We left Williamsfield about 11 on Monday and drove to Washington, PA. The KOA book described this campground as being on a bluff overlooking the town. I almost got a nosebleed as we drove up the steep driveway to our campsite. YIKES!
On Tuesday we drove to the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum where we rode the STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE which had been used in New Orleans until the 1950's. After the trolley ride we had a guided tour of the car barn and of particular interest was the open trolley car that had been gotten from Brazil.
From the Trolley Museum we drove to Monongahela, PA to the Memory Tree and Yarn Branch, a small yarn shop with more yarns of various types than I've ever seen before. The mother/daughter team that was working was very knowledgeable about the various yarns, and I fell in love with a super soft yarn to make a shawl for myself. I also bought a ceramic yarn bowl.
We drove back to Washington and toured the LeMoyne House, PAs first National Landmark of the Underground Railroad. It's named for Dr. Francis Julius LeMoyne whose father built the house in 1812. Dr. LeMoyne was an inventor, physician, and prominent abolitionist. He also built the first crematory in the Western Hemisphere with the first cremation occurring in 1876 .
Friday, August 26, 2016
Wednesday, August 24, 2016
Sunday, August 21, 2016
This morning after breakfast we stopped to explore the huge flea market which was being held in the now closed drive-in movie theater between Andover and Williamsfield. It was interesting to see what type of items were being sold. The only thing I bought was a small box of peaches. The seller assured me that they were so good I'd be back next Sunday to get more!
Had lunch on the way to Conneaut and our visit to the Conneaut Area Historical Museum. I enjoyed reading 1944 and 1945 LIFE Magazines which were showing the latest fashions in one, and the gritty reality of war as it showed the progression from battlefield to state-side hospital for a GI wounded in the European theater. Jack found a DMS-10 circuit board from 1986 in the display of telephony items. That really made us feel old! Wow!
Back to Andover/Pymatuning KOA for supper and started preparing the trailer for our move to the next campground on Monday morning.
Had lunch on the way to Conneaut and our visit to the Conneaut Area Historical Museum. I enjoyed reading 1944 and 1945 LIFE Magazines which were showing the latest fashions in one, and the gritty reality of war as it showed the progression from battlefield to state-side hospital for a GI wounded in the European theater. Jack found a DMS-10 circuit board from 1986 in the display of telephony items. That really made us feel old! Wow!
Back to Andover/Pymatuning KOA for supper and started preparing the trailer for our move to the next campground on Monday morning.
Ashtabula, OH
We may have been camping in Williamsfield, but we drove the 25 miles north to Ashtabula to visit the Ashtabula Maritime Museum. The Museum is housed in the former residence of lighthouse keepers and the Coast Guard chief. The house was built in 1871 and added onto in 1898. It opened as a museum in 1984 and is dedicated to preserving maritime and the history of Ashtabula and the Great Lakes. There are seven rooms full of artifacts and other memorabilia and is one of the largest and best collections in all of the Great Lakes.
Of special interest is the pilot house of the Thomas Walterss with its working radar. Across the street from the museum is Pilot Point Park with it's overlook of the Ashtabula river and the historic Bascule Lift Bridge which is raised every 30 minutes to allow boats access to Lake Erie.
After a late lunch, we visited the Hubbard House Underground Railroad Museum. Colonel William Hubbard arrived in Ashtabula in 1834 with his wife and six children. He brought his strong anti-slavery sentiments with him and became a founding member of the Ashtabula Anti-Slavery Society. Ashtabula county was a very strong anti-slavery county, and Colonel Hubbard sheltered runaway slaves in his basement, his barn and provided ship transport to Canada. His house had a hidden room behind the pantry to also hide the runaways.
Of special interest is the pilot house of the Thomas Walterss with its working radar. Across the street from the museum is Pilot Point Park with it's overlook of the Ashtabula river and the historic Bascule Lift Bridge which is raised every 30 minutes to allow boats access to Lake Erie.
After a late lunch, we visited the Hubbard House Underground Railroad Museum. Colonel William Hubbard arrived in Ashtabula in 1834 with his wife and six children. He brought his strong anti-slavery sentiments with him and became a founding member of the Ashtabula Anti-Slavery Society. Ashtabula county was a very strong anti-slavery county, and Colonel Hubbard sheltered runaway slaves in his basement, his barn and provided ship transport to Canada. His house had a hidden room behind the pantry to also hide the runaways.
