12 Iconoclastic People and Places To See in Mid-Western Pennsylvania

Punxsutawney Phil, Jimmy Stewart, Flight 93, Mineral Spas, Underground Railroad – perhaps you’ve heard of them? Raystown Lake, Salt Wells, Isett Museum – maybe not so much. Read on to find some of the better and lesser known iconic personalities and places in Mid-Western PA – and what to do, where to eat, and where to stay in the process. If this list whets your appetite, discover more about each destination at GetawayMavens.com.

1. Rimmed by mountains, the stunning Raystown Lake in Midwestern PA is 30 miles long with 118 miles of shoreline, and as nearly the whole shebang is managed by the Army Corps of Engineers, it is arguably the least developed and most pristine and dramatic of all the lakes in the state. In fact, Raystown Lake is only waterbody in PA where you can rent a houseboat to explore its “8,300 acres of fun.” Though the Raystown Visitor’s Center features an abundance of information about hydropower, the Dam’s history, geology, and archeology, to really experience the tranquility of Raystown Lake, rent a Houseboat from 7 Points Marina for several days. According to those in the know, there is nothing better than sitting on the top deck hot tub in the middle of the water on a moonlit night. “It is heaven on earth,” says one fan, who calls these vessels “beach houses on the water.”

2. Alternately, stay in the emerging artist enclave of Huntingdon PA – about 20 minutes from the lake – at the Gage Mansion B&B a beautifully restored brick and multi-colored trimmed Queen Ann Victorian right downtown. Purchased a couple of years ago by Candle Moguls, Angie and John Thompson, (whose fragrant Thompson’s Candles is based in Huntingdon), Gage Mansion has been lovingly restored as a magnificent luxury B&B, with carved wood and marble design elements to drool over. While in town, plan to have lunch at Stone Town Café and Gallery - a fun and innovative eatery-slash-art gallery, owned by glass artist, Deb Tumlin, and her life partner, Caroline Gillich. There’s a lot to look at, inside and out – a fantasia of tile murals and other art in galleries and a funky back yard with hammocks for hangin’. Or, if in the mood for a martini and fine dining – walk across the street (from Gage Mansion) to adorable – a Martini Bar with 50 Martinis to choose from along with succulent dishes.

3. Hiking and Mountain Biking trails in the Raystown Lake Region are world-renowned. The 80-Mile Standing Stone Trail, a moderate to strenuous ridge-top hike, includes the punishing 1,000 Steps. The 36-mile single-track, fast and roller coaster-like Allegrippis Trails, have been ranked by Singletracks.com as among the top 25 in the world.

4. The surprisingly engaging Isett Heritage Museum, the “Smithsonian of Huntingdon PA,” is a tourist-favorite nostalgia trip. Situated on top of Stone Creek Ridge, 2 ½ miles from town, views while driving to this incredible collection of Americana, are unsurpassed. Within three warehouse-sized buildings you’ll find a progression of agricultural and construction tools, electronics, machines, toys, kitchen and home appliances, utensils, computers, TV’s, the complete Soda Fountain where museum founder, Mel Isett, first worked, and other rooms and memorabilia arranged by historic era. This well-tended and obviously well loved museum sparks memories in Baby Boomers and is a source of fascination for kids as well.

5. Lincoln Caverns. Discovered while building Route 22 in the 1930’s, this limestone cave system was once teeming with bats – a drawing card for visitors interested in those fascinating nocturnal flying rodents. But most of the bats have died off or left mysteriously, and that story, along with incredible formations and features, like massive flowstones, pure white calcite, sparkling crystals and of course stalagmites and stalactites, renders a visit here important as well as enjoyable. There are two caves to see: the original Lincoln Cavern and Whisper Rocks, which got its name from the spooky sound the wind makes as it blows over airways. Cavern owner, Ann Dunlavy, is a fount of knowledge about these underground wonderlands, determined to educate the public about their history and importance.

6. What is now the newly renovated Omni Bedford Springs Resort in Bedford PA was first a “healing place” for Native Americans drawn to its restorative mineral springs. In the late 1790’s Dr. John Anderson purchased the land, and in 1806, built the still-standing Stone House as a frontier therapeutic center. Over the years, the property evolved into a summer resort for city slickers with deep pockets, as more and more buildings were added on, lending a unique asymmetrical multi-architectural style to the meandering complex. In the early 1900’s the resort featured one of the first golf courses and one of the first indoor pools in the United States, which still remain and are better than ever. New owners sunk $120 million into renovations, reopening the hotel as the luxury 216-room Omni Bedford Springs Resort in 2007. While in Bedford, visit the National Museum of the American Coverlet – situated in the 1859 Bedford Primary School. Weird and wonderful enough to warrant mention in Atlas Obscura, antique coverlets earn their stripes, so to speak, as an American art form here, displayed in all their magnificence, throughout a labyrinth of old classrooms that now serve as soaring galleries.

