As you are driving along Route 30 eastbound on the way up the mountain you might happen to notice a small, wooden church in the weeds beside an auto body shop. This is the former building of the Trinity Reformed congregation in Jennerstown. This unassuming church has quite the history. Originally located at the crest …
Everyone knows of the three big Laurel Highlands ski resorts: Seven Springs, Hidden Valley, and Laurel Mountain. All three, which are owned by Seven Springs, make up the entirety of the area’s skiing. What I didn’t realize, however, is that they weren’t the only game in town. There also used to be Plateau de Mount. …
It’s no secret that Western Pennsylvania was once an area beholden to the Pittsburgh steel industry. Coke ovens dotted the hillsides, mines were producing coal, and railroads were providing a steady stream of supplies to the still mills in the city. Over time, however, coke and coal were no longer needed to fuel the massive …
Sometimes the most inconspicuous buildings hold some of the most interesting secrets. Over the summer we decided to take a road trip to Mann’s Choice, PA (outside of Bedford) to stay at the Lincoln Motor Court. The motor court is adorable in and of itself and it absolutely something every history enthusiast should check out, …
Some see them as blight, other see them as beauty. No matter how you see abandoned architecture there is no denying there is something about rotting and crumbling buildings that sparks curiosity and fascination. These locations are no exception. While some of these sites are the remnants of long-gone industry, others were once thriving communities. …
Abandoned sites always seem to catch my eye. On Day Two of our road trip to Baltimore, we traveled up Route 30 from Bedford to Breezewood. We had done Greensburg to Bedford the day before. (Btw, check out my review of the Lincoln Motor Court where we stayed. It is an authentic 1940s motor court!) …
If you missed my post yesterday about the beginnings of Monsour Medical Center from yesterday be sure to take a few minutes to check it out. It was inevitable what was to come. The hospital was in such bad shape from vandals, arsonists, and trespassers that the inside was completely trashed. Medical charts, mattresses, and …
It was a hospital that couldn’t cure it’s own illness. It should have been an American success story. Four Syrian brothers, sons of immigrants whom all obtained medical degrees, came to the Jeannette area and started a community hospital from scratch. It was a remarkable feat. Too bad the story didn’t have a happy ending. …
Storyland was opened in the 1950s as a roadside attraction. It featured many concrete figured from beloved fairy tales and nursery rhymes. It was one of many of roadside attractions that popped up along Route 3o to attract tourist traffic.
Unfortunately, the 80s were not a good time for Route 30 and the Lincoln Highway. By then, the turnpike became the preferred method of travel, bypassing many of the former attractions. This lead to a decline in traffic and forced many of the attractions to close. By the mid 1980s, Storyland closed for good. That’s not the end of the story, though.
For over 100 years a school had stood at the site of the former West Pittsburgh Street Elementary School. The first school was a four-room brick building which was built in 1880. In fact, when Ludwick, East Greensburg, and Southeast Greensburg were merged into the borough in 1905 Ludwick was the only one with an …