Tuesday, August 23, 2016
Geneva-on-the-Lake is a resort area on the shore of Lake Erie. Indian Creek Campground is huge, with easily 500 campsites - many of them seasonal with outbuildings, etc. We were right across the street from a mini-laundromat, showers, and comfort stations. Very nice! We had a cement patio and asphalt streets. We had thought that we would be seeing 4 railroad museums, so had reserved Monday - Thursday. Upon a visit to the Visitor's Center, we discovered that the museums were only open on the weekend...and we couldn't extend, as the campground was full.
The first day we caught up on cleaning the trailer and planning the remainder of our time. On Wednesday we drove to WIlliamsfield to the Agricultural Heritage Museum and had a 2-hour guided tour. From there we drove to Paynesville to the Lake County Fair.
We toured the arts, garden, and commercial buildings and enjoyed corn dogs and Diet Coke. A fun day.
Thursday we drove to Conneaut (Co-ne-ought) to the Railroad Museum and enjoyed the exhibits and the 4 trains that went whizzing by the station at dizzying speeds. Wow!
Friday we had to move from Indian Creek and had may reservations at the Andover/Pymatuning KOA in Williamsfield. Nice shady campsite. Shared the campground with 30 3-wheel motorcycle folks.
Maple Lake Campground, Seville OH
Maple Lake Campground is a very nice campground outside Seville, OH. It has a fishing pond, nice pool, and wifi at the office. We spent our first evening in the office using the wifi while other campers were busy watching a football game, playing pool or visiting with friends. Many of the campers were camped there long term.
The next morning we went into town and had breakfast at Hardees and then found the Northern Ohio Electric Car Museum. We had a guided tour with a lady who had been a conductor on the cars and who knew many of them having worked on them. She truly had a love for the cars, and it showed!
On Sunday we drove about 60 miles to Bellvue, OH to the Mad Dog Nickel Plate Railroad Museum.
The rolling stock was really in good physical condition. The museum was started in 1976 and celebrated its 40th anniversary in June. It has 50 pieces of rolling stock and is the largest in OHIO.
I especially enjoyed seeing the troop car with bunks 3 tiers high and the vast display of train place settings.
The next day we left for 4 nights at Geneva-on-the Lake on the shores of Lake Erie.
The next morning we went into town and had breakfast at Hardees and then found the Northern Ohio Electric Car Museum. We had a guided tour with a lady who had been a conductor on the cars and who knew many of them having worked on them. She truly had a love for the cars, and it showed!
On Sunday we drove about 60 miles to Bellvue, OH to the Mad Dog Nickel Plate Railroad Museum.
The rolling stock was really in good physical condition. The museum was started in 1976 and celebrated its 40th anniversary in June. It has 50 pieces of rolling stock and is the largest in OHIO.
I especially enjoyed seeing the troop car with bunks 3 tiers high and the vast display of train place settings.
The next day we left for 4 nights at Geneva-on-the Lake on the shores of Lake Erie.
Dover, OH - The Warther Museum
While we were in Dennison we learned about a master carver who had a museum in Dover, OH which is not too far from New Philadelphia. On the 11th we drove over to see the museum deemed "Priceless" by the Smithsonian, a AAA Gem Attraction, and a 5 star TripAdvisor Attraction. The museum has been open since 1936.
Ernest "Mooney" Warther was born in 1885 to Swiss immigrant parents. He began his carving legacy by whittling hundreds of pairs of working pliers. After he had mastered whittling, he began carving. His focus was the evolution of the steam engine, eventually carving the time periods from late B.C. up to the introduction of diesel engines in the mid-1900's. His major works depict a working steel mill, the 511 pliers from a single block of wood, and the Lincoln Funeral train. Over 64 carvings reside at the museum, hand carved out of ebony, ivory, and walnut.
He and his wife collected 5000 arrowheads and points and can be seen in his original workshop. His wife, Frieda collected and mounted buttons which she collected over the course of her life. The 73,000 piece collection is housed in the original museum building.
Definitely a museum to see!
