present day.

Located at the confluence of Conococheague Creek and Falling Spring, Chambers Fort Park occupies the site once home to the stone house, mill, and wooden palisade that made up the fort of Chambersburg founder Colonel Benjamin Chambers. Chambers arrived to the area in 1730, and over the course of the next fifty years built his namesake town around the 25-foot waterfall at Falling Spring that powered the gristmill and sawmill that made his fortune. While the site may have been the center of town for much of its early history, it also stood at the epicenter of a struggle for control of the Pennsylvania borderlands during the Seven Years’ War that revolved around the fort’s very existence (in particular the presence there of two cannons). The area where the Falling Spring and Conococheague Creek attracted a number of entrepreneurs after Chambers’ death in the 1780s, who used the water to power a series of mills that drew Chambersburg into the industrial networks that emerged over the course of the nineteenth century. The borough of Chambersburg announced its intention to purchase a portion of the site in its master plan for the downtown area in 1995, a location it went on to open as Chambers Fort Park in 2008. The park hosts concerts and movies throughout the summer months, and features a replica water wheel, reconstructed log cabin, the Founding Family statue, and several veterans’ memorials that are open to the public year-round.

Chambers Fort Park

The
building that now houses the Franklin County Historical Society – Kittochtinny served
as the Franklin County Jail from 1818 to 1971, during which time thousands of
prisoners passed through its doors. At various times throughout its history,
the jail served as the execution ground for three inmates, witnessed multiple
successful escape attempts, and played host to a variety of debtors, thieves,
abolitionists, and deserters. The county made alterations to the building twice
over the course of the period: once to upgrade the facilities to include modern
amenities during the American Civil War and again in the 1880s to add a new
cell block. After the county jail moved to its current location at Franklin
Farm Lane, the historical society assumed ownership of the old jail, converting
a portion of its space into a museum and genealogical library dedicated to the
study of Franklin County’s history.

Taking its name from&nbsp;the Lenape name for the Blue Mountain range&nbsp;that traverses the area (which means "endless hill,") the
Franklin County Historical Society – Kittochtinny organized in 1898 at the
suggestion of the Reverend Dr. S.A. Martin, then president of nearby Wilson
College. In the over one hundred years since, the historical society has
expanded to include the headquarters at the old Franklin County Jail (dedicated in 1976) and
several other historic sites in the area, at each of which the society offers
regular tours and outside of regular hours upon advanced request. The society
also hosts regular events at its headquarters in the old jail related to local
history and an annual haunted house in October at the same location.

The
1818 iteration of the Franklin County Jail was the third such building to serve
as the area’s prison. In Chambersburg’s early years, the community kept its
prisoners in a variety of locations depending on the severity of the crime:
criminals punished for minor offenses generally remained imprisoned at John
Jack’s Tavern across from the courthouse or in a log building on Main Street;
more serious offenders wound up at the more secure facilities available in nearby
Carlisle. In 1798, however, the county completed construction on a two-story
stone building at the corner of Second and Market Streets known locally as the
“old stone jail.” This structure quickly gained a reputation for overcrowded
conditions, disease, and poor construction, criticisms to which the county
responded with the construction of a second, more spacious, presumably more
secure prison facility only twenty years after the completion of the first. 

