It's All About Woodstock Virginia...

...continuing with our fall 2024 road trip through several states.  Our last road trip sights and experiences on this adventure were in the state of Virginia.  On this particular day we'd driven from Mansfield Pennsylvania down past Harrisburg and Greencastle, then a short bit through Maryland past Hagerstown and into Virginia.  Our overnight stay for this leg of the trip was in Woodstock.

 

Unfortunately, for me at least, Woodstock offers many shopping opportunities for both locals and travelers.  I don't remember what Laurie purchased at this shop but I do know that she wasn't finished shopping!  You can check out The Buttercup Gift Shop, located at 120 South Main Street, by visiting their website at https://thebuttercupva.myshopify.com/.

Just across from the Buttercup, I spotted this handsome log building at 129 South Main Street.  Fortunately neither Laurie or I assumed that it was a retail destination.  Built in 1787 this restored log structure originally was a home.  Later it was covered with weatherboard.  Not too long ago, the new owner took off the weatherboard and restored the building.  It's now the home of Nate and Main, which offers a curated selection of works by local artists as well as antique and vintage home a garden decor.  Learn more on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/nateandmain/.

The Community Theater in Woodstock Virginia was built in 1940 by the Dalke family.  In addition to this theater, the family owned one other theater in Woodstock as well as others in Shenandoah County.  While most of these theaters have gone away, apparently the Community Theater has never closed.  New owners took over in 2008.  The interior is fairly intact except that there are now 3 screens/theaters offered that seat a total of 650 patrons.  Website: http://communitywoodstock.com/.

I couldn't find very much information about this handsome old home at 144 North Main Street.  Apparently it was built in the latter half of the 1800s...and it certainly has been well preserved!  As far as I could determine, it currently serves as a residence, an insurance company office and home  for a physical therapist.   

This was the shop that ended Laurie's shopping for the day!  As you can see, Three French Hens at 143 North Main Street was loaded with possibilities outside...so you can imagine just how packed with goodies this store was inside!  My downfall was another comforter for our king size bed.  It was almost pristine and while it was much less expensive than a brand new one would have cost, it wasn't exactly free either... Website: https://www.facebook.com/p/Three-French-Hens-Woodstock-VA-100045482802459/.

As for the structure, it was built as a home in the late 1800s.  Before becoming Three French Hens, it has served as apartments and offices.

This handsome building at 132 North Main Street was built as a home ca 1830.  It displays both Greek revival and Italianate design elements.  At some point it served as the Intellectual Arts Building but now it's the home of a Certified Public Accounting/Business Consulting firm.

Constructed in 1877, this building also started out as a home.  With the installation of those storefront windows, the lower level has been transformed into retail space.  At one point, one entrance led to an art gallery and the other door provided entry to Shenandoah Sports.  Today, the building is the home of Traveler's Treasures...a shop that we skipped given our 'shopping expenditures' for the day.  Website: https://www.facebook.com/joystravelerstreasures/. 

FYI, Woodstock Virginia is the oldest town in Shenandoah County Virginia as well as the county seat.  It was founded in 1761.  Unlike many small towns across the USA, Woodstock has seen a steady growth in population, from 1,815 in 1950 to over 5,300 today.  

As the day faded toward night, we sought out a dining destination.  The goal was an inexpensive diner style local restaurant.  A quick search led to the Route 11 Diner at 1296 South Main Street.  Basic sign, simple exterior and a spotless interior that was almost devoid of decor...

Laurie kept her evening meal simple and basic.  As we'd had lunch, she wasn't very hungry and this  bowl of broccoli cheese soup and that nice hunk of cornbread was more than enough for her evening repast.

You know that it's a diner when they offer sloppy joes, a country ham dinner and beef liver with caramelized onions...  

Was I hungrier than Laurie?  Probably not but still I ordered a small steak with this pile of French fries.  Hey, at least the apple sauce was healthy!  Actually the steak was pretty tasty... Oh yes, I did talk Laurie into sharing a single serving of raspberry cobbler.  No photo though as we'd/I'd pretty much destroyed our dessert before I thought about taking a photo.

Our meals were just fine and the service was friendly down home style.  This restaurant is closed on Monday.  Phone: 540-459-8181.  Website: https://route11.top/.

