Pittsburgh's Heinz History Center Touts Award-Winning Exhibits

If I had more time in my schedule, I'd visit Pittsburgh more often. As it stands, however, I have yet to lay eyes on many tourist attractions, beyond the Duquesne Incline, so that's what I set out to do a few weeks ago with the John Heinz History Center as the focal point of my visit.

The Heinz History Center is one of the more interesting museums that I've visited. In fact, it ranks up there in my top 10 and no, you don't need to be from Pittsburgh to enjoy it. I'm not, and I found it quite fascinating and I learned a bit more about Pittsburghers who made a significant contribution to history. 

The Largest History Museum in Pennsylvania

The 370,000 square foot, six-story museum, located in Pittsburgh's historic strip district, was once home to the Chautauqua Lake Ice Company, which closed in 1952 due to the popularity of refrigeration.

The Heinz History Center was once home to the Chautauqua Lake Ice Company.

The first thing visitors will see upon arrival have to do with modes of transportation, from antique cars, to an antique wagon that once transported Heinz products and Pittsburgh Streetcar #1724. Removed from service in 1988, the streetcar underwent a four-month restoration before being transported to its new home at the Heinz History Center. Guests are encouraged to walk through the trolley, peruse the old ads above each seat and harken back to the days where streetcars played a larger part in the daily lives of many.

A stainless steel car that Allegheny Steel salesmen drove.

What I found particularly interesting was the stainless steel car, which is one of six designed by Allegheny Steel. Lucky sales reps had the opportunity to get behind the wheel of these beauties to demonstrate the metal's durability and resistance to weather, wear and corrosive elements. This particular car is more than sixty years old and has been driven approximately 200,000 miles. 

While we're on the subject of transportation, I should also mention the cute ride pictured below, which dates back to 1927 and carried many an excited child around the twists and turns of the roller coaster at the Kennywood amusement park, located in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania. The cars were replaced in 1982 and this particular one had weeds growing up through the floor until it was refurbished by the maintenance department in a style akin to ones that were popular in the 1970s. The height check figure is a reproduction of Howdy Doody, a character that was popular in the 1950s.

A popular ride at Kennywood, which still entertains young and old today.

Visitors who take the elevator to the second floor will get an interesting glimpse into the life of Pittsburghers who made their mark on the world in the area of medicine, moon exploration, music and more. 

"Lola" was made by Shirley Yee and students at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh.

This dinosaur was, in 2003, part of an outdoor public art exhibit called "DinoMite Days." The stegosaurus, known as Lola, is layered with newspaper clippings and photos that tell the story of Pittsburgh's past. 

How many of us take portable music for granted? I remember the huge boom boxes of the 1970s. People would look ridiculous nowadays if they toted them around. And prior to that, there were was the orchestrion. You can see one of those huge machines at the Asa Packer mansion in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania. Money was no object to Asa Packer's daughter, who had it shipped via train every year when she vacationed in Florida. 

These days, music is much more portable and you may have a Pittsburgher to thank. Nathan Schulhof created the forerunner to the MP3 player and you can see his notebook and his "Listen Up" player here. 

Visitors will also find plenty of Pittsburghers in the medical industry who were responsible for improving life for all of us. Dr. Thomas E. Starzl is one such individual. Known as the "father of liver transplantation." Starzl performed the first transplant in 1968 at the University of Colorado and was later in charge of the liver transplant program at UPMC. Since then, thousands of liver transplant operations have been performed, saving many lives.

Dr. Thomas E. Starzl, known as the "father of liver transplantation."

Sports fans will enjoy the "museum inside the museum" at the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum located on the second floor of the Heinz History Center.  There guests can inspect sports memorabilia from teams which hail from Pittsburgh. Below is a figure of Steeler Franco Harris gearing up for his famous "Immaculate Reception."

Franco Harris eternally reenacts his famed "Immaculate Reception."

