Lemon House is part of the Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, meaning that it…read moreresides on the land and can be viewed while you are there. To note, Lemon House is one of the buildings you can see from the highway on your way by. Lemon House is an original building on the grounds. It has been restored to what it would have looked like for the time period. Lemon House, at times, gives you a better timetable for the time that the railway was in use. I suppose you can view this an an extension of the visitor center. When you walk in you are greeted by one of the rangers, they give you a little run down of the inside of the place and let you go on your way. They are also there to ask any questions, might you have them. You only get to view the first floor of this place. What you will get to see is the dining area, bar, and fancy parlor. The Fancy Parlor was by far my favorite room in here. Decorated with pieces from the time period and giving you a glimpse into how people would interact and relax. The dining room is kind of like a cafeteria style area, great big room specifically for eating your meal. The tavern area seems a bit small, but I can see it working. The other rooms on the first floor have not been restored to what they would have looked like. Instead they hold the informative information about the structure. This information gives you the timeline of the house, right down to who owned it at what time and how it changed hands so much. It also tells you that this is not the original house. They built this one here to be near the railway in order to take advantage of the traffic and offer services. They are not sure where the original house stood to this day. It is a beautiful structure. Great addition to the grounds, and I am happy that they decided to save the structure for reuse instead of demolishing it. It would have been too bad if they had.

"The Lemon House is a museum, not a working tavern or restaurant." So says my guidebook from the…read moreAllegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site. Located just south of the visitor's center and the engine house, it's one of the major attractions at the site and one of the few that has been completely restored. The Lemon House shows how the socioeconomic structure developed along the railroad and the Main Line. It was owned by Samuel and Jean Moore Lemon, two of the many entrepreneurs who used the development of the areas natural resources and transportation links in order to make a living. Travelers along the Main Line would stop here to eat, drink, and regale each other with their journeys' tales. The Lemon House was restored in 1997 in the style of 1830-1850, specifically what it might have looked like in 1840. I say "might" because as with the engine house, any plans or schematics for the design of the building have been long lost. There's also little evidence as to how the tavern was operated or what the menu might have been. What the restorers did know however were such things as period artworks and documentation of other 19th century taverns (many had remained in business into the 20th century). Also historians do know what the social mores were at the time, so we will keep them in mind as we tour the building. Historians also do know a few things about the Lemons. Jean Moore Lemon (1797-1880) was well educated and apparently was the bookkeeper for the tavern. The local banks have records of her signature. Her obituary praised her for her charity works. Samuel Lemon (1793-1867) was born in Huntingdon County, PA. His grandfather served in the War of Independence and his father in the War of 1812. He was best known as a tavern owner and businessman. He must have had some business acumen because the Lemon House was very solidly built. So let's take a tour of the Lemon House. Like the travelers of the day, we enter through the central hallway. In most houses the hallway was very welcoming and it's likely that travelers preferred this room. Here travelers could read the paper, play games, or catch up on the stories of the day. It is furnished with simple wooden chairs and benches which could withstand the elements. Period paintings, not original to the house, adorn the walls. The next room is the bar room. Ladies, we are allowed in here today but we would not have been back when the tavern was operating. The social mores of the day required men to act as gentlemen and women to act as ladies. In general, women of any social standing did NOT go into bar rooms. Here the men could ignore the social graces of the day. Guys, imagine such notorious behavior as removing your dress coat or tilting your chair back. Imagine uttering such oaths as "hell" and "damn"! Now the barroom was restored based on a watercolor "Country Inn" by August Koller. The watercolor was painted in 1840 in western PA. We proceed into the fancy parlor. Here a man or woman who wished to have a more quiet retreat could dine or relax (notice girls, we don't get our own room here--ah, the Victorian social graces). You did not have to be rich in order to use the fancy parlor, but you had to exhibit social graces. The furniture was designed for correct posture and appropriate behavior. Chairs were uncomfortable because they did not want you to linger or sleep here. Interestingly, you could smoke or chew tobacco in here and you can see the silver spittoons on the floor. Of course there is a piano because refined ladies would know how to play one. It's likely that Mrs. Lemon entertained neighbors and guests here. The last room we'll take a look at is the Double Dining Room, also known as the Common Room. Travelers and the occasional local foik could stop for a meal here. Unlike today, it was one set meal. There were no choices of what you wanted to eat. Stew was the most likely meal to be served because it could be kept hot on the stove all day. Trains would pull in and the crew would shout out "1 hour for lunch!". Community seating was the rule of the day, meaning you dined with strangers. This was done for efficiency's sake. This community seating lives on today--if you've ever eaten in an Amtrak diner car, you'll know what I mean. I could go on, but I'm almost out of space here. The Lemon House is my favorite site here because it's so complete and it gives you an idea of how people traveled back then. Quite a difference from the Holiday Inns and Denny'ses of today, huh?

