The " ..... that shining river and desirable valley." Story

It was an ordinary day.  Carol and I are up, up and away, as the song goes.  Yesterday our friends Pat and Dale invited us to join them for lunch at the John Wright Restaurant in Wrightsville, PA.  We accepted the invite and after our lunch we drove the hills along the Susquehanna River towards Long Level which is located in York County, PA.  On our return trip we stopped at a recreation area called Highpoint Scenic Vista.  The hike to the top of the trail is rather long so we opted not to walk it at the time.  The following day Carol and I decided we would return and see exactly what scenic treasures Highpoint Scenic Vista holds.  The trail is a one-half mile long walking path that rises 110 vertical feet on its way to the summit.  It is not a direct route to the top, but rather one that works it way around the peak until you reach the top.  Along the way are stone benches you can use to rest as well as take in the view from different directions along the trail.  The stops, known as "Waystops", give a story of the history of the area along the mighty Susquehanna.  It wasn't until May of 2007 that Highpoint was open to the public.  Before that time it was part of Lauxmont Farm, but how it became a public park is another story to be told tomorrow.  What a spectacular view we found when we finally reached the top.  Seating, carved from indigenous rocks by a local stonemason, circles the stone compass that is embedded in the ground.  The view is unbelievable!  I put my camera on the panoramic setting and snapped away.  Many of the landmarks, from the two bridges that cross the Susquehanna to Lake Clarke to the two 262-foot high wind turbines at Turkey Point, give you a grandiose feeling.  My story will continue with some of the photos I took that day so you too can see why this piece of land, a little bit closer to Heaven, led Robert Louis Stevenson to write these inspiring words ........

"And when I had asked the name of a river from the brakesman,

and heard that it was called the Susquehanna, the beauty of

the name seemed to be part and parcel of the beauty of the land.

As when Adam with divine fitness named the creatures,

so this word Susquehanna was at once accepted by the fancy.

That was the name, as no other could be, for that

shining river and desirable valley."

Enjoy my vision of the river and valley that Mr. Stevenson wrote about years ago.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The Mason-Dixon Trail is a 193-mile (311 km), blue-blazed footpath that connects the Applacian Trail with the Brandywine Trail.  It passes across Highpoint Park.  The following is from Wikipedia:  The trail starts near Mount Holly Springs at Whiskey Springs on the Applacial, in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. It then heads east towards the Susquehanna River, passing through Gifford Pinchot State Park. The trail then follows the west bank of the Susquehanna south, first to Wrightsville, Pennsylvania, and then to Havre de Grace, Maryland. In the 65-mile (105 km) section between Wrightsville and Havre de Grace, it passes Long Level, Holtwood Dam, Susquehanna and Tidewater Canal Lock 12, Peach Bottom, and Conowingo Dam. The trail then crosses the Susquehanna River, passes through Elk Neck State Park, and crosses the border between Maryland and Delaware. After heading northeast through Newark, Delaware, the Mason-Dixon Trail ends at Chadds Ford.

The circle of seating, carved from indigenous rock allows a quiet and peaceful  location to rest and admire the surrounding panorama.  The stone compass can be seen in the foreground.

The landscape stretches across years and years of human history starting with the Native Americans through the current owners of homes and farms on the western bank of the Susquehanna River.

This view shows part of the Lauxmont Farm which was once owner of ground where I took this photograph.  

The river crossing to the north is still a major feature of the landscape in this area.  It was a strategic transprotation rout in America's early history.  The first bridge, was a covered bridge and known as the world's largest, was built here in 1814.  Today two bridges carry traffic between Columbia and Wrightsville, PA.  Click on the photo to view it larger.

A series of very large homes can be seen from Highpoint.  These were at one time part of Lauxmont Farm property.  The land was sold for development to help the Kohr family out of bankruptcy.  More homes were proposed for the property where I now stand which is Highpoint, but the York County Commissioners luckily prevented that from happening.

A closer view of the two bridges that cross the Susquehanna.  The John Wright Bridge is in the top of the photo while the Veterans Memorial Bridge is in the foreground.

