| Pennsylvania |
| Pennsylvania is a large state in the northeast that holds some of America's most significant historical sites, most populous cities, and some very unique culture. One of America's largest and most interesting city's is Philadelphia, where the Declaration of Independence was signed. Other major cities include Pittsburgh, Lancaster, and Harrisburg which all combine to make Pennsylvania the 6th most populous state in the country. The rest of Pennsylvania has smaller towns and farms, some vast mountainous regions and a 50 mile shore along the great lakes. |
| Pennsylvania Links |
| Here you can see pictures from Pennsylvania's capital Harrisburg. When I arrived to Harrisburg I expected to come across another tiny state capital with little to see. I was surprised to find a decent sized city and lots going on. I realized after I came home that Harrisburg is near the site of the nuclear meltdown that occurred on 3 mile island in 1979. I'll have to revisit again! On the left is the state capitol building inspired by Rome's St Peter's Basilica and said to be one of USA's best. |
| On the left is another photo of downtown Harrisburg with St. Patrick's cathedral in the center. In the background you can barely make out the Susquehanna River which flows through the city. On the right is a picture of the inside of St. Patrick's cathedral which was celebrating its 100th anniversary. |
| Pennsylvania also was the site of many civil war battles, including the Battle of Gettysburg. The Battle of Gettysburg had the more causalities than any other civil war battle. The southern Confederate General Robert E. Lee had decided to attempt a second invasion into the north and arrived to the Gettysburg area June 30th. At 5am on July 1st the Confederate army met with the Union army and the three day battle began which ended with 50,000 causalities. The Union won the battle and this was considered the turning point of the Civil War. Gettysburg today is filled with many monuments, a large museum and cemetery. On the left is a family checking out a civil war era cannon. On the right is the Pennsylvania monument, one of over 1,400 shrines and monuments in Gettysburg Battlefield. |
| Above are 'pictures of pictures' I took in the museum. The museum has large photos blown up on the walls that I took pictures of. The civil war was one of the world's first wars that emerged with photographs. Since cameras back then could not take shots of moving objects, usually soldiers posing, fortifications or battle aftermath shots were taken. On the left are some civil war soldiers in camp. On the right are dead Union Soldiers after the battle of Gettysburg, the photo was titled "The Harvest of Death" |
| he castle on the left is actually Lancaster's Prison, but was modeled after the real castle in Lancaster England. On the right is some upper class restaurant in the city's downtown area. |
| These two photos here were also taken from Lancaster. On the left is a picture of a band competition that I stumbled upon between several high schools. On the right is a family enjoying the last days of summer on their front porch. |
I haven't had a chance to do any hiking or exploring in Pennsylvania's outdoor areas, but here are two photos I took
during my trip to the state. On the left is a chipmunk climbing up on a rock, on the right was some cool flower I saw.
during my trip to the state. On the left is a chipmunk climbing up on a rock, on the right was some cool flower I saw.
| Here are some pictures of Pennsylvania's farm areas. Normal Americans do most of the farming in Pennsylvania of course, but Amish Americans also own large farms as well.. These pictures were taken in late September when squash and pumpkins were in the middle of their season. On the right is an old lady purchasing some produce at a small farm by the highway.. |
| To me, one of the most interesting things about Pennsylvania is the Amish. The Amish are a group of people who number about 200,000 and to this day refuse to use any modern technology. The Amish live the same way most American's would have in the 18th and 19th centuries, using horses and carriages for transportation, |
| Pennsylvania's biggest city and America's 5th largest is Philadelphia, often called Philly by Americans. Philadelphia is a great city to visit; its one of America's most historic places, and always seems to have something going on. Here you can see Philly's downtown area, with the new city hall in the center of the photo. On the right is all that is left of Tun Tavern, a bar where the United States Marine Corps was founded on November 10 1775. |
| As the capital of the Revolutionary War, Philadelphia has one of America's most historic treasures, the Liberty Bell seen above. The bell was ordered in 1745 and when it was hung in Independence Hall seen on the left, it was dropped forming a large crack. The Liberty Bell was used several times for many famous occasions, the most important was when it was rung to summon citizens of Philadelphia and the Declaration of Independence was read. During the Revolutionary War, the Liberty Bell was removed from Independence hall and hidden from the British. |
| On the left is the entrance to the Walnut Street Theater, the oldest theater in the United States. Walnut Street Theater might not be very famous for most people, but Philly cheese steaks is something people all around America have heard of. Its common for restaurants in other states around the US to sell the famous Philly cheese steaks. |
| The southern part of Philly which isn't considered a tourist area has some of the highest crime rates among big cities in America. These photos above are not from this area, but on the left you can see some rundown houses elsewhere. On the right is a huge mural painted in the city. |
| Post a question or comment about traveling in Pennsylvania. |
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| farming for food, and building their own homes and equipment out of local blacksmith shops. Unfortunately I missed photos of actual Amish, which can be a difficult task since they do not pose for pictures as part of their religion. Above is an abandoned carriage and house that was used once used by Amish but left behind as they moved further away from the growing city. |
| Here are some local crops that are harvested by Amish. Farming is one of their main sources of income, but they also benefit from making handmade furniture and other items. Above is a field of corn, and tobacco hanging to dry. |
| These two photos are of some of the nice areas in Philadelphia, a street corner in the main district and nice town homes. These photos are from the very end of summer when the weather was perfect and plenty of people were out trying to enjoy the last warm days before fall. |
| Philadelphia is also famous for its museums, especially the museum of art seen above. I'm not sure how this statue came about, but another famous icon is the Rocky statue. |
| Another interesting city in Pennsylvania is Lancaster which was named after its sister city in England. During the Revolutionary War the British took over Philadelphia which was the capital of the United States at the time. The colonists then moved the capital to Lancaster, which had the honor of being the capital for one full day. On the left is Penn square, above an old church in Lancaster |
| Above are some quick photos of the small town of Lancaster, where lots of small shops line the main streets. |
| Robinson from Kenya: It's beautiful there and very rich county. Wish I could visit but have not enough cash or visas |