This photo definitely out of order.  It was taken earlier in the day.  Laurie loves horses and as we drove to our Hampton Inn for the night, we spotted this race track and a number of standardbred horses pulling their drivers in their sulkies around a track.  Practice and exercise for the horses and drivers I'm sure.  Sometimes referred to as 'trotters', harness racing is about the horse that can trot the fastest without breaking pace.  Harness racing used to be more popular in the US but despite some decline, there are still 35 harness racing tracks in the USA and Canada.  Learn more about harness racing at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harness_racing.

The Shenandoah Downs Racetrack is located at 300 Fairgrounds Road in Woodstock.  This track is one of 4 harness racing tracks in Virginia.  The next series of races at this track will take place on Saturday and Sunday afternoons from April 26th through June 8th.  Wagering is available.  Website: https://shenandoahdowns.com/.

Fans along the rail with their race sheets

The start of the race.  Once the horses are even, the starter vehicle pulls aside.

My home town, Jackson Michigan, was a home for harness racing from 1948 until 2008 when the track at the Jackson County Fairgrounds was scheduled for demolition.  I have memories of going to the races with my mother and my stepfather.  My mother...not a 'horse person', wagered on a couple of races and won.  My stepfather...definitely a horse person even owning 3 horses including an Arabian stallion when I was in the 4th grade, wagered and, much to his frustration, was not a winner.  My mother was very amused at the outcome...

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Local - Mostly a Variety of Dining Choices

...Time for another short break from our road trip last October that took us through 7 different states.  The focus this time is on food...from 3 different restaurants, but also Laurie's new "phone friend" and a new neighbor.

Laurie and I are always looking for quality pizza, something that we have struggled to find here in East Tennessee. (Suggestions are welcome!) For us the best pizza in the area can be found at the Tellico Grains Bakery in Tellico Plains Tennessee. (Lunch Only - website: https://tellico-grains-bakery.com/)

But we've continued to search.  FYI, our definition of quality pizza includes the generous use of toppings, a distinctive red sauce and a firm but thin crust.  Of course, everyone has their favorite types of pizza... It's a personal preference.

So we recently had a pizza at a 'new to us' restaurant, Corner Pizza.  Apparently, it has been in business for a while.  Corner Pizza is located at the intersection of US Hwy 11 and US Hwy 70 at the northern edge of Loudon County.  We ordered out 'touchstone' pizza, the one we use to compare with others.  Italian Sausage and Pepperoni.  Corner Pizza's version was very nice indeed.  Our mistake was that we went with their standard crust, a bit too thick for our taste, but we failed to note that a thin crust pizza was available.  We shall return in the near future for another taste test!  Website: https://www.cornerpizzalenoircity.com/. 

Recently we returned to another restaurant that we've 'discovered', Sol Azteca, a Mexican Restaurant in Madisonville Tennessee that we really like.  We went with another couple and we tried a couple of entrees that we hadn't tried before.  Shown above is their Polo Coyoacan, grilled chicken breast topped with chorizo and shredded cheese.  It was accompanied by Mexican rice, refried beans with more cheese...and tortillas.  Both members our group that ordered this entree were very happy with their meals!

For my entree, I decided to go for the Burrito San Jose.  This large burrito was filled with pieces of pork and steak, then topped with chorizo and cheese.  As you can see, Mexican rice and refried beans were also included.  There was plenty of meat involved but I didn't think that that steak/beef and pork mixture was ideal.  Next time I order a burrito it will be all about the steak or perhaps, chicken.  FYI, I mixed the chorizo in with the beans and cheese...and it was a very tasty side dish!

Sol Azteca is now our 'go to' Mexican restaurant in the area...and we 10 or more choices within 15 miles of our home.  Sol Azteca is on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/solaztecamadisonville/. 

Now for a bit of cuisine from India.  I'd previously written about our positive experience at The Spice Hut in Lenoir City.  On this occasion we were accompanied by a couple that hadn't eaten there before, with the male half of the couple planning a photographic excursion to India.  He wanted to sample some Indian food so he would have some idea of what he might be eating on his trip.

One of our starters or appetizers was this order of Chili Cheese Naan.  Fresh bread/naan with fresh chili and cheese topped with butter and roasted in the clay oven. ($5.99) Everyone seemed to really like this version of naan, but I didn't think that it was very distinctive, more like a cheese pizza and I couldn't really detect any chili flavor.

