The Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve began when two attorneys anticipated the development of the Route 30 corridor and purchased a large amount of land near Route 30 and Route 981. In 1991 the area did in fact begin to flourish with the expansion of the highway, that now included grocery stores, restaurants and businesses. Many in the community resented this development due to the harm it was causing to small businesses in the area. Winnie Palmer, late wife of Arnold Palmer, was one of those individuals. Winnie served on the board of directors of Saint Vincent College and had always loved looking across their land. She thought developing the land would ruin the scenery and view of the college campus and Basilica. She also wanted to do what the community wanted. Winnie then set out to preserve this scenery by creating the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve.

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​The Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve at Saint Vincent College is a 50 acre nature reserve adjacent to Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. The Reserve includes a native landscapes, trails, meadows, gardens, Environmental Learning Barn, Nature Explore Certified play spaces, pond, wetlands, and more! The property is open to the public for recreation, conservation, and education.


Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve

Featuring sites along Pennsylvania's Lincoln Highway in Westmoreland County, PA

Formed in 1994, the Norwin Historical Society preserves and protects the history of the Norwin Area, which is made up of Irwin, North Irwin, and North Huntingdon Township. These three locations have an official history stretching back to the creation of Westmoreland County in 1773 with the formation of Huntingdon Township. The historical society keeps the history of what was a rapidly growing area during the mid 1800s in response to the expanding Pennsylvania Railroad Company and flourishing coal and gas mines. With the completion of the Brush Creek Valley Line, which provided a direct route to Pittsburgh, in 1852, John Irwin laid out Irwin Station in town. Irwin Station became a central location and hundreds of families flocked to the area to live and work. Today, the Norwin Historical Society offers a variety of resources to researchers. In addition, they hold several events a year, including Antiques on Main in September, a Holiday House Tour in December, and a Memorial Day Honor Guard the Sunday before Memorial Day every year. The historical society also cares for the grounds of the historic Brush Creek Associate Reformed Church Cemetery and provides speakers to local organizations and schools.

Located on Main Street of Irwin Borough, the Norwin Historical Society was formed in 1994 in order to preserve the history of Irwin, North Irwin, and North Huntingdon Township. With resources for researchers and a variety of community events, the historical society aims to preserve and promote the history of the area.  

Norwin Historical Society

After restorations were completed Hempfield Area School District has since 2009 held third grade classes , for the six elementary schools in the district. This has been a full day of class in the 1880s style of one room school. Book from the time period ,old style desk, Blackboards, dip well ink pens and other equipment&nbsp;are used in the students teachings in the schoolhouse for the day.

Baltzer Meyer Historical Society acquired the historic schoolhouse in 1996, and began renovating the building that same year. It has long been their goal to restore the building so that it could function as a museum, as well as a place for contemporary students to peek into the past.


Old Harrold One Room Schoolhouse #8

While the first fire department in Greensburg wasn’t officially formed until January 12, 1891, there is evidence of firefighting activities, such as a bucket brigade, as far back as the 1700s. Hose Company No. 1 and No. 2 were the first created, and the department moved quickly to supply the Hose Companies with the supplies and equipment necessary. Greensburg Borough already possessed one 4-wheel wagon which went to Co. No. 1, and funds were raised to purchase a 2-wheel cart for Co. No. 2. Included in the initial fundraising efforts were monies to buy the first rubber uniforms for the fire department. Over the next 15 years, Greensburg expanded, and four additional fire companies were added to cover the growing territory. Hose Co. No. 3, or the “Bunker Hill Hose Company”, was formed in 1894. Prior to completion of the fire house in 1895, meetings were held at the Bunker Hill School House. The Ludwick Fire Company formed in 1896 and became part of the Greensburg Fire Department in 1906 as Hose Co. No. 6. With the consolidation of East Greensburg and Greensburg, Hose Co. No. 7 was established in the 7th ward. The last Hose Co. started was No. 8 in 1906. Before the days of motorized fire trucks, equipment was often pulled by the firefighters themselves. If the firefighters were headed in the same direction as a streetcar, oftentimes the wagon could be hooked up to the streetcar, or horses could be borrowed from the residents to pull engines. In the 1950s and 60s, the fire department recognized that the history and artifacts of the Greensburg Volunteer Fire Department were being lost. In an effort to preserve the history, the department initially acquired space in an old trolley freight station behind city hall. The museum remained there until the 1980s when a councilman no longer permitted them to stay. The museum then found space on the 4th floor of the Troutman’s building; however, the 1805 Pat Lyon and 1825 Goodwill Hand Fire Pumpers couldn’t be brought to the 4th floor. Finally, in 1998, the Greensburg Volunteer Fire Department Museum found its permanent home behind City Hall where 3 fully restored engines and hundreds of artifacts are displayed. While the Pat Lyon and Goodwill are kept at the museum, the 1949 Seagrave Pumper is brought out for various ceremonial and parade duties throughout the area.

The Greensburg Volunteer Fire Department Museum collects and preserves artifacts of the GVFD including antique firetrucks, uniforms, equipment, and pictures of historic Greensburg Fires.  In addition, the museum cares for a large collection of toy and model fire trucks. Today, the museum houses three fully restored fire engines. Both the 1805 Pat Lyon engine and 1825 Goodwill engine were used in the Great Fire of Pittsburgh on April 5, 1845 before being sold to the GVFD. The third, a 1949 Seagrave Pumper was purchased new for Hose Company No. 3.

Greensburg Volunteer Fire Department Museum

The museum was first established in 1949 upon the
death of Mary Marchand Woods, an art enthusiast who left her estate to the city
for the purpose of opening an art museum.&nbsp;
The museum officially opened to the public in 1959 and then reopened in
1999 after renovations that added six improved gallery spaces and educational facilitates.&nbsp; Today, the museum continues to honor American
and Pennsylvanian art.The museum's expressed mission is to "...enrich a growing public through innovative and collaborative approaches to the collection, preservation, and presentation of American art."&nbsp; It accomplishes this mission through the display of works from artists such as Mary Cassatt, Winslow Homer and John Singer Sargent.&nbsp; It also invites guests to visit its Center for Creative Connections, an interactive area where one can participate in its build-a-bridge or stop-motion animation art programs.Renovations to the museum were completed in 2015 which also added over 13,000 square-feet of exhibit and other spaces.&nbsp; A wing was added to house traveling exhibits and the museum's collection of post-1950s art.&nbsp; A community room was also added that hosts concerts, lectures and is available for private rentals.&nbsp; Finally, outdoor spaces were built, to include gardens and outdoor terraces.

