Pennsylvania - aka: The state of Hershey!

Even though Hershey will be our biggest memory from PA, there was much to do across the board.

After we pushed through NJ, we took a tour of the closed Bethlehem Steel plant. The history of a major industry is fascinating, especially when you are standing on the land. A casino came in and purchased the land to preserve the history of Bethlehem Steel. They are restoring the area, making it tourable and bringing jobs to the area. There is an arts center where they hold outdoor events, festivals and many community activities right below the big burners.

That night we stayed in a Cabelas parking lot - our favorite. There were about 10 other RVs there. This pic only shows the ones left at 9 am.

The next day we headed into the hills of PA to see a coal mine that was closed in the 1950s. We went 850 ft in and were 1000 ft below the hill. It was damp, dark, closed-in and a cool 49 degrees. Men were paid by the amount of coal they pulled out of a hill with pick and ax, a light on their helmets and their own skill. The average pay in 1930 was less than $2 a week.

Though steel and coal arent high on kids list, the golden prize of the day was staying in Hershey!

Check out the lights!

We took a class is tasting chocolate, we watched movies, we ate chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate in many forms and we made our own candy bars!

Then to top the day off we took a tour of Amish country, starting with Amish village. We learned so much about them, and really how much they do function in today's society. What they do is admirable - keep technology out of the home, have a work ethic that allows them to save and be comfortable, and putting family and teaching and raising their kids high on their list. Though the way they work seems outdated, they be no means suffer or fall behind in their livelihood. Plus the goodies they make and sell were fabulous - topped off the chocolate we had already consumed.

 

And to top off the already full and wonderful day, we met the Shivers and Kim's dad for dinner.

The government reopened that weekend so off to Gettysburg we went. What an elaborate place of history and what a turning point in our nation. Had it gone the other way, 

we would not be the USA of today.

 

The Cyclorama, a 360 degree picture of Pickets Charge.

And then we went into the field....

High Points by Mom:

• Hershey Chocolate Factory!
• Cabelas in PA - loved staying there
• Steel and mining history - the people, the economics, the industry
• Seeing the Shivers on the road again.
• Learning about the Amish and their practices - its not Pennsylvania Dutch, its Deutsch - or at least that's what our guide told us, and since the Amish speak German in church, that makes more sense.
• The solemnity of Gettysburg and its importance in the history of the Civil War - the loss of men, the could-have-been, the disappointing strategics...