Our second appetizer was an order of Punjabi Aloo Samosas.  Filled with a potato and peas stuffing, these flaky crust creations were served with a tangy tamarind and date sauce. ($4.99) Everyone really enjoyed these treats...with that sauce kicking them up a couple of notches.

I can't recall what this dish was called on the menu.  It is Tandoori Chicken with an assortment of vegetables.  While the diner who ordered this for dinner did enjoy it, she felt that the amount of chicken served was pretty skimpy.  

Looking at the online menu, Tandoori chicken is nowhere to be found.  The menu is one of the shortcomings of this restaurant.  The online menu doesn't provide descriptions of the majority of offerings listed.  The menu provided at the restaurant provides zero descriptions of the dishes, but if you want to take the time and you have a smart phone, you can pull up some information on your phone.  This is definitely not customer friendly...and the servers are not very helpful in this regard.  When ordering, you are sort of on your own.  In the future, I'll just research 2 or 3 Indian dishes on line to determine what I want to order.

Our future traveler to India decided to order the Crispy Honey Chicken. ($16.99) This entree wasn't described on the menu.  However, as per an Indian's input on line, this is basically an Chinese style recipe with a sweet flavor and some mild spices...but the Indian version is spicier and has a bit of moderate heat.  Note the pickled vegetables.  This wouldn't be my choice but Bob has a much broader palate than I do and he did enjoy his meal.

Both Laurie and I went for entrees that we knew and really enjoy.  Her choice was the Butter Chicken, or murgh makhani. ($16.99) This Indian dish originated in Delhi India and it is a style of curry that is made with chicken and a spiced tomato and butter sauce.  As during our previous visits to The Spice Hut, Laurie was very happy with her dinner!

As is my habit in Indian restaurants, I ordered the Lamb Vindaloo. ($19.99) Basically it consists of chunks of lamb and potatoes with a spicy sauce.  It was excellent.  Note: All of these entrees come with a large bowl of what I think is basmati rice, in my case great for soaking up all that sauce with chunks of potato or lamb.   

Diners at The Spice Hut are offered a level of spicy 'heat' with every entree.  The range goes from 1 to 10.  Laurie was happy with a 4 and I chose a 7, perfect for my taste.

Do not be deterred by my comments on the menu.  The Spice Hut does serve good food...but a little research is needed by diners unless they are familiar with Indian cuisine.  Also don't panic when you drive up to the restaurant...which shares a large space with a fireworks store, convenience store and gas station.  The restaurant is nicely separated from the rest of the businesses.  

The Spice Hut is located at 1204 US Hwy 321 in Lenoir City Tennessee.  It's just west of Exit 81 off of I-75.  They are open daily for lunch and dinner.  Website: https://spicehutind.com/.

Moving on from all that food.  This photo shows Laurie with her new friend Zane at the Verizon store in the Turkey Creek Shopping Center.  Zane helped her with a major challenge...moving from her Samsung Smart Phone to an iPhone from Apple.  While she's still learning...and leaning on others to help her with the transition, Zane provided a lot of basic assistance.  For the first couple of days after the change, I just hid out for my own mental well-being.  Great progress has been achieved.

Introducing our new neighbor... This is Terry and she just moved into the new home that is located directly behind us in Loudon County.  She is a 'crafter' and a retired member of the US Military.  A common bond with us is that she's also a collector...of a variety of items she loves.  Much to my liking, she counts philately as one of her hobbies.  Welcome to the neighborhood Terry and thank you for your service to the USA! 

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Off the Interstate - Headed South in Pennsylvania

...continuing with our fall 2024 road trip through several states.  Leaving Mansfield Pennsylvania after our spending our second night in the town, Laurie and I headed south on US Hwy 15.  The highway follows the Susquehanna River for many miles on its way to Chesapeake Bay.  At Harrisburg Pennsylvania, we merged onto Interstate Highway I-81 south.  Tired of traffic and the boredom of most Interstate Highways, we exited at Shippensburg Pennsylvania.  Our alternative route was US Hwy 11 south, (known in the South as Lee Highway).  It runs parallel to I-81 for many miles.  