First opened in 1959, The Westmoreland Museum of American Art focuses on American and Southwestern Pennsylvanian art and has shared such work with the public for over 50 years.  The museum features over 3,400 pieces of art from the mid 18th-mid 20th centuries, including paintings, sculptures, portraits, works on paper, objects with images, and decorative arts.  In addition to its exhibitions, the museum also hosts many different educational programs, including programs in the classroom, art classes, and summer camps.

The Westmoreland Museum of American Art

The land that later became Hanna’s Town has a long history. It was originally settled by indigenous Monongahela Peoples who flourished in the Ohio Valley prior to European colonization in the early 17th century, evidenced by archaeological material discovered at the historic site. The Iroquois Six Nations (Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora) lived close to the present-day New York/Pennsylvania border. The Shawnee and Delaware (Lenape) lived in the western Ohio River Valley and upper Mississippi Valley. In the 18th century, what is now western Pennsylvania was considered multi-tribal hunting and trade territory, with major trails crossing through the region.European colonization intensified struggles between the British, French, and Native Americans over claim to land, particularly the Forks of the Ohio at modern-day Pittsburgh. During the French and Indian War, British general John Forbes constructed the Forbes Road to move troops over the Allegheny Mountains to capture Fort Duquesne from the French in 1758. The British erected Fort Pitt and established a British stronghold of the region. The Forbes Road soon became a travel route for European settlers moving west.The Treaty of Fort Stanwix (1768) transferred land from the Iroquois (Haudenosaunee) to the Penn Family. The “New Purchase,” as it was called, included northeastern PA and southwestern PA, following the Allegheny Mountains. The New Purchase allowed an Irish farmer and businessman named Robert Hanna to acquire land and establish a settlement west of the Allegheny Mountains along the Forbes Road.Originally from County Down, Northern Ireland, Robert Hanna immigrated to York County, Pennsylvania, with his family when he was a young child. He married Elizabeth Kelly of Lancaster County in 1762, and the couple later had four daughters. In 1769, Robert Hanna applied for 337 acres of land in what was then Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Sometime after, Robert, Elizabeth, and their daughter Jane, traveled to the property and settled Hanna’s Town. Robert Hanna leased lots to settlers predominately of Scots-Irish descent, who built log homes and engaged in subsistence farming. Some residents also arrived as indentured servants of Scots-Irish descent or as enslaved people of African descent. According to archaeological research, it is estimated that Hanna’s Town had at least thirty homes, three taverns, many outbuildings, and a stockade fort.When Hanna’s Town was founded in the early 1770s, Pennsylvania was proprietary colony of Great Britain. A growing population on the frontier, the need for law and order, and border disputes with Virginia led to the establishment of new counties in western Pennsylvania. Robert Hanna was involved in establishing Bedford County in 1771, and quickly sought an additional southwestern county. Westmoreland County, encompassing most of southwestern Pennsylvania, was formed on February 26, 1773, with Hanna’s Town selected as the county seat. The first court session was held on April 6, 1773, making Hanna’s Town the first site of English courts west of the Allegheny Mountains. Court sessions were held four times a year in “quarter sessions,” and addressed legal matters ranging from license applications to disputes to crimes including theft and treason. Hanna’s Tavern served as a courthouse, and trial were also held outdoors. As the county seat, Hanna’s Town attracted settlers, travelers, and those seeking justice on the Pennsylvania frontier.In April 1775, British soldiers fired on American militia in Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts, sparking the Revolutionary War. Word made its way to the Pennsylvania frontier in the coming weeks. Though far from the revolutionary epicenters of Boston or Philadelphia, the people of Pennsylvania were still engaged with debates around British rule over the colonies. On May 16, 1775, in response to Lexington and Concord, citizens of Westmoreland County drafted and approved the Hanna’s Town Resolves. The Resolves protested the injustices of the British Parliament while remaining loyal to George III, the English monarch. The Resolves also led to the creation of a county militia to defend the region from attacks. Hanna’s Town later served as a recruitment center for the county militia along with the Continental Army. On October 19, 1781, British General Cornwallis surrendered to American forces at Yorktown, Virginia, yet the war was not over in the west. The western campaigns of the Revolutionary War were shaped by shifting borders, betrayed treaties, raids on American settlements, and massacres at Native American villages. This violence continued well into 1782. In May, Seneca and their British allies left Fort Niagara to launch an assault on western Pennsylvania to weaken the region and push settlers east. Hanna's Town was attacked on July 13, 1782, while court was in session. Most of the town was burned and destroyed, though almost everyone in town survived, taking refuge in the fort that was spared in the attack. This event is considered one of the final conflicts of the Revolutionary War. Hanna’s Town never recovered from the attack or the untimely death of Robert Hanna in 1786, after which the county seat was moved to Greensburg.The land moved through several hands until purchased in by the Steel family at a sheriff’s sale in the 1820s. Several generations of the Steel Family farmed the land for about 140 years. In 1969, the property was purchased by Westmoreland County in collaboration with the Westmoreland Historical Society. The farmland preserved artifacts and archaeological features that have become an invaluable resource for the study of early American life. Reconstruction efforts of the site began in the 1970s and the site was added to the National Register of Historic Places.Today, Historic Hanna's Town is a county park and historic site interpreted by the Westmoreland Historical Society, which has its headquarters on the property. Historic Hanna's Town encompasses the reconstructed Hanna's Tavern, fort, and jail; five historic log buildings moved from other properties; an authentic Conestoga wagon; along with walking paths, an 18th century kitchen garden, and native pollinator gardens. The Westmoreland History Education Center includes a research library, museum shop, and exhibit gallery with changing exhibits. Programs and events are offered throughout the year, including Frontier Court Days, where visitors can witness reenacted court cases once held at Hanna's Town.

Hanna's Town served as the site of the first English courts west of the Allegheny Mountains and first seat of government for Westmoreland County, established in 1773. Hanna's Town was an outpost for settlers, travelers, and those seeking law or court interventions. In May 1775, citizens of Westmoreland County drafted the Hanna’s Town Resolves condemning British actions at the Battles of Lexington and Concord and calling for a county militia. Throughout the Revolutionary War, Hanna’s Town served as a recruitment center for the county militia as well as the Continental Army. On July 13, 1782, Hanna’s Town was burned by British and Seneca forces in one of the last conflicts of the Revolutionary War. Today, Historic Hanna's Town offers guided tours of the reconstructed historic site, educational programs, and special events. Historic Hanna's Town is a Westmoreland County park managed by the Westmoreland Historical Society, which bases its operations at the Westmoreland History Education Center on site.

