My husband and I recently took a short trip to Pennsylvania. You can read about the previous days here.
Today it was time to return home, but our only goal was to be home before dark. We decided to start the day with a return to the creamery to watch them make ice cream. Access to that was closed by the time we got there yesterday.
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| Storytelling chair at the Bellefonte Library |
Then we returned to Bellefonte, the town we had dinner in the first night. Bellefonte is a little town rich in history and is known for its picturesque Victorian architecture. As we wandered around town we struck up a conversation with a man who was mowing the lawn at the library. He told us several things we should see and insisted we go into the local museum and ask for Judy, which we did. It turns out that Judy gave a personal tour of the museum as well as advice on genealogy research. Our next planned stop was in Altoona about halfway home. There we were going to visit Horseshoe Curve, an important place in the westward expansion of the railroad. But on the way to Horseshoe Curve, I saw a billboard that advertised Altoona as the home of Boyer Candy Company, maker of my childhood favorite candy, Mallo Cups. Talk about nostalgia, I just had to see it and luckily, we found the candy factory in the heart of the industrial district. Unfortunately, they were not giving factory tours, but we did enjoy the outlet store and the candy history featured there (not to mention a few candy bars).
Then it was onto Horseshoe Curve. Horseshoe Curve was an engineering feat built in 1854 that helped trains make it over the Allegheny Mountains. It is still used today and we saw two freight trains go around the bend while we were there. Ward was almost as thrilled with the engineering and trains as I was at the candy factory. A day filled with something for everyone. :)
A few scenes from the last day of our little getaway.
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| Making ice cream is a complicated process. |
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A bench shaped like a book was in front of the library.
It had scenes of Bellefonte painted on it. |
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| The Bellefonte Museum was full of interesting things, but this glass chain, in particular, caught my eye. My grandmother had one like it and we have never known its origin or purpose. Unfortunately, Judy couldn't shed any light on the subject. |
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A few of the large Victorian houses around Bellefonte.
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| Does anyone else remember saving the paper coins that came with the Mallo Cups and mailing them in for free candy? Today, you can get a T-shirt with the coins. |
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| The train begins its climb. |
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| Waiting for it on the other side. Ward took a video of the train traversing the horseshoe bend through the valley and up the other side. I didn't have the patience for that. |
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| Instead, I spent my time wondering how this lone corn plant by the tracks was able to produce ears with nothing around to pollenize it. |
We are home and ready to stay for a while. So, until next time...
