Trip IdeasCompass American Guides: Pennsylvania, 3rd Edition
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About This Book
Fodor’s. For Choice Travel Experiences.
The guide that has it all–spectacular photography, evocative prose, insider tips, and detailed color maps to help you make the most of your trip. Written by longtime Pennsylvania residents, Compass American Guides Pennsylvania provides in-depth coverage of the history, culture and character of one of America’s most spectacular destinations! Follow your Compass to “get” there.
•Can’t-miss attractions. Explore the revitalized cities of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, drive through the scenic hills of the Poconos and Brandywine Valley, hunt antiques in Bucks County, discover lost-in-time Amish villages, and take the kids to the chocolate motherlode of Hershey.
•Rich history. Follow the Civil War Trail to Gettysburg, site of America’s bloodiest battle and see Revolutionary touchstones like the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall; literary extracts and archival photos bring the past to life.
•Stunning photography. Full-color photos capture Pennsylvania’s unique beauty, from “hex barns” to river valleys, from Fallingwater to farmland.
Visit Fodors.com for more ideas and information, travel deals, vacation planning tips, reviews and to exchange travel advice with other travelers.
What the critics say about Compass American Guides:
“Lushly illustrated and intelligently written.” —National Geographic Traveler
“The most literate and elegant series of guides ever written about North America.” —Jan Morris
The guide that has it all–spectacular photography, evocative prose, insider tips, and detailed color maps to help you make the most of your trip. Written by longtime Pennsylvania residents, Compass American Guides Pennsylvania provides in-depth coverage of the history, culture and character of one of America’s most spectacular destinations! Follow your Compass to “get” there.
•Can’t-miss attractions. Explore the revitalized cities of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, drive through the scenic hills of the Poconos and Brandywine Valley, hunt antiques in Bucks County, discover lost-in-time Amish villages, and take the kids to the chocolate motherlode of Hershey.
•Rich history. Follow the Civil War Trail to Gettysburg, site of America’s bloodiest battle and see Revolutionary touchstones like the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall; literary extracts and archival photos bring the past to life.
•Stunning photography. Full-color photos capture Pennsylvania’s unique beauty, from “hex barns” to river valleys, from Fallingwater to farmland.
Visit Fodors.com for more ideas and information, travel deals, vacation planning tips, reviews and to exchange travel advice with other travelers.
What the critics say about Compass American Guides:
“Lushly illustrated and intelligently written.” —National Geographic Traveler
“The most literate and elegant series of guides ever written about North America.” —Jan Morris
Table of Contents
Culture & History ............ 11
Landscape and Early History ............ 11
English Settlement ............ 13
Westward Expansion ............ 23
Revolutionary Era ............ 23
Progress in Pennsylvania ............ 29
Can Such a Union Long Endure? ............ 29
Capitalists and Union Men ............ 31
Looking to the Future ............ 32
Philadelphia ............ 38
History ............ 39
Independence National Historical Park ............ 50
Old City ............ 60
Washington Square District ............ 68
South Street ............ 70
Center City ............ 71
University City ............ 82
South Philadelphia ............ 82
Manayunk ............ 85
Germantown and Chestnut Hill ............ 86
Barnes Foundation ............ 87
Brandywine Valley ............ 89
Valley Forge ............ 92
Getting Here ............ 93
Getting Around ............ 93
Southeast: Dutch Country ............ 98
History ............ 98
Bucks County ............ 100
Easton ............ 109
Bucks County West ............ 113
Berks County Dutch Hex Signs ............ 118
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary ............ 119
Reading Area ............ 120
Pennsylvania Dutch Country ............ 123
Lancaster ............ 127
Into the Countryside ............ 134
Hershey ............ 144
Getting Around ............ 147
Northeast & The Poconos ............ 150
Landscape ............ 150
History ............ 151
About the Poconos ............ 157