Lake Clarke can be seen on the right side of the photo.  This is looking toward the Safe Harbor Dam on the Susquehanna River.  If you click on the photo you may be able to see the two 262-foot high wind turbines that generate 25% of the annual electricity needs for the nearby Turkey Hill Dairy complex.  

The "A Gull Called Twitch" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting on the beach in Stone Harbor, NJ watching the birds.  Never saw so many shore birds!  Sun is shining with a mild breeze coming from the south.  Enjoying the company of my wife, sister-in-law, brother and his daughter and family.  In front of me stands a huge mound of sand that is being tunneled through by the kids at the moment.  Conversation turns to the weather and the forecast for the remainder of the week.  Carol and I are guests at the home that my brother and sister-in-law have rented, but we are only staying for a few days. 

Brendan, the Stone Harbor lifeguard.

As our conversation continues I look south towards the lifeguard stand that is being lapped by the surf.  The lifeguard has his left arm extended, covered with a towel and holding a ....... seagull!  A rather large seagull!  I sit and watch in amazement as he continues to hold the bird on his arm as he talks to it. 

"Twitch," the seagull preparing to land.

Then the bird lifts its wings, flaps them a few times, takes flight and quickly returns for another treat. Wow ..... and I don’t have my camera.  A few people stop to take photos and finally I have had enough.  I rise from my beach chair, tell my wife, “I’ll be back,” and head back to the house for my camera, hoping that the bird will be there when I return to the beach.  Ten minutes later I was standing to the rear of the lifeguard stand snapping away.  I just had to hear the story behind what I was watching, so when the large seagull finally took flight for the last time, I walked over to the lifeguard to question him.  Name was Brendan and he had quite a tale to tell.  The bird arrived seven years ago and he began feeding him. 

The friendship continues!

Between Memorial Day and the end of September for the last 7 years he has visited with Brendan on the 117th street lifeguard stand.  Brendon tells me he calls him “Twitch.”  “And, how do you know it’s the same bird every year?” I ask him.  “He has these little dots on his head and a small red mark under his beak, different from all the other birds,” he says.  I gave him my blog address and told him to check in to see the photos I just took.  So, thanks for the amazing entertainment and information, Brendan.  Enjoyed our visit.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary day. 

The "Beach Eviction by Force" Story

Entrance to Bikini Beach carries tape to keep visitors out.

It was an ordinary day.  Except for the fact that Elise and Phillipe were evicted!  Back on Tuesday, May 14 of this year I posted a story about the Bikini Beach Bar and the Kon Tiki Beach Bar on the island of St. Martin.  Seems they were in a bitter battle with a Mr. Norbert Luftman who is the owner of a business named Sindextour.  Years ago the French Government awarded Luftman an AOT (Authorisation d'Occpation Temporaire) which gave him control of World famous Orient Beach.  He constructed five beach bars and named  them the "5 Stars of Orient."  They were known as Bikini Beach, Kon Tiki Beach, Coco Beach, Waikiki Beach and Kakoa Beach. They all operated independently, but paid Mr. Luftman for the use of the bars.  Elise Cohen was the owner of Bikini Beach Bar and Phillipe Just owned Kon Tiki.  In 2009 Mr. Luftman lost the AOT, but continued to collect the $120,000 yearly fee from all the owners.  In 2011, when Elise found out, she and Phillipe stopped paying him and paid the money to the French Government.  She then sued him for the two years she paid him the money.  She then applied to the Government herself for the AOT for the property that was known as AW33.  Soon after Mr. Luftman did also.  Somehow he was awarded the new AOT and had another beach bar set up next to the Original Bikini Beach Bar.  

The Original Bikini Beach which I enjoy visiting.

