We entered Pennsylvania at the Delaware Water Gap which cuts along the border between New Jersey. As shunpikers, taking the scenic byways and back roads is our preferred mode of travel. The Gap had great hiking trails to several lovely waterfalls. Among those Bushkill Falls was by far the most challenging of hikes as we climbed down and up hundreds of steep stairs along its canyon walls.
Fortunately that trail hike was made on the day before Hurricane Irene descended into the area. The hurricane pelted the motor home for ten hours with torrential rain and heavy winds while we hunkered down for Irene to pass. It was quite a storm to experience. Our built-in generator helped to provide us power when Pocono Vacation Park lost its electricity.
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| Hurricane Irene |
Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site at French Creek, PA was suppose to be a chance to learn about iron ore mining. Being Pennsylvania's second largest producer of iron, by 1789 its stated capacity was 700 tons of iron per blast year. The owners of Hopewell Furnace built tenant houses for workers and their families coming from outside the immediate area.
These dwellings were rented at the low rate of 1 to 2 dollars a month, as a perk or benefit to entice the best iron workers to come to Hopewell. It was a memorable destination never arrived upon as we literally found ourselves lost in the backwoods. Driving the motor home through a maze of single lane mountainous deep forest back roads out in nowhere became a real challenge for JR.
These dwellings were rented at the low rate of 1 to 2 dollars a month, as a perk or benefit to entice the best iron workers to come to Hopewell. It was a memorable destination never arrived upon as we literally found ourselves lost in the backwoods. Driving the motor home through a maze of single lane mountainous deep forest back roads out in nowhere became a real challenge for JR.
The following day we did manage to find Longwood Gardens once the country estate of industrialist Pierre S. du Pont. Longwood is famous for its superb grounds that include elaborate fountains, two lakes, meadows, woodlands, 20 outdoor formal and informal gardens, and a magnificent conservatory of plants. The Peirce-du Pont House traces the 300 years historical and horticultural evolution of Longwood Gardens through photographs, artifacts, and videos.
An enclosed huge glass atrium built as the focal center to the house’s addition by the du Ponts was quite an inviting area for sitting.
The fountains, Italian garden sculptures, water lily displays., a Chinese chime tower, waterfalls, topiary garden, and the 4-acre heated conservatory filled with masses of flowering plants and more than 11,000 types of plants make a Longwood one of the world’s premier gardens to visit today.
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| Chinese Water Tower |
An enclosed huge glass atrium built as the focal center to the house’s addition by the du Ponts was quite an inviting area for sitting.
The fountains, Italian garden sculptures, water lily displays., a Chinese chime tower, waterfalls, topiary garden, and the 4-acre heated conservatory filled with masses of flowering plants and more than 11,000 types of plants make a Longwood one of the world’s premier gardens to visit today.