Historic Hanna's Town

Originally built on a one-hundred-and-five-acre farm and boasting 20 guest rooms, the Inn at Mountain View not only served as a gas station, but as a highly accredited accommodation for guests visiting from all over the surrounding area planning a short term, and as of today, long term stays for families planning to partake in what the surrounding area has to offer. Originally built in 1924, the first owners of the Mountain View Inn were struggling to stay open and maintain business during the great depression. Eventually, the establishment and its owners went bankrupt and were then taken over by the First National Bank in Greensburg.  Later in 1940, two brothers, Vance Booher Sr. where it was then passed down to Vance and Ned Booher, bought the hotel from the bank, costing them $40,000, a large chunk of cash in the ’40s. That being said, this investment boasted very little compared to the upcoming two-million-dollar renovation, to which the brothers would extend the lodge by adding thirty-seven rooms to the premises. Due to the Inn’s second bank foreclosure, there was another change in ownership over Mountain View. The current owners as of today are a group of investors named Jada View, LLC, who were more than happy to buy it off the bank, ultimately changing the name of the hotel to the Inn at Mountain View. Westmorleand County holds a large selection of things to do for the whole family, such as Idlewild &amp; Soak Zone, Twin Lakes Park, and Fort Ligonier. A few smaller attractions around include golf resorts, white water rafting, and wineries for the adults in the family. Thanks to Westmoreland County’s vast and open area, fishing, hiking, biking, and boating are all possible with ease. In the 1920s, a hotel boasting 20 rooms alone was enough to make it stand out among the rest. Add in the scenery, the gas station, a pool, and the possible activities a family could partake in, the Inn at Mountain View was a sure sign of a good choice. Frankly, the original pool that was built in 1924 along with the inn was removed in 1977, where a new in-ground, but smaller pool was added. This left room for new additions and renovations. In 1998, the Booher brothers added the Loyalhanna wing and a terrace on the main dining room. The inn also boasted entertainment shows such as antiques and even had their own gallery and exhibits of antique items and, at the time, the largest collection of single-malt scotch in Pennsylvania as well as a 3,000-bottle winery.  The Inn at Mountain View was surely a staple in the community, so much so that it gathered the attention of a few famous faces including Presidents John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, and Ronald Reagan; entertainers such as Harrison Ford, Guy Lombardo, and Bernadette Peters; as well as Arnold Palmer, The Rolling Stones, Tony Bennet, Three Dog Night, and Dalai Lama. In November 2009, the original inn was demolished. This removed the historic lobby, dining room, and the swimming pool from the premises. This also meant that all of the antiques were auctioned off as well. Today, the final hotel wing to be previously added to the inn still stands, and the current owners invested in a new lobby for the hotel.  Today, the hotel continues to thrive with an increasing number of visitors able to use the various accommodations such as a new dining room, suite-style rooms that contain fireplaces and a master bathroom, king-size-bed and queen-size-bed rooms, with a few that accommodate pets. In order for a hotel to stay above water today, it must also accommodate the current necessities that all successful hotels boast such as Wi-Fi, refrigerators, microwaves, furniture, and televisions. The surrounding area of Westmoreland County is thriving as well with an increasing amount of people passing by on Route 30. The Inn at Mountain View still thrives among the historical places of the area and is a sure way to make a weekend in Westmoreland County one to remember.

The Inn at Mountain View, now renamed to Mountain View Inn, is a historic hotel located just outside of Greensburg, PA. A hotel that has been around for nearly 100 years that has been heavily expanded and reworked to accommodate multiple generations of visitors currently boasts a high number of guest rooms along with a breathtaking view of the surrounding Westmoreland County and the Laurel Mountains peeking over the horizon. The Inn at Mountain View has been a successful landmark and staple within Westmoreland County and has given many Lincoln Highway travelers and comfortable place to stay overnight and even accommodates for long-term visitors. The landscape of the inn has changed drastically over the years, with every new owner altering the hotel to the way they see fit, whether it be adding a pool, expanding the living quarters with more room for guests, or demolishing a part of the hotel entirely. The Mountain View Inn has also seen its fair share of famous and memorable faces.

Inn at Mountain View

Saint Vincent Basilica's story begins long before it was constructed. The land has been home to a Catholic parish since&nbsp;April 16, 1790, when&nbsp;Fr. Theodore Brouwers, a Franciscan friar,&nbsp;brought together&nbsp;the first Catholic congregation west of the Allegheny Mountains in Pennsylvania. Sportsman's Hall Parish was&nbsp;named for the 300 acre tract of land Brouwers purchased. The first&nbsp;church on this site was Brouwers' humble log cabin, which was then succeeded by a formal church in 1810 and a larger one in 1835. The 1835 church,&nbsp;dedicated on the feast of Saint Vincent de Paul, was named Saint Vincent Church. It would be the primary church&nbsp;until the basilica's completion in 1905, and would function as the student chapel&nbsp;until 1963, when it was destroyed in a fire.1 The mid-nineteenth century saw a number of major changes at Saint Vincent, many originating with Fr. Boniface Wimmer, a Benedictine monk from Germany. Wimmer&nbsp;brought the Benedictine order of Catholicism to the United States when he established a monastery and liberal arts college in&nbsp;1846 and a seminary in 1855, all bearing the name of Saint Vincent. Wimmer's ambitions also included a new church. Although he&nbsp;did not live to see its construction, Wimmer's dreams helped shape the&nbsp;basilica's magnificence.2 J. William Schickel, a German immigrant who completed 300 projects in his lifetime, designed the basilica for Saint Vincent. He envisioned a towering brick structure in a traditional cross-shaped layout. The architecture style,&nbsp;Romanesque Revival, was common in churches and&nbsp;harked back to an older version of the style, which originated in&nbsp;eleventh and twelfth century Europe.&nbsp;Saint Vincent Basilica incorporates classic Romanesque features:&nbsp;rounded Roman arches, thick walls, vaulted ceilings,&nbsp;and towers. It echoes a variety of other famous buildings such as the&nbsp;Allegheny Courthouse in Pittsburgh and the Smithsonian Castle in Washington, D.C.3 People from around the world made the basilica a reality.&nbsp;Monks at Saint Vincent created millions of red-orange bricks that give the building its distinct appearance.&nbsp;After the&nbsp;cornerstone was laid in 1892, materials arrived to decorate the interior:&nbsp;an oak&nbsp;pulpit from a New York architect,&nbsp;rose-colored granite&nbsp;columns from Scotland, marble from Tuscany, along with various statues and stained glass windows. Due to financial constraints, the tall, intricate steeples in the original design&nbsp;could not be built. The basilica was consecrated in on August 24, 1905. Renovations over the years added a crypt, restored the interior, and cleaned the soot-covered brick,&nbsp;stonework, and windows.&nbsp;The towers were finally topped with two gray spires in 1999, in celebration of the new millennium.4 Today, Saint Vincent Basilica represents a long religious tradition on Saint Vincent grounds. Members of the&nbsp;Saint Vincent community gather at the basilica daily for prayer and for special&nbsp;welcome masses and&nbsp;baccalaureate celebrations. Musical recitals are often held in inside the basilica's beautiful halls, especially around the holidays. Renowned cellist&nbsp;Yo Yo Ma performed there in 2014 when he received the Fred Rogers Legacy Award. Behind the basilica is the beautiful&nbsp;Sebastian's Garden, cultivated by and named for the late Fr.&nbsp;Sebastian Samay. Visitors are welcome to attend services and guided tours that explore&nbsp;the basilica's history, architecture, and traditions.