This place is epic! EPIC!! you could literally spend an entire weekend here exploring and you still…read moreprobably wouldn't get to see everything! It's truly a colossal piece of history. We went on a Saturday..got there around 3pm and left at 5pm. We barely ran into anyone while exploring..which was great. 2hrs was obviously not enough time. When we got there we checked in at the table..you get a wristband while on the property. Purchasing your tickets ahead of time..it makes life for the employees a lot easier. It's dark and there isn't power..so using the iPad to check out is a pain for them. They give you the rules and what not to do..where to stay out of..and they let you explore all on your own. We literally had so much fun. Make sure to bring plenty of flashlights and warm clothes if you're going during that winter season like we did. There are tunles that run from building to building..awesome! The chapel is incredible, the cell housing areas are just as cool..just so many things..the prison barber school..the cobbler shop. So many nooks and crannies. We learned theyll have overnight explorations in the spring/summer/fall in 2023. There will be a hydroponics building as well. The place is just spectacular, and the drive to keep this place open for people to come see history and not let it wither away is amazing. Thank you! Truly appreciate places like this. Please don't leave trash and break things here and ruin it for people who have an appreciation for places like this.

This is an awesome experience the trains come about once every hour and if you could try to see the…read moreAmtrak train, it's a once in a lifetime experience

The funicular is almost never running, forcing people to climb a long flight of stairs. Even if you…read moreare able-bodied, it is difficult. And, they don't have the foresight to install a regular bonafide elevator to resolve the issue. You are better off going over to the Gallitzin Tunnel Park/Museum to railfan the trains that come through here.

A lot has changed since the last review for this park was posted. If you look back at the pictures…read moreattached to that review you will see that there was not much to this plot of land back then. What makes this interesting though is the link to history that it has. Might I say, Johnstown sure has some interesting little gems in the area. The park itself is a bit hard to find. The address says Main St, but it's not the Main St located in Downtown Johnstown. Instead this is located in the Franklin section of the area. GPS will get you near, but not to the exact place. If, you are like me, and don't pay attention to the area, you will drive right by it. I had to turn around and come back. In the five years from the initial review and mine, the landscape of the park has changed drastically. There is now a walkway to bring you into the area and more to the memorial itself. It is a peaceful area to sit if you like as there is one bench. Parking is a bit odd as it is on a hill. So prepare yourself for a bit trek up a hill. Also to note, there is a bit of an addition to the park a short walk away in front of the Municipal Building. It adds more context behind the name. A little bit about the name. Sgt. Michael Strank. Sgt. Strank was born in Slovakia, his family moved to the US and settled in the Johnstown area. Sgt. Strank enlisted in the military during WWII. Sgt. Strank fought in the Pacific during the war. But the most interesting thing about Sgt. Strank is that he is one of the men that raised the flag at Iwo Jima. According to the informative sign at the park Sgt. Strank gave the order and held the flag until it was raised above them. Sgt. Strank was then immortalized in a picture that is now a statue. Sadly Sgt. Strank did not make it out of the war and died during duty. Who knew?

Great little memorial. You just can't get things like this in California. Here in PA you can walk…read moreright up and touch history, and by doing so you really feel a part of it. Granted, there is a lot more historical sights here, and I might take for granted the ones we have back in So. Cal, but here they are not behind 2 inches of bullet proof glass, they're not painted on so scratched with some jerkoff's name. Do people here have more respect for history or do they take it for granted to and just pass right by without noticing?? I'm not sure because I haven't seen anybody else at any of these sites, but I know this: they are very well kept and maintained, and fresh flowers are always present. Somebody cares and it shows! So thank you whoever you are, it certainly hasn't gone unappreciated!!!

