No matter where I live, Southwestern Pennsylvania will
always be home. One can travel in less than two hours from Pittsburgh, a city
that has reinvented itself, becoming a corporate center, to the small towns
that sit along the National Road-Route 40, and further East into the Laurel
Highlands. 
Pittsburgh
not only boasts of being a thriving business community, but is also noted for
its medical centers and universities. The city is home to the Pittsburgh
Pirates baseball team, the Penguins hockey team and, of course, the Steelers
football team. I think it’s written into law somewhere that if you’re not a fan
of at least one of these teams, you can be voted off the island. Pittsburgh is
also rich with culture—The John Heinz Regional History Center, Phipps
Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, the Carnegie Museums of Natural History and
the Museum of Art, as well as ballet, opera, and Broadway productions. Restaurants
offer everything from fine dining to local fare—kielbasa, pierogies, and beer.
If you don’t have a good time on a Saturday night in Pittsburgh, the problem is definitely you.
South of Pittsburgh, you will find yourself in the foothills
of the Laurel Highlands in
Uniontown, the Fayette
County seat. Fayette County is both agricultural and a part
of the coal mining industry. Among the towns that lie along the Monongahela
River is Brownsville—rich in its own
history as a once-thriving town that has, sadly, seen better days. I grew up
here and remember when this small town, like so many others, bustled with
businesses that lined the main street. Unfortunately, time and change have not
been kind, as is the case with so many of our small towns. While most of those
businesses are now closed or the buildings fallen to ruin, one thing remains
alive in Brownsville.
Hope. People still turn out for celebrations—parades for St. Patrick’s Day,
Halloween, and Christmas. They hold community festivals and Rubber Ducky races
on the Mon (which, by the way, was named Pennsylvania’s
River of the Year for 2013). Brownsville is home
to Nemacolin Castle (formerly
Bowman’s Castle), built in 1789 by Jacob Bowman as a home and trading post.
It’s on the National Register of Historic Places and maintained today by the
Brownsville Historical Society. Brownsville
(under a fictional name) serves as a setting for my recent novel, A Falling
Star.
A brief drive east from Brownsville,
through Uniontown and up the mountain, will take you to a turn-off from Route
40 to Ohiopyle State Park along
the Youghiogheny River where you can hike, bike or, for
the more adventurous, go white water rafting. For the less adventurous, you can
grab a cone at the Dairy Queen and sit on a bench, watching the water bubble
over rocks.
While I think this region of Pennsylvania is beautiful any time of the
year, I get homesick every year in early October when the mountains come alive
with splashes of color, fall festivals offer homemade crafts and baked goods,
and the rich aroma of autumn fills the air.
Linda offers one signed copy of A
Falling Star to someone who can tell her the former name of Brownsville. If
more than one is right, she’s drawing from a hat. Comment here with the answer to be eligible
to win—include your contact email.
Bio: Linda Rettstatt
is an award-winning author who discovered her passion for writing after years
of working in the human services field. When she’s not writing, Linda loves
travel, nature photography, and figuring out what makes people tick. Her
fantasy is to win the lottery, buy an old Victorian home on the eastern shore
and open a writer’s retreat. While she waits for that fantasy to materialize,
she continues to write women’s fiction and mainstream romance novels under the
supervision of her tuxedo cat, Binky.
Website: www.lindarettstatt.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/linda_rettstatt
(Photos provided by author)
Redstone Old Fort was the original name of Brownsville, PA.
ReplyDeleteSalvatore Buttaci
Thanks for your wonderful travelogue of Western PA. It's a state I have really only driven through, except for visits to Gettysburg and the Amish area. Your discussion of the Brownsville area and the castle make me want to put that on my bucket list of places to visit in the US. BTW, Brownsville was formerly known as Redstone Old Fort.
ReplyDeletekareninnc at gmail dot com
What a beautiful tribute to Western PA. I have always wanted to visit Pittsburgh. I live on the border of Delaware and PA, only 30 miles from Philadelphia. I'm very familiar with Southeastern PA but not Western. You make the mountains and the rivers come alive.
ReplyDeleteLots of history and lots to see in my home state. My daughter is a Pitt grad. Haven't been back since she graduated, but you've provided incentive, Linda.
ReplyDeleteHi Annette
ReplyDeleteThis is just to let you know I have nominated your blog for the Liebster Award. For details, go to my blog at http://faithanncolburn.com/wordpress/the-liebster-award/
Faith A. Colburn
It's been awhile since I've been in Pennsylvania, but never that part of the state.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter spent a few days in Pittsburgh at a national convention for her honors fraternity. She liked what she got to see of it, when she had some time off from meetings. I've never been out there. Anywhere I can drag my camper to and enjoy nature, is a good place for me, so I guess I'll have to add Penn. to my list of places I'd like to visit if I ever get to retire.
ReplyDeletePittsburgh's a great city and mountains and farmland are not that far away. It's a beautiful place to visit. Brownsville, sadly, is showing the ravages of time and the economy, but the people sure have spirit.
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting. I'll announce the winner of the signed copy of A Falling Star tomorrow (Thursday) evening.
And the winner is.........Karen H. I'll shoot you an email for a mailing address. Congratulations! I hope you enjoy A Falling Star.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Pennsylvania and loved the walk through memory lane. Thanks, its been awhile since I had been home. I grew up in a small town called Bradford PA ,then lived in Pittsburgh before I moved south. I hate the winters. : ) Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteLynda
Thanks Linda. I'm sure I will enjoy your book.
ReplyDeleteAs i read your post, I realize this is the kind of place I like to visit. A big city with countryside near enough. Most likely, anything one wished for in a vacation, one would find there.
ReplyDelete