Built between 1892 and 1905, Saint Vincent Basilica is an iconic structure on the Saint Vincent campus, which comprises a Catholic parish, archabbey, liberal arts college, and seminary. The beautiful Romanesque Revival basilica is a well-known feature of the Latrobe area landscape. Guided tours are available on select weekends of the year and mass is celebrated every day.

Saint Vincent Basilica

The Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve began when two attorneys anticipated the development of the Route 30 corridor and purchased a large amount of land near Route 30 and Route 981. In 1991 the area did in fact begin to flourish with the expansion of the highway, that now included grocery stores, restaurants and businesses. Many in the community resented this development due to the harm it was causing to small businesses in the area. Winnie Palmer, late wife of Arnold Palmer, was one of those individuals. Winnie served on the board of directors of Saint Vincent College and had always loved looking across their land. She thought developing the land would ruin the scenery and view of the college campus and Basilica. She also wanted to do what the community wanted. Winnie then set out to preserve this scenery by creating the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve.

<div>The Latrobe Railroad Station was a late Victorian-era facility which served the former mainline between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh at a time when the western part of the line was being improved and required track elevation. The building was constructed with limestone and features a terracotta brick exterior with three doors in front. A one-story brick building, it is eight bays wide and five bays deep. There is a flat roof with a parapet and a&nbsp;central cross gable. The&nbsp;gable above the entrance has a pediment featuring stone panels and decorated using terra cotta.</div><div> </div><div>It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. </div><div> </div><div>Today, Amtrak utilizes the station and operates two daily&nbsp;trains. Similar to many other Amtrak stations,&nbsp;there is no ticketing or baggage facility although the station does include a restaurant that serves local residents as well as passengers.&nbsp;</div> The station is now the home of DiSalvo's Restaurant. It was opened in 1990 and is recognized for its Italian Cuisine.

The Latrobe Railroad Station was built by architect William H. Brown for the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) in 1903. It is located at 329 McKinley Avenue. It served the mainline between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh for the Pennsylvania Railroad and currently serves as an Amtrak stop and an Italian restaurant.

Latrobe Railroad Station (1903)

The Lincoln Highway was conceived and promoted primarily by Carl Fisher and Henry Joy who sought to create an intercontinental road that ran from New York City to San Francisco. The first section, which ran through Essex and Hudson counties in New Jersey, was completed in 1913. The rest of the highway was completed over the next decade by improving and linking already existing roads. It initially ran for almost 3,400 miles. However, that number has changed as the road was realigned over the years.Its value became readily apparent for a number of reasons as it ushered in the age of the automobile and permitted Americans to travel at their leisure--which also improved the economies of towns located along the highway. Soon, others saw its worth, and numerous roads were crisscrossing the country. The road lost its designation as the Lincoln Highway with the creation of the United States Numbered Highways system in 1926. Within the state of Pennsylvania, most of it is now known as Route 30.Founded in 1995, the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor (LHHC) is one of twelve Heritage Areas in Pennsylvania. The mission of the LHHC is to "...identify, conserve, promote and interpret the cultural, historical, cultural, recreational, and economic resources along the Lincoln Highway..." The Lincoln Highway Experience, located in the historic Johnston House along the Lincoln Highway in Latrobe, offers exhibits, bus tours, and numerous events throughout the year, including the Lincoln Highway SupperMarket, held every Wednesday in June, July, and August. At the Lincoln Highway Experience, enjoy a 13-minute award-winning film, discover a rich collection of artifacts, explore interactive exhibits such as a coast-to-coast bicycle ride and a Penny For Your Tots children's play area, and follow in the tradition of travelers by sending a postcard from the museum. A new expansion to the museum includes a full-sized 1938 diner, a gas station, and a traveler's cabin.

The Lincoln Highway, our nation’s first coast-to-coast highway, marked the birth of popular American tourism – vacationing by automobile. Visitors who begin their journey at the Lincoln Highway Experience, nestled in the Laurel Highlands, will have a more enriching tour because they will see an inspiring orientation film, view a number of interpretive exhibits on quirky roadside architecture (including the Ship Hotel and Coffee Pot), trace the Lincoln Highway across Pennsylvania in beautiful Black and white photographs, enjoy pie and coffee at the restored 1938 diner, and shop for Lincoln Highway memorabilia and fine artisan crafts. Since 1996, the not-for-profit Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor has worked with a number of local, state and federal partners on heritage preservation, sustainable community development, and responsible land conservation in south-central Pennsylvania. Enjoy your journey on the Lincoln Highway, and remember to "Keep Thinkin' Lincoln!"

Lincoln Highway Experience

According to the Ligonier Valley Rail Road Association, the railroad was "short in length," but "long in construction." In 1853, the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed an act incorporating a railroad company between Latrobe and Ligonier. Originally called the Latrobe and Ligonier Rail Road Company, this line connected the newly formed town of Latrobe, which was laid out by an engineer for the Pennsylvania Railroad, and Ligonier, a settlement first established about a hundred years earlier during the French and Indian War.  Surveys for the new railroad were completed in 1853 and 1854, yet financial issues and delays from the state legislature made grading and construction a slow process. The railroad was renamed the Ligonier Valley Rail Road Company in May 1871, with additional surveys conducted - and additional delays. The incomplete railroad went up for sale and was purchased by Judge Thomas Mellon, founder of Mellon Bank in Pittsburgh, in August 1877. Mellon saw the Ligonier Valley Rail Road as less of an financial investment and more of an opportunity to give business experience to his sons, Andrew Mellon (later president of Mellon Bank and U.S. Secretary of the Treasury) and Richard Mellon (also later president of Mellon Bank and founder of the Rolling Rock Club). Mellon opted to construct a narrow gauge (3 foot) line, which was completed and went into service on December 1, 1877.  The narrow gauge line made it impossible to directly interchange equipment with the Pennsylvania Railroad, which operated on standard gauge. The Ligonier Valley Rail Road was the first company to use a car transfer system invented by Robert H. Ramsey in 1878. Persisting complications and expenses led the company to convert the railroad to standard gauge (4 foot, 8.5 inches) in 1882. Nicknamed "The Liggie," the mainline had passenger stations or shelters at Ligonier, Bells, Millbank, Idlewild, Darlington, Long Bridge, Kingston, Osborne, Oakville and Latrobe, with three to five weekday round trips between Latrobe and Ligonier. The Mellons established a park, Idlewild, in 1878 to attract passengers from Pittsburgh as well as local communities to the beautiful Ligonier Valley. The Ligonier Valley Rail Road also carried express and U.S. mail and hauled freight including mineral products, stone, coal, coke, and timber. The worst disaster on the Ligonier Valley Rail Road occurred July 5, 1912, when a passenger train carrying holiday travelers and freight train collided head-on along the Wilpen branch of the railroad. In total, 26 people died and 29 were injured, including many children. Since the railroad relied heavily on industrial freight for income, the decline of local industry eventually led to the Ligonier Valley Rail Road's closure on August 31, 1952. The state condemned the section of line through the Loyalhanna Gorge to expand the Lincoln Highway, now the westbound lanes of Route 30 into Latrobe.  The nonprofit Ligonier Valley Rail Road Association (LVRRA) acquired the Darlington Station property in 2005. Major funding from the Richard King Mellon Foundation, Allegheny Foundation, and Kennywood Entertainment (parent company of Idlewild Park) helped the LVRRA restore the Darlington Station and transform the space into a museum. The Darlington Station, built around 1900, was both the workplace and residence of the agent operating the station, and included a ticket office, waiting room, and convenience store. After the Ligonier Valley Rail Road was closed, Idlewild Park took ownership of the property and used it as a quarters for park employees.  The Ligonier Valley Rail Road Museum opened on May 21, 2010 and offers exhibits, guided tours, programs, and research opportunities. The Museum also continues to collect objects and documents related to the Ligonier Valley Rail Road, its largest object being a restored 1905 Bobber Caboose that visitors can explore inside.

