Day Four - Thursday

Today is my day - Aunt Louise let me choose our agenda. I chose Philadelphia. When looking at the map, I found that Valley Forge was on the way, so we stopped.

We got there early and found it peaceful and beautiful. The colors were changing and the sun was hiding behind clouds, giving it a surreal feel.

Small cabins dotted the countryside, giving an idea how far spread the colonial army was during this hard time.

Deer were also everywhere to be seen. Tame as can be, they posed for pictures.


Aunt Louise at the soldiers' memorial.

George Washington's headquarters during the Valley Forge time period.

Our guide told us that technically this was the Pentagon of the 1700's. Martha lived here for about four of the six months, Alexander Hamilton was also here.

Philadelphia!

We drove on to Philadelphia! Where the first object was to find a parking spot, surprisingly it didn't take long and we were down to Liberty Square in no time!

Aunt Louise posed with a man that looked like Ben Franklin, but he said he was someone else, honestly I couldn't remember the name of the man two seconds after he said it, I really don't remember it now. I do know that he was the owner of some theater and really enjoyed his job.

We got tickets for Independence Hall, which was very cool, I told Rachel on the phone that I would see if I could depart from the group and find an unlocked door to the bell tour to make it to the roof and find 200 year-old sunglasses that Ben Franklin made. I also told her security was high, and she said that they are making sure no one is carrying the Declaration of Independence. I think I will watch National Treasure again when I get home.

In the end they didn't let us go upstairs anyway, we just went into the courtroom and the meeting place for the Second Continental Congress It was in the Assembly Room of this building that George Washington was appointed commander in chief of the Continental Army in 1775 and the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776. In the same room the design of the American flag was agreed upon in 1777, the Articles of Confederation were adopted in 1781, and the U. S. Constitution was drafted in 1787. (From info) Pretty important place!

Couldn't go to Philly without getting a Philly cheese steak sandwich! We were super daring and got it from a street vendor, if I get sick in the next couple of days I will know where it came from, but so far so good. And just so you know that I am really there I made sure Aunt Louise got Independence Hall in the background.

After lunch we walked by Benjamin Franklin's grave, because it was my day, we didn't actually go in the cemetery - that and they wanted $2 to go in when you could see it almost as close from the fence.

Now on to New Jersey!


With the rest of my day I decided to go to a couple states I had never been to before, I started with New Jersey, all we had to do to get there was drive across a bridge. We drove south until we ran out of land. There we went Fort Mott, started in 1897 as a 'just in case' fort, but a battle was never fought there. It was interesting, right on the Delaware river. We walked around a bit enjoying the water and trees, the fort and the towers.


There was also a rear lighthouse in the same area, the front light had been taken down, originally anyone on the waterway would line the two lights up to know they were on the right track.

Finns Rear Lighthouse

On to Delaware

To get to Delaware we just had to cross another bridge. We didn't do much in Delaware, just drove through the northern part back into Pennsylvania.
We drove back to york by going through Lancaster county, which is Amish country. It was late but I got a few pictures, though they maybe a bit dark.

Day Three - Wednesday

Really? I found this a minister's office and in this case he was quite right - literally.

Here we go - another day in Cemeteries (I'm not sure I am ready to call that paradise.)
Salem Strayers Union Church



Paradise Evangelical Lutheran Church

The old Paradise church and Cemetery

Here is where Paradise comes in - you see we were in Paradise (who know it would be PA?) Paradise is a small, quite town with very helpful minister and group of elderly ladies. Robin found some ancestors in the cemetery by the new church and Aunt Louise found direction to the next cemetery - I guess they both found what they were looking for in Paradise. I got to take pictures there, so I am happy with Paradise.

Pleasant Hill Cemetery - Church of the Brethern

Paradise and Pleasant - I am starting to see a trend with the names here. I hope that all those that are buried here agree. To me - honestly- after today I couldn't tell the difference between any of them.

Old Cemetery by the Pleasant Hill Cemetery

I don't really know who this was, but thought it looked neat, and as we didn't find anyone else at this cemetery - at least I don't think we did - I took this picture.

St. Paul's (Wolfs) Evangelical Covenant Church

Harrisburg

We headed up to Harrisburg after lunch, we are looking for some names for a neighbor in Pinedale, the above picture is the Historical Society, but it is also the former home of John Harris Jr. The grave below is on the banks of the Susquehanna River, it is for John Harris Sr. He started a ferry and a trading post in the early 1700's. He is where the Harris in Harrisburg comes from.

Taking our lives in our hands we drove around the crazy Harrisburg capital to see the capital building. It was huge and it had a pink fountain, yes that is right, that is not Photoshop, it is pink! Yuck - but hey, whatever. I found that I am not a big fan of this crazy city, small streets, loads of people going everywhere, construction and one-ways. But maybe if it hadn't been rush hour and if we had known the area better it might have been better, but honestly after the beauty of the rest of PA, I don't care if I ever make it back to Harrisburg to give it a second chance.

The one part of the city I did like - loved is better- is the Susquehanna River, and Front St. that runs along it. I left Aunt Louise in the Historical Society office, they didn't need me, I couldn't really help so I went for a short walk along the street- it was interesting to see this river with all of its bridges and islands- by Arizona standers it is a huge river!

Back to York for us where Robin fixed us a Pennsylvania Dutch dinner. We had hot rolls with King syrup, apple sauce, pork, potatoes and sauerkraut. I wasn't sure if I would like the sauerkraut or not, I wasn't even sure what was in it, but I really did like it, I will have to try it out on Grandma and Grandpa, it is right up their alley.