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation
Area ............ 159
Along Scenic U.S. 6 ............ 169
Coal Country ............ 170
Lehigh Gorge ............ 175 Jim Thorpe ............ 176
Getting Around ............ 179
Central Pennsylvania: The Heartland ............ 182
Harrisburg ............ 184
Millersburg ............ 188
Three Mile Island ............ 189
Civil War Trail ............ 190
Bedford County Bridges and Trails ............ 201
Altoona and Surroundings ............ 202
Black Moshannon State Park: 206 State College ............ 206
Boalsburg ............ 210
Bellefonte ............ 211
Bald Eagle State Forest ............ 212
Caves ............ 212
Lock Haven ............ 216
Williamsport ............ 217
Getting Around ............ 219
Pittsburgh: Steel City ............ 222
History ............ 222
Downtown ............ 234
The Strip ............ 239
Oakland ............ 240
Public Parks and Byways ............ 247
North Side ............ 247
Mount Washington: 254
Getting Around ............ 254
Southwest: Farmland And Fallingwater ............ 258
North of Pittsburgh ............ 258
West of Pittsburgh: Beaver County ............ 260
Rebellious Washington County ............ 263
East of Pittsburgh: Westmoreland County ............ 267
Getting Around ............ 278
The Quiet Northwest ............ 280
Early History ............ 280
Modern Times ............ 281
Wooded Hills, Small Towns ............ 282
Lake Erie ............ 285
City of Erie ............ 286
Presque Isle State Park ............ 288
Grape-Growing Region ............ 290
South from Erie ............ 291
Oil Country ............ 292
U.S. 62 above Oil City ............ 297
Allegheny National Forest ............ 297
Getting Around ............ 300
Practical Information ............ 302
Business Hours ............ 302
Climate ............ 302
Getting There and Around ............ 303
Festival and Events ............ 304
Visitor Information ............ 307
Other Useful Web Sites ............ 307
Index ............ 309
Topical Essays & Sidebars
William Penn: The Founder ............ 16
Patchwork of Faiths............ 20
Historical and Cultural Time Line ............ 35
Renaissance Man............ 58
Richard Allen’s Calling ............ 62
Berks County Hex Barn Art Tour............ 116
The Long, Slow Burn ............ 178
Battle of Gettysburg............ 193
State College Snacks ............ 210
Sugar Valley Loop Drive............ 215
Pittsburgh Notables ............ 229
A Beautiful Three Decades............ 231
Contradictory Carnegie ............ 241
Johnstown Flood Disaster............ 273
Allegheny River ............ 296
In Each Chapter:
Favorite Places to Eat ............ 94, 148, 180, 220, 256, 277, 300
Favorite Places to Stay ............ 96, 149, 181, 221, 257, 279, 301
Literary Extracts
Clarence Hornung on a not so plain people ............ 44
Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence ............ 51
Charles Dickens on canals ............ 112
Bill Bryson on the Appalachian Trail ............ 161
Theodore Dreiser on foreigners ............ 172
Carl Carmer on the beautiful Susquehanna ............ 183
Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address ............ 198
Maps
Pennsylvania Overview ............ 8
Historic Pennsylvania ............ 18
Geography ............ 28
Central Philadelphia ............ 53
Greater Philadelphia ............ 83
Southeast Pennsylvania ............ 101
Delaware River South ............ 106
Northeast Pennsylvania ............ 153
Delaware River North ............ 160
South-Central Pennsylvania ............ 185
Harrisburg ............ 186
Gettysburg ............ 191
Downtown Pittsburgh ............ 232
Greater Pittsburgh ............ 237
Southwest Pennsylvania ............ 261
Northwest Pennsylvania ............ 283
Landscape and Early History ............ 11
English Settlement ............ 13
Westward Expansion ............ 23
Revolutionary Era ............ 23
Progress in Pennsylvania ............ 29
Can Such a Union Long Endure? ............ 29
Capitalists and Union Men ............ 31
Looking to the Future ............ 32
Philadelphia ............ 38
History ............ 39
Independence National Historical Park ............ 50
Old City ............ 60
Washington Square District ............ 68
South Street ............ 70
Center City ............ 71
University City ............ 82
South Philadelphia ............ 82
Manayunk ............ 85
Germantown and Chestnut Hill ............ 86
Barnes Foundation ............ 87
Brandywine Valley ............ 89
