That was an incredible storm. It’s left parts of Philadelphia and its region in shambles and flooded. Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey have confirmed 43 deaths and billions of dollars in damage. Luckily, my family and friends have all check-in as safe.
PLEASE be careful this holiday weekend. It may look sunny but there are concerns. Rivers and streams are still subsiding and some roads are closed. The Norristown train station has fallen into a sinkhole and some parts are still without power.
Make sure that if you are venturing out this weekend that you check if it is safe to go. Check the venues, locations, restaurants or performances are still open and operating. Also make sure that roads and transportation are still functioning. Take the time to look into what’s going on in the area you want to go to. Be safe!
I have always admired European train travel. I have jumped trains in Italy and taken the train between London and Paris with my kids. We all sat on the train speeding through the Chunnel while reading and viewing the countryside. When we went to Italy for Christmas in 2015, we had lunch in Florence after viewing David and then dinner in Venice. It was amazing, convenient and relatively inexpensive. The only train rides I have taken in the US are between NYC and Philadelphia. I have often looked for trips via Amtrak when I catch a deal and they are usually either too long, not a deal, or inconvenient due to where I need to catch the train.
I caught a new piece about Amtrak’s expansion. According to amtrakconnectsus.com, their plan will
Connect up to 160 communities throughout the United States by building new or improved rail corridors in over 25 states.
Introduce new stations in over half of U.S. states, increase rail service to 47 out of the top 50 metropolitan areas.
Generate $30 billion in direct investments in our communities and reduce carbon emissions by nearly 50% when compared to automobile travel.
Create an estimated 550,000 skilled labor jobs in communities served through the construction, operation, maintenance and associated economic activity generated by Amtrak.
I am excited about the plan since it connects my immediate area to NYC. Right now, I either have to park at a local train station, ride to the 30th Street Station in Philadelphia and jump into an Amtrak or the NJ transit or I drive to Princeton and jump the NJ Transit into NYC. We usually opt for the hour drive to Princeton. Bestie Bob and I drove the 1 mile to the Malvern Train Station and then to NYC via the 30th Street Station. We had several pauses on the tract into Philly because of wet leaves on the track. We left 4 hours early for our Blue Man Group tickets and were just on time because we jumped the Amtrak to go faster at triple the cost.
WMFZ Map: Reading to NYC
The Reading NYC route would travel roundtrip three times a day with a travel time of 3 hours one way. The trip would connect Reading to the 30th Street Station in Philly and then head to NYC from there. “A train ride from Reading to Philadelphia would take 1 hour and 37 minutes, with proposed stops in Pottstown, Phoenixville, King of Prussia, and Norristown.” The route would connect dozen universities and more than 50 Fortune 500 companies. Amtrak speculates that this route will help alleviate congestion on I-95 between Philly and NYC due to the 250,000 commuters a day from Philly to NYC.
To find articles related to the Amtrak expansion in your area, I have included a link below:
I am a transplant from the Midwest and am Cleveland born and bred. One of my favorite pastimes there was the exploration of historical sites and personal narratives. I have lived in the Philadelphia area for 11 years and still marvel at how lucky I am to live here. It’s such a unique area with its history, food, and people. One of my favorite aspects of living in this area is learning about the historical sites that abound. I have often said that it is difficult to throw a stone with hitting something of historical value (or a pizza shop).
After researching the Kennedy-Supplee mansion, I began to do a look through the kophistory.org website and found more interesting locations to explore. One of the locations is called the Port Kennedy Bone Cave. It’s a limestone cave in the Port Kennedy section of Valley Forge Park and contains prehistoric fossils. The fossil deposit is from the Irvingtonian period and was caused when plants, insects, and animals fell into a sinkhole. It’s considered to be one of the most significant Pleistocene Epoch fossil deposits in North America. The site was found in the 1870s during routine limestone mining. After the initial expedition the site was covered. Another expedition began in 1893 after subsequent mining at a lower level exposed more of the site.
