We are in Scranton PA just off the President Biden Expressway. Scranton, as you know, is Biden’s home town.
Digression: Biden won the 2020 vote over Trump in Lackawanna County about 54 to 43. End of digression.
We are staying at the Radisson Lackawanna Hotel, the former headquarters of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railway. The last train pulled out of the station 56 years ago.
The hotel (we have stayed here previously) is known for its elegant lobby, its Tiffany glass stained windows, and for its very secure coat closet.
Of course, we started the day 260 miles from here, at a location known as “home”. We had four stops along the way.
Stop 1. We have seen most of the sights in Frederick MD, one of the nation’s most appealing mid-sized towns. But we had never seen the Hessian Barracks.
Unfortunately, you can not get too close. The barracks, built about 1780, are on the grounds of the Maryland School for the Deaf, and the school’s grounds are pretty much off limits. But this building has quite a history, including serving as a prison for captured Hessian prisoners during the Revolutionary War snd serving as a hospital during the Civil War. It has been part of the school since 1867. And, yes, that is a long time ago.
Our next stop was a lunch stop at the Kountry Kitchen in Thurmont, off Route 15 north of Frederick. It was our third or fourth time there. I ate light, just scrambled eggs, toast and potatoes. They don’t look remarkable (although they taste good), but you should know that this meal costs $5.99.
Stop number 3 was 25 miles up the road or so, just off one end of the Gettysburg battleground. It was the Eisenhower farm, where Ike and Mamie spent their retirement, although they had owned it for some time. We had never been there before, although it is very accessible, free, attractive and interesting. We had a good Park Service guide
Some pictures:
Leaving the house, our 4th stop was Dill’s Tavern in Dillsburg PA. Dill’s Tavern was built in the 1790s and expanded in the early 1800s. It has served the Dill and Eichelberger families as an inn, a tavern, a distillery office, a farm offiice, and a wheelwright’s office, until it wound up in other hands, finally as an antique shop. A county non-profit bought it about 30 years ago and restored it to its early 19th century looks. What I thought would be a 15 minute stop turned into a 1.5 hour tour (and we left before being able to see two of the outbuildings). Very worthwhile, if a bit TMI.
Again, some photos:
From Dillsburg, which is south of Harrisburg, to Scranton is a little over two hours. This stretch of the trip we made without a stop. Beautiful scenery.
And here we are. Dinner last night at the hotel. Edie ordered salmon. She was very surprised when they brought pasta with a pork bolognese sauce. But I guess that is Scranton.