Please note that the above is NOT the address of Staple Bend Tunnel. Staple Bend Tunnel is two…read moremiles to the west of this point along the Path of the Flood Trail and this is the closest trailhead with parking to the tunnel. You may only access the tunnel via foot or bicycle, so if you want to see it you must be up for a four mile round trip bike ride or hike. Although a part of the Allegheny Portage Railroad, Staple Bend Tunnel is open as a separate area of the APRR National Historic Site. It lies about 20 miles to the west of the visitor's center, but if possible it should be included as a part of your visit. My husband and I along with my cousin & her husband visited the APRR site last weekend. So this weekend Rick and I combined a trip to the tunnel with a bike ride down the Path of the Flood Trail. Staple Bend Tunnel was completed in 1833 and was the first railroad tunnel in the United States. Other tunnels had existed in the U.S. however they were for other canals. Workers were paid $13.00 a month to chip and blast their way through some 900 feet of solid rock. They worked 12 hour days, six days a week, often in very inclement weather and under dangerous conditions. Sundays were reserved for church. In order to blast through the rock, 9 holes had to be drilled. Each hole was 1 inch wide and three feet long. This was an arduous task, each hole taking about three hours to drill and using a three man crew. The holes were then filled with a pound of blasting powder. The blasts were timed to coincide with mealtimes. Workers would eat while the dust settled. Each hole drilled only yielded about 18 inches in blasted tunnel. So you can imagine how long it took to complete the tunnel. Work began in November 1831 and finished in April, 1833. Staple Bend Tunnel was used for about 20 years, until the Allegheny Portage Railroad was overtaken by the Pennsylvania Railroad. Neither New Portage Railroad nor the Pennsylvania Railroad used the tunnel. It became one of the first highway tunnels in Pennsylvania, used by carriages up until the Johnstown Flood of 1889. After that, safety and flood damage became concerns and the tunnel was closed to the public. In the 1940s, the tunnel was lined with concrete. The Manufacturer's Water Company installed water lines and a water tank. Bethlehem Steel used these lines Eventually Staple Bend Tunnel fell out of this use and was essentially forgotten by the public. In 2001 it reopened as a separate area of the National Historic Site. The west entrance of the tunnel has been restored to its former Roman Revival grandeur. Today you can walk or bike the entire length of the tunnel. Just be aware that this tunnel is 900 feet long and is NOT lighted. Even though you can see either end of the tunnel, I recommend that you bring a flashlight or bike headlight and that you dismount and walk your bike through here. The trail surface is not well maintained through here and you will not be able to see any obstacles. Presently the trail ends just on the other side of the tunnel.

This place is like a community center that hosts a multitude of events throughout the year. Most…read morenotable about this area is the fact that it is used for sporting events more than other community events. The main area of this place is a full court gym. Maintained at what appears to be top level maintenance. If you do happen to look up, you may see a variety of balls stuck in the rafters above. Also available to members is a gym and free weights. If you do happen to come here for a non-sporting event (which it seems this place is capable of holding) you will be greeted by a welcoming space. As proof of the bulletin board, this place is almost always busy. At first glance it would look like that this place is lacking parking, but that's only because the building itself hides a good portion of the available parking. Bathrooms are well kept and double as locker room area for the gym. There is an entrance in both the gym and lobby area. This place also sits along the Ghost Town Trail which is nice. Take a stroll or sit on the benches along the trail.

This is by far one of the most beautiful things in all of Johnstown. Which begs to differ, how can…read moresomething so beautiful have such a deadly past? The Stone Bridge has been in Johnstown since 1887-1888, built to span the Conemaugh River so that the railway could make its way to and through Johnstown. It is a thing of beauty. Johnstown, much like Pittsburgh, is laid out with two river converging to form a third. A steep hill to the one side of Johnstown with their own inclined plane. At the meeting place of the two to form the third is a park named Point Park as well, possibly the best vantage point to view this bridge. Another good spot is Festival Park which lies across the Little Conemaugh River. I'm sure some of you may have heard about the Great Johnstown Flood of 1889. This bridge withstood that massive wall of water that pounded the city. Good, right? What it also withstood was all the houses, farms, trees, vehicles, debris, and people pushing against the bridge along with all that water. What wasn't great was what happened after that, in an attempt to remove that mass of items ended up starting a massive fire. Altogether combining for the deadly past part. Along with the 1889 flood, this also withstood many more floods as well, notably are the 1936 and 1977 floods that devastated the area as well. Enough with dwelling on the past. What they have done to it now can be summed up with the following. Michael Brosig, co-chair of the Stone Bridge Committee, said, "The significance of the Stone Bridge is that it stood its ground against the flood waters and altered the future of Johnstown completely and forever. It created the backdrop for the event that put Johnstown on the map. Restoring the South facade of that structure and casting LED lighting on it will certainly showcase the triumph of the human spirit in a spectacular style for all to see, enjoy and be proud of their heritage." And a triumph it is. The lighting on the bridge changes often, they have a calendar of what event they will be lighting for in case you plan on stopping by to view it. Each setting of display is beautiful. Such a great asset for the city of Johnstown to have.