This is the Redott-Stewart House at 52 King Street/US Hwy 11 in Shippensburg.  This large stone home, also known as the Shippen House, was built ca. 1784 by the Redott family...or was it?  Other sources state that the oldest section of the house was built ca. 1750 by Edward Shippen III. In the early 1800s, it was purchased by Dr. Alexander Stewart.  Today, it is the home of the Shippensburg Historical Society and Museum.  

In addition to the early history of Shippensburg and the surrounding area, the Society possesses one of the largest collections of memorabilia from the Depression Era's Works Progress Administration.  The collection dates from 1935 to 1941.  To learn more about the Historical Society, go to https://www.shippensburghistoricalsociety.org/about.

In July of 1730, twelve Scotch-Irish families arrived in the area and built cabins along nearby Burd Run (creek).  The settlement received its name from from Edward Shippen, who had obtained the patent to the land from William Penn's heirs.  In 1750, Shippensburg was named as the first county seat for Cumberland County.  Of interest is the fact that one of Shippen's daughters married Benedict Arnold...a traitor to the American Revolution.

                            

Our next stop along the way was at the campus of Wilson College in Chambersburg Pennsylvania.  The small and attractive building at the right of this photo is called "Harmony Cottage".  It was built in 1897 to serve as a professor's home.  The college's organist lived here during that time period and into the early 1900s.  It was briefly converted into a dormitory in 1926.  In 1929, the cottage was 'pivoted' to face the road in order to make room for that larger structure.  It's Warfield Hall and it was completed in 1930.  As regards the cottage, it now serves as the college's Office of Marketing and Communications.

Wilson College itself, with it's 300-acre campus, is a Historic District that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  Wilson College was established by the Presbyterian Church back in 1869.  It was a women's college, one of the first to accept only female students, until it became fully coeducational in 2014.  It was originally named Wilson Female College.  In 1870, the college's promotional material stated that it was a place for women "to be leaders, not followers, in society".

This is the Joshua W. Sharpe House.  This handsome Queen Anne style home was built in 1887 and it was purchased by Wilson College in 1942.  As part of the College, is has served as faculty and student apartments, a faculty club, classroom, meeting space as well as for WWII relief work and related studies.  From 1998 - 2000 it served the Wilson College's Women with Children Program.  Subsequently, it was remodeled and it now serves as the home of the college's President.

In 1982, Wilson began offering a continuing studies program (now known as the Adult Degree Program) to meet the needs of adults seeking post-secondary education. In 1996, the college was one of the first in the nation to offer on-campus residential housing for single mothers living with children.  Co-educational - men as of 2014.  Wilson College currently has about 1,620 students.  You can learn more at https//:www.wilson.edu/.

This large home with the covered auto/carriage portico and that amazing porch is located close to the Sharpe House as described above.  I suspect that this home is used by the College, faculty or alumnus but I wasn't able to find anything about it.  I just liked it!

Moving further south on US Hwy 11, as we neared the Maryland State Line, we stopped at Greencastle Pennsylvania.  The "Greencastle High Line" railway depot was built by the Cumberland Valley Railroad in 1909.  It served passenger trains running between Hagerstown Maryland and Harrisburg Pennsylvania, but declining usage with advent of increased travel via automobiles after WWII, passenger service was halted.  The postcard shown above is from 1952.  To learn more about the Cumberland Valley Railroad, go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumberland_Valley_Railroad.

The High Line Train Station was named for it's elevated rails.  Many decades after the end of passenger service, the old depot still serves the community by promoting youth leadership.  As a matter of fact, the depot is now managed by the Greencastle Area Youth Foundation.  The Youth Foundation is a non-profit whose goals are to maintain the historical integrity of the Station, preserving its and the railroad's heritage, while providing a meeting place for area youth organizations...and at the same time, promoting local arts.  

The Greencastle Area Youth Foundation has made significant repairs to the building while establishing several displays designed to preserve the area's railroad history.  Web cams have been installed over the tracks so railfans can watch passing trains online and displays have been mounted for visiting railfans to safely monitor ongoing rail traffic.  Learn more at https://www.mightycause.com/organization/Greencastle-Area-Youth-Foundation.

