Eagles Mere is a borough in Sullivan County with a population of 151 at the 2020 census (full time residents). Eagles Mere was laid out in 1877 and incorporated in 1899. The Eagles Mere Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. Eagles Mere’s name literally means “the eagle’s lake”, the word “mere” being a poetic synonym of “lake”. The town has an extensive history of tourism, having been developed as a resort town and was once served by a narrow gauge railway. My family has visited the area since I was a child.
Some of the summer sailboat fleet.The clubhouse at the lake with a swimming beach.St. John of the Wilderness Episcopal Church.The Eagles Mere Inn.
Worlds End State Park is situated in a narrow S-shaped valley of the Loyalsock Creek, just south of Forksville, Sullivan County. Surrounded by the Loyalsock State Forest, the 780-acre park offers visitors diverse recreational opportunities, such as hiking, fishing, camping, wildlife viewing and hunting, within a pristine natural environment. As evidenced by the Loyalsock Canyon Vista below, the rugged natural beauty of the Endless Mountains landscape provides many photo opportunities.
My cabin on this trip. It looks like another CCC creation.The neighbors.The other neighbors.I love this snack shop. It’s a great thing to have in Sullivan County.A sneak peak at the beach (which was closed) along the Loyalsock Creek. The water here is always “refreshing.”Another view from the Vista.A taxidermy paradise at the park office.A rare cinnamon black bear.This is what fisher actually looks like. If I had a dollar for every mink, weasel or whatever that someone thinks is a fisher …This bobcat looks surprised to be in his present condition,
I used my trip to the Poconos to stop and visit some historic covered bridges in the Allentown area.
My first stop was the Wehr Covered Bridge, a wooden covered bridge located in Lehigh County. It is a three span, 117-foot-long (36 m) Burr Truss bridge, constructed in 1841. It has horizontal siding and gable roof. It crosses Jordan Creek. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. There is and adjacent park, appropriately named Covered Bridge Park and a dam across Jordan Creek forming a small waterfall.
Another interesting bridge with a nice setting is Manasses Guth Covered Bridge. It is a wooden covered bridge near the Wehr Covered Bridge. It is a 108-foot-long (33 m) Burr Truss bridge, constructed in 1858, and rebuilt in 1882. It has vertical siding. It also crosses Jordan Creek and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. There is some interesting architecture near the bridge.
The Geiger Covered Bridge is a is a 112-foot-long (34 m) Burr Truss bridge, constructed in 1860. It has vertical plank siding and an entry portal of stepped square planks. It also crosses Jordan Creek within the Trexler Nature Preserve. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
Finally, the Schlicher Covered Bridge is a wooden covered bridge that is 108-foot-long (33 m) Burr Truss bridge, constructed in 1882. It has vertical plank siding and a gable roof. It crosses Jordan Creek near the Lehigh Valley Zoo. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980
The annual weekend trip to Lake Naomi in the Poconos was blessed with lovely weather – and I got to extend it by a day. Here are some views of the lake.
A panorama of the same area.This woman with three small dogs was quite the character.St. Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church in nearby Pocono Summit. I’ve always been fascinated by this Church and decided to take a closer look.
On the last day of my trip to the Laurel Highland, I made a few stops at some covered bridges. Burkholder Covered Bridge was built in 1870 and uses the Burr Arch Truss in its construction. The bridge crosses Buffalo Creek in Brothers Valley Township, the length of the structure is 52 ft. and the width is 12 ft. It is in good condition and open to vehicle traffic.
Up next is the Packsaddle Covered Bridge. Packsaddle Covered Bridge (which is known as Doc Miller Covered Bridge in some sources) was built in 1870 by a builder that has been sadly lost to time. At 48 feet long, it is the shortest of the 10 covered bridges in Somerset County, PA. Don’t make my mistake and miss the small waterfall in Brush Creek under this bridge.
On my way back to the turnpike, I wanted to see the location of the Pittsburgh Zoo’s International Conservation Center. Unfortunately, it is not open to the public. It houses elephants that have been relocated from other facilities. This lovely church was on the way.
Located in Somerset County, Lake Somerset is a 253-acre impoundment owned by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and managed by the Fish and Boat Commission for public fishing and boating. The lake historically has stocked the lake with Channel Catfish, Muskellunge and Walleye fingerling. Fish habitat structures have been placed in the lake over the years a fish habitat improvement program. Boating is limited to boats powered by electric motors and un-powered boats. Two launch ramps are available along with associated parking facilities. Un-powered boats may be moored at the lake in accordance with Commission property regulations. The lake was extensively renovated beginning in 2017. The county has created a nature park around the lake. It seems like a lovely amenity for the region for birding and walking as well a boating and fishing.