Ernest "Mooney" Warther was born in 1885 to Swiss immigrant parents. He began his carving legacy by whittling hundreds of pairs of working pliers. After he had mastered whittling, he began carving. His focus was the evolution of the steam engine, eventually carving the time periods from late B.C. up to the introduction of diesel engines in the mid-1900's. His major works depict a working steel mill, the 511 pliers from a single block of wood, and the Lincoln Funeral train. Over 64 carvings reside at the museum, hand carved out of ebony, ivory, and walnut.
He and his wife collected 5000 arrowheads and points and can be seen in his original workshop. His wife, Frieda collected and mounted buttons which she collected over the course of her life. The 73,000 piece collection is housed in the original museum building.
Definitely a museum to see!
New Philadelphia, OH August 8-11, 2016
We had camped for two days in Indianapolis, IN and then on the 9th drove to New Philadelphia, OH where we camped at Wood's Tall Timber Camp Resort. The campground is quite large, and the camp sites have cement patios. Nice. Not so nice is the fact there is no tv signal, wifi is expensive, and the cell phone has one bar. Feels like Granville, TN! We drove into town that evening and used the wifi at McDonald's.
The next day we drove to Dennison, OH to see the railroad museum. This site was known to the soldiers of WWII as "Dreamland USA" because of its Salvation Army Canteen that fed 1.3 Million
servicemen and women enroute to training or to the coast heading for the front between 1942-1946. Several thousand women met 22-37 troop trains per day and supplied coffee, sandwiches, baked goods and fruit to the troops while the engines were taking on water or fuel. We also enjoyed the restored hospital car, the canteen display, and the art of Nellie Tally, a Jewish Pole who did watercolors while she was a child in hiding from the Germans.
After lunch we came back to town and drove to Historic Schoenbrunn where Ohio's first settlement began in 1772. Today it is a partial reconstruction of an 18th century Delaware mission town founded on May 3, 1772 by missionaries of the Moravian church. After a few short years the mission's neutrality was questioned and on April 19, 1777 they destroyed their church and the whole village moved. At it's largest, the Village grew to include 60 dwellings and 300 Delaware native Americans and Moravian missionaries.
The next day we drove to Dennison, OH to see the railroad museum. This site was known to the soldiers of WWII as "Dreamland USA" because of its Salvation Army Canteen that fed 1.3 Million
servicemen and women enroute to training or to the coast heading for the front between 1942-1946. Several thousand women met 22-37 troop trains per day and supplied coffee, sandwiches, baked goods and fruit to the troops while the engines were taking on water or fuel. We also enjoyed the restored hospital car, the canteen display, and the art of Nellie Tally, a Jewish Pole who did watercolors while she was a child in hiding from the Germans.
After lunch we came back to town and drove to Historic Schoenbrunn where Ohio's first settlement began in 1772. Today it is a partial reconstruction of an 18th century Delaware mission town founded on May 3, 1772 by missionaries of the Moravian church. After a few short years the mission's neutrality was questioned and on April 19, 1777 they destroyed their church and the whole village moved. At it's largest, the Village grew to include 60 dwellings and 300 Delaware native Americans and Moravian missionaries.
Tuesday, August 16, 2016
National Railroad Museum, Green Bay WI - Our Lady of Good Help Shrine -Pictures
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| Here we are! |
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| Jack playing engineer in the Big Boy Engine |
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| French Gratitude Car after WWII sent to USA |
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| Eisenhower Staff Car with Steel Plated Armor |
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| The Aerotrain |
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| Eisenhower Engine |
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| Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help |
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| In front of the church |
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| In front of the sign |
Stonefield Village, Cassville, OH and Dickeyville Grotto
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| Inside the Governor's Home - Stonefield |
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| First test tractor with rubber wheels |
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| Governor's first home after the fire |
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| Governor's home before the fire |
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| Main Grotto in Dickeyville |
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| By the patriotic grotto |
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| The Fountain with church in background |
Pictures from Fennimore OHIO
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| Jack on a Dinky engine at Fennimore Train Museu |
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| The Dinky engine |
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| Barbie Collection by Elizabeth Wheeler |
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| About the Designer Elizabeth Wheeler |
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| Bride Dolls in Fennimore Doll Museum |
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| Having a little Fun |
Monday, August 15, 2016
Lake Geneva, WI 8/5-6, 2016
We camped in Lake Geneva WI so that we could visit the East Troy Electric Train Museum in nearby East Troy. Lake Geneva is a vacation destination for people from Illinois. They have a beautiful lake with high end hotels along the shore, and a thriving shopping district. Beautiful boats and yachts are moored along the shoreline.