The expeditions by Mercer, Wheatley and Cope and Mercer and Dixon identified 1200 fossils including a “giant ground sloth, mastodon, tapir, peccary, skunk, short-faced bear, saber-toothed cat, and many other taxa” (NPS History). The original studies found “Most of the seeds represent hickory, beech, pine, and creeper. Most of the leaves belong to willow. Sphagnum moss was also found. Hickory also made up most of the identifiable wood, and oak was also present. A dozen species of beetles were found, but no other invertebrates were reported, or any fish. Amphibians and reptiles are represented by frogs, turtles, and snakes. The only bird appears to be a turkey. Many kinds of mammals were found, including: ground sloths, shrews, rodents, rabbits, pikas, bats, mustelids (including badgers, martens, otters, and wolverines), skunks, several varieties of felines (including bobcats, American cheetahs, and saber-toothed cats), dogs, foxes, short-faced bears, black bears, mastodons, horses, tapirs, deer, and peccaries.” (NPS.gov)
Mining of the cave stopped in 1896 due to groundwater which flooded the area and made it impossible to mine. The location of the cave became obscured when the Ehret Magnesium Manufacturing Company filled the cavity with manufacturing waste containing asbestos. Over time the site became covered by vegetation. The site went untouched and missing until Valley Forge Park commissioned a group to find the cave. A study based on field notes from the original expedition was done in 2005. Edward B. Daeschler, assistant curator in the Department of Vertebrate Zoology from the Academy of Natural Sciences, Matthew C. Lamanna, assistant curator in the Section of Vertebrate Paleontology from the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, and Margaret A. Carfioli, biological science technician from the Valley Forge National Historical Park found the missing site in a quarry. The site is still originally preserved with the asbestos material still covering it.
The area is still providing more clues to its prehistoric past. I recall reading an article in 2019 about a dinosaur fossil found in the park which is being kept secret so as to preserve the fossil from theft or alteration. The fossil was found on a trail by a volunteer who has a background in paleontology and geology. The rock is 210 million years old argillite and the fossils are from the Triassic period. The fossil appears to be three-toed impression of a dinosaur and an impression of a modern crocodile. The fossil impressions are not considered rare or unique but are still protected through its undisclosed location.
It seems like there is so much to learn about the Philadelphia area. My muse, in the form of my SO, has been here all his life. He grew up in Philadelphia and then moved to King of Prussia at the tender age of 18 before the huge developments took over in the form of King of Prussia Mall and all that surrounds it. I constantly tease him about his North Philadelphia origins. I tell him that he actually grew up in Bucks County since his family was able to cross the street and change locations. To say he his a hard core Philly guy is an understatement. One of my favorite people, Susan, grew up not far from him and they went to high school a few blocks from each other. Philadelphia is indeed a small world. I love listening to them reminisce about life in Philly.
Allen and I were driving through Valley Forge Park recently. There is a huge building right on 422 near the park’s visitor center which has sat abandoned for quite some time. It was once a restaurant called Kennedy-Supplee and he wondered if something would come of it. It is quite an imposing building with architectural flair. The mansion sits silently staring at the traffic on the 422 corridor and Allen wondered about its future and past. After dinner, we were reclining on the sofa looking for a documentary to watch, Allen began to search for information on the old restaurant. He found a website called kophistory.org. It’s a local organization that seeks to preserve all of the history of the area. Of course, theis peaked my interest.
I started looking through the website and found some interesting information about the history of the Valley Forge area. It is well known as the Continental Army’s winter home under the supervision of General George Washington. Valley Forge Park highlights that history through the preservation of locations and information. There is so much more to the area than being the winter home of the continental army. Port Kennedy was an important Civil War era site.
Port Kennedy Village flourished due to limestone production, The Kennedy family established the village as one of the leading manufacturers of limestone in the US due to its proximity to the Schuylkill River, the canal, and Reading Railroad station. The village grew to include a three-story hotel, a blast furnace, a stone house, workshops, a Reading Railroad Station, wharfs, a Presbyterian Church with a cemetery and several homes. The village was named after John Kennedy who owned 14 kilns and several quarries in the area. The village eventually declined by World War I and 600 people were displaced and 160 structured demolished when Valley Forge Park expanded. The park grew to 1500 acres when the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania declared the park should encompass the area that George Washington occupied including his army’s outposts. The mansion, railroad station, church/cemetery, and one house are all that remains of Port Kennedy.
Kennedy built his Victorian Italianate home “Kenhurst” in 1852, which he used to promote the use of lime based plaster. The property included a barn which was not only used for agriculture but for monthly livestock auctions. Kennedy was involved in agriculture and livestock through the Montgomery County Agricultural Society and the Montgomery County Grange. He was a community leader through his involvement with Port Kennedy Bridge Company, which developed a bridge connection between Port Kennedy and the Betzwood area, the Farmer’s and Merchant’s Bank in Phoenixville, and the Upper Merion Township School District. Kennedy died of a heart attack in 1877 and the property was willed to his son. Kennedy’s widow, Margaret, continued to live there until her death in 1886.