&nbsp;From
the year of its construction to its last in operation, the Old Franklin County
Jail confined thousands of prisoners. One such inmate, David “Robber” Lewis
(known in his lifetime as the “Robin Hood of Pennsylvania” for doling out a
portion of his ill-gotten gains to the less fortunate), spent a brief sojourn
there prior to his eventual death in 1820 at Bellafonte Jail at the age of
thirty. Another, Captain John Cook, was one of the men that took part in John
Brown’s 1859 raid on the Federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry. Cook served as
Brown’s spy in Harpers Ferry prior to the attack and was responsible for
capturing Lewis Washington (George Washington’s grand-nephew) for use as a
hostage the night before the raid was launched. Upon the raid’s failure, Cook
made his way towards Chambersburg to retrieve his wife and child, becoming
(behind Brown himself) one of the most wanted fugitives in the nation before
eventually falling into the hands of a hunting party outside the town. Ultimately,
Cook would be extradited to Virginia, where despite a last-ditch effort to
escape execution with a full confession he met his end. Other prisoners that
passed through the Franklin County Jail were more fortunate. A Union Army
deserter escaped in 1863 with the help of a horse thief, for example, by
breaking through an outer wall. Joseph Worthington, on the other hand, escaped
from the prison four years later by setting up a pair of stuffed pants in his
bed to fool the guards into believing he was still there. Most of the inmates,
however, served their full terms, three until their execution by hanging on
site.

The
old Franklin County Jail is central to the area’s historical community not only
as the historical society’s headquarters, but as a historic site offering a
unique window into the nation’s early criminal justice system as well. Visitors
to the site can learn about the history of the Franklin County area and
research local families in the historical society’s museum and genealogical
library. They can also take part in tours of the former prison facilities for
more information on the history of the site itself. The building further serves
as the venue for a variety of special events hosted by the Franklin County
Historical Society – Kittochtinny throughout the year, from presentations on
the history of the area to an annual haunted house. As both a historical site
and the historical society’s headquarters, the old Franklin County Jail is
therefore fundamental to historical interpretation in the area.

Franklin County Historical Society operates several historic properties throughout the county including this Georgian-style brick building that was once home to the Franklin County Jail. The historical society has been active since 1898, and the former jail which now serves as its headquarters has stood at this location since 1818. Notable attractions at the site include a poem scrawled by a prisoner on the wall of their cell, a reconstructed gallows, and an annual haunted house. The jail held a number of prominent prisoners throughout its history and also survived the burning of the town by Confederate raiders in 1864. At the time of the building’s nomination to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970, it was one of the country’s oldest penal institutions still in operation. The building ceased operations as a prison when the new county jail on Franklin Farm Lane opened one year after its nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. At that time, the historical society assumed ownership of the property. The Franklin County Historical Society operates a museum and genealogical library at this site and also offers tours of the old jail and other properties around the county including the John Brown House which is less than a block away. The historical society also operates Brown’s Mill School, St. Thomas Toll House, and Carrick Furnace. 

Franklin County Historical Society-Kittochtinny and Old Franklin County Jail

Born on May 9, 1800, in Torrington, Connecticut, John Brown was a passionate and ardent civil rights activist and abolitionist.&nbsp; He worked with the Underground Railroad and the League of Gileadites.&nbsp; He believed in using&nbsp;any means necessary, including violence, to end slavery.&nbsp; He led a raid on the federal armory at Harper's Ferry, VA (now WV) hoping that his actions would incite slaves to rebellion and action.&nbsp; His endeavor was unsuccessful, he went to trial, and was executed on December 2, 1859.Brown was heavily influenced by his father, a Calvinist who believed abhorred the concept of slavery.&nbsp; When Brown was a young boy, he witnessed a slave boy being beaten, and the experience shaped him into the abolitionist he became.He was twice married and had many children from both relationships.&nbsp; The families experienced financial difficulties and moved from place to place often.&nbsp; Brown was instrumental in his assistance with the Underground Railroad and gave land to free African-Americans.&nbsp; This led Brown to establish the League of Gileadites, whose goal was to protect Black citizens.Brown eventually met and befriended Frederick Douglass in 1847, and in 1849 moved to North Elba, New York which was a Black community.&nbsp; In 1855, Brown and five of his sons had moved to Kansas.&nbsp; Because of his belief in using violence as a means to end slavery, he and several of his men killed five pro-slavery settlers.Brown and his sons fled back east where the family patriarch&nbsp;devised a new plan- form a free and well-armed Black community in the mountains of Maryland and Virginia. &nbsp;In support of this vision, Brown began planning the attack on the federal arsenal at Harper's Ferry to secure the quantity of weapons that would be required to put his plan in motion.&nbsp; During the summer of 1859, Brown (under the alias of Isaac Smith) stayed at the Mary Ritner Boarding House in Chambersburg, PA.During that summer, Brown was in and out of the house.&nbsp; His supporters stayed to receive shipments of arms labeled as mining tools delivered by the railroad.&nbsp; These weapons were stored in the Oaks and Cauffman Warehouse on nearby North Main Street until they could be transported to the Kennedy Farm near Harper's Ferry.On August 16, Brown met with Frederick Douglass in Chambersburg.&nbsp; Douglass was there under the guise of delivering a speech, and Brown was dressed as a fisherman to disguise his identity.&nbsp; Once Brown relayed his planned attack on Harper's Ferry to Douglass and attempted to persuade him to join the fray, Douglass refused.Brown left the Ritner Boarding House on October 9, 1859&nbsp;and moved on to Harper's Ferry, from whence he would never return.&nbsp;This building was miraculously&nbsp;spared&nbsp;in the Burning Of Chambersburg and served a variety of purposes over the years.&nbsp;In 1971, Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission acquired the property and opened this museum.&nbsp;