Also housed at the Heinz History Center is a tribute to Elektro and his dog Sparko, which debuted at the New York World's Fair in 1939. Known as the first voice-activated robot, Elektro weighed more than 250 pounds, smoked cigarettes and could count to 10 on his fingers. The Westinghouse Electric Company was responsible for creating the pair, which captivated audiences with an hourly show at the Westinghouse Pavilion.

A replica of the cigarette-smoking Elektro and his trusty mutt Sparko.

If you're of a certain age, you've no doubt heard of "Rosie the Riveter" and you can thank a Pittsburgher by the name of J. Howard Miller for that.  The freelance artist painted the poster for Westinghouse Electric and was later celebrated in a hit song, which cemented the iconic figure in the minds of the public as a patriotic symbol of how women could contribute to the war effort by working on assembly lines. You can hear the song here. 

Rosie the Riveter created by Pittsburgher J. Howard Miller.

In another part of the museum is the story of a real-life heroine by the pen name of Nelly Bly--born Elizabeth Jane Cochran, one of the first female investigative reporters. Her story is extremely interesting. I'll sum it up simply by saying that she went undercover in an insane asylum and had trouble making it out. I guess she was that convincing and it makes me wonder how many writers today would be held indefinitely.

Nelly Bly played her insanity role a little too well.

The Mister Rogers Exhibit

The Mister Rogers Exhibit attracts both young and old alike. Brady M. Smith, Director of Marketing and Communications, said the exhibit attracts children, parents and grandparents. "It is arguably the most popular display at our museum," said Smith, adding that when visitors walk in and see X the Owl's Tree, or King Friday XIII's castle for the first time, "they just light up with a sense of nostalgia that overwhelms them." 

The Mister Roger's exhibit is one of the most popular at the Heinz Center.

Did you know that there's a Mister Roger's Trail? You can read more about it in my article here in Central Penn Parent.

Speaking of trails, there's also an exhibit on the Lewis and Clark expedition which launched in Pittsburgh. This is a piece of history that neither I, nor my husband knew. You can follow their trail and learn of a modern-day family who also set off on a family excursion to follow the very same trail.

The History of Heinz Products

Finally, it wouldn't be the Heinz Center without seeing the evolution of the brand over the years, from the advertising, to the products sold. Walnut ketchup anyone?

I'd be curious about the color of this product. 

It may surprise visitors to learn that Heinz began their foray into food with gherkins, hence the "pickle kit," which salesmen travelled with to demonstrate the sizes sold.

You can plan your trip around a visit to this museum like I did and afterwards walk around Pittsburgh's strip district, which is home to dozens of restaurants, food shops and retail establishments that draw locals and visitors alike.

To plan your visit, or learn more about admission prices and hours, visit the website at heinzhistorycenter.org.

New Hope--One of America's Favorite Towns

If you enjoy riverside dining, boutique shopping and cultural attractions, you'll love New Hope, Pennsylvania. There's a reason why Travel + Leisure magazine named it "one of America's favorite small towns."

New Hope, located along what was once the main highway between Philadelphia and New York City, was also the choice of travelers for overnight stays before they were ferried across the Delaware River the following morning. George Washington was even said to have stayed here the night prior to his crossing of the Delaware River. Originally known as "Coryell's Ferry," the small town later became known as New Hope after a fire in 1790 destroyed several mills in the area. The reconstruction project gave the town "new hope" and the name stuck.

Historic Sites

For history lovers, the Bucks County town delights with several historic sites. There's the Joshua Ely House, comprised of two sections: one built in the 18th century and the other built in the 19th century. The fieldstone house is one of the last examples of the large "Manor" type residences and is exemplary of the wealth of farmer Joshua Ely. The historic home was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985 and, for a time, was the location of a fine dining restaurant by the name of La Bonne Auberge.

The Joshua Ely House.

Located across the street from the Joshua Ely House is the Parry Mansion Museum, built in 1784 by one of New Hope's founders, Benjamin Parry. The structure is now home to the New Hope Historical Society and visitors can arrange to tour the 11-room mansion, free of charge, during normal times, of course. Pennsylvania's historical sites are slated to resume operations on April 30, 2021, but it would be best to check their website before making plans.