New bar was also called Bikini Beach Bar, since he claimed to have the legal rights to the name.  Then the legal wrangling began in the French Courts.  There remained two Bikini Beach Bars with both open for business.  Sindextour submitted a request to the administrative court at the beginning of 2013 to have the tenants evicted and finally on April 5, 2012, legal papers were delivered to Elise and Phillipe to have them evicted.  They had two months to leave.  Didn't happen!  The eviction was postponed until June 15 and then again until September 2, all because of the lag in the legal proceedings.  Since there was a related case against Mr. Luftman and a few of the politicians that had to do with him getting the AOT scheduled to be heard in court on September 11, Cohen thought they would be allowed to keep operating until after that date.  Well, Tuesday, September 3rd, two French Policemen, known as Gendarmes, and two huissiers served the eviction order.  The two beach bar owners were given one month to remove everything from their buildings.  The electricity and gas were cut off and locks were placed on the doors of the bars.  The workers were asked to leave the properties.  It was reported that the evictions of the two businesses seems to have become a personal vendetta between the two huissiers, the vice prosecutor, and the lawyer who is representing  Bikini Beach and Kon Tiki Beach.  What a mess!  What's going to happen?  I guess Carol and I will find out when we return to Orient Beach next Spring. Maybe by then both places will be gone and new ones will be standing in their places.  Or, could be both beach bars will be back operating as usual.  My guess is that the later will not be the likely choice, since money seems to have quite a bit of influence in the matter and whenever that happens, the wealthiest seem to survive the longest.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of a ordinary guy.

The "Animal Vignettes" Story

Foreword

I have two small stories to share with you today.  Each has to do with a family pet and the activity they have been up to recently.  Hope you get a laugh from them.

#1 - It  was an ordinary day.  Weather report called for heavy rain after midnight.  Carol and I decided that we would keep our indoor/outdoor cat, Creamsicle, in for the evening, provided he would show up for his evening meal.  Creamsicle made an appearance a few years ago at our back door looking for food.  Has been a regular since that time.  We managed to take him to the vet for shots and also to make sure that he was neutered.  Well, he showed up for his meal and we didn't allow him to go out after eating, much to his dismay.  The last time we did this and it poured, he appreciated it so much he gave us a gift of a half-eaten bird on our doorstep.  So what's on tap for tonight.  It didn't rain, but didn't matter to him.  As the sun began to rise and the sky lightened, he became antsy and nervous, as he usually does when kept inside at night.  He jumped up on the bed, wrapped himself around Carol's head and ...... washed her hair.  Licked just about every last hair on her head.  Carol said she reached up to feel her hair and it was soaked.  Wow, no need for a shower in the morning.  Another fantastic gift of appreciation from our handsome friend.

#2 - It was an ordinary day.  Just called my son Derek to give him the details about his son's baseball game that was played the night before.  Derek had a night-shift last night and missed the game, so you see the reason for the call.  After spending some time on the game he told me about his new dog Julia.  Derek arrived home to a quiet house about 12:30 AM, after his evening shift.  Grabbed a snack and turned the TV on to try and unwind from his job as pressman at Donnelly Printing Co.  About 3:00 AM he decided it was time for bed so he thought he would leave Julia out one last time.  Since all was quiet and she was adjusting nicely to the house and grounds, he didn't put her on a leash.  He opened the rear door and she ventured out with him following.  He noticed that she headed to the air-conditioner unit immediately so he also walked that direction.  Then he realized what was happening.  Something was under the unit and Julia was trying to get to it.  Recently they had a skunk in the back yard and he was worried the dog would get into an encounter with the skunk.  Then he remembered that he left the back door ajar.  Well, the dog chased the varmint  out from under it's hiding place right towards the back door.  Derek grabbed the collar of the dog and also headed to the door.  As he reached the cement step he stopped.  There laying upside down on the step was a possum.  Laying perfectly still, dead as can be!  Julia must have bitten him and it only made it as far as the door.  As he and the dog looked at it, it opened one eye and looked back.  Realizing that both the dog and Derek were far enough away from him, he flipped over and took off as fast as can be, luckily not into the house.  The old adage "Playing Possum" finally came true in his backyard. 