Mary Ritner's Boarding House is best known for its role as the temporary headquarters of John Brown, the radical abolitionist who launched a raid on the federal arsenal at Harper's Ferry as part of a plan to arm and free the slaves of Virginia. Brown's intention was to create a well-armed community and force in the mountains that could defend itself and launch raids on slave plantations throughout the region. If successful, Brown hoped that slaves would rise up and join his community in ways that would lead to the end of slavery in America. 

Brown stayed at the Ritner Boarding House from June to October in 1859. From this location, Brown and his supporters planned the raid, received supplies, and prepared for their ill-fated mission. The historic boarding house is now a small museum operated by the Franklin County Historical Society.

Ritner Boarding House-John Brown

The Totem Pole Playhouse is a summer theater located in Fayetteville, Pennsylvania. Locals affectionately call it the “playhouse in the woods” due to its location on the edge of the Caledonia State Park. Summer theatres run by bringing in actors for the season. &nbsp;They tend to take on multiple roles through each of the four to six musical productions. Each show runs from two to three weeks.[1]The Playhouse was founded in 1951 by Karl Genus and Muriel Benson. They converted a small auto shop into their Totem Pole Playhouse. They thrived using their previous exploration in early live television.[5]&nbsp;William H. Putch took over the artistic direction of the Totem Pole Playhouse in 1953. After failing to be hired as the theater director for the Playhouse at its founding, he founded his own theater so as to gain more experience in the field. It wasn’t until two years later that he applied again and was hired. Due to his ambition and his wife, Jean Stapleton’s, acting talent, the Playhouse was able to gain national prominence under his direction. He worked with the playhouse until his sudden death 30 years later. Jean Stapleton continued to appear in over 80 Playhouse productions until her passing.[6]&nbsp;The most seats purchased for one production is still an honor of Jean Stapleton’s “Hello Dolly!” in 1971.[2]A fire broke out in the original theater in 1969, burning down all of the building save for a concrete wall. On this wall, &nbsp;Bill Putch painted: “Totem Pole Will Rise Again” And that it did! The playhouse had an awe-inspiring amount of support from the community that brought the theater back to life in a new location down the road. They volunteered many services in order to restore the Playhouse.[3]The season following the passing of Bill Putch, was directed first by his daughter Pamela, and then by resident actors Carl Schurr and Wil Love.[5] Under the direction of Schurr and Love, the Totem Pole had a series of rewarding events. They released productions that were later moved to the historic Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia. There were a number of famous faces visiting the stage, such as Jane Howdyshell and Julie White. The Playhouse began to be supported by the Caledonia Theatre Company (CTC), a non-profit organization that preserves professional theatre through fundraising.[4]The Playhouse prepared for its last season to be the summer of 2012 as they neared bankruptcy. It had relied heavily on its endowments and was running on the last of the funding. They promoted and reached out to produce full house performances in an attempt to gain the resources to keep running. The community responded with fundraising and donations as the Playhouse is a treasure to the Fayetteville area. The community donated rooms to be rented out to actors and cars to be driven to the theater.In 2013, Rowan Joseph, the current artistic director was hired. Since taking over, the playhouse has not taken from its endowments. As a banker from New York, he used his skills to put new, effective money saving methods into practice. The Playhouse has since thrived and attendance has increased by the thousands.Ever since 1953, the Totem Pole Playhouse has been giving back to the community by accepting students and everyday people interested in apprenticeships.[7] They offer professional experience and training as there is no better way to learn than from those that already hold prestige within the field. They also hold theater camps which give students the priceless opportunity to network while playing a key role within the Totem Pole Playhouse.[4]The Totem Pole has had a number of well-known actors and actresses on their stage. In addition to the well-known Jean Stapleton, John Ritter, Sandy Dennis, Curtis Armstrong, Eric Szmanda, Granville Van Dusen, Betsy Randle, Michael Learned, Meredith Baxter, and Michael Gross, have also appeared on the stage. [8]