The Ligonier Valley Rail Road Museum preserves and interprets the history of the Ligonier Valley Rail Road, a 10.3-mile railway that connected the communities of Latrobe and Ligonier from 1877 to 1952. The railroad hauled freight and offered passenger service between Latrobe and Ligonier, including destinations like Idlewild Park, which was founded by the railroad's owner, Judge Thomas Mellon. The Museum was opened in 2010 by the Ligonier Valley Rail Road Association in the former Darlington station, built in 1896. Today, the Museum is home to a collection of artifacts and documents, exhibits, and a 1905 Bobber Caboose.

Ligonier Valley Rail Road Museum

On
May 1st 1887, Judge Thomas Mellon leased land from William
Darlington next to Ligonier Valley Railroad for "the right and privilege
to occupy his land for picnic purposes or pleasure grounds.” With the hope of
attracting travelers to the Railroad, previously a coal transport, Mellon
converted the land into a picnic and camp grounds. One year before the park was created, the Civil War
ended and cities became congested and industrialized. This congestion prompted
crammed city dwellers to seek out “country vacations.” Leisure parks, such as
Idlewild, were created in response to this need. &nbsp;The park’s initial grounds included large halls
for picnics and spread out areas for camping. The main attraction at these
pleasure grounds was the man-made lake where visitors could go fishing and
boating.1

Idlewild
continued as a country leisure attraction until 1931, when Richard B. Mellon,
the son of Judge Thomas Mellon, and amusement park guru C.C. Macdonald decided
to expand their operations. Macdonald oversaw the construction of rides,
bandstands, pavilions, and lunchrooms to transform Idlewild into a full-fledged
amusement park. Some of the rides installed during this time are still present
today including the antique Pittsburgh Toboggan Carousel and the “Rollo Coaster."2 Around
the same time as the change in Idlewild’s operations came a change in America.
Starting in 1929, the Great
Depression hit the U.S, changing the way citizens had fun. Despite many
amusement parks shutting down due to low attendance, Idlewild was able to
sustain itself and create a place of fun during a bleak time in Americans’
lives. Idlewild face another change when America joined World War II. The park
was forced to close in 1943 due to low attendance and the national urge for
institutions to focus on war efforts. The war did not remove Idlewild ,however
because in 1947, they opened up again to receive the surge of families seeking consumer
fun in the 1950s.3

In
1952, the Ligonier Valley Railroad closed, but Idlewild adapted by creating a
bigger parking lot to accommodate the increase in automobile transport. Under
the new management of C.C. Macdonald, Macdonald’s plans of Idlewild becoming a
“kiddie” park were underway with the inclusion of miniature rides. In 1954,
Arthur Jennings, one of the Park’s performance clowns, approached Macdonald
with his dream to create a theme park “based on emotion rather than motion.” A partnership was struck and Jennings’ dream became a reality with the creation
of Story Book Forest in 1956. Idlewild and Story Book Forest were at first
marketed as two separate sites, but were joined together in 1959, forever cementing
Idlewild’s image as a place for kids.4

Fast
forward to 1983, the Macdonalds released ownership of the Park and the
Kennywood Corporation took over. The decision was two-fold for the Kennywood
Corporation. First by taking over Idlewild, the Corporation could ensure that it
would not become competition for Kennywood, their primary amusement park in
Pittsburgh. Secondly, they could honor the vision of C.C. Macdonald by
continuing to develop the park for children or “kiddies” (Futrell). In 1985, the H20hhh
Zone was added due to the rise of water-park popularity. Two years later in
1987, Mister Rogers’ Land of Make-Believe was added. In the 1990s, the park
updated their water attractions, doubling the water park’s size and earning the
name “Idlewild Park and Soak Zone."5

In
present times, Idlewild is still operating as a beloved amusement park for local
and distant visitors. Today park-goers will find a host of updated attractions
including one dedicated to the first television show inspired by Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.” In addition to rides,
there are many seasonal events such as the Memorial Day Salute, HALLOBOO! and
the annual Ligonier Highland Games. Due to its success, Idlewild has been named
the “Best Park for Families” by National
Amusement Park Historical Association and has been the recipient of the Golden
Ticket Award for Best Children’s Park eight years in a row.6
With its long history, Idlewild operates today as the third oldest amusement
park in the United States and the oldest running park in Pennsylvania. In
recognition of its historical significance, Idlewild received a historical
marker from the Pennsylvania Historical and
Museum Commission in 2012.7__________________________________________________________________________1. "The History of Idlewild." Idlewild and Soakzone. Accessed February 13, 2018.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.idlewild.com/plan-a-visit/about-idlewild">https://www.idlewild.com/plan-a-visit/about-idlewild</a>. 2. "The History of Idlewild." 3. Futrell, Jim.&nbsp;Amusement Parks of Pennsylvania. (Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2002.), 51-63. 4. Croushore, Jeffrey S.&nbsp;Idlewild. Images of America ed. (Chicago, IL: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.), 51. 5. "The History of Idlewild." 6."Family-Friendly Fun &amp; Adventure." Idlewild.com. March 20, 2019.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.idlewild.com/things-to-do/attractions">https://www.idlewild.com/things-to-do/attractions</a>. – for attractions 7. Wintermantel, Mike. "Idlewild Park." The Historical Marker Database. October 06, 2016.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=60066">https://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=60066</a>.

