There are several impressive roadside waterfalls in Pennsylvania, but none as impressive as Hinkston Run Falls near Johnstown. Hinkston Run Falls drops 60 feet off of stone cliffs into an impressive pool below. According to information online, Hinkston Run Falls is not naturally occurring, but…
There are hundreds of waterfalls hidden away in Pennsylvania’s woods visited only by locals or the few intrepid people willing to follow scant directions to find them. Yoder Falls near Johnstown is one of these waterfalls. Yoder Falls is located on land that belongs to…
On May 31, 1889, a devastating flood struck Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and the surrounding countryside. Caused by the bursting of the South Fork Dam 14 miles above the city, a wall of water and debris struck the city. When the waters receded, more than 2,200 people…
Hidden History is a new series that explores historical sites that are off limits to the general public. If you own a property in PA that would be a good fit, feel free to contact me. Johnstown, Pennsylvania, is best known today for the flood…
In the 1830s, the first inclined planes in the United States were completed in and around Cambria County, Pennsylvania, as part of the Allegheny Portage Railroad. Over the coming decades, this technology was used to create no less than 17 inclined planes in Pittsburgh, which…
Pennsylvania is home to four of the United States’ 30 national memorials. I’ve previously visited the Flight 93 Memorial in Somerset County, the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial, and the Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial, both in Philadelphia. However, until recently, I hadn’t visited the site of one of the…
Prior to 1834, a trip across Pennsylvania was a long and arduous journey. Using a combination of horses and wagons to cross the Allegheny Mountains, the trip could take as long as 23 days. However, that all changed in 1834 with the construction of the…
