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.
An day drive around the lovely Kimberton area of Chester County. As they say, “A picture is worth a thousand words.”
Here is a look around the area near my aunt’s farm in Greenwood Township, Columbia County from the opening weekend of rifle deer season. Sadly, no one had any luck that weekend.
A drive through Berks and Schuylkill Counties this past Autumn provided some scenic views. First up is the Zimmerman Covered Bridge in Schuylkill County. Originally built in 1880, it is 65 feet long.
The Dreibelbis Station Bridge is a 172 foot long Burr arch truss covered bridge spanning Maiden Creek south of Lenhartsville, Berks County. The bridge was built in 1869 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 23, 1981. Another Berks bridge with a hex sign – I love it.
Kutz’s Mill Bridge is a historic wooden covered bridge located at Greenwich Township in Berks County, Pennsylvania. It is a 93 foot long, Burr Truss bridge, constructed in 1854. It crosses the Sacony Creek. As the name implies, it leads to the Kutz Mill. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.
The Rock Covered Bridge is a single-span Burr arch truss 55 feet 7 inches over Little Swatara Creek in Schuylkill County.
In 1996, Charlestown Township in Chester County purchased 20 acres of the Brightside Farm located to preserve it from impending development. The Township added 55 additional acres to Brightside Farm Park with the purchase of the rest of the farm with the help of a significant grant from Chester County in the year 2000. The farm is preserved as an agricultural asset for the residents to enjoy, and a portion of the property is under a conservation easement with the French & Pickering Creeks Trust. The park offers over 50 garden plots to township residents and has walking trails.
A feature in the Park is the Wisner Rapp House. Jacob Wisner House, also known as the Rapp House, is a historic home that was built in two sections. The older section dates to 1761, and is a 2 1/1-story, three bay wide, stone structure. A two bay wide extension was added in the 1840s. The addition was originally built to house a saddle and harness-maker’s shop and later housed the Sidley Post Office.
Finally, a look around the neighboring area …
The 407-acre Hills Creek State Park, located in scenic Tioga County, contains abundant wildlife such as osprey, loon, and waterfowl which visit the lake that contains a variety of warmwater fish species. Camping, cabins, swimming, and picnicking make this an ideal spot for a day trip or family vacation. Hiking, fishing and hunting are also available.
Knapp’s Covered Bridge is a Burr arch truss covered bridge over Brown’s Creek in Burlington Township, Bradford County. It was built in 1853 and is 95 feet (29.0 m) long. The bridge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 and had a major restoration starting in 2000. Knapp’s Bridge is named for a local family, and is also known by as the Luther’s Mills Covered Bridge (for the nearby village of Luther’s Mills) and as the Brown’s Creek Covered Bridge.
The surrounding countryside also provides some nice sightseeing, like this pretty church with its barn across the road and the nearby farmland.
The area around the French Azilum historic site is lovely. It is just one more reason to visit the area. I think these pictures speak for themselves, so I will leave this as a picture blog.
Upcoming posts will feature a recent trip to Tioga and Bradford Counties, along with bonus locations. This will be followed by some very special “not in Pennsylvania” posts in Autumn. Stay tuned! In the meantime, here are some random favorites of mine.