Located on Route 30 along the historic Lincoln Highway is Idlewild Park and Soak Zone in Ligonier, Pennsylvania. Opened in 1887, Idlewild was initially developed by Judge Thomas Mellon as a means of drawing passengers to the Ligonier Valley Railroad. The Park started as a picnic/camp grounds for visitors to take a “country vacation.” In the 1930s, the Park changed management and began to form into an amusement park. It was in the 1950s when the focus of the Park began to be centered on children and family fun. Maintaining business through the Great Depression, World War I and II, Idlewild stands today as the longest-operating amusement park in Pennsylvania and the 3rd oldest in the nation.

Idlewild Park and Soak Zone

The Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art (SAMA) was founded in 1976 at Saint Francis University in Loretto, Pennsylvania. The Museum began with a permanent collection of 67 works of art. Other locations opened in Hollidaysburg (1979) which moved to Altoona (1995), Johnstown (1982), Ligonier (1997) and Bedford (2018). SAMA now has a permanent collection of 5,000 works across all locations featuring nationally-recognized artists such as Will Barnet, William Baziotes, Albert Bierstadt, Mary Cassatt, Walt Kuhn, Thomas Moran, Gilbert Stuart, Thomas Sully, and Andy Warhol. SAMA's location in Ligonier opened in the fall of 1997. Since then, more than 100,000 visitors have attended more than 50 exhibitions at the Museum. These exhibitions have highlighted local, regional, and national artists, and included juried shows for professionals and students. Additionally, the Museum is home to the Walter Carlyle Shaw Paperweight Collection, and showcases these beautiful, unique works of art spanning 150 years in changing exhibits. Elizabeth Shaw Gamble donated the collection of 169 glass paperweights to SAMA in 1992 in memory of her father. SAMA-Ligonier is located in an historic house along Route 711, just down the road from downtown Ligonier. The Museum's exhibits extend outdoors with beautiful gardens and the Donald M. Robinson Sculpture Park, named in memory of a photographer from Altoona who has much of his work housed at SAMA. As a community museum, SAMA-Ligonier emphasizes community art projects and education. Programs like their Arts-in-Education (AIE) and Artist-in-Residence (AIR) initiatives connect artists and art educators to students in local schools, who learn about artistic techniques, history, criticism, and aesthetics. Other programs include children's art camps, workshops for adults, speaker presentations, art walks, and various community events throughout the year. SAMA also participates in the Ligonier Valley's Free Museum Day, an annual event that offers free admission and special activities at local museums. SAMA received accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) in 1996 and has been a partner of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) since 1998.

The Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art (SAMA) is a community art museum with locations in the southwestern Pennsylvania cities of Altoona, Bedford, Johnstown, Ligonier, and Loretto, where the museum was founded in 1976. The Ligonier location opened in 1997 and has since collected and exhibited the works of numerous local, regional, and national artists working in various mediums. The museum at Ligonier offers changing exhibits, educational programs, juried shows, artists-in-residence programs, workshops, and a sculpture garden, connecting people of the Ligonier Valley and surrounding area with the arts. SAMA successfully operates the nation’s longest-running museum satellite system.

Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art, Ligonier

In the eighteenth century, Native American tribes and colonists from Britain and France competed for land that is now western Pennsylvania. Both the British and French claimed this land as rightfully theirs, based on their respective surveys of the land, settlements, trade routes, military outposts, and treaties with Native American tribes who had occupied the land for centuries. Most Native American tribes in the region joined the French effort to drive out the British. In the 1750s, the French began building a chain of forts stretching down the Allegheny and Ohio Rivers, strategic trade and travel routes that the British claimed as part of their colonies. The French, though greatly outnumbered, held Fort Duquesne at the Forks of the Ohio and defeated Colonel George&nbsp;Washington at Fort Necessity and General&nbsp;Edward Braddock's in the Battle of the Monongahela.In 1758, the British planned a counterattack on the French by simultaneously targeting forts at Quebec, Crown Point, Niagara and Duquesne. General John&nbsp;Forbes, assigned to attack at Fort Duquesne, and his men took a different route than General Braddock to the Forks of the Ohio. Their route, known as the Forbes Road, meandered through the forested Allegheny Mountains towards Fort Bedford. Along the way, Forbes's second in command,&nbsp;Colonel Henry&nbsp;Bouquet, ordered an outpost be built between&nbsp;Fort Duquesne&nbsp;and&nbsp;Fort Bedford.&nbsp;This fort would provide the Forbes Expedition with an advantage that the failed Braddock Expedition did not have:&nbsp;a staging area to prepare British forces for the final attack on Fort Duquesne.In September 1758, construction on the fort began. Known as the "Post at Loyalhanna," the fort was&nbsp;later named Fort Ligonier in honor of Sir John Ligonier, a French-born nobleman and Field Marshall of the British Army. In mid-September,&nbsp;British forces under Major James&nbsp;Grant left Fort Ligonier to capture Fort Duquesne, but were quickly defeated by the stronger French forces. In response, the French forces planned an attack on Fort Ligonier to seize their supplies and weaken British presence in the Ohio Valley.&nbsp;On October 12, French and Indian&nbsp;forces attacked Fort Ligonier. At the time, the fort was still under construction. It&nbsp;held around 2,000 British soldiers under the control of Colonel James Burd, whom Colonel Bouquet had left in charge.&nbsp;Though the French and Indian forces pushed British guards and battalions to retreat into the fort, British artillery successfully drove the attackers away. Rather than launch a counterattack, the British continued planning their assault on Fort Duquesne.Fort Ligonier remained an essential outpost as the British gathered supplies, troops, and intelligence that prepared them to attack Fort Duquesne.&nbsp;In mid-November 1785, Fort Duquesne was vulnerable enough for the British to strike. General Forbes and his men, including Colonels Washington, Bouquet and&nbsp;Archibald Montgomerie of Scotland, departed Fort Ligonier. They successfully captured Fort Duquesne, which the French burned as the fled. The reconstructed fort on this location was named Fort Pitt, after William Pitt, the British Secretary of State. This later became the city of Pittsburgh.&nbsp;Fort Ligonier&nbsp;was never taken over by another army, and it served as a refuge for settlers in the Indian Wars. It also was the only strong hold that never fell in the Pontiac Revolt of 1763. After serving seven strong years, Fort Ligonier was abandoned in 1765 by Bouquet's recommendations.&nbsp;Though Fort Ligonier disappeared more than 175 years ago, its location was able to be identified from early military records and maps that outlined the fort. Fort Ligonier's design was based on the principles of continental Europe structure. The structure was mainly made out of earth and timber; which the army had a large surplus. The inner part of the fort was a square shape with pointed projections on all four corners. In the center of the square were storehouses, officer's barracks, power magazine, and other structures.&nbsp;Beginning in 1947, the fort was partially reconstructed. The most recent renovation was the lower inner half inside the walls which includes the officer's barracks and two bastions which are connected by a wall of palisades.&nbsp; Within the reconstructed fort are the officers' mess, barracks, guardroom, underground magazine, commissary, and officers' quarters.&nbsp; Reconstructed buildings outside the fort's&nbsp;walls include the Pennsylvania hospital, a smokehouse, saw mill, forge and bake ovens.&nbsp;The museum's exhibits include&nbsp;the History Gallery, French and Indian War Art Gallery, The World Ablaze: An Introduction to the Seven Years' War exhibit, and the George Washington Exhibit.&nbsp; The&nbsp;eight-acre site recently added its new Fort Ligonier Center for History Education which will be used for educational programming, workshops, lectures and exhibitions.&nbsp;Finally, the fort is the main attraction of Fort Ligonier Days, a three-day arts and heritage festival held every October around the time of the Battle of Fort Ligonier.&nbsp;