Well, what do you think.  Hope you enjoyed them as much as we did!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Phillies New Ace" Story

It was an ordinary day.  I had the choice of watching a college football game or watching the Phillies.  Decided to give the Phils a chance since I have been a fan for years and I just know they are going to be in contention again next year.  But, after watching them fall behind by a couple of runs, I decided to turn the Penn State football game back on again.  I have been reading in the last day or two about the new player that the Phils had just signed. 

New Phillies pitcher, Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez

 Name is Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez and he is from Cuba.  Big 26 year-old who they are going to pay $12 million for the next three years.  They were going to play him $48 million for 6 years, but that was before he had to have bone spurs removed from his elbow.  Gonzalez pitched for the Cuban National Team in the 2009 and 2011 World Cup where his record was 3-1 with a 2.91 ERA.  Struck out 36 batters in 34 innings.  Then I read conflicting reports as to when and where he would begin pitching for the Phils.  One report said that he was a hopeful for the 2014 starting rotation while another report said that he may make his major league debut real soon, since the Phils are going nowhere and a trial-by-fire in the majors would be the way to go.  Even saw the dates and teams he would pitch against the remainder of this year. His fastball hits the low to mid 90s and he also shows a change up, curveball and forkball.  Miguel was playing for the Artemisa Cuban team when he was caught trying to defect in January of 2012.  He was suspended from playing at the time and eventually succeeded in defecting from Cuba to El Salvador in 2013 then moving to Mexico.  He then pitched in a few games for the Toros de Tijuana where American scouts were watching.  On August 30 he signed with the Phils and I am anxious to see him pitch this year.  Here's hoping he can find a place in the starting rotation for next year.  Phils certainly can use some new blood in the lineup.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "TAKE THAT! ...... Maine" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just pulled up the Maine Legislature page on my computer and read this ....Budget problems aren't the only issues under debate in state legislatures this season.  In Maine, lawmakers are poised to make the "whoopie pie" the official state dessert - even though come claim the chocolate cake sandwich filled with white fluffy filling was actually invented in Pennsylvania.

And, my comment to all of this is ... "You're wasting your time Maine, since the Whoopie Pie is king in Penn- sylvania as proven by the "Whoopie Pie Festival" just held in Strasburg, PA on the grounds of the Hershey Farm Restaurant & Inn which is located on Rt. 896 in the heart of Amish Country.  

Tent filled with Whoopie Pies.

The first whoopie pie was actually invented or baked just a few miles from the location of the festival which Carol and I attended today with our whoopie friends Pat and Dale.  As we pulled into the parking lot of Hershey Farm we were greeted by a parking attendant who was, of all things, Amish.  Weather was fantastic for the 10th annual festival which was expected to draw more than the 8,000 visitors that attended last year.  

Customer making his selections.

And, I'll bet quite a few of those 8,000 were from Maine hoping to learn how to make a really good whoopie pie.  I'll bet Mainiacs, or whatever you call people from Maine, didn't know that the whoopie pie can also be called a "gob", "black moon" and even a "big fat Oreo."  After parking the car we worked our way towards the big yellow tent where all the action seemed to be.  As we entered we were given a plastic bag for our purchases.  Then .... Wow!  

Carol putting one of my selections in the bag.

Thousands, and I mean thousands and thousands, of whoopie pies lined the walls and the center island in the tent which had to be at least 100 feet long.  Whoopie pies of over 100 flavor combinations were available.  Signs alone the racks of pies read:  coconut with coconut filling, traditional chocolate with creme icing, vanilla with fluffy frosting, red-velvet cake with creme cheese filling, chocolate-dipped whoopie pie, PB & J pie, pumpkin pie with salted-caramel filling, traditional pie with chocolate chunks, coconut pie with pineapple filling, vanilla pie with root-beer creme, and the list goes on and on. Personally, it was a bit overwhelming.  Just give me a good old whoopie pie and I'd be happy.  

Packages of smaller sized whoopie pies.

Too many choices for me, but people were almost fighting each other for certain varieties.  We got to the festival about 10 minutes after the advertised opening and several of the choices were already gone.  Boxes of smaller whoopie pies were also available, but with not quite as many flavor choices.  

