We’ve all read about the horrors of the Civil War but it is often easy to forget the toll these battles took on the local citizens. Once the troops moved on, it didn’t mean that it was over for the townspeople. Instead, the armies left their injured and dead men and horses behind, along with …
Located along the banks of Pennsylvania’s Lake Erie is one of only thirteen trolley parks left in the United States. Meaning “woods by the sea” in German, Waldameer Park is the fourth oldest park in Pennsylvania and the tenth oldest park in the nation. When you head to any amusement park, one of …
At first glance, the North Park water tower appears to be a looming column of rusting steel. Looks, however, can be deceiving. This tower holds a fantastic secret that no one but a select few have seen in almost 50 years. Built in 1937, Pittsburgh’s North Park Water Tower, officially known as the North Park …
It’s a local historic landmark that invokes strong emotions throughout the community. In 2018, Ligonier Beach swimming pool closed after a catastrophic flood and has since sat empty, its future in limbo. It was recently purchased by Ligonier Township and was opened to the public which gave me a unique opportunity to explore the property. …
For almost 150 years, Chippewa Lake Park has occupied a place along Chippewa Lake in Ohio’s Medina County. However, after 100 years of operating, in 1978 the park closed its gates for the last time, never to open again. Now, all that remains are the ghostly remains of a one-thriving park. Several months ago I …
It’s a tragic story that’s steeped in mystery and whispers of foul play. The incident happened 165 years ago, but the echos of the Lost Children of the Alleghenies still linger. On April 24, 1856 George and Jacob Cox went missing. The children, ages 7 and 5, were the sons of Samuel and Susannah …
When it comes to skiing in the Laurel Highlands, most people think of the big three ski resorts: Laurel Mountain, Hidden Valley, and Seven Springs. What many people don’t realize is that in addition to those three current resorts is that there were several other popular resorts at the time, including White Mountain Ski Area. …
Tucked behind a playground and a ball field in the shadow of Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood lies a 200-year-old building which stood witness to the largest civilian disaster of the Civil War. While most of the Allegheny Arsenal is now gone, the powder magazine is still standing as a reminder of this nearly-forgotten …
For me, one of my favorite Christmas displays is the creche. There are so many variations of the nativity scene located in various places, but did you know the Pittsburgh Creche is particularly special? When you first see the creche, which is located in the plaza of the US Steel Tower, you will notice its …
Tucked away on a side street in the heart of Pittsburgh’s Strip District is St. Patrick Catholic Church. From the outside the church is rather unassuming. It has a small, narrow tower and a simple brick exterior. A statue of St. Patrick stands out front. The building’s simple exterior belies the unique treasure that lies …
Nowadays the house doesn’t look like much. In fact, the building has been condemned and there are missing walls and broken windows. It will take millions of dollars to restore the house to its former glory, but former glory it once had. This house was once home to the National Negro Opera Company and saw …
**Update: Sadly, I have to update this post to say that in the summer of 2021 Conneaut Lake Park lost their Tumble Bug when its mechanism was scrapped. The cars, however, were saved and apparently sold to a collector who has aspirations to rebuild the ride. I would love to again update this post to …