Fort Ligonier is a reconstructed eighteenth century fort in Ligonier, Pennsylvania. The fort was established as an outpost for British forces planning an attack on Fort Duquesne in modern-day Pittsburgh. On October 12, 1758, the British successfully defended Fort Ligonier from an attack by French and Indian forces. Less than two months later, General John Forbes, along with Colonels George Washington, Henry Bouquet, and Archibald Montgomerie, departed Fort Ligonier and successfully captured Fort Duquesne on November 25. The capture of Fort Duquesne, replaced by Fort Pitt, solidified British occupation of the Forks of the Ohio and led to the establishment of Pittsburgh. Fort Ligonier was reconstructed in the mid-twentieth century and is the setting of historical reenactments, tours, and a state-of-the-art museum that interprets the history of the Pennsylvania frontier and French and Indian War. 

Fort Ligonier

Driving along the Lincoln Highway in the Ligonier Valley, all visitors would be in for a satisfying surprise to come to the Ligonier Beach sign that stood as the entrance to the gigantic pool that was home to fun summers, music, laughter, and a relaxation spot welcome to all.&nbsp; The Ligonier Beach was one of a kind measuring a tremendous 400-foot by 125-foot pool that held over 1.3 million gallons of water.&nbsp; Tourists traveling along the Lincoln High were always welcomed with a smile to envision themselves relaxing on a beach with their children playing in the pool water.&nbsp; The Ligonier Beach is touched the lives of everyone who came and soaked in the fun.&nbsp; “People like to tell stories about spending time at the pool.&nbsp; Now they bring their grandchildren here to see it” (Brehun).&nbsp; Once the largest swimming pool in America, the Ligonier Beach offered a family experience to all with great food and other attractions that kept visitors coming year after year.

The Ligonier Beach all started by Nick Gallo, a Ligonier native who found hot summer days needing a cooling outlet for the community.&nbsp; The Ligonier community had never had a pool as vast as the one Nick Gallo created himself with the help of his family in 1925, but on the day July 2 the Ligonier Beach was officially open to the public.&nbsp; It was an instant hit for the community and all driving across the Lincoln Highway and looked to stop on a seemingly endless drive on a summer day.&nbsp; With a diving board, sand surrounded entrance to the cooling waters, and a beautifully designed fountain in the middle of the enormous pool, the Ligonier Beach had all the features to make visitors wanting to turn their cars right back around and come for more.&nbsp; The Ligonier Beach included a small restaurant with great homemade foods, a pool house, and bar for the adults.&nbsp; It acquired musical guests over the years that would have special concerts some days in the open field the Ligonier Beach consisted of with beach chairs lined up around the pool.

Nick Gallo handed over the ownership of Ligonier beach to another Ligonier native, Ray Graham.&nbsp; With his run as owner for ten years came minor changes, and then the ownership was put in the hands of daughter and son-in-law of Graham, Sherry and Steve Kozar (Smykla). One item that stayed consistent throughout the years is the Ligonier Beach sign.&nbsp; “A row of raised red neon reads LIGONIER as a double line traces BEACH, greeting motorists traveling east and west.&nbsp; Once America’s largest” (Baron).&nbsp; The sign greeted all who passed and became a lasting welcoming to visitors, and a friendly goodbye as drivers went back on their way after staying at the Ligonier Beach.&nbsp; The Ligonier Beach sign has been touched up and repaired but has been being still the same exact that stood as the “gateway to Ligonier” (Brehun) as it did when first put up by Nick Gallo.

After passing the Ligonier Beach sign and entering the pool, guests were welcomed by homemade meals, guest singers, and even a poolside bar.&nbsp; Ligonier Beach hosted activities like dance nights where they would bring live singers, that made the poolside a dancefloor for everyone.&nbsp; The later years of Ligonier Beach offered a disc jockey instead of live performances.&nbsp; The music was captivating to everyone and the food Ligonier Beach offered made the stay so much more worthwhile.&nbsp; Every attraction needs great food, and Ligonier Beach definitely delivered.

There would be home-cooked food by patrons, specials like 90 cent pizza, hamburgers, hotdogs, and a variety of foods that everyone could find something they’d enjoy on a hot summer day.

What truly made the people rush out of their cars and into the pool were the prize wooden chairs laid out poolside.&nbsp; As they were numbered, the chairs were a hot commodity for the early birds.&nbsp; Those who would get to Ligonier Beach first would rush to claim their chairs and hold them the entire day spent at the Beach.&nbsp; These chairs became so valuable to some visitors they have turned into household furniture as a way to keep memories of Ligonier Beach alive.&nbsp;It may not have been the ocean, but Ligonier Beach was more than worth the stop on the Lincoln Highway on a hot summer day.&nbsp;

Flooding in 2018 closed Ligonier Beach indefinitely. The owners, Mr. and Mrs. Kozar began to have trouble keeping the pool in its original condition after severe flooding before the 2018 season and felt it was best to retire the pool. Prior to the flooding, in 2016 a teenage boy stole from the Ligonier Beach, opened the beer taps, and burned a pool house down (Hilmer).&nbsp; The costs and reconstructions took a toll on the Beach and the owners then shut the pool and resort down until it was functional and safe again. The Ligonier Beach remains permanently closed and it has taken its effects on the entire community.&nbsp; The Ligonier Valley suffered a loss when the Ligonier Beach closed because it was a foundation to so many great times throughout the years, and old patrons have come to try to resurrect the Beach.&nbsp;&nbsp;The community has begun to act to try and buy the property back from the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (Pierce).&nbsp; The community is coming together to try to bring back the Ligonier Beach and recreate the place so many came to love year after year, driving across the Lincoln Highway passing through Ligonier Valley.&nbsp; The reopening would make a local landmark once again live on for the entire community.