The Totem Pole Playhouse has been bringing entertainment to Franklin County summers since 1950. After converting a decommissioned auto shop into their theater, Karl Genus and wife Muriel Benson practiced a perseverance that would set the culture of the playhouse. With big names such as Jean Stapleton and Bill Putch, the Totem Pole Playhouse has gained national prestige through unshakable determination.

Totem Pole Playhouse

Although it is most famous for it's role during the Civil War, the history of Cashtown
Inn begins over 50 years before. It was built around 1797 by Peter
Marck. Marck was known for demanding cash for not only the Inn, but the tollgate
that was located just east of the Inn. Because of this, the town and the Inn
became known as ‘Cashtown.’1 It has been used as a functioning Inn since 1815. 

Years later, the Civil War came to
Cashtown. In June of 1863 the Confederate forces had entered Pennsylvania and
were pushing north. The Union Army came to meet them, and Lee ordered his
troops to concentrate near Cashtown, although their final destination would be
the nearby town of Gettysburg. On June 29th, the men of Lt Gen. A.P.
Hill’s Third Corps passed by Cashtown Inn. The Innkeeper at the time, Jacob
Mickley, wrote that it appeared as if “the entire force under Lee… passed
within twenty feet of my barroom.” The Inn also served as headquarters for the
unwelcome guests. General A.P. Hill was suffering from a chronic ailment as he
approached Gettysburg, so he decided to establish his headquarters in the
comfortable Inn, joined by Generals Henry Heth and John D. Imboden. All of Cashtown
became an army camp during the days of the Battle of Gettysburg, and Cashtown
Inn would have been bustling with activities as the events of the days
unfolded. The stable next to the Inn, along with many of the houses nearby,
housed many of the Confederate wounded. The plethora of carts, cannons, wagons,
and carriages of Lees’ reserves were parked all through the town, including the
orchard of Cashtown Inn. On the 4th of July, Lee’s troops retreated
south, and Brigadier General John Imboden led the troops from Cashtown toward
Chambersburg.&nbsp;2&nbsp; When they left, the Confederate Army took whisky, brandy, a wagon, firewood, shingles,
chickens, hay, and destroyed many of Mickley's fields and orchard trees. After the
war ended, he claimed over $2,000 in damages, sold the Inn, and moved
West.3