The Parry Mansion Museum.

Another notable historic structure, which I regrettably failed to lay eyes on, is the Cintra Mansion, located at 181 W. Bridge Street. The mansion was built in the 1800s and is said to have been designed like a Portuguese palace and was owned by a wealthy industrialist by the name of William Maris, who was forced to sell it to the Ely family after the demise of the cotton mill in 1835. It remained in the family for 100 years until Joseph Stanley and his partner Dewey Curtis purchased the property in 1973. Curtis, who was once a curator for Pennsbury Manor, worked with Stanley in the antique business, using the first floor as a showroom. When Stanley died in 2008, the house went on the market. The last article I could find about the place was an account written by a reporter in 2013, where plans were being hatched to transform it into condos. 

Also of note is the William Kitchen House comprised of three sections, with the oldest being built in 1770. You can learn more about William Kitchen by clicking on this link. 

A Cornucopia of Shopping Opportunities

There are quite a few small, boutique shops in New Hope, where one can buy clothes, gifts, toys, candy and more. One of my favorite shops for browsing is the Topeo Gallery. The shop specializes in glass creations like beautiful lamps and gift items. If any of those lamps catch your eye, you can take one home for between $550 and $1200 apiece. I settled on buying two pairs of attractive earrings for $16, proving that some of their items are budget friendly, as well. 

One of the beautiful works of art for sale at Topeo. 

Pendant lights and glass guitars hang from the ceiling.

If you have kids, or grands, you might want to stop near the train station at the Playful Mule, where you can find games, kids' books, dolls, blocks, water toys and a whole host of other items that children will be sure to enjoy.

The Playful Mule sells an assortment of toys to please the little ones.

Good Eats

One of the newer attractions in New Hope is the Ferry Market. Established in 2016, the Ferry Market, located at 32 S. Main Street, offers a wide selection of food to tempt your tastebuds, from pizza, to coffee, to vegan dishes and macarons, there's a little something for everyone.

Sciascia in the Ferry Market offers an array of truffles, bark, macarons and more.

During our short stay, we chose to dine at Martine's Riverhouse Restaurant. The attractive eatery located along the banks of the Deleware River, serves American seasonal cuisine in a casual setting and boasts the best view in New Hope.

Duck confit spring rolls and a Caesar salad.

Comfortable Lodging

You'll find a whole host of B&Bs in New Hope, along with some standard lodging a bit further out of town. One notable change that may surprise you if you haven't visited in awhile, is that the historic Logan Inn is being expanded and transformed into an improved version of its former self. The Logan Inn, known as Buck's County's oldest and only in-town continuously operating Inn, was sold for $5.6 million dollars to Landmark Realty in 2016 and is currently fenced in as work continues to be done. Landmark Realty, which has a reputation for adaptive reuse, plans to improve the Inn's curb appeal and work with New Hope's Historical Architectural Review Board to renovate and return the property to its landmark status.

The new, improved Logan Inn is currently under construction.

We chose to stay in the heart of the action at Olivia's Bridge Street Inn. The Inn, built in 1817, is nestled along the canal and is conveniently within walking distance of most shops and restaurants. The fact that we had our own parking space made it even more attractive and our comfortable room sealed the deal for future stays. 

Olivia's from the street.

Our suite had two beds, a refrigerator, a microwave and a Kuerig coffeemaker.

The sitting room at Olivia's.

A shot taken from the dining room of Olivia's.

The Bucks County Playhouse

The Bucks County Playhouse deserves its own category for its history alone. The Playhouse is located on the site of the former grist mill I mentioned earlier and dates back to the 1930s. 

The Bucks County Playhouse has been pleasing audiences since the 1930s.

Its website boasts a long list of famous stars deemed, "theatrical royalty." Among the many are Grace Kelly, June Lockhart, Kitty Carlisle, George C. Scott, Dick Van Dyke, George Segal, Bob Fosse, Angela Lansbury, Jack Klugman and many more.

