Although I said “no post” for this weekend, I recently got a chance to see the property known as the “West Chester Griswolds.” Enjoy this over the top holiday light display,
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Townie Christmas Sights
I would like to wish one and all a very Merry Christmas and remind you that peace and tolerance will not continue to flourish if good people do nothing and allow evil and greed to go unchecked.
Next weekend the blog will be taking the weekend off for the holiday. In the meantime, have a look at my town, which has some of the best Christmas lights in eastern Chester County and has been previously featured here. I’ve added some new shots this year.
These trees look new. 
The probable winner of the apartment balcony light contest. 
This year’s town Christmas tree. 
A well matched light display for the local brewing company. -
An Old Mill in Black and White
The Mill at Anselma in Chester Springs, Pennsylvania has been a National Historic Landmark since 2005, and an operational Mill before the United States of America began. It is an independent, non-profit historic site today. Nestled along the Pickering Creek, the Mill site preserves over 250 years of Chester County’s industrial history. The Mill retains its original Colonial-Era power train, as well as multiple layers of industrial equipment ranging from the late 1700s to the mid 1900s. The 22 acre property and surviving historical buildings demonstrate a heritage engineered to last. It is open to the public and hosts educational and entertaining events. It is free to walk around the grounds.
I photographed the mill in black and white using an old Canon A2E on Kentmere 400 film. I developed these myself. I am chuffed that they are usable (not that terrible).
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A Less Visited Historic Site
We will return back to eastern Pennsylvania for a couple of weeks after our swing through the western part of the commonwealth. Pennsylvania has quite a few old iron furnaces spread across the state. In fact, Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site lies near the border of Chester and Berks counties. Not far away is the site of the Warwick Iron Furnace. The site is part of Warwick Furnace Farms, a historic district that includes the ruins of the early iron furnace owned by Anna Rutter Nutt, widow of Samuel Nutt. The ironmaster’s house and workers’ houses, as well as a historic farmhouse and barns now used in the operation of a working farm.
Anna Rutter Nutt was the daughter of Thomas Rutter, who erected the first ironwork in Pennsylvania. Samuel Nutt bought the original tracts of land with partners William Branson and Mordecai Lincoln, the great great grandfather of Abraham Lincoln. The furnace was managed by George Taylor when the first Franklin Stoves were cast here. The furnace operated through the 1860s and supplied the iron used in the iron-clad ship the USS Monitor during the Civil War. The 786 acre historic district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
I visited back in early Spring. The landscape around here is lovely and well worth a trip.
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Even More Valley Forge
Valley Forge is one of my most photographed areas. I just can’t help myself. The first location is Lord Stirling’s Quarters. I have long wanted to photograph these buildings but have not been able until recently. Unfortunately, like most park locations, these buildings are not open to the public and not in good repair. Valley Forge is sadly underfunded, like most of our national park system.
The next area is known as the Artillery Park. I bird and photograph around here a lot.
Finally, this foot bridge is near the top of Mount Joy -
Rambling Around Kimberton
An day drive around the lovely Kimberton area of Chester County. As they say, “A picture is worth a thousand words.”
An old ruin along a creek, near the Kennedy Covered Bridge 
The “Historical” Seven Star Inn 
A couple of hooved friends on a warm winter’s day …. 
They are everywhere this time of year. 
Really nice barn 
Struble Lake in northwestern Chester County – definitely not in Kimberton. -
A Little Experiment
I have been working on doing a little more film photography these days, which is something I haven’t done much of in over 20 years. The experiment started with a Lomography 120 film camera which is a little more than a toy. I have never used 120 film before, so I didn’t know what to expect. The results weren’t too awful – kind of arty in a good way, including some interesting double exposures. These are views around Tredyffin Township, Chester County. Better pictures will return soon. LOL
A bit of a double exposure here. 