Valley Forge ............ 92
Getting Here ............ 93
Getting Around ............ 93
Southeast: Dutch Country ............ 98
History ............ 98
Bucks County ............ 100
Easton ............ 109
Bucks County West ............ 113
Berks County Dutch Hex Signs ............ 118
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary ............ 119
Reading Area ............ 120
Pennsylvania Dutch Country ............ 123
Lancaster ............ 127
Into the Countryside ............ 134
Hershey ............ 144
Getting Around ............ 147
Northeast & The Poconos ............ 150
Landscape ............ 150
History ............ 151
About the Poconos ............ 157
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation
Area ............ 159
Along Scenic U.S. 6 ............ 169
Coal Country ............ 170
Lehigh Gorge ............ 175 Jim Thorpe ............ 176
Getting Around ............ 179
Central Pennsylvania: The Heartland ............ 182
Harrisburg ............ 184
Millersburg ............ 188
Three Mile Island ............ 189
Civil War Trail ............ 190
Bedford County Bridges and Trails ............ 201
Altoona and Surroundings ............ 202
Black Moshannon State Park: 206 State College ............ 206
Boalsburg ............ 210
Bellefonte ............ 211
Bald Eagle State Forest ............ 212
Caves ............ 212
Lock Haven ............ 216
Williamsport ............ 217
Getting Around ............ 219
Pittsburgh: Steel City ............ 222
History ............ 222
Downtown ............ 234
The Strip ............ 239
Oakland ............ 240
Public Parks and Byways ............ 247
North Side ............ 247
Mount Washington: 254
Getting Around ............ 254
Southwest: Farmland And Fallingwater ............ 258
North of Pittsburgh ............ 258
West of Pittsburgh: Beaver County ............ 260
Rebellious Washington County ............ 263
East of Pittsburgh: Westmoreland County ............ 267
Getting Around ............ 278
The Quiet Northwest ............ 280
Early History ............ 280
Modern Times ............ 281
Wooded Hills, Small Towns ............ 282
Lake Erie ............ 285
City of Erie ............ 286
Presque Isle State Park ............ 288
Grape-Growing Region ............ 290
South from Erie ............ 291
Oil Country ............ 292
U.S. 62 above Oil City ............ 297
Allegheny National Forest ............ 297
Getting Around ............ 300
Practical Information ............ 302
Business Hours ............ 302
Climate ............ 302
Getting There and Around ............ 303
Festival and Events ............ 304
Visitor Information ............ 307
Other Useful Web Sites ............ 307
Index ............ 309
Topical Essays & Sidebars
William Penn: The Founder ............ 16
Patchwork of Faiths............ 20
Historical and Cultural Time Line ............ 35
Renaissance Man............ 58
Richard Allen’s Calling ............ 62
Berks County Hex Barn Art Tour............ 116
The Long, Slow Burn ............ 178
Battle of Gettysburg............ 193
State College Snacks ............ 210
Sugar Valley Loop Drive............ 215
Pittsburgh Notables ............ 229
A Beautiful Three Decades............ 231
Contradictory Carnegie ............ 241
Johnstown Flood Disaster............ 273
Allegheny River ............ 296
In Each Chapter:
Favorite Places to Eat ............ 94, 148, 180, 220, 256, 277, 300
Favorite Places to Stay ............ 96, 149, 181, 221, 257, 279, 301
Literary Extracts
Clarence Hornung on a not so plain people ............ 44
Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence ............ 51
Charles Dickens on canals ............ 112
Bill Bryson on the Appalachian Trail ............ 161
Theodore Dreiser on foreigners ............ 172
Carl Carmer on the beautiful Susquehanna ............ 183
Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address ............ 198
Maps
Pennsylvania Overview ............ 8
Historic Pennsylvania ............ 18
Geography ............ 28
Central Philadelphia ............ 53
Greater Philadelphia ............ 83
Southeast Pennsylvania ............ 101
Delaware River South ............ 106
Northeast Pennsylvania ............ 153
Delaware River North ............ 160
South-Central Pennsylvania ............ 185
Harrisburg ............ 186
Gettysburg ............ 191
Downtown Pittsburgh ............ 232
Greater Pittsburgh ............ 237
Southwest Pennsylvania ............ 261
Northwest Pennsylvania ............ 283
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