The (Not so) Rural Pennsylvanian

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  • A Small Town with a lot of History

    I took a drive into McConnellsburg, which is the county seat of Fulton County, The population was 1,150 at the time of the 2020 census. The McConnellsburg Historic District was recognized by the United States Department of the Interior in 1993 when it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The district consists of 144 structures that contribute to its historic character. Of note are the numerous taverns, inns, automotive garages and other travel-related structures still in existence today, which includes the Fulton House, the Fulton County Courthouse, and the log cabin of Daniel McConnell, who laid out the borough on April 20, 1786 (which was further incorporated on March 26, 1814).

    The Fulton House, located at 112-114 Lincoln Way East, was built in 1793 as an inn and tavern and was expanded in 1820. It was constructed by the town founder, Daniel McConnell, and was a major stop for travelers headed west. It has hosted noted people (including presidents), was involved in two incursions of the confederacy, and nearly burned to the ground in 1944. It was later restored and and purchased by the Borough of McConnellsburg. The original log cabin kitchen was built circa 1770 and was later restored. The museum shows furnishings, tools, utensils, and decorative items relating to the cultural and material heritage of Fulton County from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries.

    The Fulton House
    The log cabin
    The Agnew House, one of the first stores in McConnellsburg.
    St. Paul’s
    The Fulton County Ciourthouse
    McConnell Park
    Some brightly painted buildings near the courthouse.

  • A Foxy Day at Marsh Creek

    The Spring birding season led to another trip to Marsh Creek State Park in Chester County. The park was active with boaters getting ready for the season in relatively nice weather for May.

    At the west boat launch.
    This fox was out enjoying the sun.
    More horses than unusual out in the pasture.
    The new access point off Chalfont Road.

  • Fishing Kuster Mill

    Kuster Mill, also known as Custer’s Fulling Mill and Skippack Creek Farm, is a historic fulling mill in Evansburg State Park on Skippack Creek in Montgomery County. The complex includes three contributing buildings and one contributing structure. They are the original mill, mill race, a stone house, and a Dutch bank barn. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.

    Today, the area is popular with fishermen and walkers in Evansburg State Park. I visited on a day in April when trout season was underway. The weather was grim, but that was not much of a deterrent to those enjoying the park.

    The pedestrian bridge.
    Fishing is family affair here.
    You have to wonder how trees get like this,
    The Friedt Visitor Center at Evansburg State Park.
    Along Arcola Road

  • One of My Favorite Birds

    The great blue heron is one of my favorite birds, due in no small part to the fact there is a rookery near where I live. Here is a shot of one in action at the Octoraro Lake in Chester County. Note the bonus great blues in the background, as well as a faint great egret.

    The great blue heron (Ardea herodias) is a large wading bird in the heron family (Ardeidae), common near shores of open water and wetlands over most of North and Central America, as well as Northwestern South America, the Caribbean, and the Galápagos Islands. It is occasionally found in the Azores and is a rare vagrant to Europe.

    They are fairly easy to find in Pennsylvania if you know where to look. Coupled with their majestic, but positively prehistoric looks, the great blues are a favorite.

  • Too Many Photos of Somewhere Not in Pennsylvania, Pt. III

    The Bermuda trip ends with a look around the ship, Virgin Voyage’s Valiant Lady. We return to Pennsylvania next week.

    A bridge tour.
    A window through the floor to aid in docking.

    The cruise departed from the Brooklyn cruise terminal, in Red Hook, New York City.

    Great views of Goverrnor’s Island and the Statue of Liberty.

  • Too Many Photos of Somewhere Not in Pennsylvania, Pt. II

    Continuing our series from Bermuda in April, the following photos provide a look around the Royal Naval Dockyard, which now functions as a cruise port and location for dining, shopping and museums.

    The Commissioner’s House at the National Museum of Bermuda.
    Calico Jack’s, now a restaurant and bar.
    Heritage Wharf and the Commissioner’s House.
    The ferry has arrived.
    The Clocktower Mall.
    The 2017 America’s Cup hull of Oracle Team USA.
    Some jet skiers braving the cold waters.
    Fort St. Catherine near St. George.
    The reef is very close to the channel in some spots.

  • Too Many Photos of Somewhere Not in Pennsylvania, Pt. I

    The following post (and two more to follow) are from a recent cruise to Bermuda which I took in mid April. The first entry is from a trolley tour around the West End of Bermuda near the Royal Naval Dockyard and Somerset Parish. Even though the weather was overcast, there were still some lovely coastal views.

    One of the famous Bermuda Moon Gates.
    Old bus shelter of Bermuda limestone.
    I love the colorful buildings here.
    The world’s smallest drawbridge – from a photo of a fellow traveller.

  • Springton Manor Farm

    Springton Manor Farm is part of the Chester County park system. Within its historic landscape of fenced fields, stone walls and misty morning vistas is a preserved patchwork of colonial plantation, Industrial Revolution era scientific farm, Victorian tenant farm, and gentleman’s country estate. The Manor House and Carriage House overlook 300 acres of centuries-old sugar maples, open pastures and Penn Oaks, which surround the lower pond. The Manor House is not open to the general public.

    Initially part of a William Penn Manor, Springton Manor has been in agricultural use since the early 1700’s. On this demonstration farm, one can meet the animals and learn about Chester County’s farming history. The barn complex consists of the Great Barn, sheep shed, goat shed, a roost and equipment shed. You may see horses, donkeys, rabbits, calves, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens and peacocks. The Family Farm Museum, located within the Great Barn, contains seasonal tools and apparatus used on Chester County farms from the 1700’s to the 1900’s.

    This visit focuses on the exterior of the property and the manor house. I visited this property previously. You can view that post here. That post has views of the farm buildings. I intend to return earlier in the day to try to photograph some of the animals. which now seem to include llamas or alpacas.

    A house in nearby Glenmoore

  • The Duportail House – Redbuds in Spring

    The Duportail House in eastern Chester County is a frequent feature on this blog. Today we look at some of the Spring flowering trees on the grounds.

    In 1740, a Welsh Quaker named John Havard, Jr. built a stone farmhouse on a large William Penn land grant in Chester County’s Great Valley. During the Continental Army’s encampment at Valley Forge in 1777-78, the Havard family played host to a guest from France, General Louis Lebègue Duportail. Recruited by Benjamin Franklin, Duportail served as the army’s Chief Engineer, designing fortifications at Valley Forge that could enable Washington’s troops to hold off a potential attack by the British army, which was encamped in nearby Philadelphia. The house is now used as an event venue, and the surrounding property is a park.

    This looks like a springhouse or root cellar.

  • The Waterloo Mills Historic District

    Waterloo Mills Preserve in Chester County is a property owned by the Brandywine Conservancy. On 170 acres, the site contains an 18th century village, mill race remnants, wildflower meadows, fertile marshes, mature woods and over a mile of the upper reaches of Darby Creek. Members of the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art can walk the trails through the property. Stepping stones and a puncheon log allow visitors to ford small streams and Darby Creek. The property offers a variety of wildlife ranging from whitetail deer to turtles to migratory birds, as well as many varieties of plants.

    The village of Waterloo Mills, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, includes an old gristmill, a barn, a wheelwright and blacksmith’s shop, and two houses. Here are some views of the outdoor sections of the property.

    A few of the old mill and farm buildings in the Historic District remain.

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