The Rice Bridge is located near Landisburg. |
The New Germantown Bridge crosses Sherman's Creek. |
Waggoner's Bridge near Route 274. |
Kochenderfer's Bridge was built in 1919 by the Adair Brothers at a cost of $2,380 and is 72- feet long by 18-feet wide.
The Rice Bridge is located near Landisburg. |
The New Germantown Bridge crosses Sherman's Creek. |
Waggoner's Bridge near Route 274. |
A million lights light up the night in Bernville |
Every year around November, the sleepy little borough of Bernville springs to life attracting thousands to a winter wonderland that offers up a holiday helping of Christmas spirit and this year is no different.
Excitement builds as cars approach the crest of the hill
that leads to Koziar’s Christmas Village. The blinking tableau of more than a
million lights elicits wide-eyed amazement as sibling’s squabble for the best
window position to lay eyes on the scene below.
The popular attraction, about 50 minutes from Harrisburg,
has been bringing families together for 73 years.
“I grew up in the area and enjoyed Christmas Village as a
tradition,” said Wayne Hoffman, who has since relocated to Florida. “It’s one
of the fondest memories of my childhood.”
Hoffman returned to Bernville a few years back to take his
mother on the pilgrimage for old time’s sake.
“I was happy to fly across the country to return and reflect
on the past as I sipped on hot chocolate and viewed all the fun displays,” he
said.
Photo ops abound. |
At Koziar’s, visitors are led on a journey around the village via painted arrows to view both indoor and outdoor displays, while music changes with each exhibit and Christmas characters like Rudolph and Frosty the Snowman greet children for photo ops.
“It all started as a ‘labor of love,’” said Sonia Koziar,
recounting the story of how her father, William, would decorate the property
known as Spring Lake Dairy Farm. “People started referring to our property as
‘The Christmas House,’ and, before long, people were parking on the hill and
walking across the fields for a closer look.”
Each year, the project grew bigger until the family ended up
planning their chores around it.
“We had to milk the cows before turning on the lights because
we didn’t have enough electrical power to do both,” she said.
At the end of each year, the family would gather around the
table to plan what new attractions they wanted to add the following year.
The tradition of adding items has continued since. Added just a few years ago is a life-sized brontosaurus and a light show that takes place in
the middle of the pond, which features a 30-foot-high twinkling tree that
reflects off the water.
They join spectacles like Santa fishing off the pier,
dolphins leaping out of the lake and a gargantuan American flag that lights up
an 80-foot-high silo.
“We took the flag down temporarily to fix a few bulbs, and I
asked our workmen to count the lights, and they counted 2,000,” said Koziar.
The “Kissing Bridge” is also popular, and, if it could talk,
it would probably have a few romantic tales to tell.
"The Kissing Bridge" has been the site of weddings. |
“A lot of people meet here on their first date, and some return a few years later to pop the question,” Koziar said, with a smile. “We’ve even had a few weddings on it, which we now try to discourage, because, as you know, it’s freezing this time of year.”
Scores of handcrafted, wooden characters dot a landscape
featuring a plethora of scenes in genres ranging from fairy tales to children’s
books to farmsteads and Americana.
Decorated windows are at a perfect height for little ones. |
“We employ a full-time artist just for touch ups due to sun damage,” Koziar said.
The self-guided tour leads visitors to miniature buildings
that feature various Christmas themes, many of which are just the right size
for little ones to peer into via a picture window.
“The four of us donated our childhood toys for various
scenes and most are still there,” she said.
Larger buildings are open for visitors to duck in out of the
cold to view other attractions, such as train displays. If you get hungry, you
can snack on hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza, nachos and hot chocolate, which are
available for a reasonable price in the refreshment barn.
A large train set is set up in one of the inside buildings. |
Of course, no Christmas Village would be complete without Santa Claus, who has his own headquarters and is ready to hear the wishes of all the girls and boys who visit.