In the
decades following the Civil War, Cashtown Inn suffered a decline in business, especially when the by-pass was created, cutting traffic on the Lincoln
Highway. The owners considered consolidating it into low-income apartments.
Charles and Carolyn Buckely came to own the property and decided to preserve
the site because of it's historical significance. Since 2006, owners Jack and Maria Paladino have undertaken major
structural renovations on the first floor. It currently functions as a Bed and
Breakfast attached to a Dining Restaurant and Tavern. The original Tavern Room
is the main dining room, and each room of the Inn is named after a Civil War
General.4&nbsp;The
Inn has received some renown for its appearance in the film “Gettysburg.” Because
much of the Confederate Army passed by the Inn on their way to Gettysburg, the
movie shows the character General Lee watches his army march in front of the
Inn. The owners at the time, Charles and Carolyn Buckley were featured as the
innkeepers. The Inn is one of the few original buildings to be used in the film
because most buildings have been renovated, destroyed, or updated. Many of the
actors and directors ate at the Inn, and Sam Elliot stayed there for the three weeks of filming in Gettysburg.5 The Inn is also reputed to be haunted by ghosts from the Civil War. It is a
popular site for prospective ghost-hunters hoping to see something paranormal. Supposedly,
doors open, close, lock, unlock themselves. Guests hear a knock on the door
when no one is there, and phantom horses stamp their hooves outside.6 The Inn is featured in a season 4 episode of “Ghost Hunters,” where paranormal
investigators stay in the Inn to try to discover the extent of supernatural
activity.&nbsp; Since the early 19th century Cashtown Inn has been a place for travelers to rest, and since the Civil War it has attracted history enthusiasts as well. Because of its role in the Battle of Gettysburg, the Cashtown Inn has stayed preserved and popular until today. <div>

</div>

Cashtown Inn is a historic inn that has been housing travelers since the early 19th century.  During the Civil War that devastated the country from 1860-1865, Cashtown Inn played a role in the Battle of Gettysburg. Because Cashtown Inn was involved in the troop movement and before, during, and after the battle of Gettysburg, its historical relevance has kept it preserved and popular until today. The preserved architecture allowed Cashtown Inn to be featured in the movie Gettysburg, and several actors stayed in the Inn during filming. Visitors stop to experience the history of the area, the relaxing Tavern and Bed and Breakfast, and possibly a paranormal encounter.

Cashtown Inn

Most truly round barns in the US were built
between 1889 and 1936. Many of those barns are not standing today. Round barns
started as octagons and&nbsp;eventually they moved to be polygons. Finally,
round barns came to be. The idea of round barns was first introduced by Orson Fowler in 1848 in&nbsp;A Home For All: Of the Gravel Wall and Octagon Mode of Building.&nbsp;The book contained his thoughts on the use of different shapes of barns. It was an old belief of farmers that the round barns would also keep the devil from hiding in corners, or cornering the farmers themselves. Eventually farmers saw even more value in building round barns.6Many round barns are now listed on the National
Register of Historic Places. Even though truly round barns weren’t popular
until the 1900’s, the first one was built in 1826 in Hancock Shaker Village, Massachusetts.
The main reason round barns became so popular was to increase efficiency in progressive
farming methods. Most round barns were cheaper to build than traditional square
barns. In addition, the structural stability of a round barn is better than that of a square
barn. Some round barns even had a silo constructed in the center, not only to
hold feed, but to provide a labor-saving element to the structure. Animals were
often housed on the bottom floor while other supplies were kept on the second
floor. Animals commonly kept in these barns were horses, cows, pigs, and goats. The stalls for the animals lined the perimeter of the first floor to save space in the barn.6

The round
barn in Biglerville, Pennsylvania was completed in November of 1914.
Biglerville is located just outside Gettysburg. The barn was built by the Noah
Sheely family after their conventional barn was lost in a fire. Noah’s son,
Daniel, had seen a round barn in Hershey, Pennsylvania. He then convinced his family&nbsp;that
a round barn was best suited for them at that time. Morris Rhodes was hired as
their architect for the new barn. The silo was built first and the barn was
built surrounding it. The silo stands 60 feet high and 12 feet wide.&nbsp;Hundreds of people from around the small town gathered to
see the new barn being built. 250 barrels of cement were used for the first
floor. The wood used for the barn was all from multiple different kinds of
trees from the farm’s land. The barn is 282 feet around and the diameter of the
barn is close to 90 feet. The barn originally had 50 stalls for cattle and 16 stalls
for mules or horses.2

