The Cup

While traveling to the Ringing Rocks park and roller rink you're likely to pass a wondrous roadside oddity. A cup shaped building with a straw protruding out of the top.

These unique stores were originally built in the early 1940's for Levengood Dairies. The local dairy had the buildings constructed to help sell their dairy products. Originally there were four "cups" throughout the area. Boyertown, Pennsburg, and Reading were home to the other three.
Though they don't seem to hold the same vintage charm as the one in Pottstown. Though that's all quite likely to change, as this location is now currently for sale. Maybe we could make it our home office!

Ringing Rocks Park & Rink

There's a mystical park near the small town of Pottstown where you're gonna wanna visit with a hammer in hand. The Ringing Rocks Park has been baffling curious visitors for centuries. When you smack one of the rocks in the boulder field you're likely to get two results, a deadening sound you'd expect, or a ringing bell sound you wouldn't expect. The various rocks each emit a different vibrant tone. Similar parks have been used to hold music festivities. Musicians will actually play the rocks while accompanied with other instruments.

On Outta the Way's visit we brought along several different size hammers. We noticed each hammer rang out a different chime on the same rock. The locals in the area have been generous enough to tag the rocks which make the best sounds. I must admit they're very good at pointing you to the prime rocks, though their art skills could use some work!

After ringing some rocks be sure to visit the retro style roller skating rink nearby. The old time rink has been entertaining the locals for decades. Ringing rocks and retro roller rinks sounds like a perfect day going Outta the Way!

For more on Ringing Rocks and other nearby Outta the Way places.

Elkins Estate

Situated in the same neighborhood as the dilapidated Lynnewood Hall, rests another hidden gem. The Elkins Estate was the Summer home of transportation tycoon William Elkins. The estate consisted of 5 buildings, with 2 homes. The 45 room Elstowe Manor was used primarily by the family, while the smaller Chelton house was built specifically for William's son, George. Both homes were designed by famed architect Horace Trumbauer.

The Estowe Manor was extravagantly designed, no expense was spared. The Italian Renaissance home was constructed of exquisite woods and fine marble. Unfortunately for William he only got to enjoy his Summer retreat for a brief time. Mr. Elkins passed in the home in 1903 at the age of 71. During William Elkins life he played a very key role in Philadelphia transportation. After his death all traffic in Philadelphia came to a halt, in order to pay respects. This is the first and only time this has ever occurred in the city.

Fortunately this family's home fared better than the lost palaces of Lynnewood and Whitemarsh Hall. For many decades the home was owned by the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine de' Ricci. The sisters took tremendous care of the luxurious estate. They eventually sold off the property after 75 years of maintaining it's tedious upkeep.

Today the home is owned by the non-profit group Food for Life. The group helps to feed the less fortunate in the Philadelphia area. Sadly they are beginning to feel the burdens of retaining such a luxurious property. In order to sustain the hindrances they have recently begun to use the home for wedding photography sessions. The good people at Food for Life are not only hoping to preserve history but also humanity.

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Lynnewood Hall

Hidden away in the suburbs far from the Liberty Bell and the tourists, sits a luxurious palace left as a shell of it's former self. The articulate limestone walls of the Lynnewood Hall lie at rest behind the overgrown yard, protected by a rusty fence.

This former elegant home was once deemed the "house that art built." Industrialist Peter Widener was an avid art collector and needed a larger home to house his valuable collection as well as entertain his esteemed colleagues. In 1900 he and his family moved into their 70,000 square foot dream home. The home was full of luxurious design. Marble lined the walls, while gold plated the doorknobs.

The Wiedener family was extremely wealthy, but also dealt with their share of hardships.
One of the family's sons and grandson perished in the maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic. Peter Widener himself only got to enjoy his dream home for a modest 15 years. He was found deceased in the home after a lengthy illness at the age of 80. Shortly after Peter's passing the home became open for public viewings. Visits eventually ceased in 1940, shortly after most of the artwork was donated.

The legacy of the Lynnewood Hall and Widener family slowly began to fade away. The home was used briefly by the U.S. government during World War 2. The grounds were used for canine training, while the home was used to store valuable documents and works of art.

Since then the home has switched hands a few times and is slowly falling into decay. No major work has been done on the home since the 1950's. Most of the valuable materials used for building have been stripped away and sold by previous owners. Many preservation groups are trying to help preserve the legacy of this lost palace, before it's history and beauty are lost forever.
Lynnewood Hall Video

Whitemarsh Hall in Pennsylvania

Be careful what you wish for!

