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Sunday, October 25, 2015

The Brigadoon of Pennsylvania


In the movie, Brigadoon, two American hunters in Scotland stumble upon a village that only appears once every century for a day.  This is so that the village would never be changed or destroyed by the outside world.  October last year I felt we'd stumbled upon such a place in the mountains of north central Pennsylvania when we spent two nights in Eagles Mere, "the village that time forgot," on our way home from my niece's wedding in Connecticut.  I did a post about it called Endless Mountains.  It was a gorgeous Autumn late afternoon when we arrived that Sunday last year.  The next day, however, it rained.  We did not let that deter us from hiking in a nearby State Park.  I knew, though, I needed to come back and explore the lake itself in Eagles Mere.  I'd tried to get my family together for a week last summer, but schedules and rental availability kept that from happening.  So this past Columbus Day weekend we were all able to gather at a house within a short walk of the lake.  Our little home away from home was named Pine Cone Cottage. . . .

It was all I'd hoped it would be.  Our bedroom was just off the kitchen with a bathroom.  Upstairs there were four more bedrooms and two more bathrooms.  The dining room had a 10-person table.  The kitchen had a counter table for four where we had just 2-on-2 time together.  It was perfect for our family of eight, Olivia, and two dogs.  Everyone arrived by 11:00 Friday night.  We'd attempted a fire in the large stone fireplace, but the ensuing smoke because the wood was too damp kept Ken and me busy airing out the house before everyone arrived.  The rest of the weekend was so warm we did not need a fire so we did not bother with it again.  Here is a map of the Lake and the Village.  Our cottage is the X in the top right-hand corner.  There is also a timeline of important events in the life of the Village. . . .
The next morning we set out for a walk into the village....less than a mile's walk along the lake. . . .

The path hugged the lake.  I was like an excited kid walking along with Gabriel, stopping to take photos whenever he'd hold still long enough. . . .



The foliage was near peak in color. . . .


Laurel Path circles the lake, but we got off half way and walked up the hill to the village.  This is their Village Green. . . .

Our destination was the "Town Party" held yearly on the Saturday of Columbus Day weekend.  This photo is from last year of the shopping "district".   In the parking area below this building and to the right were several vendors. . . .

There was also a guitarist that Olivia played along with. . . .

The guys went to look at the old cars on display just down the street. . . .

We walked back to the cottage along the sidewalk this time.  Olivia held Gabriel's leash. . . .

This carving of a bear was across the street from our cottage captured Olivia's attention. . . .



The next morning Ken and I drove the mile to the Village because I wanted to walk the rest of Laurel Path back to the cottage.  But first I toured the little museum they have there. . . .
English Businessman, George Lewis, bought the mountaintop (elevation 2200 feet) in 1794 and began making glass from the sand in the lake.  A small community grew up around it.  By the 1850s people outside the area began visiting the lake.  By the 1880's Resort Inns were being built.  By the 1940's there were 10 hotels and inns along with summer cottages circling the lake.  Now there are only two small Inns in operation--Eagles Mere and Crestmont, if you don't want to rent a whole house.  The Village is quite small--in 2010 the full-time population was only 120, but in the summer it swells to 1,800.  

The path on this side of the lake was entirely different.  Much of the path was lined on either side with Rhododendron and Laurel.  This particular opening had a bench at the water's edge.  I sat for a while wishing I had such a path I could walk every day back home. . . .

This little bridge crossed the outlet pond at the south end of the lake.   Ken was pointing to a woodpecker we could hear up in the tree. . . .


We did not attempt the Fat Man's Squeeze which was a path parallel to the one we took. . . .

Here is an old postcard photo of it. . . .

There was a very old legend about a young bride who drown in the lake in the 1800's.  Her husband was sitting on a flat rock along the water's edge that night when he thought he saw her in the middle of the lake bidding him to come to her.  I wondered if it was this rock.  He went back to his room (they were staying at one of the hotels there), sat down at the desk, and put his affairs in order.  They found his body the next day.   It is said that if you sit on this rock until midnight you will see two misty forms gliding across the water, hand in hand. . . .

Everyone (but us) had to leave late Sunday afternoon.   Our second son and his wife were the last to leave.  We took a walk down to the beach.   I let Gabriel run about since no one else was around. . . .

Eagles Mere is one of those places that you feel you've "entered into another world" when you arrive and stays with you when you leave.  I was struck by how quiet it was.  The lake was mesmerizing.  Only electric and row boats are allowed on it.  In the summer I suspect the only noise you hear is the laughter of children having fun as they frolic on this beach or swim in the lake.