Whoopie pie coffee was also for sale. 

I wondered where all these came from and one of the attendants told us they have been baking them for days and days.  Paid for our selections in our bag and headed to the craft tents closely.  Most items here were the same as at any craft show except for the tent selling "whoopie coffee."  Had to get one of them for our son's Christmas stocking.  

Whoopie pie checkers! 

Then off to watch the whoopie checkers tournament.  Players were using a checkers board with small whoopie pies as the checkers, creating a tri-level whoopee for a "King."  Passed a booth were the world's largest whoopie pie was on display.  The six foot by six foot by over one foot thick pie was sitting on a table with real thick legs.  Thing weighed over 750 pounds, so it did. There was also a booth where you could make your own creation, but by now everyone was getting a bit overwhelmed with the sweet smell of the whoopie pie.  Our final stop was the whoopie pie launch where large slingshots were used to attempt to propel a duct-tape wrapped whoopie pie through a hole in a target about 40 feet away.

Sign says it all!

Just watched in amazement!  We opted to 

bypass the treasure hunt, the whoopie pie eating contest and the "Whoopie Yell Off" whatever that might have been.  Well, it was a busy and interesting day and all I can say in my best Mainese is, "Maine, you ain't got a chance of topping this!!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "Hey Mr. Paper Man, Cut Some For Me" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just finished another summer’s worth of in-house printing for the Manheim Township School District.  Have been doing the summer printing jobs since 1968 when I first started teaching Graphic Arts at the high school.  For the first few summers the school district allowed me to hire a student to help with the printing chores and even thought I hired someone whom I had as a student in my printing class, I still had to review with them every job I asked them to do.  After a few years of that I asked if I could hire another teacher to help me over the summer.  Got the OK and asked Mike if he wanted to help me with the printing.  Mike lived a block from my house on Janet Avenue in Grandview Heights.  He also had two of my children as students when they attended Schaeffer Elementary School which was right around the corner from where I lived.  Mike had been working on the township playgrounds for a few summers and I new he didn’t enjoy the heat all summer.  After presenting him with my proposal he said, “But I don’t know how to run a printing press.”  “No problem,” I responded.  “I can teach you in no time.”  So Mike has been with me for close to 45 years now during the summer months printing hall passes, library notices, school stationery and envelopes for all the nine schools in the district, health room forms, disciplinary forms, bus garage tablets, and just about anything that is needed to keep the district running smoothly.  Both Mike and I are retired from our teaching positions, but the school hires us as independent contractors to continue doing what no one else in the district cares to do.  For Mike and I it is just as much fun as it is work.  We get to talk all summer about our families and about the good old times in the print shop.  Mike’s one daughter is getting married this year so I cut back on my hours to allow him to take up the slack and get some extra money to help pay for the wedding.  Went through myself and know the expense of a wedding. 

I do all the trimming of jobs at my house since about half a dozen years ago the school said that they weren’t allowed to have the guillotine paper cutter in the shop anymore due to insurance regulations.  So, I bought the cutter from them and put it in my garage.  Since my garage isn’t air-conditioned, I do most of the daily trimming in late evening when I can have the door open and the cool evening air help to keep me cool.  That is one job I really don’t enjoy, but is a necessary part of the printing process.  Well, today I made my last few cuts and will put it to rest for hopefully a few weeks.  But, one never knows what job one of the schools may have forgotten to give to us over the summer, and we will be called to duty once again.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Differences in Cows ....... Really!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Riding in the Rav5 along country roads in Centre County, PA.  My friend Jerry is quizzing me about the livestock as we pass by farm after farm.  "What are those called?" he says as we pass a herd of black steers.  "Black Angus!" I tell him.  "Right, now what are those cows on the other side of the road in that field up there?" he shoots back as he looks toward my side of the car.  "They're black and white Guernseys," I tell him.  "No, they're Holsteins, I told you!" he says, annoyed with me.  "The black and white and red and white cows with the painted effect are the Holstein cows.  How can you forget that?" he asks me.  I replied, "Easy, I'm not a farmer."  We're headed to the Grange Fair and I told Jerry that this year I want to take photos of all the breeds of milking cows at the fair and present them in a story so you can see the differences in them.  That's providing you give a hoot!  But, just in case you do, here are some of my photos with a brief description of each.  Hope I don't make a mistake in my description and hope I match the right photo with the right description or I may be in trouble.  But, most of my readers wouldn't know if I'm right or wrong anyway.  Right?  Anyway, this is not a story to be taken as the Gospel truth, but as my educated guess and what I thought the farmer's well telling me when I took the photos.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The Holstein is easy to recognize because of it's distinctive black and white markings.  An adult Holstein is usually about five feet tall at the shoulder and weighs about 1,500 pounds.  About 90% of the 9 million dairy cows in the U.S. are of Holstein descent.  The average production for a Holstein is about nine gallons of milk per day.  Holstein cows typically have a calf for the first time when they are about two years old with the calf weighing an average of 90 pounds. 

