08/21 Women's Rights

Women’s Rights National Historical Park, Seneca Falls, NY 13148
In 1848 Elizabeth Cady Stanton and 4 other women invited the public to the First Women’s Rights Convention to discuss expanding the role of women in America. At the end of the 2 days, 100 people made a public commitment to work together to improve women’s quality of life. While women have achieved greater equality with the vote, property rights and education, the revolution continues today.
At this National Historical Park one can view the park film, “Dreams of Equality”, a dramatization of the lst Women’s Rights Convention, stand face to face with the convention organizers at “The First Wave” statue exhibit and explore the park’s permanent interactive exhibit area.
The remains of the Wesleyan Chapel are immediately adjacent to the Visitors Center. This was the site of the First Women’s Rights Convention and one can read the Declaration of Sentiments engraved on the water wall next to the Visitors Center which declared that “all men and women are created equal.” The document goes on to demand equal rights for women in property and custody laws, educational opportunities, and participation in the church, professions and politics. Women’s wages were garnished by their spouses or employers at one time and that the 19th Amendment was not ratified until 1920.
We got introduced to so many women who made this convention possible and some of them I had never heard of such as Martha Wright and Jane Hunt. The key figure, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, I did remember.
This park is definitely worth visiting if one is passing through Seneca Falls, NY.

8/15 - 8/18 Wilderness PA

Kane, PA -- Allegheny National Forest Area
This is truly a rural part of Pennsylvania that receives a sizable amount of snow in the wintertime. Foote Campground where we are staying is a lovely campground that hosts not only travelers and a good number of seasonals but also is home to wild rabbits who think nothing of munching the grass on your site. They’re fed bread by the locals here who make certain that they are taken care of in the winter time as well.
The Allegheny National Forest is nearby and Bob took advantage of putting his kayak in the huge reservoir here and had a nice excursion for himself. There is a large dam here too that we visited called the Kinzua Dam. The scenery in this area is beautiful and we certainly enjoyed our time visiting the forest area.
We also took time to attend a Swedish Festival in Mt. Jewett nearby and enjoyed a delicious barbeque chicken dinner.

08/12 Ohiopyle State Park PA

Ohiopyle State Park, Ohiopyle, PA
This state park has 19,052 acres and serves as the gateway to the Laurel Mountains. The focal point of the park is the l4 miles of the Youghiogheny River Gorge that passes through the heart of the park. The area below the falls is excellent for river activities. The whitewater rafting companies are right adjacent to the park which is in the center of the town. Most of the rafting trips were less miles than the one that Bob did in WVA. He was tempted to do another whitewater rafting trip but will probably not do another one alone so he will have to wait until the grandchildren are old enough to go providing that he’s not too old by then.

08/12 Fort Ligonier

The gun is a 1/2 pound gun.

Fort Ligonier, Ft. Ligonier, PA
In the middle of the 18th Century, the 2 European powers engaged in a contest for ownership of the immense inner basin of North America. This area was west of the Allegheny Mountains, from Canada to New Orleans. In 1758, John Forbes, Brigadier General, was given the task to drive the French from the forks of the Ohio. Fort Ligonier was one of a number of forts that was built on the roadway that was needed in order to bring supplies and troops in order to drive the French out. This in the U.S. was known as the French and Indian War. The conflict between Great Britain and France was carried all over the globe. It was known elsewhere at the Seven Years’ War. Sue and I had very little knowledge as to how involved the Seven Years’ War was. The museum here dedicated a large part to the conflicts and battles fought elsewhere. We both feel that someday that reading a history book on the global affects of the Seven Years’ War would be worth it.

08/09 Pittsburgh

Andy Warhol Museum and Primanti Brothers Restaurant, Pittsburgh, PA
Anytime we are near a large city, I love to take a ride in to see the sights. Bob has been very good about accommodating me on this request and I know that it isn’t his favorite way to spend a day. Yesterday, we took a ride into Pittsburgh to see the Andy Warhol Museum and I was not at all disappointed. There we found a collection of his works that we were familiar with before from his creation of works that drew from commercial and pop-cultural images, most famously his Campbell’s Soup Can portraits. The collection at the museum also includes thousand of films, audio tapes, posters, books and other works that he created in his lifetime all nicely archived and displayed for viewing.
We had lunch at an eatery in Pittsburgh called the Primanti Brothers Restaurant which is noted for the 6” high sandwiches that they serve piled high with meat, cheese, coleslaw, tomato and French fries. Unlike anything we have ever had before, it was delicious. This sandwich was invented by the Primanti Bros. back in the 30’s for the night shift workers and truck drivers could work with one hand and eat with the other.

08/07 Fort Necessity NB

Fort Necessity National Battlefield
George Washington, newly commissioned Lt. Colonel, started westward from Alexandria, VA with part of a regiment of VA frontiersmen, to build a road to Red Stone Creek on the Monongahela. This was a movement to help drive the French from the Ohio Valley. George Washington was 22 years of age at the time. At dawn on May 28, 1754, he encountered a French encampment. The French were taken by surprise and 10 were killed including the commander, one wounded and 21 were made prisoners. This was the start of the French war.
George Washington knew that the French would find revenge. He moved back to an open area, referred to as the “great meadows.” Ft. Necessity was circular in shape measuring 53 feet in diameter and enclosing a small store house. The overall perimeter was 168 feet. The French attacked on July 3 and the French, with the aid of the Indians, overpowered George Washington. He was allowed to surrender with honor and retreat from the area. The road that he had cut became part of the first national road.

08/06 Fallingwater

Fallingwater, Mill Run, PA
Fallingwater, one of Frank L. Wright’s most widely acclaimed works was designed in 1935 for the family of the Pittsburgh department store owner, Edgar J. Kauffman. The key to the setting of the house is the waterfall over which it is built. Completed with guest and service wing in 1939, Fallingwater was constructed of sandstone quarry on the property and was built by local craftsmen. The stone serves to separate reinforced concrete “trays,” dramatically cantilevered over the stream. The design blended into the natural mountainside and the massive amount of glass gives great views of the countryside and tree tops. The stone walls, which are both exterior and interior, make this a massive structure. You see the concrete, stone which is offset by the red steel window frames which was FLW’s signature color. Edgar Kauffman, Jr. entrusted the house, its contents and grounds to the Western PA Conservancy in 1963.