7. Flight 93 Memorial, near Shanksville. On a much more somber note – if you are heading West to Pittsburgh, or even if you are not, drive 30 minutes from Bedford to the place where, on the morning of September 11, 2001, heroes on board Flight 93 forced down a plane commandeered by terrorists bent on destroying the US Capitol building. The Memorial – now a National Park – is composed of several structures, including the Visitor’s Center and Memorial Plaza, within the crash site bounded by the hilly Allegheny Mountains.

8. Punxsutawney Phil/Groundhog Day. Punxsutawney, a tiny town of 5,500 in Western PA, more than quadruples in population every February 2nd when resident rodent, the scene-stealing Punxsutawney Phil, announces (in language only a select few can decipher) whether or not he’s seen his shadow, auguring imminent Spring or another 6 weeks of Winter. So important is this “Seer of Seer’s,” Phil’s forecast is recorded in the Congressional Records and the Library of Congress. Visitors can see Phil (a woodchuck, actually) in his glass enclosed burrow, take a 2-mile ride up to Gobbler’s Knob where the celebration is held, peruse Groundhog Day exhibits at the Groundhog Club Headquarters, and purchase Punxsutawney Phil souvenirs at the authorized store in town – any time of year. (Shown in photo- Inner Circle Groundhog Handler, A.J. Dereume).

9. Jimmy Stewart’s hometown, Indiana PA. Yes, there’s a Jimmy Stewart Museum here, featuring nicely composed exhibits on the 4th floor of the Public Library, filled with early pictures of Stewart and his family in his boyhood home on “Vinegar Hill,” a diorama from the family-owned hardware store, artifacts from his Los Angeles Office, his actual booth from Chasen’s restaurant in Hollywood, and of course, posters and stories from each of his 85 movies, from the 1934 Art Trouble, to Harvey, Philadelphia Story, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and naturally, It’s A Wonderful Life. In downtown Indiana, the crosswalks on the corners of both 9th and 7th Streets feature a recorded message from “Jimmy Stewart” as voiced by Rich Little. Look across Philadelphia St. to a set of stairs. That’s “Vinegar Hill” – and if you climb up, and pivot left, you’ll be on the front porch of Stewart’s boyhood home. The best place to stay in Indiana PA is at the new Hilton Garden Inn on the campus of Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP: alma mater of Chad Hurley – co-founder of YouTube). Some of the best eats can be found at Nap’s – for open kitchen authentic Italian, Josephine’s – for wood fired pizza from an oven straight outta Italy, and Benjamin’s – with a bustling summer patio.

10. Not quite icons yet, but soon to be: Levity Brewing, “serious beer for the light of heart.” The brainchild of three light-hearted hometown guys who came to the conclusion that “Indiana PA needed a brewery,” Luke McKelvy, Jay Herman and Eric Walls commandeered an old window factory, and created a local sensation. Now, you’ll find Manager, aka “Taproom Ted Pivetz,” welcoming all kinds of folks of every age. And Disobedient Spirits, in Homer City, a brand new distillery featuring craft cocktails, beer and wine, billiards and pub games in a old grocery store. Drawing crowds to this small town between Blairsville and Indiana PA on the Hoodlebug Bike Trail, Disobedient Spirits also offers Yoga, Painting classes, Darts, Jenga, and other tavern pastimes to go with crafted drinks like Jumpin’ June Bug – a blend of House Vodka, Watermelon Orange Liquor and Lime Juice.

11. Underground Railroad History Center, Blairsville. Located in the 1917 Second Baptist Church, this low-tech, hands on, much-researched one room exhibit illuminates the plight of the enslaved, and the gumption of freedom seekers and those who helped them along the way. Blairsville, seriously anti-slavery, was a canal town, and as such, part of the water-highway to Pittsburgh – rendering it a logical stop on the Underground Railroad. After the Civil War, Blairsville Abolitionist, Alexander Moorhead, Jr., wrote the names of Underground Railroad “Conductors,” stops, and incidents specific to his hometown. Such documentation makes these displays all the more poignant. While in Blairsville, check out Scoops, a doo-wop shop with world-class delectable Penn State Creamery Ice Cream on its side, and Market Street Pastries, an adorable, bright, from-scratch lunch spot that dishes out a lot more than sweets.

12. Premium salt from Saltsburg PA. Beginning in 1813, drillers discovered salt deposits 300 feet below ground. Pumped with water, brine was brought to the surface, evaporated, and the resulting high quality salt was sold all over the country. In fact, this valley was the 3rd largest producer of salt in the USA with over 21 Salt Works within 2 miles; that is, until salt drillers like Samuel Kier began to notice a viscous liquid befouling the wells. The sticky substance was found to be crude oil, first sold by Sam Kier for medicinal purposes - a “Cure All” called Petroleum. Kier went on to develop an economical way to make kerosene and established the first oil refinery in Pittsburgh in 1853. Discover this little known PA history at the Rebecca B. Hadden Museum in the 1830 Stone House, and then, if so inclined, take a spin on the river in a kayak rented from Saltsburg Canoe and Kayak Rental.