In fact, the town is so busy that there is a massive traffic jam from early morning until late evening. It is almost impossible to find a parking place downtown.
East Troy's train museum is small, but very interesting.
We were only there two nights, and then moved on to Indianapolis, IL where we camped for two days before continuing on to New Philadelphia, OH.
In fact, the town is so busy that there is a massive traffic jam from early morning until late evening. It is almost impossible to find a parking place downtown.
East Troy's train museum is small, but very interesting.
We were only there two nights, and then moved on to Indianapolis, IL where we camped for two days before continuing on to New Philadelphia, OH.
Green Bay, WI Area 8/2 - 8/4, 2016
We camped at Apple Creek Campground outside of DePere, WI just a few short miles from Green Bay. We drove into Green Bay to the National Railroad Museum. I was IMPRESSED! Clearly the nicest museum to date. The exhibits included many famous engines in an air conditioned building. I was especially impressed by the Eisenhower Staff train which was built in England. The exhibit included the engine and of special interest was the steel plated staff coaches which contained the bunks and other furniture. Another great engine was a BIG BOY, the huge engines used in the west. I'm short but I felt REALLY short next to the huge wheels on that engine. Another interesting exhibit was the Pullman Porter's exhibit. We were there from 10:30 - 3:30 with a side trip to the Titletown Brew Pub where we split a "Brew Ben" a reuben sandwich made with a beer mustard and horseradish. YUM!
The next morning we drove to New Franken, WI to the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Hope. This is the site where Mary appeared to Adele Brise, a young Belgian women in 1859. Mary asked her to gather the children and teach them what they should know for salvation. sign themselves and Adele set about traveling up and down the Green Bay peninsula on foot teaching from house to house. Eventually a boarding academy was started at the site of the apparition. The most spectacular event occurred in 1871, when the Chapel grounds and buildings were left virtually untouched by the devastation of the Great Peshtigo Fire.
Our last visit was to the Heritage Hill State Historical Park in Green Bay. The day was hot, but we enjoyed visiting the Belgian farm area, the Fort Howard area, and the village.
The next morning we drove to New Franken, WI to the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Hope. This is the site where Mary appeared to Adele Brise, a young Belgian women in 1859. Mary asked her to gather the children and teach them what they should know for salvation. sign themselves and Adele set about traveling up and down the Green Bay peninsula on foot teaching from house to house. Eventually a boarding academy was started at the site of the apparition. The most spectacular event occurred in 1871, when the Chapel grounds and buildings were left virtually untouched by the devastation of the Great Peshtigo Fire.
Our last visit was to the Heritage Hill State Historical Park in Green Bay. The day was hot, but we enjoyed visiting the Belgian farm area, the Fort Howard area, and the village.
Monday, August 8, 2016
Wisconsin Dells Area - July 29 - 31,2016
We arrived at the Ho-Chunk Casino RV Park about 3 p.m. on Friday and set up and planned our time in the area. It poured down rain for about 30 minutes, so we were glad we were set up and settled in the trailer.
Saturday morning we drove to New Freedom, WI to the Mid-Continent Railway Museum and arrived about 10:30. There was a great deal of activity at the Museum, as the 11:00 a.m. train ride was preparing to board passengers for their 45 minute ride. We did not ride the train, but instead we explored the three equipment display areas: the Coach Shed, Depot Display and the Train Shed. Jack's main area of interest is the Train Shed, while I am much more interested in the restored coaches available for touring. We spent three hours at the museum, grabbed a light lunch in their refreshment area and then drove back to camp.
On Sunday we drove to the Riverside & Great Northern railroad in the Wisconsin Dells. The railroad is dedicated to preserving and operating locomotives and passenger cars built by the Sandley Light Railway Equipment Works from 1950-1980. The little steam train takes visitors on a 3-mail round trip. The Railroad is a living museum with 1/4 scale railroad offering an enjoyable experience for the whole family.