Take a Train Ride

The New Hope Railroad is fun for the entire family and offers one-hour round-trip excursions from New Hope to Lehaska. The railroad also hosts special holiday events, like the most recent Easter Bunny Express. You can learn more about upcoming trips by visiting their website here.

My stay was short, but jam packed and that's what's nice about New Hope. You can see quite a bit in a short amount of time. Hopefully these few suggestions will jump start some ideas on how you can best enjoy this quaint, charming, electic little town.

Plenty to Do and See in Quaint, Historic Lititz

If I had to describe 2020 as a person, I'd call it a curmudeonly hermit who, without fail, hails from a "place of no." No festivals, no congregating, no hugging, no singing, no bare faces, no smiles, no fun! So when I heard that the small town of Lititz was going to break rank and host an "ice walk" this year, I knew I just had to attend. 

Granted, it was was a little more spread out this year than in year's past, when its main gathering place/focal point was the park. Gone were the food vendors, rides, children's activities and the chili cookoff, but it was still nice to be able to get out and patronize the small businesses that have taken the brunt of this pandemic. 

The sculptures were varied and interesting, with my favorite being the girls playing jump rope. To add to the appeal, the jump rope was lit up at night with twinkly lights. I think this was the largest sculpture I'd ever seen at an icefest.

Other interesting sculptures included depictions of a rooster, the Penn State Nittany Lion, a martian, a parrot and Lady Liberty, to name just a few.

The Nittany Lion Mascot.

I've visited other Pennsylvania ice fests, both in Carlisle and Chambersburg, and this is the first time I've seen color used in any of the sculptures.

A cute "rubber" ice duck with Lititz in pink and yellow.

This sculpture was sponsored by Johnson & Johnson. 

If you missed this year's "Ice Walk" there's always a possibility that the full-blown IceFest will be held  next year. In the meantime, there are plenty of other things to do and see in the area.

A Shopper's Paradise

Downtown Lititz is home to more than 60 boutique shops downtown, featuring everything from apparel, to gourmet food, candy and home decor. 

And if you love steampunk, you'll find a nice selection at Cherry Acres and Kirsch's Antiques.

My husband bought me one of my choosing on Valentine's Day. It's a carburetor topped with an air filter. Here is a picture of it in my house.

My new steampunk lamp.

I also enjoyed browsing the products at The Savory Gourmet, which carries an array of sauces, cheese and exotic meats, ranging from camel, to kangeroo. I've eaten buffalo, elk, venison and wild boar, but I can't say I've ever been tempted to taste camel. I just can't get over that hump.

The Savory Gourmet offers an array of exotic meats, cheeses, sauces and more.

Another "foodie" destination is Zest! located at 30 E. Main Street. Zest! offers spices, gourmet foods, kitchen gadgets, cookware and more. If you have a friend who enjoys cooking and seems to have everything, you're likely to find a unique gift there.

Zest sells gadgets, cookware, spices and more.

Who has pasta shaped like little Eiffel Towers?

Kids, in particular, enjoy visiting Candyology. Candyology offers a cornucopia of candies, soda, puzzles and unique gift items sure to be a hit with the little ones. I took a picture of one of the unique sodas that they offer and overheard the owner saying they had just sold an enchilada flavor. This one is almost as unique. Grass anyone?

Candyology sells a variety of puzzles, candy and unique sodas.

The Wilbur factory in downtown Lititz closed in 2016 and the candy is made in other, more modern plants now, including a Lititz plant on West Lincoln Avenue. The retail store, however, is still open in the downtown area and continues to do a brisk business. I was able to take home a box of my favorites: dark, sea salt caramels.

The Wilbur Chocolate Retail Store was doing a brisk business on Valentine's Day weekend.

Before I left, I was able to snap a few shots of antique chocolate pots that were on display there.

Antique chocolate pots on display at the Wilbur retail store.

