The (Not so) Rural Pennsylvanian

  • The Paper Mill Museum and Bartrams Covered Bridge

    The Paper Mill Museum is a historic three story stone building along Darby Creek in Newtown Township, Delaware County that contains an 1850’s era general store, and three levels of a local history museum containing artifacts representing the history of Newtown Township. The original building was constructed in 1828 to house four families that worked at the local mills along the Darby Creek. An addition was built in 1845 to contain a general store that served the community that grew up around the mills. In the immediate area of the site were the William Crosley Woolen Mill (1828-1861) and Casper S. Garrett’s Union Paper Mill (1869-1889). The building overlooks the creek and a stone bridge that carries St. David’s Road over the creek. A modern wooden pedestrian bridge over the creek connects the building to the parking area for the site.

    Along the creek in the area are archeological remains of both old mills, including building foundations, the millrace, and other traces of the mill activity. The site was recognized as historically significant in 2002 when it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

    The structure stood in ruins in the early 1980’s, without a roof, without a use, and destined for demolition. However, the history of the building and the site was recognized by a small handful of civic minded Newtown residents, and through their efforts and those of many other volunteers, the building was acquired by the Township, and then enclosed to protect it from the elements. Over the last 25 years, the Building has been restored, inside and out, and now houses a recreated general store from the mid-19th century, and a museum containing artifacts collected and donated by Newtown residents that represent some of the history of the Township and its people.

    Here are some views of the exterior and the grounds:

    Not far away sits Bartram’s Covered Bridge, which spans the county line between Delaware and Chester Counties over Crum Creek in Newtown Square. As such, it is the last covered bridge remaining in Delaware County, a county which once had over 30 covered bridges. The bridge has unique slanted plank portals, the only bridge in Pennsylvania with this unusual design.

    Built in 1860 by Ferdinand Wood, who designed the portals to be “Hi and Wide as a Load of Hay,” the bridge is 80 feet long by 13 feet wide. The original cost of $1,133 to build the bridge was shared by Delaware and Chester Counties. It is named for Mordecai Bartram, an adjacent landowner. The bridge design, pioneered by Theodore Burr, features the Burr Truss, commonly found in Pennsylvania covered bridges of the time. At one time, the words “LINCOLN, Save Union and Congress” were still visibly painted inside the bridge. The last traces of this old graffiti from 1860 are believed to have been lost during the last restoration of the bridge in 1995.

    The bridge closed to traffic in 1941. The bridge was first rehabilitated in the 1960’s (at the time by the Marple Newtown Historical Society). After years of neglect, the bridge was restored in 1995, funded by a combination of donations, grants and fundraising. The bridge is on the National Register of Historic Places.

    The bridge appears to have had some additional work since I last visited. There is now a gravel parking area on the west side of the bridge, in addition to on street parking on a side street to the east.

  • A Park and a Historic Church

    The Willows Park Preserve in northwestern Delaware Country has been a popular spot for birding, fishing, picnicking and walking for decades. Built in 1910, the Willows Mansion is surrounded by 47.5 acres of public park with water, meadow, woodland and garden views. Closed for nearly a decade, the deteriorating mansion sits idle while park life carries on. However, efforts to restore the Mansion are ongoing. It was once a very popular wedding reception venue.

    The pond, fed by Little Darby Creek, is popular with fisherman. The stream is stocked.
    Who you looking at?
    Some interesting tiles on the bridge over Little Darby.
    He’s behind me, right? Parent Robin pursued by begging fledgling.
    A good look at a fledgling robin.
    Looks like a female red-winged blackbird.

    I made another stop that day at St. Davids Church, which lies mostly within Radnor Township, Delaware County. The parish is more than 300 years old. Toward the close of the seventeenth century, a hardy group of Welsh colonists settled in an area which became known as Radnor. In 1704, a 100-signature petition for Welsh prayer books and a Bible, but more particularly for a Welsh-speaking missionary, was dispatched to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in London. Ten years later, in return for this long-awaited recognition, the settlers “heartily engaged themselves to build a handsome stone church,” to be named after the Patron Saint of Wales. The cornerstone was laid on May 9, 1715.

    With the coming of the Revolution in the colonies, a rapidly swelling wave of resentment against the Church of England arose among the patriots of the congregation. A leader of this opposition was Anthony Wayne, later appointed major general of the American forces, who is buried in St. David’s historic churchyard. The church building provided shelter for soldiers of both sides.

    A view of the original church.
    The churchyard is a tranquil place.
    Some lovely color on these trees in late Spring.
    As an old church, there are some interesting mausoleums.

  • Easy As Pie

    Laughlintown is located in Ligonier Township, Westmoreland County.  It is located on U.S. Route 30, 3 miles southeast of Ligonier.

    The town is named after Robert Laughlin. The Compass Inn, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is located here, as are the Rolling Rock Club and The Washington Furnace Inn. However, I think for many the notable landmark is this bakery:

    I couldn’t resist buying some pie and baklava here. Both were delicious. The menu also includes pizza and sandwiches. Across the street is the Compass Inn property. The Inn is a historic inn and tavern. It is a 2 1/2-story, five bay log and stone building in a vernacular Georgian style. The original section was built in 1799, and it is three bays wide. The two bay stone section was added in the 1820s. A clapboarded frame section was added in 1862. It was restored in 1970, and operated as a local history museum. The property includes a rebuilt barn and blacksmith shop.