Saturday morning we drove to New Freedom, WI to the Mid-Continent Railway Museum and arrived about 10:30. There was a great deal of activity at the Museum, as the 11:00 a.m. train ride was preparing to board passengers for their 45 minute ride. We did not ride the train, but instead we explored the three equipment display areas: the Coach Shed, Depot Display and the Train Shed. Jack's main area of interest is the Train Shed, while I am much more interested in the restored coaches available for touring. We spent three hours at the museum, grabbed a light lunch in their refreshment area and then drove back to camp.
On Sunday we drove to the Riverside & Great Northern railroad in the Wisconsin Dells. The railroad is dedicated to preserving and operating locomotives and passenger cars built by the Sandley Light Railway Equipment Works from 1950-1980. The little steam train takes visitors on a 3-mail round trip. The Railroad is a living museum with 1/4 scale railroad offering an enjoyable experience for the whole family.
Grotto and Shrines of Dickeyville, Wisconsin
The Grotto and Shrines erected in the Village of Dickeyville are the works of Fr. Matthias Wernerus, pastor of the Holy Cross Parish 1918-1931. His handiwork in stone, built from 1925-1930 is dedicated to the unity of two great American ideals: love of God and love of country. It is created in stone, mortar and bright colored objects collected from all over the world. There are many round balls in the construction which used to be found on the top of a stickshift in old cars. The shrine was constructed without the use of blueprints.
There are several shrines in the Grotto garden. Besides the main shrine which houses the Grotto of the Blessed Virgin, there is a patriotic shrine, sacramental shrine of the Hold Eucharist, the Sacred Heart shrine, Christ rhe King shrine, Fatima shrine and the stations of the Cross. These shrines are located in a beautiful floral garden and surrounding the Hold Ghost Church.
Never one to pass up a garage/yard sale, we wandered down to the church basement and looked over the huge array of items at bargain basement prices!
The next morning we left Cassville and stopped at the Toy Barn in Argyle, WI on our way to Baraboo. The Toy Barn is housed in a barn on a farm outside of Argyle, and is truly amazing. Father and Son have been working on the layout for many years, and have been featured on Public Television in Wisconsin. The father is a genius at using microwave motors, VCR drives, and various other electronics to power his handmade animations. His wife, Jan, models people from clay and paints them as needed. Father and Son are both train engineers, so wife Jan runs the American Flyer trains and entertains guests by explaining what her husband has used to build his layouts. Definitely a site to visit!
There are several shrines in the Grotto garden. Besides the main shrine which houses the Grotto of the Blessed Virgin, there is a patriotic shrine, sacramental shrine of the Hold Eucharist, the Sacred Heart shrine, Christ rhe King shrine, Fatima shrine and the stations of the Cross. These shrines are located in a beautiful floral garden and surrounding the Hold Ghost Church.
Never one to pass up a garage/yard sale, we wandered down to the church basement and looked over the huge array of items at bargain basement prices!
The next morning we left Cassville and stopped at the Toy Barn in Argyle, WI on our way to Baraboo. The Toy Barn is housed in a barn on a farm outside of Argyle, and is truly amazing. Father and Son have been working on the layout for many years, and have been featured on Public Television in Wisconsin. The father is a genius at using microwave motors, VCR drives, and various other electronics to power his handmade animations. His wife, Jan, models people from clay and paints them as needed. Father and Son are both train engineers, so wife Jan runs the American Flyer trains and entertains guests by explaining what her husband has used to build his layouts. Definitely a site to visit!
Cassville - Stonefield Historic Site A museum of agricultural history and village life
Nelson Dewey was the first governor of Wisconsin and he amassed 2000 acres outside of Cassville, WI. He had promoted Cassville as the future capitol of Wisconsin. However, that did not occur. Stonefield is located on land that was part of Governor Dewey's agricultural estate. In 1936 the farm became part of the Nelson Dewey State Park. In 1952 the legislature established the State Farm and Craft Museum to be located on the site of Dewey's Stonefield. In 1961 Stonefield Village opened and includes approximately 30 buildings The State Farm and Craft Museum was renamed the Wisconsin State Agricultural Museum.
The Agricultural Museum includes examples of 19th century agricultural machinery including the 1896 McCormick Automower which is the oldest tractor in North America.