Another shop with a rich history is the Julius Sturgis Pretzel Factory.  In 1861, at the age of 26, Julius Sturgis purchased the home at 219 E. Main Street in Lititz, where he opened the first commercial pretzel bakery in America. The house dates back to 1784 and is one of the oldest structures in Lititz.

My husband stands for the mandatory picture in front of the Sturgis building.

Today, families visit to view historical artifacts, purchase a variety of pretzels and try their hand at making their own. 

A variety of pretzel products for sale at the Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery.

Artifacts on view to the public at the Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery.

Families learn how to twist pretzels at the Sturgis bakery.

The Historical Foundation and Museum

Just a few steps from the Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery, is the Lititz Historical Foundation & Museum, which is generally open from Memorial Day through October. I suggest visiting their website closer to Memorial Day to discover what their plans are for this year. I visited the museum about two years ago and snapped a few shots at that time. You'll see a variety of artifacts relating to Lititz area businesses, craftsmen and people.

The Lititz Historical Foundation & Museum is located at 137-145 W. Main Street in Lititz. 

A fan that belonged to Mrs. Lincoln.

A day in the life.

Artifacts from the Lititz Springs' Whiskey Company.

Before the movies, there was the "Magic Lantern." This one dates back to the 1800s.

Linden Hall, located across the street from the Sturgis Pretzel Bakery, is an all-girls school, founded in 1746 and still operating today. Below are artifacts from the school and a shot of the school campus.

Linden Hall artifacts at the Lititz Historical Foundation and Museum.

The Linden Hall campus.

Lititz Springs Park

Located near the old Wilbur Factory is Lititz Spring Park, owned by the Lititz Moravian Foundation and maintained by the churches of Lititz for public use. Prior to Covid, there would often be live entertainment and a popular Fourth-of-July celebration. Today kids can run through the park and also buy pellets from dispensers to feed the ducks for 25 cents.

The Welcome Center across from the Wilbur Factory-turned hotel.

Children and adults enjoy feeding the ducks at Lititz Springs Park.

Lodging and Eats

The Wilbur Factory now exists as condominiums and The Wilbur Lititz, which is part of the Tapestry Collection by Hilton.

We enjoyed being so close to downtown and our room was comfortable. The only issues we had was a wonky door that was hung wrong and wasn't flush with the jamb, which concerned us a bit, but it seemed to lock okay. We also had a great deal of difficulty using the phone app to get in and out of the hotel. I think they need to work on that.

A comfy room at The Wilbur.

Vintage ads decorate the walls.

A shot taken from the upstairs level.

During the evening, we enjoyed a delicious meal onsite at the Blackworth Live Fire Grill. The decor was attractive and the place was buzzing when we visited. 

It took quite awhile to get our food, like about an hour, so if you visit, be prepared to wait a bit. I have to say it was delicious though.

Shrimp at the Blackworth.

A delicious strip steak at the Blackworth.

If you'd prefer a more casual setting, I recommend Scooters, located at 921 Lititz Pike. Scooters serves burgers, steaks and pasta. The service was good, the food was terrific and the owner was onsite to offer a hearty, friendly greeting to the customers.

The Wilbur offers fantastic ham or bacon breakfast sandwiches during the breakfast hour, which my husband enjoyed. I, on the other hand, wanted to see what was happening at the Market at the Wilbur and chose to grab a cup of coffee at Whiff Roasters and an acai bowl at Oola Bowls.

Whiff Coffee Roasters at the Market at The Wilbur.

Food selection at the Market at The Wilbur.

Oola Bowls are a delicious breakfast option.

If you visit Lititz, I highly recommend the Oola Bowls and do hope they expand into other areas.  I ordered the "What the Flax," containing acai, pineapple, granola, blueberry, flax and honey. 

My two-day stay in the quaint and interesting town was enough to become familiar with just about everything downtown Lititz had to offer. If I could recommend a better time to stay, it would be the summer, because everything's better when your surroundings are lush and green and the temperatures are comfortable, but there's no denying that Lititz offers a little something for everyone all year round.

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