The red and white Holstein has much the same features as the black and white variety.  The Holstein's popularity, be it black and white or red and white, stems from its ability to produce more milk than any other breed.  The breed originated in Holland and Freisland, a province in the Netherlands.

The Brown Swiss came to the United States in 1869 from, naturally, Switzerland.  They are solid brown and vary from light colored, such as this one, to dark brown.  The adult cow weighs about 1,500 pounds.

The Milking Shorthorn is from Northeastern England and arrived in the United States in 1783.  The breed is red or white or any combination.  A mature cow usually will weigh about 1,200 pounds.

The Simmental is a versatile breed which originated in the valley of the Simme River in the Bernese Oberland of western Switzerland.  It is one of the oldest and most widely distributed breeds of cattle in the world.  The Simmental arrived in the United States before the turn of the 20th century.

The Hereford is a red and white color that usually has a white head.  Herefords are not as muscular as some other breeds and tend to be smaller, but are one of the most highly adaptable breeds of cattle in the world.  

The Main-Anjou is a breed that originated in the Anjou region in West France.  It was created by the Viscount Olivier de Rouge in 1908.  It is primarily raised for beef production but the cows are used for milk production.  Cows can weigh up to 1900 pounds.

My final attempt at identifying cows is the Guernsey.  It is a breed that is fawn in color with white markings and is renowned for the rich flavor of it's milk as well as it's hardiness and docile disposition.  The milk is high in butterfat and has a golden hue.  The Guernsey was breed on the British Isle of Guernsey and is believed to be descended from two breeds brought over from nearby France.  The cow weighs about 1,000 pounds.

The "A Little Piece Of Paradise Amongst The Trees" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Riding home from a day of exploration and adventure in the southern mountains of Pennsylvania. Had lunch at the "Jigger Shop" in Mt. Gretna and then a leisurely stroll around the grounds of what are the Mt. Gretna Campmeeting and the Chautauqua.  It was during the period of 1885-1889 that Mt. Gretna was hewn from the woodland region in the South Mountains of Pennsylvania known as Furnace Hills.  The pristine forest gained the attention of Mr. Robert Coleman, owner of the Cornwall ore furnace and railroad lines after the Revolutionary War.  He began to develop the land as a picnic grove, but it got out of hand and ended up as the summer community of Mt. Gretna.  