~ ~ ~ 

Here are more articles about life, present and past, in Eagles Mere:

1908 Countryside Magazine
Reading Eagle
NY Times

Upstairs in the Museum is a model display of the train that used to carry passengers from Sonestown the rest of the way up the mountain in the late 1800's/early 1900's.
.•*¨`*•. ☆ .•*¨`*•
Take Joy!

20 comments:

  1. What a lovely time you and your family must have enjoyed. The foliage is beautiful as it is reflected on the lake. My grandsons would enjoy that model railroad and the real train ride if it existed still. ♥

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    1. I agree with the train video when the narrator said today we'd love to take that slow train up the mountain to enjoy the scenery.

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  2. What a lovely tour! I am so glad that you were able to share it with your family! Love, Sandy

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  3. Great post, Cathy. I went through Eagle Mere once. About 20 years ago my sister & I drove from Rochester to Pottsville, PA to visit one of our brothers who was working there at the time. I think it was early October. We plotted out the most direct route without actually getting on any interstates etc, because we wanted a more scenic trip - not just cars, trucks and pavement. After being on the road for 3-4 hours, we suddenly find ourselves in Eagle Mere. It WAS like 'Brigadoon' - exactly like that! Just suddenly there, and SO different from the preceding countryside. This magical, charming little village. All decked out for Fall, big round pumpkins, yellow mums and cornstalks everywhere. We looked at each other like "OMG, what is this place? Are we really seeing this? Where did it come from?" At the time we were pushing to get to Pottsville before dark so we couldn't stop and we really couldn't explore it that weekend with my brother either. The round trip back & forth to Pottsville would have eaten a sizable chunk of time. But we still talk about it every once in a while. I'm going to mention the rental house idea to my sisters and SIL. Maybe we'll be able to get ourselves organized for a visit to Eagle Mere next Fall. Too much fun. 🎃

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    1. Sometimes I wonder if it's "just me" that sees the magical in places like this, so I am glad to hear that you saw it too--just driving through!

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  4. Hi Cathy, Brigadoon was just on TCM this past week so I immediately made the connection to this magical place you visited. The photos are shared are beautiful with the fall colors. And, little Olivia is so adorable. Looks like you and the family had a great time. I hope your week is of to a great start. Hugs. Pat xx

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    1. Thanks, Pat. I hope you're having a good week, too!

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  5. You find the best places! The cottage looks like a wonderful stay and the foliage seems about perfect. It sounds like great weekend with your family. And such a cute picture of Olivia. Love her hat!

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    1. The Internet has helped greatly with finding these places, but it takes hours of searching until I hit upon the right place!

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  6. Well, Cathy, you got me at "Brigadoon" ~ one of my favourite movies. Such a treat for you to find your own Brigadoon to visit. Long may it stay captured by time. Sweet Olivia had so much fun, didn't she? Then, the train! Oh! I have a thing about trains, life size and model railways. It is my most favoured way to travel when I can. Such a shame this one is now a hiking trail, but at least the old tracks have a purpose. Many old railways are converted thus in the UK too, or as cycle trails. I guess it helps get people out in the fresh air and exploring. Some, however, are used as short haul passenger trips, and they are such fun to go on the old, often steam powered, engines and ride as our forebears did, often on hard wooden benches! Sighs ~~~ sometimes I think I was born way out of time! Thank you for sharing your wonderful little secret place with us! ~~~Waving from Across the Big Water~~~Deb xoxo

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    1. We have such a short-haul train a short ways from us, too, that we took our boys on many moons ago. I will have to take Olivia on it when she gets a bit older. There's a much longer one in West Virginia I've always wanted to go on in Autumn....maybe I'll just do that one, too!

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  7. What a special place! Your pictures of the fall foliage are stunning! And well done for taking some of those when you were walking Gabriel. When I try to take pictures while walking Fergus they always come out blurry.

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    1. After awhile I handed Gabriel over to Ken or the camera to Ken.

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  8. It sounds like you had a really lovely weekend, Cathy! Doug and I were there years ago, but now I want to go back after reading your description.

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    1. You'll have to tell me all about it in case there's something I should be sure to see/do. We plan to go back in the Spring when the Laurel are in bloom and stay at the other Eagles Mere Inn. I want to do the walking tour of the Village and spend more time in World's End State Park.

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  9. Cathy that is such a wonderful location to share a break with your family! The colours of the foliage overlooking the lake are incredible. I enjoyed the images of Olivia and Gabriel too! The video gave me an idea of the landscape, it is such a shame that it is no longer running, Sarah x

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    1. I'm always in search of idyllic spots to vacation. Your WHOLE country is idyllic, but we must hunt for ours!

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  10. What a beautiful place you found.
    Love the way Olivia holds Gabriel's lead.
    Fondly Michelle xx

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    1. Olivia is going to be a take charge kind of girl it seems!

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