After the first of the year, Koziar’s goes through the
annual ritual of tearing everything down again.
“It takes us four months to put it up and two to three
months to tear it down,” said Koziar, adding that the property is used as a
working farm during the year.
She said the family enjoys the enthusiasm of the crowd the
most and looks forward to seeing everyone this year. Because the business is in a sprawling, outdoor area, Covid hasn't presented much of a problem, according to Koziar. She does encourage people to visit the website, however, to learn about timed entry passes, which will be required this year during prime nights during Covid.
“We all love Christmas. It’s the pleasure we get from the
people who come,” she said. “The children are ecstatic because they know Santa
lives here, and we hear so many stories of people returning, year after year.
That’s what makes it so rewarding.”
Koziar’s Christmas Village is located in Bernville, Berks
County, at 782 Christmas Village Rd. To learn more, visit
www.koziarschristmasvillage.com.
I've learned quite a bit about history during my travels over the years, and my recent trip to Delaware was no different.
My husband and I decided to stay at the Inn at Montchanin Village & Spa in Wilmington, not only for historical reasons, (it's among the top 10 oldest hotels in the United States), but also because of its convenient location. Each destination, from the du Pont residence of Winterthur, to the Hagley Museum and Library and historic New Castle, is located within a 10 -20 minute drive from the Inn.
The Inn at Montchanin Village & Spa
Located in Wilmington Delaware's Greenville neighborhood is the historic Montchanin Village & Spa. which is listed on the National Historic Register. and is comprised of 11 restored buildings that house 28 guest rooms.
The settlement, named after Alexandria de Montchanin, grandmother of the founder of the du Pont company, was once part of the Winterthur estate, and was home to laborers who once worked at the du Pont powder mills.
Our cozy cottage, named Tatnall, which we discovered was a college prep school in Wilmington, included a sitting room, a kitchenette and a fireplace.
Krazy Kats is known for fine dining, with a whimsical decor. |
An eagle greets guests in the foyer. |
To understand the formality of the estate under H.F. du Pont, I'll quote from an article that ran in American Heritage written by Walter Karp on H.F. "He slept in a Queen Anne bedroom, breakfasted in a Newport Chippendale morning room, played bridge in a 'Chinese' Chippendale parlor, and dined in a Federal dining room. Footmen in knee breeches attended to the family, and the atmosphere at Winterthur was so icily formal that one kinsman of 'Uncle Harry' thought it 'too tony' to bear and resolved never to return again. In a family not noted for humility, Winterthur was regarded as markedly pretentious."
The museum boasts 175 period-room displays containing approximately 85,000 objects acquired by H.F., who continued to add to his collection until his death in 1969. Artifacts span two centuries of American decorative arts dating from 1640 to 1860.
When we visited in October, the museum had just opened on a limitted basis after being closed for months due to Covid.
One of the first things we saw, on our tour of the fifth floor after leaving the foyer, was a beautiful staircase that was brought to Winterthur from a 19th-century North Carolina plantation house.
Known as the Montmorenci Stair Hall, the beautiful, free-hanging staircase was brought to Winterthur from a 19th-century North Carolina plantation house. |
A piano, which dates 1824-1833, made by Robert and William Nunn. |
Dinnerware used by George Washington. |
The Dining Room. |
The Marlborough Drawing Room. |
A terrace looks out over the property. |
A fainting couch in beautiful shape dates back to the early 1800s. |
This rococo parlor stove dates back to the mid-1800s and is both practical and decorative. |
An antique clock crafted in Elizabethville, Pa |
Stone structures housed the manufacturing process. |
Antique vehicles seen in the onsite barn. |
The house is currently closed due to Covid. Check website for updates. |
The back of the house. |
A side building used as the first office. |
The Terrace. |
How do you like THIS beer list? |
I saw some people eating what looked like a delicious meatloaf while we were there. |
George Read, signer of the Declaration of Independence is buried in New Castle. |