    The barn.
    The Compass Inn.
    Double barn stars on the adjacent property.

    Many forestry district offices seem to be in out of the way locations. This one is right on Route 30 in Laughlintown. They are great stops for maps and information.

  • The Birth of the Banana Split and Fred Rogers

    Latrobe is a city in Westmoreland County, with a population of 8,060 as of the 2020 census. Latrobe was incorporated as a borough in 1854, and as a city in 1999.

    Latrobe is known as the home of the Latrobe Brewery, the original brewer of Rolling Rock beer. Latrobe was also the birthplace and childhood home of children’s television personality Fred Rogers and former professional golfer Arnold Palmer. The nearby airport is named after Palmer.

    The banana split was invented in Latrobe by David Strickler in 1904. The city is also home to the training camp of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Latrobe was long recognized as the site of the first professional American football game in 1895 until research found an 1892 game with paid players.

    The banana split is claimed to have been invented in 1904 in Latrobe by David Evans Strickler at the pharmacy that later became named Strickler’s Drug Store. In 2004, the National Ice Cream Retailers Association certified Latrobe as the birthplace of the banana split. The town holds an annual festival in honor of the dessert.

    The train station, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
    Latrobe Presbyterian Church.

  • A Cascading Stream

    It’s hard to imagine that the area that is now Linn Run State Park was once a clear cut wasteland. It is now covered by second -growth forest, which frames the tumbling and cascading Linn Run.

    Near the Fish Run trail head, there is some signage recording the logging history of the area. The Pittsburgh, Westmoreland and Somerset Railroad traversed Laurel Mountain to service logging activities there. The route taxed the limits of the steam locomotives, which could refill their boilers at a water station, which was created by diverting the creek to form a pond. There was also a siding in this area to slow down run-away trains.

    The pond.
    A memorial bench in a lovely spot.

  • Loafing Around Ligonier

    The town of Ligonier makes a great homebase or stopover for food or drinks when exploring the Laurel Highlands. I stopped by during my recent trip to the area for some lunch and to see the town, which is also home to historic Fort Ligonier.

    This gazebo sits in the middle of the town square.
    I couldn’t resist photographing this birdhouse.
    My kind of store. Coffee shops and ice cream are also to be had in the heart of town.
    The post office.
    Can you tell what is sold in the red brick building?
    An old train station just outside of downtown.

  • Warwick Furnace Farms – Something Smells Wonderful Here

    The Warwick Furnace Farms is a historic district that is located in northern Chester County that includes the ruins of an early iron furnace that was owned by Anna Rutter Nutt, widow of Samuel Nutt. The iron furnace was previously featured here. I wanted to return to visit the farm and was able to do so when I had the day off for Good Friday.

    Anna Rutter Nutt was the daughter of Thomas Rutter, who erected the first ironwork in Pennsylvania at Pine Forge Mansion and Industrial Site. Samuel Nutt bought the original tracts of land for the Coventry area with partners William Branson and Mordecai Lincoln, the great-great grandfather of Abraham Lincoln. The 786-acre historic district was listed by the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. The related village of Coventryville can be seen here.

    In 2015, the French & Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust permanently protected the 553-acre Warwick Furnace Farm through conservation easements and the acquisition of 108 acres, which will be the future home of a public preserve.

    The ironmaster’s house and workers’ houses, the historic farmhouse and the barns in this historic district are currently used in the operation of a working farm, which produces lavender and lavender products. The farm has a shop and which sells the wonderful local lavender products. Check the web site for information, hours, special events and to purchase online.

    A look toward the main house.
    The extensive barns.
    The shop tucked into the corner.
    The color in the budding trees in Spring always amazes me.

  • Historic Yellow Springs

    Yellow Springs Village is a historic village in West Pikeland Township in Chester County, Pennsylvania. The community includes historic churches, established in the 1770s by German Reformed and Lutheran members. It has been a location for a boys’ school, the country school of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fiine Arts, a restaurant, an inn and many other uses. Today it is a haven for artists and hosts special events.

    The village was busy the day I visited, so I concentrated on the peripheral areas. The early Spring color was still in evidence. You can learn more here.

  • Happy Easter

    I will be taking a break this week to celebrate the holiday and regroup from a colder than average winter that largely kept me cooped up inside.

    In the meantime, enjoy some shots from Springtimes past.

    A view of the flower garden at Chenoa Farm Sanctuary.
    Blooming in Mercer County.
    Nay Aug Park in Scranton.

  • An Unusually Warm Day in March

    I took advantage of some nearly 80 degree weather to go to the Brandywine Museum of Art before my annual pass ran out. While I was having some mushroom soup in the cafe, I noticed a few fisherman in Brandywine Creek. I’m not sure what they were fishing for in March, maybe panfish.

    I made a few stops on the way home to get some RAW files to test new photo editing software that I am using (goodbye Adobe). These shots, as well as the forsythia from last week, are the result.

    First a some exterior shots of the Goshenville historic site on Route 352.

    I am never sure that this is the front of this cute, but unassuming, building.

    This is the blacksmith shop. It was open when I visited another time.

    The next stop was the Thornbury CSA even though it is a bit early for local produce.

    You have to love the sense of humor here.
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