Day 22 – September 26

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Day 22 - September 26

We may not have any more major sights to see, but yesterday produced plenty of photo opportunities. The Ohiopyle area, located in the Laurel Highlands of southwestern Pennsylvania, is one of the most scenic areas we have seen on our trip.

Within a five-mile area, we saw Ohiopyle Falls and its rapids, Cucumber Falls, and Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic Fallingwater—the famous house built over a waterfall. 

But we found even more great places to see and photograph—a field full of pumpkins, another covered bridge that we actually drove through, and a historic church.

The first beautiful place we saw was Ohiopyle State Park. It was early enough in the morning that the temperature was still chilly, around 48 degrees, adding to the experience of walking along the banks of the Youghiogheny River and hearing the soothing sounds of the rapids just a few feet from where I stood.

We left Ohiopyle and drove just a short distance to Fallingwater—Frank Lloyd Wright’s famous home. What an incredible place—beautiful, enchanting, and mesmerizing. It was the most beautiful setting for a home I have ever seen.

Then we drove a few miles to Cucumber Falls. It was inaccessible for Gayle, but just a short walk for me—although it turned into a little exercise with those steep stairs! 

The falls itself wasn’t that impressive, but once again, the setting created a beautiful scene and made the climb back up those steep stairs to the parking lot worth it.

After viewing Cucumber Falls, it was time to start traveling toward West Virginia. We were headed to Grafton, where Gayle’s grandparents once lived, when we came upon something I had been wanting to see—a field full of pumpkins. It was the first time I had ever seen one. See pics below.

Yes, I know. I’m 72 years old and had never seen a pumpkin field until yesterday. But, good grief, Charlie Brown, I’ve seen—and eaten—a lot of good pumpkin pies in my lifetime.

We arrived in Grafton, West Virginia, and drove down Main Street. With a population of only a little over 4,000 people, Grafton is a small town with a significant place in American history. Why? It is recognized as the birthplace of Mother’s Day.

The first observance of what became modern Mother’s Day was held on May 10, 1908, at Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton. See pics below.

After visiting the site where Gayle’s grandparents once lived—the house has since been torn down—we headed south toward our destination for the night: Weston, West Virginia.

On the way to Weston, we came upon the small town of Philippi, West Virginia, and another unexpected piece of history—the Philippi Covered Bridge.

Built in 1852, it is West Virginia’s oldest surviving covered bridge and one of the few remaining double-barreled, or two-lane, covered bridges in the United States. Even more unusual, we got to drive through it! See pics below.

The bridge spans the Tygart Valley River and also has a connection to the Civil War. The Battle of Philippi was fought nearby on June 3, 1861, and is widely regarded as the first organized land battle of the Civil War. Union troops later used the bridge as a barracks.

What started as a day of waterfalls and Fallingwater turned into much more—rapids, a pumpkin field, family history, the birthplace of Mother’s Day, a historic covered bridge, and another unexpected glimpse into American history.

Below are more pics from yesterday’s travels.