One last stop in Pennsylvania before lunch... The B-Street Restaurant and Pub is located in the old McLaughlin Hotel in downtown Greencastle Pennsylvania.  The hotel was completed and opened for business in 1905.  The site has had a continuously operating restaurant since the late 1700s.  I was unable to determine what the upper floors of the old hotel are being used for now.  To learn more about the B-Street Restaurant and Pub, you can go to https//:bstreet104.com/.

No...we didn't have lunch at the B-Street Restaurant and Pub.  We'd determined that a local 'diner-style' restaurant was close by so we stopped for our lunch time repast at Home Style Family Restaurant which is located at 26 North Antrim Way in Greencastle Pennsylvania.  it was after the lunch hour so it wasn't busy when we arrived.  

We kept lunch simple... Laurie ordered a Patty Melt (burger, cheese and sauteed onion on grilled rye bread), accompanied by some potato chips.  She was happy with her choice.

I wasn't very adventuresome either but my sandwich was a little different than I expected.  I ordered the pork tenderloin sandwich...and where we come from that means a hunk of pork, breaded and fried on a bun.  My sandwich was indeed pork tenderloin but it was either grilled or fried...no breading.  Despite the surprise version of a pork tenderloin sandwich, it was very nice, not overcooked and still juicy.  Without those potato chips, it might have been a healthy meal.

The Home Style Family Restaurant in Greencastle Pennsylvania is open from 6 AM until 8 PM 6 days a week and from 7 AM until 2 PM on Sunday.  Note: 787 Google reviews give this restaurant a rating of 4.6 out of 5.0 possible points.  Check it out at https://www.facebook.com/homestylefamilyrestaurant/.

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them... Next, non-stop through a bit of  Maryland and on into Virginia!

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Our Last Evening in Pennsylvania

...continuing with our fall 2024 road trip.  After leaving Towanda Pennsylvania, it was time to head back to our Hampton Inn at Mansfield Pennsylvania.  It was also getting to be time for dinner so we had our eyes open for any likely dining opportunities.  After following US Hwy 6 west for 20 or so miles, we spotted a likely establishment.

This is the Iron Skillet in Troy Pennsylvania.  More specifically, it's Tina's Iron Skillet Restaurant.  Tina had worked for the previous owners for 8 years before they asked her to take over from them.  Then the restaurant burned down in 2010...but after a bit, Tina agreed.  So, over 12 years later, the Iron Skillet is still going strong.

The inside of the Iron Skillet has a warm country feeling to it with a plethora of country style decor along the walls including a collection of iron skillets.  In addition, there is that big fireplace on the back wall of the photo...all decorated for fall season.

The Iron Skillet's prices are hard to beat too.  $10.50 for a 10 oz cheeseburger with a side or chicken and biscuits with two sides...$8.00 or $11.00 depending on the quantity of chicken ordered.  Good luck duplicating these prices in any big city!  

Tina's family helps her with the restaurant.   At last report, her son, Mike, was one of the cooks and her daughter Mindy was a waitress.  The grandchildren also help out.  Tina has always enjoyed cooking because it makes her feel good when customers are happy and enjoy her food.

Laurie and I ordered almost the same meal...fried, (or was it broasted?), chicken.  It came with 2 sides, one of them obviously being a large baked potato.  We love fried or broasted chicken and it had been quite a while since we enjoyed really good chicken...and this was really good!  I don't have a receipt but I can assure you that our meals were a bargain!

Apparently desserts are a favorite at The Iron Skillet as Tina loves to bake them.  As you can see on the menu board shown above, there was a wide variety of pies on the menu plus cake, shortcake, apple crisp, and bread pudding.  FYI, I will admit to have never seeing Hickory Nut Pie on a menu anywhere else.  It is popular enough that Tina has actually shipped a couple of them to customers in Colorado.  Her chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting is actually an award winner.

So, despite all that chicken and those large baked potatoes we had consumed, we decided that we'd have to try at least one dessert...and split it.  We managed to agree on a slice of the apple crumb pie.  It was very good indeed!  

The Iron Skillet has a daily special every day that they're open.  Friday is a fish fry with Tina's special mac and cheese.  Saturdays are prime rib with two sides.  