The Stotesbury family like most Americans' loved to live the dream life. They enjoyed hosting lavish parties, with movie star guests and noble statesmen from all over the world. After all when your home is larger than the White House you certainly have the room for such luxurious affairs.

The Stotesbury's moved into their dream palace in 1921. The home consisted of 147 rooms and 45 bathrooms and cost a modest 3 million dollars. The home was deemed the "American Versailles."

As quickly as their dreams came to fruition, they also vanished just as fast. At costs of over 1 million dollars a year to sustain the home and surrounding acreage, the family fortune quickly began to dwindle. By World War 2 the home had been left abandoned and was being used by the United States government to store valuable pieces of artwork.



After the government moved out, the vandals moved in. Anything of value had been stolen and the locals began to vandalize the home. Eventually the home had fallen into such disarray the community had no choice but to destroy the lost palace. Today all that remains are a few monuments from the gardens and the lost dreams of an American family.

Video look at Whitemarsh Hall
More info. on Whitemarsh Hall

Harrisburg State Hospital "City on the Hill"

If only walls could talk, what kind of stories would they tell us? If I went looking for any walls to talk to in the Keystone State, I’d want to start at the Harrisburg State Hospital.

Social Reformer Dorothea Dix helped lobby to get help for the mentally handicapped in the state. In 1845 the Pennsylvania State Lunatic Hospital and Union Asylum for the Insane was founded. In 1848 the name was changed to the less controversial Pennsylvania State Lunatic Hospital, after $50,000.00 was allotted to build. The hospital was completed in in1851, admitting its first patient on October 6^th, becoming the first Mental Hospital in the state.

The Kirkbride building was one of the first insane asylums in the United States using the Kirkbride Plan. Kirkbride was a Philadelphia Psychiatrist in the mid-1800’s, who advocated a system of mental asylum design. The asylums tended to be large with Victorian design.

The Kirkbride building seemed to suffer from poor construction as it only lasted approximately 50 years. Between 1893 and 1912 the hospital was rebuilt, going for the more popular cottage plan. This would consist of several small buildings connected with long partially submerged tunnels, as opposed to one large building.

In 1921 the hospital again changed names, this time more appropriately just the Harrisburg State Hospital. At the hospital’s peak, it consumed more than 1,000 acres and over 70 buildings, and held as many as 2,441 patients. During its lowest levels of employment, it was scary how disproportioned it was, with 1 nurse to 166 patients. The state hospital earned the nickname “City on the Hill” for its self-sufficient ways, including having its own farm, stores and even a power plant. In 1986, the hospital was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1999 the site was used for the setting of the movie “Girl, Interrupted.” In fact, the administration sign that still hangs is a leftover from the film. On January 27, 2006 after 150 years of helping the mentally disabled, the doors were closed, though not completely. The state still uses the buildings as administrative offices.

Movie Trailer from "Girl, Interrupted"

Frank Lloyd Wright's Beth Sholom Synagogue

Famed building designer Frank Lloyd Wright is known mostly for his work on private homes. He's accredited with having over 500 completed works. His most famous designed home is Fallingwater, located in Western Pennsylvania. Most aren't aware that besides homes he also designed the Guggenheim, and also a synagogue.

In September 1953 Mr. Wright was invited to design a new synagogue for the Beth Shalom congregation. Frank worked with, and had the advice of Rabbi Mortimer Cohen. Together they evoked a design that would give the synagogue the look of a mountain. In 1959 their masterpiece was completed and was deemed a modern day Mt. Sinai. It was the last work Frank Lloyd Wright had completed before his death. It's often heralded as the most expressive design of his illustrious career.

Though Wright is often considered the greatest American architect of all time, he was often too innovative. One of the biggest downfalls to Wright's designs is they often fail structurally. This is mainly attributed to the fact that he was so far ahead of his time. Engineers and builders had to use or create groundbreaking ways for building. Most of the time these ideas would work, a few times they didn't. At one point the Beth Sholom congregation had a kiddie pool in their sanctuary while they dealt with a leaky roof. The roof is what also makes this synagogue so unique. Due to it's transparency it allows natural light in during the day, while glowing at night from the man made electric. The synagogue was deemed a National landmark in 2007, and is one of only 4 in the country.

The name Beth Sholom is Hebrew for house of peace. From the look of the synagogue it seems Frank Lloyd Wright and the Rabbi Cohen were able to exude that right through their design.

Video of Beth Sholom Synagogue
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