From Pittsburgh to Philly on the Lincoln Highway

I found another little piece of American history at a nearby flea market. It cost me a dollar. The Lincoln Highway, the first coast-to-coast highway in the country, has a significant 324-mile leg in Pennsylvania.

I knew Mark would enjoy this one, since he grew up right off of the Lincoln Highway (Route 30).  The road crosses through Pennsylvania, but these first two are from right near his parents' house.

Nearly a century of development have radically changed the land, but the shape of the road has more or less remained the same.  Mark was instantly able to explain to me where the pictures on these two postcards came from.

(Read more below.)

But not everything about the road has changed.  Many of the beautiful scenic views driving through the state are still found along the highway.  We're hoping to take a trip to Gettysburg sometime this year, which will take us directly along this route.  Maybe we can even find some of the same views that are in these postcards.

The Lincoln Highway, which stretches from San Francisco to New York City, was dedicated in 1913, and remains a well-traveled historic route. Even Rick Sebak, a well-known Pittsburgh documentary filmmaker (essentially a local legend), made a movie about the highway a few years ago.

Judging from the looks of the cars in the postcards, I'm guessing this booklet was distributed within a few years of the highway being dedicated. Like some of the other postcard booklets I've collected, these cards are attached and two-sided, and accordion fold in and out.

But more than anything, what makes this collection most special for me is the fact that I'm familiar with several of these areas. I haven't driven the Lincoln Highway intentionally, per se, but I've driven small parts here in Pennsylvania and Ohio. Seeing how roads and landscapes change over time is always fascinating to me.

Another fun fact: Back in the day, it could take 30 days to travel the road from end to end.

According to the Association's 1916 Official Road Guide a trip from the Atlantic to the Pacific on the Lincoln Highway, to make it in 30 days the motorist would need to average 18 miles an hour for six hours per day, and driving was only done during daylight hours.

I can't imagine driving thousands of miles at 18 mph, but of course, it was a different time 100 years ago.

How do you think roads and landscapes where you've lived have changed over the past century?

Meow Mail

Hey yinz!

It feels good to put the fingers back to the keyboard. While I'm still not totally back in the blogging groove just yet, I'm trying to nail down more of a schedule as a motivating tool. I miss having this space, yet it the same time, its been nice to step away from things for a bit to refocus on what I'd like to accomplish here, but also, focus on things that aren't on the Internet. :)

ANYWHO. Let's talk about important things. Like these ridiculously awesome vintage kitty postcards I found recently. I've been on kind of a postcard binge at the last few flea markets where I've shopped. And I'm not sure which cat I love most in the salon scene, but I think I like the boy cat holding onto the dog. Haha.

I'm not gonna lie: If you follow me on Instagram, you know I've been a bit obsessed with my cat, Waldo, as of late. He's unlike any cat I've ever dealt with before, and he's kind of the best.

Por ejemplo:

Wally wanted to help with laundry, but I'm not sure this is going to work...

A photo posted by Kate (@thriftburgher) on Mar 7, 2015 at 7:45pm PST

Um, I think Wally just discovered his favorite movie. He's been watching intently the whole time, except during this part when I had to stop him from swatting at the screen.

A photo posted by Kate (@thriftburgher) on Jan 27, 2015 at 7:09pm PST

I've become a cat lady. But seriously, aren't cats the best? :D

Horseshoe Curve

According to RailRoadCity.com, when the Horseshoe Curve railroad track in Altoona, Pa. opened in 1854, it was a huge innovation for its time. Once the track opened, people could cross Pennsylvania at practically lightning speed: 15 hours!

Pennsylvania is a wide state, but you can probably drive from border to border in about 5 or 6 hours, present day.

As you can see, I did a little research for this postcard post. I know about the train track because it's local, and it's named after a minor baseball team in that town, but didn't know all of the details about why a railroad track that makes a 180 degree turn had so much fame.

The back of the postcard reads:

World famous Horseshoe Curve showing parking area visited by hundreds of tourists each year, Altoona, Pa.

Because of the topography in Western Pennsylvania being so hilly, traveling in the 1800s was very laborious, especially if trying to cross parts of the state with Appalachian Mountains.

I love the picturesque hills and trees of the region, but it still sometimes is a pain in the ass to get around. Haha. Pittsburgh is known not only for its bridges (rumor has it that Pittsburgh is home to more bridges than Florence, Italy), but for its tunnels and great scenic views, mostly because of the hills here.

I picked this postcard up in an antique shop last summer, I think, not far from where Altoona is located. I loved it because of the beautiful foliage; autumn is my favorite season. And the old cars in the photo are great. With the cars, my guess is the picture was probably taken in the late 1950s or early 1960s.

This is also the first postcard I decided to buy, eventually sparking this feature and my ridiculous postcard collection. We'll also be going through Altoona on an upcoming train trip Mark and I have planned. How exciting, right??

Are there any weird historical innovations that are known in your town or region?

Time Travel Tuesday: Washington DC Postcard

I bought this postcard from an older lady at a garage sale a few weekends ago for 50 cents.

She told me she's 74 years old now, and went to Washington D.C. with her dad when she was five, so I'm guessing this postcard is about 70 years old.

It's a beautiful postcard not just because of the scene, but because the paper itself is higher quality, almost fabric-like.

The description on the back reads:

These beautiful Japanese Cherry Blossom Trees which line Riverside Drive, Potomac Park, were a gift to the United States Government by the Municipality of Tokyo, when Mr. Yukio Ozaki was Mayor of the city. In the Spring of the year, these dainty trees in bloom are a most beautiful sight and might suggest to the traveler a scene in old Nippon itself.

Where the little stamp square is, also, it says "place one cent stamp here." I could only wish postcard stamps cost a penny now!

The lady had about a half dozen beautiful postcards. I'm not sure why I didn't buy them all! Oh well.

I've never been to Washington D.C. to see the cherry blossoms, but it's something I've wanted to do for a long time. I think the last time I was there was when I was in high school.

Considering I graduated eight years ago, I'm probably long overdue for a trip, especially since I only live a six-hour drive away.

What kinds of touristy events have you longed to visit or have visited?