An American Songline

Journeys in Vintage Music with Cecelia Otto

Valley Forge

Summary of Eastern Pennsylvania (Philadelphia and Surroundings)

by

Hi all!

I apologize for the delay in posting. I was in an area of Pennsylvania where internet access was hard to come by for most of the week. Combine that with hearing about the loss of a dear old friend/American Songline supporter and two performances this past weekend, I now have the time to update you on my travels.  Expect a lot of posts over the next few days, and then I’ll go back to a more weekly schedule on here.

I was in the Philadelphia area for about a week, and I loved my time there. It was my first time in the area, and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. The neighborhoods in Philly and the surrounding areas are quirky, fun, and there’s plenty to see and do. I look forward to performing there in the future, and I have to give a big thanks to my hosts Dot and Zosia for making my stay an unforgettable one. I can’t wait to come back!

I’ll write a separate post about The General Warren Inne (where I performed) in my next post, but in the interim here’s some photo highlights from my time in Philadelphia:

Inaccessible part of the Lincoln Highway near Langhorne, PA
The Poquessing Creek Bridge was built in the 1805 and was used in the original 1913 LH route until the bypass was created in the early 1920s. Note the mix of brick and old concrete with the stone bridge.
Side of the Poquessing Creek Bridge.
The Divine Loraine Hotel has a fascinating past. Built between 1892-1894, this building on the Lincoln Highway housed some of Philadelphia’s Wealthy in the early years, and then became the first hotel in the city to be racially integrated. Today it is not in use.
One of my many headstones found in Valley Forge Cemetery. While not directly on the Lincoln Highway, Valley Forge National Park should not be missed. It is truly a beautiful place to see our country’s history.
These stained glass windows tell the story of George Washington’s life at Washington Memorial Chapel (Valley Forge). It is biggest non-religious dedication in this medium.
The tour guide told me his favorite artwork in the Washington Memorial Chapel was the hand made iron gate in front of the chapel. Here’s a close up of that gate.
My view of the Liberty Bell (only a couple blocks off the LH route in downtown Philly). While it is free to get in, you have to wait a long time to see it.
This is the site where an old Lincoln Highway concrete marker was in Malvern, PA. As you can see by the fresh dirt, this change happened recently. The yellow marker notes a gas pipeline is now going through here.
Mural on Fairmont Street in the Arts District in Philadelphia.

Thanks again for all of your support over the last few weeks and I hope things are going well on your path, wherever it may be.