There was a small boat concession operating at the lake.This fishing pier seemed quite popular.
Somerset County definitely has some different looking barn stars, This lacy looking white design seems to have been particularly popular.
I like the contrast between the barn and the wind turbine.Here’s another different style.These sheep were just chilling in the July heat.Here are some of my other favorite views around the county,
Somerset County is one of the places in Pennsylvania that has done an excellent job of preserving its covered bridges. They make nice side trips if you are visiting for skiing or other outdoor activity, Driving south in the county, one comes to Barronvale Covered Bridge. This bridge, also known as Barron’s Mill Bridge, is a covered bridge in Middlecreek Township crossing Laurel Hill Creek. At 162 feet 3 inches (49.45 m) it is the longest remaining covered bridge in Somerset County. It is 13 feet 10 inches (4.22 m) wide. The Burr truss bridge was built in 1902 by Cassimer Cramer.
The King’s Covered Bridge is in Middlecreek Township. It was built in 1802, and is a 127-foot-4-inch-long (38.81 m) Burr truss bridge, with an asbestos covered gable roof. The bridge also crosses Laurel Hill Creek and is easy to visit if you are also going to the Barronvale Bridge. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. There is a nice picnic area adjacent to the bridge.
The Lower Humbert Covered Bridge, or the Faidley Covered Bridge, is an 126-foot-6-inch (38.56 m) Burr Arch truss covered bridge that crosses Laurel Hill Creek, in Lower Turkeyfoot Township. It was built in 1891 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 10, 1980. It has a more wooded setting in the base of a gorge.
This post is a sampling of some of the sites of Somerset County. The first stop is the Somerset Historical Center and Walters Mill Covered Bridge. The Center is a 150-acre rural history museum with exhibits, workshops, and educational programs dedicated to preserving the history of life in southwestern Pennsylvania from the region’s first farmers to the present day. It also serves as headquarters of the Historical & Genealogical Society of Somerset County. The Visitors Center houses permanent and changing exhibits as well as the Genealogical Research Library. I found it to be a good general source of information about the area, which was a life saver when my phone decided not to cooperate with me.
The Walter’s Mill Covered bridge has been relocated to the property.
The covered bridge was built in 1859 and originally crossed Coxes Creek, four miles south of the town of Somerset. Major repairs were made to the bridge in 1909, at which time laminated wood arches were added to the bridge’s original multiple kingpost truss system to accommodate heavier vehicles. Overtaken by developments and threatened with destruction, the bridge was moved to the Somerset Historical Center in the early 1960s. Extensively restored in 1986, the bridge remains open to pedestrian traffic.
Nearby is the Quecreek Mine Rescue site. On July 24, 2002 coal miners at the Quecreek Mine in Lincoln Township, owned by Black Wolf Coal Company, accidentally dug into the abandoned, poorly documented Saxman Coal / Harrison #2 Mine, flooding the room and pillar mine with an estimated 75 million US gallons (280,000 cubic meters) of water. Both the Saxman Mine and Quecreek Mine are in the Upper Kittanning coal seam. Fortunately, all nine trapped miners were rescued using a metal capsule structure lowered into the mine through a drilled hole. The incident garnered national attention, especially in the wake of the September 11 disaster and the crash of Flight 93 nearby in Shanksville.
The nearby Dormel Farm.
Driving further north, one can visit the Trostletown Covered Bridge, a historic covered bridge in Quemahoning Township. It was built in 1845, and is a 104-foot-long (32 m) Kingpost truss bridge, with half-height plank siding and an asbestos shingled gable roof. The bridge crosses Stony Creek. It is one of 10 covered bridges in Somerset County. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
The bridge is adjacent to an American Legion Post with an impressive display of hardware.
The town of Somerset, with a population of around 6,000, is the county seat of Somerset County. It is close to the Pennsylvania Turnpike and is a good jumping off point for the many varied activities that the Laurel Highlands area has to offer. The county is a beautiful mix of mountainous and agricultural areas and small town charm.
This is one of the more distinctive county courthouses in Pennsylvania, and it dominates the town skyline.The town contains some interesting late 19th and early 20th century architecture.I would take this building as an office.The Somerset Milling Co. is still a provider of feed and grain products.