Kennedy-Supplee Mansion (NPS picture)
The mansion has gone through several changes and owners. It’s future is yet decided. This is not a location that offers tours or entry, so, be aware of potential trespassing. Hopefully, I will be able to update this blog with news on this grand mansion’s revival.
1852-1860: John Kennedy built Kenhurst
1911 to 1936: J. Henderson Supplee (died as the last Civil War veteran in Montgomery County).
1919: Port Kennedy was acquired by the NPS through eminent domain in order to expand Valley Forge Park when the VF Park Commission received a 250,000 grant to condemn the village.
Port Kennedy Inn
1950’s: An apartment building
1960s: The construction of the 422 corridor divided the property
1976: Valley Forge State Park became Valley Forge National Historic Park
1978: The National Park Service acquired the property through eminent domain. The mansion was used as housing for park employees.
1983 (June 21): The Kennedy-Supplee Mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
1986: Kennedy Supplee Associates LP signed a 55-year lease with the NPS and began restoration.
1983-2004: The national historic landmark opened as a 130 seat restaurant called the Kennedy-Supplee Mansion Restaurant.
2004: The VF Park Commission drafted a ‘request for proposal’ to lease the national historic landmark
2005: The Kennedy-Supplee Associates entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy
2006: The VF Park Commission held an open house inspection for prospective bidders
2006: The Kennedy-Supplee Associates auctioned off all assets
2007: The VF Park Commission selected Piazza Management and Thomas Drauschak’s lease proposal as a restaurant, professional offices, special events, and conferences and catering. The company operates the Westover Country Club in West Norriton.
2022: Projected completion of the Kennedy-Supplee project
I am shocked. I was researching some sites for future trips and tours when I stumbled across some interesting locations at https://uncoveringpa.com/abandoned-places-in-pennsylvania. Some I had seen before but most I hadn’t and the one that caught my eye was the Camp Michaux/Pine Grove Furnace Prisoner of War Interrogation Camp in Michaux State Forest in Fayetteville, Pennsylvania. I have found it called by both names but it looks like it was officially name is Camp Michaux. Camp Michaux is 1 of 9 POW locations in Pennsylvania.
There were POW camps in 47 states and imprisoned 425,871 German, Italian and Japanese prisoners. Most camps were in the South due to the cost of heating. The state with the most camps was California with 106 and then Texas with 80. All enlisted men received a space equal to that of a conscripted US solider, officers received larger accommodations and the 43 captured generals and admirals stayed in private bungalows. The US strictly followed Geneva Convention guidelines and ensured that prisoners received, food, housing, weather appropriate clothing, and medical care. Perks like beer, wine, recreational and religious facilities, and entertainment were provided. Most prisoners were allowed to visit nearby towns.
Prisoners were expected to work as long as it was non-war related due to a labor shortage. Approximately 90% of the Italians POWs volunteered for the Italian Services Unit and worked on Army depots, in arsenals and hospitals, and on farms. Prisoners were paid which allowed them to purchase extras like beer and wine and to take money home after the war. Some prisoners were loyal Nazis and later on in the war segregated into special camps to protect prisoners who the loyalists felt were too friendly with the Americans. Camp Huntsville in Texas and Camp Alva in Oklahoma were two of the first segregated camps for loyal Nazis. Escapes occurred and more than not the prisoners were caught. Two prisoners escaped after the war was over and hid in the US. George Gartner avoided capture for 40 years and turned himself over to authorities in 1985.
After the war, the U.S. began to repatriate all POWs. Some stayed in the US and became citizens while other who were born in the US but conscripted while in Italy and Germany before US involvement were deported to those countries to await their citizenship hearings. Some prisoners did not want to return because they lost their homes to the war or were in soviet controlled areas and some were killed upon return to the Soviet Union. Some POW’s married US citizens. These marriages were not allowed in the US and the women were chaperoned to Italy to marry after which they were allowed to bring their new husbands back to the US.
This was eyeopening for me. I knew about the camps in California and didn’t realize how many others were spread across the US. This has opened up a whole new area of investigation and travel and will I’ll be looking further into this and identifying some spots around the US as part of some future road trips. For now, Camp Michaux is part of my road trip to Knoxville in October and I am really looking forward to this adventure.
