• Bellefonte and Boalsburg

    Bellefonte is the county seat of Centre County. It is approximately 12 miles northeast of State College, and the borough population was 6,187 at the 2010 census. It houses the Centre County Courthouse, located downtown on the diamond. Bellefonte has also been home to five of Pennsylvania’s governors, as well as two other governors. All seven are commemorated in a monument located at Talleyrand Park.

    The town features many examples of Victorian architecture. It is also home to the natural spring, “la belle fonte,” bestowed by Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord during a land-speculation visit to central Pennsylvania in 1790, from which the town derives its name. The Bellefonte Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. Buildings on the National Register of Historic Places are: the Bellefonte Armory, Bellefonte Forge House, Brockerhoff Hotel, Centre County Courthouse, Gamble Mill, McAllister-Beaver House, Miles-Humes House, Pennsylvania Match Company, South Ward School, and the William Thomas House.

    Talleyrand Park

    Boalsburg is an unincorporated community also in Centre County. It is also near State College, and rhe population was 3,722 at the 2010 census. The Pennsylvania Military Museum is located in the town, and it has a lot of intact Victorian architecture.

    The name “Boalsburg” comes from the Boal family who settled the region after emigrating from County Londonderry, Ireland. The Boalsburg Historic District and Hill House were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. The Boal Mansion was added the following year. The village claims to be the birthplace of Memorial Day. However, that claim was brought into question by Bellware and Gardiner in their book, The Genesis of the Memorial Day Holiday in America, in 2014. In their book, Bellware and Gardiner point out that the Boalsburg story was first published in 1904, forty years after the fact with no indication that General Logan drew inspiration from any activities in Boalsburg and no evidence that it started the holiday.

  • Around Bald Eagle Lake

    The towns of Howard and Blanchard sit on or near the shores of Bald Eagle Lake in Centre County. I was able to capture some shots of the towns after a recent snowfall. First up on my trip was Howard.

    I made my way north towards the dam and the Blanchard area.

    PFC Foster Joseph Sayers Statue and War Memorial
  • A Well Preserved Historic Site

    Curtin Village and Eagle Ironworks is a historic district composed of buildings and structures related to an ironworks dating back to 1810. The village was founded by Roland Curtin, Sr., father of Pennsylvania’s Civil War-era governor Andrew Gregg Curtin, and Miles Boggs. It includes an iron master’s mansion (1830), a late-19th century Victorian style dwelling, the Eagle Furnace stack (1847), the remains of a grist mill, a number of worker’s houses, and an overgrown canal basin. The Eagle Ironworks closed in 1921.

    Owned by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, it is operated as the Curtin Village at Eagle Ironworks Historical Site by the Roland Curtin Foundation. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.

    The iron works is quite a large facility, at least compared to other iron furnaces that I have seen in the state. It’s amazing that this operated until 1921.

  • A Pre-Birthday Trip to Bald Eagle State Park

    I decided to celebrate a milestone birthday by taking a bucket list trip to stay at the Nature Inn at Bald Eagle State Park.

    The 5,900-acre Bald Eagle State Park is in the broad Bald Eagle Valley in Centre County. The 1,730-acre lake laps the flanks of Bald Eagle Mountain, surrounded by forests, fields, and wetlands. With two campgrounds, boating, fishing, swimming, the Nature Inn, and diverse habitats that are excellent for wildlife watching, Bald Eagle State Park offers many diverse recreational opportunities.

    I encountered some unusual early December snow on my trip. However, since I don’t get to photograph in these conditions very much, it made for some interesting pictures. The roads in the park were well-plowed, and I was able to reach even some of the more remote areas of the park.

  • Twelfth Night

    The Twelve Days of Christmas refer to the period between Christmas and Epiphany. Since it is still ’tis the season, I thought I’d share some photos of Christmas at the Brandywine Museum of Art.

    They are known for ornaments made from natural materials.
    Some works from the Brandywine River School.
    A special display of miniatures, including this train set.
    One of the dollhouses.
    The star attraction – a beloved, and large, model train display.
  • Centre County Celebrates Christmas

    Homes and business in Bellefonte, Howard, Milesburg, and Boalsburg are decked out for the holidays.

  • Late Winter Sets the Scene for Spring

    It now feels more like Spring in Chester County, although the calendar still says it’s Winter. The weather, however, can’t seem to make up its mind. We start with a few scenes around Kimberton.

    French Creek
    Further east, I’m not sure what these critters are. They may be llamas or alpacas.
    I loved the golden hour glow on this house.
    At this house, it is apparently still Christmas.
  • Daffodil and Forsythia Dances

    Early Spring has sprung in my section of Pennsylvania. Here are some of the forsythia and daffodils on display in mid March in Chester County.

    Daffodils are a popular edition to the mailbox.
    This reminds me of the Spring version of the lamppost in Narnia for some reason.
    This is what a mature forsythia should look like, not forced into some meatball-like form like a boxwood,
  • Because I Couldn’t Resist

    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,

  • Lititz and Ephrata Countryside Drive

    A recent drive to visit some covered bridges in the Lititz and Ephrata area led me through some lovely countryside in northern Lancaster County. Here is a look a look at some of the farms that I saw and other views.

    Want a bunny?
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