from rscottjones

We also made it to Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton PA, one of the premier train-related sites in the country. If you’re a fan of trains, you need to visit.

The vignette of a railroad tycoon at Steamtown National Historic Site ain’t lying.

I’ve never seen so many sinks in a brewery before! There were only 2 urinals and 3 stalls, so 10 sinks seems a bit…overzealous. Unlike the toilet seat covers, which are only available just inside the door (I guess they spent too much on sinks to afford 2 more seat cover dispensers). 🤷‍♂️

After visiting Carlisle School, we also made sure to stop by Jim Thorpe’s gravesite. You’ll never guess which town it’s located in (apparently, that became a contentious issue: 🔗, 🔗).

I also made it to Frances Perkins National Monument in Maine, my 433rd National Park unit—officially “re-completing” my quest to visit them all.

Perkins was the first female Cabinet Secretary, best known for writing many New Deal laws, including Social Security, labor relations, and immigration. She had her hands in a lot, including

Unfortunately, the building itself was closed when we visited, as renovations are in progress leading up to the official “national monument grand opening” later this summer. But we did enjoy a hike around her property while there.

Can’t believe I haven’t posted this yet, but I marked off my 432nd National Park unit during my trip—Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument in PA.

This was the first federal “off-rez” Indian school, made famous by being home to Jim Thorpe, the world’s greatest athlete."

Carlisle Indian Industrial School, as it was known then, was a major powerhouse in college football, the most successful one to ever go defunct. Coached by “Pop” Warner, it competed with and beat the best teams in the country, including Harvard, Yale, and Army (including Dwight D Eisenhower’s team). They’re often regarded as the “team that invented football.”

A few of the original buildings still stand, and it remains federal property today—the US Army War College—and requires a background check to visit.

Here’s a short clip from the Hayes birthplace:

The sign’s inscription reads:

At this site on October 4, 1822, Rutherford B. Hayes was born to Sophia Hayes. Hayes’ father, Rutherford, had passed away from a fever three months prior to the birth of his son. The Hayes family were renters on the property, originally owned by Delaware founder Moses Byxbe, while their home was being built at the northeast corner of William and Franklin Streets. Sophia and her three children moved to their new home in 1823.

The brick home fell into disrepair and was purchased in 1921 by Standard Oil. Learning it was a presidential birthplace, Standard Oil offered to put up the first $500 and sell the home back to the community for $8000. Many organizations worked to obtain the funding to purchase the home but were able to raise only $4,760. The home was demolished and a Standard Oil gas station was built on the location. In 1926, a memorial marker was placed in front of the gas station by the Delaware City Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution to identify where Hayes’ birthplace structure once stood. In 2019, a statue of Hayes commissioned by Rutherford B. Hayes Heritage Fund was placed at the corner of William and Sandusky Streets.

The “original” DAR-placed granite memorial has been removed, but there’s now a Hayes statue down the street, near a timeline plaque of Hayes-related life events.

And I marked off Hayes and Harrison on my quest to visit a major site for each US president. Of publicly-accessible POTUS sites, I only have Nixon (which I’m scheduled to visit in August) and Montpelier (which I went to but didn’t get to tour due to an early closing time) left to complete.

Somehow I found myself at the High Point of Kentucky during my road trip—another objective of my quest to visit each of the drivable state summits. Here’s the video:

→ https://youtu.be/Wy956mHVog0

The first professional football game, technically, I guess.

I also visited the house of David Bradford, leader of the ill-fated anti-tax Whiskey Rebellion, which was put down by George Washington himself (who personally led federal militia troops while President!).

One thing I appreciated about Pittsburgh is the historical preservation of various sports moments, even after the original stadium or ballpark has been torn down and replaced. Here’s the spot where the Immaculate Reception happened, and the home base of where the first World Series was held.

We also hung out with Jack and Hannah, who we met on that 24 day overlanding safari in Africa during our 100-day adventure and became fast friends.

We got a chance to stay at their cool new house in the hip Fishtown neighborhood of Philly while celebrating Jen’s bday, a trip highlight.

🏷️25.05C