Pennsylvania National Guard camping at Mt. Gretna

In 1885 the Penn- sylvania National Guard decided to use 120 acres of the community area for its summer encamp- ment site and remained there until moving to Indiantown Gap in 1935.  By 1885 a lake was created by damming nearby Conewago Creek.  A railroad station was completed and the park, which was developed in the previous years, was expanded.   The railroad that was built ran from the park near the lake to the top of the nearby mountain which is now called Governor Dick.  At the top was another park named the Clarence Schock Memorial Park at Governor Dick.  It was named that in honor of the well known petroleum baron and philanthropist.  It consisted of 1,105 acres and the train was to take you from the top of the mountain to the park below.  Today all that remains is a walking path where the train used to run.  The Mt. Gretna Campmeeting Association, a small gathering of homes,  consisted of 30 acres of land purchased by Mr. Coleman.  In August of 1892 they held their first conference which led to many more religious meetings and an inner circle, sometimes called a temple, which had a pulpit, seating on rows of rough boards surrounded with tents to hold the participants.  This rough spiritual beginning led to a community of cottages with the primary goal being a religious retreat.  In 1899 the camp meeting auditorium was built and the cottages resembled just about what they look like today.  Today there are several hundred cottages centered around the large outdoor tabernacle.  In 1874 a summer institute for the teaching of Sunday school teachers began at Lake Chautauqua in New York State.  Eventually the idea spread to all parts of the country and in the summer of 1891 a similar gathering was held in Mt. Gretna Park.  

The Mt. Gretna Inn which was demolished in 1970.

On January 13, 1892 a charter was granted to the Penns- ylvania Chautauqua and Robert Coleman sold 80 acres to the Chau- tauqua.  Wasn't long before public buildings sprang up.  The 1892 summer season saw a total of 8,798 people attend.  They rented tents, single rooms and cottages on the grounds and attended religious lectures and first-class entertainment.  The following year the crowds grew and more eventsgs were offered.  Then, the following year a Buffalo newspaper reported that the Pennsylvania Chautauqua had the highest ranking among the nearly 100 sister Chautauquas in the country. In 1898 a circular auditorium and Inn were erected.  The Inn was eventually demolished, but the Community Building was erected in 1909.  

The Conewago Hotel in the 1910s.

After World War I more and more colleges were offering many of the same courses as the Chautauqua program did, so the Chautauqua came to an end.  But, the summer community that was Mt. Gretna flourished with cultural events and recreational activities.  

View of the lake at Mt. Gretna.

The Mt. Gretna Heights area became an intergral part of Mt. Gretna history.  It sits on 20 acres, also purchased from Mr. Coleman, and included a hotel, dance hall-movie theatre, store, amusement park and swimming pool.  West of the lake is a small community which calls itself Conewago Hills and occupies the land once occupied by the Conewago Hotel which was built in 1909 and demolished in 1942 because lack of business.  

The original U.S. Post Office at Mt. Gretna.

The latest addition to Mt. Gretna is an area called Timber Hills which is north of the Chau- tauqua.  It is the area that was once occupied by the National Guard and is now being developed into a residential area.  

The carousel at one time was a Mt. Gretna feature.

I never knew of Mt. Gretan when it had all the attractions that it once had, but I enjoy the peaceful and calm nature that now is, at least to me, Mt. Gretna.  I still return yearly for the shows at the Mt. Gretna Playhouse and the annual juried artshow as well as a date every now and then with my sweetheart at the "Jigger Shop."  Ever have one of their jiggers?  It was an extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  PS - Photographs are part of the "Jigger Shop" website.  Many more can be found there if you care to view them.  The following photos will show you what Mt. Gretna looks like today.

The Chautauqua literary and scientific circle building that was built in 1902.  It now serves as a gift shop.

The U.S. Post Office as it appears today.  It was built in 1892.

The lake at Mt. Gretna. 

View of the lake from the other side. Photo by Carol Woods

The Mt. Gretna Playhouse where Carol and I come every summer during the Cicada Festival to listen to our favorite musical groups.

A few of the many cottages in the Chautauqua area of Mt. Gretna.

This is the Tabernacle that was constructed in 1899 for the United Brethren in Christand is part of the Campmeeting at Mt. Gretna.  It is an open circular building, 110 feet in diameter and restling on 23 chestnut posts.  It can accommodate 800 to 1000 people.  Used for a variety of worship services as well as musical programs, lectures, baptisms, weddings and funerals.  Pretty impressive piece of architecture.

These are the houses in the Mt. Gretna Campmeeting, which was established in 1892.  They are much closer together than the houses in the Chautauqua area.  It is a more compact community.

Carol and LDub enjoy a break while visiting Mt. Gretna's Campmeeting and Chautauqua.