Tina's Iron Skillet Restaurant is located along US Hwy 6 at 2605 Sylvania Road in Troy Pennsylvania.  The Iron Skilled is closed on Monday and Tuesday and it is only open on Sunday from 7 AM until 3 PM.  Most nights they close at 7 PM.  Phone: 570-297-4848.  Tina's Iron Skillet is on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/p/Tinas-IRON-Skillet-Restaurant-100063759544776/.

Fortunately, it was only 16 miles further west to our hotel in Mansfield after our rather large dinner.  Any longer and I would have needed a nap!  Lots of reds in the fall foliage along the way...  

FYI, US Hwy 6 is a transcontinental Federal highway that stretches from Bishop California to Provincetown Massachusetts.  It was completed in 1936.

Next up...we head south into Virginia for the last portion of our road trip.  Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them.

Thanks for stopping by to see what we had for dinner!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Historic Structures - Corning New York and Towanda Pennsylvania

Following our tour of The Rockwell Museum in Corning, we drove around some nearby streets and took a few photos of interesting buildings before heading southeast back toward Pennsylvania.   

The first photo is on a postcard dated 1911.  This 2 1/2 story brick building used to be the home of the Corning City Club.  It was built in 1897 in a style that combined Colonial Revival and Classical Revival elements.  Following a fire in 1926 that heavily damaged the building it was decided that it should be made into a memorial to Corning natives who lost their lives in World War I.  The Corning City Club moved to a local hotel.  At the same time, the town's library, which was located on the upper floor of the City Hall building required more space.  So the two needs were combined.  The building opened to the public on Memorial Day in 1930.

The library remained here until 1975 when it was moved to the new civic center plaza.  Today this striking structure has been once again transformed...this time into apartments.

The First Presbyterian Church, located at 1 East First Street, was built using local stone in 1867 after the Civil War.  It is the oldest church building in use in Corning.  Its congregation was organized way back in 1811.  This church was built diagonally across the street from the previous church and it cost $36,000.  The church bell came from the old church, having been cast in West Troy New York in 1845.  It still serves this 'new' church, having chimed for 190 years in 2025.

This very eye-catching home's style is referred to as a 'cottage'...or the Rural Gothic Style.  This facade, which is on First Street features some Gothic Revival stylings.  Located at 155 Cedar Street, it was built for the Drake family shortly after the Civil War.  After it was damaged by arson in the 1990s, it was extensively renovated and incorporated into the 171 Cedar Arts Center Campus.  The north end of the first floor now houses the Center's Houghton Art Gallery.  To learn more about the Cedar Arts Center, go to https://171cedararts.org/.

This Corning neighborhood is home to the Southside Historic District as registered with the National Register of Historic Places.  The district includes 624 contributing buildings and the area is predominantly residential.  The area developed after 1835 and includes a mix of Federal, Greek Revival and Victorian architecture.

This is Christ Episcopal Church.  The 400-seat church is early English Gothic in style...representative of many early Episcopal Churches.  The structure was completed in 1895 after an earlier structure (1853) was burned down in 1889.  The tower bell was cast in Troy New York in 1871.  It was salvaged from the fire at the church that burned down...so at 154 years old it's young compared to the 190 year old bell at the Presbyterian Church.  

Adding to the beauty of Christ Episcopal Church are almost 85 stained glass windows that are installed in the sanctuary.  Most of the older ones were produced by the Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company or the J. & R. Lamb Studios.

Shown above, the "Resurrection window" on the south wall was installed by Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company in July of 1895.  It depicts the four gospel versions of the Resurrection in the magnificent colors of Tiffany glass.

There are several other historic churches in Corning but I only took photos of the ones that were along our route in this neighborhood.  This is the First United Methodist Church at 144 Cedar Street.  This impressive and massive Richardson Romanesque church building was completed in 1894 after two years of construction.  Note that striking rose window...a sextet...at the center of the facade.  This is the third building to house the congregation...which was founded in 1839.  The church was designed to be able to accommodate/seat 1,000 parishioners.  With it's massive foundation, red brick and terra cotta walls, the multitude of windows and columns, combined with the green roof, this church is grabs one's attention from a distance.

To view several photos of the interior of all three churches that I photographed, you can go to https://corningarchitecture.com/corning-architecture-blog/inside-corning-s-churches-a-brief-overview-of-u-s-church-architecture.