Founded on July 2nd, 1925, Ligonier Beach was a fun and relaxing way for travelers driving across the Lincoln Highway.  The massive 400-foot by 125-foot pool was once America’s largest swimming pool.  Accompanied by a slide, fountain and great local, homemade food added for one of the best summer stops among tiresome families.  The giant swimming pool offered many activities like live bands, buffets, and lowered admission days.  The famous Ligonier Beach sign was welcoming to all who were looking to cool off and enjoy the Ligonier community. After severe flooding in 2018, Ligonier Beach is closed indefinitely. 

Ligonier Beach

Linn Run is a national state park that was purchased in 1909. This land was originally bought and purchased from the Byers and Allen Lumber Company for $42,662. Although years ago, this park was considered a waste land it now stands as a flourished park located in the Pennsylvania mountains. This park has many commodities that include, camping, fishing, public trials, waterfalls, and scenic views that can be enjoyed any time of the year. 	The heart pf the Laurel Mountain is what is to be considered of this park. The park had land ranges that started from 1,300 feet to 2,800 feet above sea level. When the land was purchased, the commonwealth had marked it as one of the first major public purchase of denuded forest land in the Ohio Rover Basin. That is where the common use of “wasteland” had come from when the land had been purchases because someone people had questions the wisdom of the purchases and how to imagine what and would end up looking like in the future. During the time of the original purchase the newly formed Pennsylvania Game Commission had cooperated with the former Department of Forestry to restock the deer population in the park. White- tailed deer were imported from New York and Michigan for release.	Some of the most profound historical aspects of this park are where some budlings that had been built in the 1920s still have some remaining standing structures. Within the land of Linn Run State Park there is an abandoned hunting lodge that still sits with some of its original structure. The stone constructed fireplace is one of the still standing structures within the lodge. During the 1920’s the state of Pennsylvania had encouraging city dwellers to building “weekend retreats”. One of the most famous structures known was the McGinnis Rod &amp; Gun Club Inc that was built ion 1922, the club had existed for roughly 20 years before the building had a fire and only left the remained of the stone walls and the fireplace that is seen today when visiting the park. The land that the lodge had sat one was then absorbed by the Linn Run State Park.	The park offers multiple activities for all sorts of individuals wanting to experience the park and the recreations it offers. Some of the activities include, bicycling, camping, fishing, hiking, historical sites, horseback riding, hunting, picnicking, and water sports. There are nine rustic cabins and one modern cabin that are available for year-round rental. But during the summer months only weekly rentals are available.  The streams that run through this state park are very often used for fishing and man of them lead to scenic waterfalls. One of the most commonly known waterfalls is the Adams fall. This particular waterfall you have the ability to stand behind the falls in the recess of the rocks that surround the waterfall.

Linn Run is a national state park that was purchased in 1909. Although years ago, this park was considered a waste land it now stands as a flourished park located in the Pennsylvania mountains. This park has many commodities that include, camping, fishing, public trials, waterfalls, and scenic views that can be enjoyed any time of the year. The heart pf the Laurel Mountain is what is to be considered of this park. The park had land ranges that started from 1,300 feet to 2,800 feet above sea level. Some of the most profound historical aspects of this park are where some budlings that had been built in the 1920s still have some remaining standing structures. Within the land of Linn Run State Park there is an abandoned hunting lodge that still sits with some of its original structure. The McGinnis Rod &amp; Gun Club Inc that was built in 1922, the club had existed for roughly 20 years before the building had a fire and only left the remained of the stone walls and the fireplace that is seen today when visiting the park. The park also offers multiple activities for all sorts of individuals wanting to experience the park and the recreations it offers. Some of the activities include, bicycling, camping, fishing, hiking, historical sites, horseback riding, hunting, picnicking, and water sports.

Linn Run State Park

In 1797, Laughlintown was founded by Robert Laughlin as a
small town which would grow to accommodate travelers along the Pennsylvania
State Road and later the Pennsylvania Turnpike.&nbsp;
Roughly following the path of Forbes Road, the State Road was the first
official road stretch across Pennsylvania.&nbsp;
Situated at the foot of the Laurel Hill, the small town of Laughlintown
developed into a rest stop, boasting at least six inns and dozens of small
businesses.

As the State Road deteriorated, the state made the decision
to construct a turnpike, primarily funded by private companies.&nbsp; It was during this time that Robert and
Rachel Armor came to Laughlintown and purchased what was then a log inn, which
was originally a drover’s inn.&nbsp; Situated
directly on the Turnpike, the couple saw the potential for increased business, made
the decision to expand the inn and added a stone wing, creating a higher class
Inn for stagecoach passengers.

Stagecoaches played a vital role in American history.&nbsp; The first form of mass communication and
transportation, it connected the young country through rapid travel times.&nbsp; By the 1830s, a stagecoach could make it from
Philadelphia to Pittsburgh in approximately 56 hours. Most stagecoaches adhered
to a strict schedule, as many carried the mail.&nbsp;
People relied on the stagecoaches and travelers to find out what was
happening in other parts of the country. Travel was crowded and uncomfortable, but
it was the fastest at the time.

Once at Compass Inn, passengers and drivers were able to
find everything they needed.&nbsp; The Inn and
family provided lodging and meals for the travelers, and a barn and Blacksmith
shop were available to tend to the needs of the coach and horses. Inside the
tavern, the family worked hard to supply guests with the necessities.&nbsp; By our standards today, these taverns would
be dirty, uncomfortable places with a staff that wouldn’t go out of their way
to accommodate visitors. What made Compass Inn a nicer place was the use of a
sitting room, or ladies parlor in addition to the common room, and ample
sleeping space upstairs with beds for guests. Food would be provided in
abundance.

Today, Compass Inn Museum captures the history of stagecoach
travel and the daily life of the 19th century.&nbsp; Guided tours take visitors through the inn,
which is filled with period furnishings, as well as the fully functioning
cookhouse and Blacksmith shop.&nbsp; There is
also a reconstructed barn which houses a restored Conestoga Wagon and
Stagecoach.

Compass Inn Museum and Historic Site is a restored 19th century stagecoach stop along the original Philadelphia-Pittsburgh Turnpike.  Originally built in 1799, Compass Inn captures the history of fast-paced stagecoach culture and the family history of seven generations of the Armor family who lived there.

The site features a fully functioning cookhouse and Blacksmith shop along with a reconstructed barn containing a restored Conestoga Wagon and stagecoach.  Compass Inn Museum was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995 and sits along the Lincoln Highway.


Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor Driving Tour - Westmoreland County

Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information