Barns built
around this time period are often not properly taken care of, therefore there
aren’t many round barns left. Maintenance of these structures needs to be taken
seriously in order to keep the structures standing. The main cause of these
buildings deteriorating is actually moisture. Old barns should be regularly
checked for roof leaks, broken windows, and anywhere else water may be able to
get into. Bugs are also a huge problem for these old barns. Termites, carpenter
ants, and beetles all ruin the structures. Checking for insects regularly and
taking steps to prevent infestation is a must. Precautions should be taken to
prevent these two things from destroying historic barns.5

Now the barn houses a farmer’s market
where the produce grown on the farm is sold. Peaches, apples, and other fruits
and veggies are all grown and sold on the property. The barn can also be rented
out as a unique wedding or event venue.2 Because of the barn’s age, and the fact
that it is still in use, many conservation efforts have to be applied in order
to make sure the barn stays in good condition to function as a farmer’s market
and a wedding venue. Windows, roofing, and siding have been replaced to avoid
water damage. Regular inspection is done to ensure that water is in fact staying outside of the barn.&nbsp;Insects are also checked and sprayed for regularly to avoid the
barn from decaying any farther.

As impactful as agriculture is and
has been to the growth of the entire state, preserving any barns around the
state helps to show the deep seeded roots Pennsylvania has in agriculture. Keeping
the history of the area alive is going to help future generations to appreciate
and learn from the past. Also being able to buy fruits and vegetables from a
reputable facility that’s been growing crops since 1914 gives most people a
nice peace of mind knowing that their produce is going to be fresh and top quality.
Having the barn double as a wedding venue also helps new families to have a
great experience on such an important day.

The round barn in Biglerville, Pennsylvania is one of the only round barns left in the country. At the time, these barns were the most effective because of the unique shape and structure. This barn that was finished in 1914, is just a small snapshot of the rich agricultural history Pennsylvania has. The barn was built by the Sheely family after their previous barn was lost in a fire. They landed on this design after son, Daniel, saw a similar barn in Hersey, Pennsylvania. The barn now hosts events, a farmer’s market, and weddings.

Sheely's Round Barn

Seeking to force Lincoln into considering a negotiated peace on Confederate terms, General Robert E. Lee moved his forces out of Virginia and into Pennsylvania in late June, 1863. Lee's invading army was pursued by Major General George Meade who was appointed to replace General Joe Hooker that same month. The two forces collided in Gettysburg on July 1st and the Confederate forces secured a position on Cemetery Hill. Seminary Ridge ran perpendicular to the Union stronghold and the building Schmucker had constructed forty years earlier was captured by Confederate soldiers during the early stages of the battle and provided cover and a lookout for Confederate forces as the war raged until Confederate forces withdrew.Samuel Simon Schmucker, the son of a Lutheran pastor and a devote Lutheran, established the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg in 1826 and served as its president. A firm believer in the education of both women and more liberal towards the education of people of color than most whites in the antebellum era, Schmucker founded several girls’ schools and admitted the seminary’s first Black student in 1837. When the war came to his doorstep, many people used the school to take shelter from the fighting and Schmucker’s personal offices in the building were ransacked by Confederate soldiers upon its capture.The main building became a useful tool for the Confederate forces during the battle. Prior to the Confederate army taking control of the structure, U.S. Army Brigadier General John Buford and Lieutenant Aaron Jerome, an officer with the Signal Corps, hoped to use the Schmucker Building as a base of operations where they could view movement of troops. After being captured by Confederates, officers for the South made the informed decisions that helped to lead to a significant setback for the Union forces on July 1st. While in the shadow of Seminary Ridge, Lee chose to continue the fight beyond that first day. However, by July 3rd and following Pickett’s unsuccessful charge across the battlefield, the Union was able to reclaim Seminary Ridge and the Schmucker Building. After the battle, the building became a hospital which housed and treated hundreds of soldiers from both sides of the conflict until mid-September.When Schmucker was able to finally return, he along with several others began the process of buying the land where the battle took place in hopes of preserving the site of the battle. This land later became what was known as Battlefield Park and this museum preserves the history of the effort to preserve the battlefield and the former seminary in addition to the battle itself. The museum offers interactive programs and also shares what life was like for civilians and soldiers in the Civil War.