This large structure at 10 West First Street in Corning was built in 1903 after a design by John Foster Warner.  Interestingly, at least to me, is the fact that Warner's father had designed the Corning City Hall...now the Rockwell Museum.  The above pictured structure served as the Steuben County Courthouse...and later the Division of Motor Vehicles offices.  But in 2023, the county completely vacated the property and sold it to a developer who intends to transform it into an apartment building as a part of the of the "Restore New York Program" housing efforts.

Leaving Corning, we headed east via NY Hwy 17, turning south on US Hwy 220 at the Pennsylvania State Line.  Nice roads and not much traffic on a beautiful day!

Our next stop was in Towanda Pennsylvania.  Towanda is the county seat for Bradford County, hence the courthouse shown in the above photo.  This 4-story, cruciform shaped building with its 50 foot diameter octagonal dome, displays both Classical Revival and Renaissance Revival design influences.  The tall monument at the right of the photo was erected in 1901, (another source said 1905), in memory of the soldiers and sailors of Bradford County who defended their country in the War of the Rebellion/Civil War, 1861 to 1865.  The courthouse underwent significant repairs through 2018.

Towanda is located on the Susquehanna River.  Towanda means "burial ground" in the Algonquian language.  The town was settled in 1784 and it became the county seat in 1812.  It was once known for its industry, including flour milling, silk mills, a foundry and machine shop, dye works, manufacturers of 'talking machines', cut glass, toys and furniture.  In 1900 the city had 4,663 residents but today the estimated number of citizens only totals about 2,910.

This depot was built by the Susquehanna and New York Railroad in 1922.  This depot was built with steel lath covered with stucco.  Today it is the office of T (Trowbridge) and Company, a wealth management/investment firm.  Previous occupants have included an art studio, a tax preparation office and a travel agency.  

Back in the day when it was operational as a depot, it had three rooms: ticket office, freight room and a passenger waiting room.  The building was "city steam heated and electric lighted".  In addition, the Postal Telegraph Cable Company also had an office here.

This old freight depot is right across the street, (to the left behind the vehicles and along the tracks), from the former Susquehanna and New York depot.  Rail traffic was critical to the development and growth of Towanda.  The first train arrived in town in September of 1869 and in the 1870s about 6 passenger, 4 freight and 9 coal trains arrived and departed from Towanda each way every day.

The Lehigh Valley Railroad build this freight depot in 1884 as its headquarters.  Subsequently it was used as a station by several rail lines, including Barclay, Lehigh Valley, State Line and Sullivan and the Susquehanna and New York railroads.  The north side of the building housed the station agent, train dispatcher and the Western Union operator.  The freight room as in the rear of the building.

The last railroad to use this trackage was the Towanda Monroeton Shippers Lifeline, a short line railroad that operated on about 6 miles of trackage.  It existed almost exclusively to serve the Wayne Feed Facility in Monroeton.  Today the old depot is home to a chiropractor's office and the Bradford County Tourism Promotion Agency.  The trackage is currently owned by the Reading and Blue Mountain Northern Railroad.

We took the top photo of this old diner in Towanda back in the first week of October.  It was closed and looked neglected.  Note the leaded glass windows.  The Red Rose diner was built by Tierney Dining Cars in 1927.  Tierney Dining Cars' origins can be traced back to 1895 when the company's founder began building truck-based cars modeled after railroad dining cars.  The business evolved and it resulted in the manufacturing of prefabricated diners.  

The Red Rose Diner was brought to Towanda in 2003, and it had 3 owners/operators over the years, but by the time we saw the diner, it had been vacant since 2017.  The good news is that new owners have reopened the diner effective December 2, 2024!  Check out their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/RedRose1927/.

Originally Hale's Opera House, and now the Keystone Theatre, Elias Hale first opened the theater's doors for its first public performance in September of 1887.  The Hale's owned the theatre until 1908.  In 1908, the new owners renamed it the Keystone Opera House.  When the next owner purchased the building, and the proliferation of motion pictures, he renamed it the Keystone Theatre.  The theatre has served Towanda with movies, live performances and community events for 137 years!

Today the theater is owned and operated by the Bradford County Regional Arts Council.  It still offers a wide variety of entertainment including live performances and commercial movies.  You can learn more by going to https://www.bradfordcountymovies.com/keystone-theatre.

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks for stopping by and following along on our road trip!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave