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| Fallingwater…….one of Frank Lloyd Wrights finest works and a UNESCO World Heritage Site |
Currently Ben's days off are Tuesday and Wednesday. Yesterday the three of us left Slippery Rock around 8:30 in the morning to spend the day in the Southwest region of Pennsylvania known as the Laurel Highlands. When we got back to his house last night around 9:00 we all agreed that our three destinations were outstanding and very diverse. It was a long day, but a fun day. The leaves through the rolling hills continue to become more colorful by the day, making the journey equally as enjoyable as the destinations.
First up was a quick stop and tour of Jellystone Park in Mill Run. Ben has become good friends with the General Manager and several other members of their leadership team. He wanted to say hello and wanted us to see the park. We didn't have much time, but it was fun meeting them and getting a quick tour. This is a really nice and very large campground with shaded campsites, cabins of all sizes and enough amenities to keep adults and children of all ages entertained spring, summer and fall (they do keep some of their cabins open through the winter). We're glad we had a chance to stop by for a few minutes. It's a beautiful campground managed by some really nice people!
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| Hey, Hey, Hey...….the Jellystone Park at Mill Run is fantastic! |
Just a few miles from the Jellystone Park is what has been recognized by members of the American Institute of Architects as "the best all-time work of American architecture, Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater. This home, which recently received the UNESCO World Heritage designation was designed by Wright in 1935. The weekend home and adjoining guest house, were built over a waterfall on Bear Run Creek for a prominent Pittsburgh family (Kaufman family). It was completed in 1939. In the early 1960's the surviving son of the Kaufman's turned the house and it's 1,500 acres of land over to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. In 1964 it was opened to the public and has attracted millions of visitors through the years. All visits are guided tours with small groups (we had fourteen in our group). Our guide was very informative, providing way more information than I can remember during our one hour tour. Please note: We purchased our tour tickets about a month in advance and many tours for yesterday were already sold out at the time of purchase. If you're planning to visit Fallingwater, you'll be glad you did, but plan ahead!
Fallingwater
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| The Kaufman family thought the house would be built beside the fall. Wright had a different idea and built the house over the falls |
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| We had a nice lunch in Ohiopyle, a small community on the Allegheny River |
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| The Allegheny River |
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| Ben checking out Cucumber Falls in Ohiopyle State Park |
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| The Laurel Highlands is famous for it's covered bridges |
Our final stop for the day was at the United Flight 93 Memorial near the small community of Shanksville. On this cool, crisp late afternoon the setting couldn't have been more of a contrast to the terrible event that occurred here on the morning of September 11, 2001. The memorial honors the forty passengers that lost their lives that morning as part of the orchestrated terrorist attacks. It is operated by the National Park Service and includes a visitors center, which details the events of the day and honors the legacy of passengers on board the flight, including those who fought bravely to regain control of the plane. Beyond the visitors center is a memorial wall leading to the crash site. There is a wall with individual panels that has the names of all the passengers on board. While in some ways it is a difficult place to visit, it is also an important place to visit to reflect and not forget.
We were all moved by the peacefulness of the site, set in the rolling country side of the Laurel Highlands.
United Flight 93 Memorial
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| The visitors center at the United Flight 93 Memorial |
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| From the visitors center overlooking the crash site |
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| The Tower of Voices at the United Flight 93 Memorial. When completed it will have forty windchimes. |
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| Although not operational yet, eight windchimes are currently in place. |