Also on the site is a 1900 Farmstead - a recreation based on a plan issued by the US Department of Agriculture in 1901. The farm includes a barn, sheep, chicken coop and chickens, a windmill, outhouse, and garden. A tour of the farmhouse was included in the tour.
The 1900 Village - The Farmer's Shopping Center - is a 30 building re-creation based on Wisconsin villages of a century ago that provided the farm family with access to goods, services and social activities. We particularly enjoyed the butcher shop/general store.
The fourth area at the site is the Governor Nelson Dewey Home Site. Historic structures that were part of an expansive late 1800's farm and orchard associated with the first state governor of Wisconsin. The buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the home is also part of the guided tour of the site.
The Agricultural Museum includes examples of 19th century agricultural machinery including the 1896 McCormick Automower which is the oldest tractor in North America.
Also on the site is a 1900 Farmstead - a recreation based on a plan issued by the US Department of Agriculture in 1901. The farm includes a barn, sheep, chicken coop and chickens, a windmill, outhouse, and garden. A tour of the farmhouse was included in the tour.
The 1900 Village - The Farmer's Shopping Center - is a 30 building re-creation based on Wisconsin villages of a century ago that provided the farm family with access to goods, services and social activities. We particularly enjoyed the butcher shop/general store.
The fourth area at the site is the Governor Nelson Dewey Home Site. Historic structures that were part of an expansive late 1800's farm and orchard associated with the first state governor of Wisconsin. The buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the home is also part of the guided tour of the site.
Cassville, WI July 26-28 Fennimore Train and Doll and Toy Museums
From Chippewa Falls we drove to Cassville, WI over the bumpiest roads I've encountered so far on this trip! Avoid WI 61 if at all possible! We followed our trusty GPS over winding country roads (I thought we'd never get there!) and finally called the Whitetail Bluff Campground to ensure that we were indeed on the right road. The campground is in the middle of farm country and feels like it's in the middle of nowhere. The campground told us an easier way to get to Fennimore to the railroad museum there, so after a muffin in Lancaster, we arrived at the Fennimore Railroad and Historical Society Museum. The museum tells the story of the dinky, the narrow gauge train that ran the 16 mile track between Fennimore and Woodman. On the grounds sits a 1907 Davenport 2-6-0 locomotive similar in appearance and size as the Dinky. The engine and tender set on the rails of the museum grounds near a state historical marker. One unique feature of the museum complex is an exact replica of the original water tank with two spouts.
The Dinky operated from 1878 to 1926. Trains ran daily between Fennimore and Woodman and serving as a key link to other railroads. The Dinky was noted for its versatility, carrying farmers, fishermen, salesmen and school children, as well as US Mail, milk, livestock and other freight. At the peak of narrow gauge operations, Wisconsin had 150 miles of track, now all abandoned.
After the train museum we went across the street to the Fennimore Doll and Toy Museum, where we
(well, I enjoyed) the wonderful collection of dolls and toys. The museum exhibit of antique and collectible dolls and vintage toys ranges from the 1800's through 2000. Of particular interest to me were the 700 Barbie Dolls in beautiful costumes designed by one woman! Wow!!! Porcelain, bisque, Barbies, miniatures, and homemade dolls are on display along with intricately detailed dollhouses. Early Fisher Price toys, Disney characters and many others are also featured.
The Dinky operated from 1878 to 1926. Trains ran daily between Fennimore and Woodman and serving as a key link to other railroads. The Dinky was noted for its versatility, carrying farmers, fishermen, salesmen and school children, as well as US Mail, milk, livestock and other freight. At the peak of narrow gauge operations, Wisconsin had 150 miles of track, now all abandoned.
After the train museum we went across the street to the Fennimore Doll and Toy Museum, where we
(well, I enjoyed) the wonderful collection of dolls and toys. The museum exhibit of antique and collectible dolls and vintage toys ranges from the 1800's through 2000. Of particular interest to me were the 700 Barbie Dolls in beautiful costumes designed by one woman! Wow!!! Porcelain, bisque, Barbies, miniatures, and homemade dolls are on display along with intricately detailed dollhouses. Early Fisher Price toys, Disney characters and many others are also featured.
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