Gettysburg's Seminary Ridge Museum was founded to interpret and share the history of Seminary Ridge and its role within the Battle of Gettysburg, one of the major turning points of the Civil War. Museum professionals restore artifacts and offer exhibits that share the history of this place within the larger history of the American Civil War. The museum is located in a building constructed in 1826 by Samuel Simon Schmucker and the name of the ridge is related to this area's use as the first seminary in the area. This building was held by Union forces headquarters at the start and end of the battle, and was the site of a massive military hospital in the months that followed the battle. U. S. Army Brigadier General John Buford used the domed cupola atop the building to view the battlefield during the first day of the battle. The museum opened in 2013, the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Gettysburg Seminary Ridge Museum

The location
of the Gettysburg Heritage Center opened its doors on April 19, 1962. At that
time the center was called The National Civil War Wax Museum. The museum
contained more than 35 scenes and over 300 life size wax figures. The goal of
the museum was and still is to provide guests with an understanding of the
causes and consequences of the Civil War. 

The complex around
the center continues to undergo improvements. In 2000 the area adjacent to the
center was developed into “Veteran’s Park.” In 2001 the Battle Room inside the
center was updated to include a digitally enhanced audiovisual presentation.
The center prides itself on being one of the only attractions to depict events
of the entire Civil War as well as the Battle of Gettysburg and Lincoln’s
Gettysburg Address. 

The center
also specializes in gifts, collectibles, art, books, apparel and home décor.
Many of the items they have for sale are exclusive to the Gettysburg Heritage
Center. They also take pride in offering quality merchandise at a reasonable
price.

Gettysburg Heritage Center borders the Gettysburg National Military Park battlefield and provides guests with an interactive understanding of what the town was like before, during and after the battles that took place in and around Gettysburg. The center has artifacts, historical documents, interactive displays, and 3-D productions. You can also hear accounts of ordinary people doing extraordinary things during a time of chaos. 

