Learning about this historic landmark, originally built in 1881 in Perry County, it was relocated…read moretwice to its current location by the Fort Hunter Mansion preserver Margaret Wister Meigs as a park attraction.

This marker is along Williams Grove Road and points out the history of this architectural fair…read more It has the same text on both sides and reads, "Williams Grove. With its excellent railroad connection, this became the site of the Great Grangers' Interstate Picnic Exhibition, founded 1874 by Robert H. Thomas of the Pennsylvania State Grange. A week's attendance at this annual event was estimated at 100,000 or more by the 1890's. The John Williams House, built about 1799, is nearby." The marker was erected in 1980 by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. The Great Grangers' Interstate Picnic Exhibition, held annually from 1874 to 1916 was a massive agricultural fair that drew tens of thousands of visitors from across state lines. Founded by Robert H. Thomas and supported by the Pennsylvania State Grange, it showcased cutting-edge farming equipment, hosted political debates, and fostered rural community spirit. With free admission and over fifty daily train arrivals at its peak, the event became a hub of innovation and civic engagement. Its decline came with changing transportation habits and a 1916 polio outbreak, but its legacy endures through local historical preservation efforts. The road is quiet enough that you can pull to the side to read the marker and look around. [Review 1038 of 2025 - 688 in Pennsylvania - 24592 overall]

Don't go out of your way to see this small dam under I-83 in Harrisburg. If you're walking along…read morethe riverfront, it's worth a brief stop and go. Not as many homeless people here anymore since they cleared out the encampment and are beginning construction on the highway expansion. Always be aware of your surroundings and lock your car if parking nearby.

The first useless review of this bridge shall be mine! It works really well when there's no traffic…read moreand everyone is driving their cars and not texting or taking pictures while driving, just like I did. Don't be like me, kids. Hopefully the dreaded toll plan proposed by Penndot to replace the aging structure will not happen and we simply pay with increased taxes and our time stuck in traffic during reconstruction. Good for now, but make sure to use it before they start charging!

I visited the Cornwall Iron Furnace for the first time during their 345th Charter Day celebration,…read moreand I'm so glad I finally made the trip. This historic site had been on my list for a while, and with the beautiful weather and special event happening that day, it felt like the perfect time to go. Interestingly, I had only learned about the iron furnace a few months ago. I've always been fascinated by history especially the processes behind how things were made so visiting a place like this was incredibly intriguing. Seeing such an important piece of industrial history still standing today really makes you appreciate the ingenuity and craftsmanship of the people who built and operated it centuries ago. My group tour started at 12:45 PM and lasted a little over an hour. One thing I really appreciated was that we got to hear from several different volunteer guides throughout the tour rather than just one person leading the entire time. Each guide shared their own knowledge and perspective about different parts of the furnace and its operation. They were all incredibly informative and made the history easy to understand, even if you're not familiar with iron production. By the end of the tour, I honestly felt like I had learned dozens of fascinating facts about early iron-making, the daily lives of the workers, and how complex the entire process was. Workers often had 12-hour shifts to keep the furnace operating, which really highlights the amount of labor and coordination required. Standing inside the furnace structure itself was a unique experience. Even though it was warm outside, it actually felt noticeably cooler inside the building, which was surprising. You could really see the age of the structure and imagine the incredible amount of work that went into building and maintaining it. A few helpful things to know before you visit: Parking: Because of the Charter Day event, we were able to park directly on the property near the furnace building. However, there is also additional parking across the street and slightly down a hill, which requires crossing the road to reach the site. Restrooms are located inside the Welcome Center, where the gift shop is located. These appeared to be the only bathrooms on the property. Visitor tips: *Wear comfortable shoes, as there are stairs involved during the tour. *No food or drinks are allowed during the tour. *Plan to spend about an hour or a little more if you take the guided tour. Overall, this was a really enjoyable and educational experience. It gave me a much deeper appreciation for the hard work, skill, and innovation that went into early American industry. If you enjoy history, learning how things are made, or exploring unique historic sites in Pennsylvania, visiting the Cornwall Iron Furnace is absolutely worth adding to your list. Highly recommend taking the guided tour you'll walk away learning far more than you expect.

Built in 1742 and in use until 1883, the Cornwall Iron Furnace is "the only surviving intact…read morecharcoal cold-blast furnace in the Western Hemisphere." I absolutely love history and history museums and loved everything about it. My girlfriend, 11-year-old son and I visited on a Saturday afternoon on a trip to Harrisburg and Hershey. We took the tour and definitely got our money's worth ($18 for the three of us which included a AAA discount)! Started with a 15 minute video, then a guided tour by Beth which lasted over an hour, during which we got to see the furnace from all angles. Beth was very knowledgeable and also very patient with my son's many questions. The property also boasts a small museum and gift shop in the building that formerly housed the operation's charcoal. The gift shop is excellent. Among other things they have a range of cast iron products, as well as many cookbooks with suggested uses. This was an excellently run museum that I can definitely recommend to others who enjoy American history.

Who doesn't like talking a stroll or bike ride over old shaky? Hard to believe Walnut Street Bridge…read morewas once open to vehicular traffic back in the day considering the size of cars way back when. Great views from on or under the bridge allow you to enjoy the river and scenery. Nice walk to city island to enjoy a baseball game or just recreate. Highly recommend a walk through Riverfront Park to enjoy all the area has to offer.

Someone was like, are you reviewing ALL the bridges, and I was like... "walnut ALL of them."…read more The bridges over the river Susquehanna are absolutely gorgeous. You can't really imagine a more beautiful sight in downtown Harrisburg, than these stunning bridges crossign the river. This is one of the beautiful old bridges that spans this gorgeous stretch of water. The cool thing is, this is a pedestrian bridge! How awesome is that? I bet you didn't even think those existed in the US. It no longer crosses the river because portions collapsed in 96 due to flooding, and it was never restored. Now it's open to pedestrians, basically as a long pier on either side.

Where are the PA history buffs? If you're interested in family lineage, the PA State Archives…read moreoffers extensive information and free access to Ancestry.com via www.PAStateArchives.com Today, Sunday, March 9, 2025, visitors can view a treasured copy of William Penn's land grant from the King of England, the 1681 Pennsylvania charter, which includes all four pages. The charter is displayed only once a year, usually on the second Sunday in March.

Indiana Jones actually filmed here for the movie Raiders Of The Lost Archives. No, I can't back…read morethat up. But I can back this up. (pulls down pants) The museum and the state archives are absolutely spectacular and huge and imposing and you can see this massive structure for 10 blocks in any direction - so it's definitely one of the main center points and centerpieces of Harrisburg - and is well worth the five star rating because of the grand old design, which stands the test of time and in fact looks timeless. Harrisburg is a splendid city with a gorgeous downtown and this is one of the reasons why.

This week's edition of Reviews That Do Not Matter features the Market Street Bridge by Aaron S…read more What a useless review, you say? You'd be correct. However, this is a great bridge over troubled waters (polluted Susquehanna River) that carries Harrisburgers to and fro City Island and the west shore. It certainly serves its purpose, but there are no porpoises underneath. Very picturesque this time of year. Enjoy the views.

I'm going to cross this bridge, mark my words, market in your calendar…read more This is one of the many beautiful bridges crossing the Susquehanna River in Harrisburg. Old and glorious and part of one of the most picturesque views in all of the USA. The bridges crossing the river in Harrisburg are spectacularly old and gorgeous, and it's hard not to give any of them 5 stars.