Welcome!

By -
Welcome to Quintessential Pennsylvania!  This is a shared project between myself (Adam Prince) and Doug Kerr.  After the decision to let Gribblenation go dark, Doug and I both decided to continue features that we had on the old site and new ones as well.  Quintessential Pennsylvania keeps Doug's old Pennsylvania site name but now under a blog format.

Here we will feature - road items such as covered bridges, keystone town markers, and historical bridges - but also expand into downtown walkabouts, state parks, mail pouch tobacco barns, and more!  One of my biggest influences in photography and writing was the work of the late Fred Yenerall.  His photos showcasing the quiet simplicity of Pennsylvania showed that you never know what you may just find down a back road.

We hope you enjoy Quintessential Pennsylvania.  There's still a lot of kinks to work out like design, layout, and other items.  If our past experience with Gribblenation taught us, you never know what ideas and opportunities will arise. We are open to receiving submissions of photos or theme ideas.  You can contact us through our bio/profile pages.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Somerfield and the Great Crossings Bridge

By -
Image
West of Addison, US 40 crosses the Youghiogheny River at what once was the town of Somerfield.  When crossing the current modern two lane bridge, you many not realize that it is actually the third to cross the Yough at this site.  The first - a stone arch bridge - was known as the Great Crossings Bridge.  Built in 1818, this three arch bridge was part of the original National Road.  The name Great Crossings comes from the men who forded the Youghiogheny here - George Washington and George Braddock. (1)  If you cross the bridge at the right time, this historic bridge and what was once the town of Somerfield will appear out from underneath this massive man-made lake. Historical Postcard showing the 'Big Crossings' bridge and Somerfield.  Image submitted by Vince Ferrari. The Great Crossings Bridge was located in the town of Somerfield.  Somerfield, originally named Smythfield until 1827, would develop as a result of the National Road. (1)  Somerfield would go th
Read more

John Eisenhower Bridge

By -
Image
When you explore the back roads around Gettysburg, you'll most likely find some great things.  Just behind the Eisenhower Farm on Red Rock Road - and not that long of a stroll from Sachs Covered Bridge - is an 1886 iron truss bridge named after Dwight Eisenhower's son, John.  John Eisenhower was an officer in the United States Army, served as the US Ambassador to Belgium, and was a military historian. The John Eisenhower Bridge crosses Willoughby Run, and its use is limited to bicycles and pedestrians.  The 84-foot-long bridge was designed and constructed by Gibert & Smith.  It is a Pratt-through truss design.  Flood waters severely damaged the bridge in 1996.  Two years later, the bridge was completely restored.  In 2012, Adams County completed a project  fully refurbishing the bridge deck. Willoughby Run Like the nearby Sachs Covered Bridge, the Eisenhower Bridge is considered haunted.  It is known locally as the " Suicide Bridge ;" ghost hunters from throughout
Read more

Pine Hill Vista

By -
Image
Within the friendly confines of Pinchot State Forest in southern Lackawanna County, there are quite a few scenic areas. One of these scenic areas is the Pine Hill Vista, at the top of the Big Pine Hill at 2260 feet above sea level. As I have become more interested in seeing the various scenic vistas of the Keystone State, a recent trip to the Poconos pointed me in the direction of the Pine Hill Vista. After all, I enjoy visiting fire towers and other scenic overlooks no matter where my travels take me. Traveling along some bumpy dirt roads through the Pinchot State Forest near Thornhurst, I reached a closed gate on Pine Hill Road and walked the rest of the way up to the vista, which was about a quarter of a mile long. You also have the option visiting the Pine Hill Vista as part of a longer hike, utilizing part of the Pinchot Trail system in the process, or by following a hiking loop on a number of trails. Once you reach the summit of Big Pine Hill, you are at one of the highest
Read more