Gettysburg Heritage Center

In July of 1863, the Battle of Gettysburg encompassed 90,000 Union soldiers and 75,000 Confederate soldiers, resulting in one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. In June, Confederate General Robert E. Lee led the Army of Northern Virginia into central Pennsylvania for several reasons: to obtain supplies, to instigate antiwar activists in the North, and to gain military triumph on Northern soil that might persuade President Abraham Lincoln to call for peace and conclude the war via the destruction of a vital railroad bridge over the Susquehanna River at Harrisburg. When Lee learned Confederate forces had crossed the Potomac River, he sent all units to Gettysburg to avoid confrontation. Gettysburg, while not necessarily an important location during the Civil War, had over a dozen roads leading into the town, making it accessible for his troops to concentrate there. On July 1, forces collided with Union Major General George Gordon Meade and the battle began, continuing into the second day. Lee attacked the Union army from both sides and had great success, but was overconfident and thought the center would be weakened due to Meade reinforcing the two flanks, therefore making the Union easy to defeat. On July 3, the third day of battle, Lee sent 13,00 of his soldiers, led by Major General George Pickett, to attack the center, but fewer than half of his soldiers returned. The failed attack later became known as “Pickett’s Charge.” The following day, Lee and his remaining troops retreated to Virginia, where Meade attempted to cut them off, but failed to do so before they recrossed the Potomac River. The aftermath of the battle was brutal for the Confederacy. In total, the battle caused around 50-51,000 casualties. On the Union side, over 3,000 men were dead, 14,529 wounded, and 5,365 missing or captured. On the Confederate side, over 4,000 men were dead, 18,735 wounded, and 5,425 missing or captured. Due to the high number of casualties, it is referred to as the “High Water Mark of the Rebellion.” Distraught from the loss, General Robert E. Lee offered up his resignation as general but was refused that request. The South was demoralized after the loss and the North took full advantage in continuing to end the Civil War.  Afterward, churches, public buildings, hospitals, and even private homes were filled with wounded soldiers. The Camp Letterman General Hospital was temporarily established east of Gettysburg. There, a majority of both Union and Confederate soldiers were taken and treated by Union surgeons working with the U.S. Sanitary Commission and Christian Commission, before being moved to permanent hospitals in Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington. By January of 1864, the last patients were gone. Residents of the area grew concerned with the terrible condition of soldiers' graves scattered over the battlefield and at hospital sites, and pleaded with Pennsylvania Governor Andrew Curtin for state support to buy a portion of the battlefield to be set aside as a final resting place for the defenders of the Union cause. Gettysburg lawyer David Wills was appointed the state agent to head the establishment of the new "Soldiers' National Cemetery,” which was designed by famous architect William Saunders. Removal of the Union dead to the cemetery began in the fall of 1863, but would not be completed until long after the cemetery grounds were dedicated on November 19, 1863. The dedication ceremony prompted around 15,000 attendees, including prominent political figures, and featured orator Edward Everett, who gave a successful two-hour speech, and included solemn prayers, songs, and dirges to honor the men who died at Gettysburg. Yet, it was President Abraham Lincoln who provided the most notable words in his speech, that was just over two minutes long and fewer than 300 words, which became known as the Gettysburg Address, eulogizing the Union soldiers buried at Gettysburg and reminding those in attendance of their sacrifice for the Union cause, that they should renew their devotion "to the cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion." There is speculation that Lincoln wrote his speech on the train ride to the memorial, and that some parts, such as the opening “four score and seven years ago,” are traced back to Bible scripture. The Battle of Gettysburg, coinciding with the capture of Vicksburg on July 4, 1863, is known as a turning point in the Civil War. In 1864, the Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial Association was established to preserve portions of the battlefield. The following year, they transferred their holdings to the Federal government, which designated Gettysburg as a National Military Park. A commission of Civil War Veterans oversaw the park’s development as a memorial to both armies, before the administration transferred it to the Department of Interior, National Park Service in 1933, which still oversees it. People still visit the park to pay tribute to the men who gave their lives in battle, some stating "as soon as you enter the battlefields, whether you are spiritual or not, you can feel this immense sadness. You can just feel that there is something there. With 51,000 lives lost there in three days…I believe there are souls still there," (Blue Monday, comments of Battle of Gettysburg (Full Documentary).

Fought over the first three days of July 1863, the Battle of Gettysburg was one of the most important conflicts of the Civil War. The fate of the nation was proven in the summer of 1863 when General Robert E. Lee, commanding the Army of Northern Virginia, led his army north into Pennsylvania, bringing the war directly into Union territory. The Union Army, commanded by Major General George Gordon Meade, met the Confederate invasion near the Pennsylvania crossroads town of Gettysburg, and what began as a chance encounter quickly turned into a desperate, ferocious battle. Despite initial Confederate successes, the battle turned against Lee on July 3rd, and with few options remaining, he ordered his army to retreat to Virginia, but not before 50,000 casualties were caught in the battle. The Union victory at the Battle of Gettysburg resulted not only in Lee's retreat to Virginia, but an end to the hopes of the Confederate States of America’s independence.

Traveling the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor

The Westmoreland Museum of American Art

Introduction

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Backstory and Context

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Additional Information