Pics from Eleanor Rose's Northern Invasion

YAY!! We made it to Boston! We dealt with some rainy and windy (I mean pouring down, turn your umbrella inside out) weather for a couple of days so our hotel was our best friend. However, once the sun came out we were well rested and ready to go. The views from the top of the Old Custom House were amazing! An historical boat tour provided a great overview of the city and some great photo opportunities. We returned to the Museum of Fine Art for our second visit and our feet still begged us to retreat before we saw everything. Maybe a third visit there will be the charm.

Seems like you should start where it all began so to speak. The site of the Boston Tea Party Museum:
DSC00984.JPG


Yes!! We made it to the top of the Old Customs House. You can only go up at 2:00 on select days of the week so we planned ahead. The view was soooo worth it!
DSC01019.JPG

DSC01024.JPG

DSC01027.JPG


Right of center, near the top, is the white steeple of the Old North Church.
DSC01029.JPG

DSC01031.JPG


Check out the Bernie "look-alike" in the background. Yes, I engaged him later and snapped a photo. Ironically, he hates Bernie. How's that for God's sense of humor?
DSC01039.JPG


We love being on the water. Check out the abandoned lighthouse peeking out at us.
DSC01089.JPG

DSC01104.JPG


The Museum of Fine Art in Boston is among the best. I have to visit the art museum of any major city where we visit. Cleopatra greets you in Boston (sigh). Other favorites include the unfinished portrait of George Washington that's the actual image used on the $1 bill, and the Monet gallery. Monet's wife is featued in the last picture.
DSC01129.JPG

DSC01130.JPG

DSC01146.JPG

DSC01151.JPG

DSC01154.JPG
 
Last edited:
Keep in mind that @Southern Unionist and I spent a week in Boston (and it was our third visit) so we covered a lot. We visited Fort Warren on Georges’ Island, hung out in the Beacon Hill neighborhood and toured the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Isabella is a very interesting lady, likely deserving of a thread in The Ladies Tea. Fort Warren is vast and a few pics can't begin to do it justice. Trust me, we've got more! Getting to Georges' Island is half the fun! Thanks to @John Hartwell and @JohnW. for this suggestion!!
DSC01231.JPG

DSC01236.JPG

DSC01237.JPG

DSC01242.JPG


Signage for above pic. I think this is really neat.
DSC01243.JPG

DSC01253.JPG

DSC01287.JPG


The Fort Warren parade grounds.
DSC01292.JPG


Little did I know as I was gazing across the water at Hull Island that I was sitting on an extended family of red aphids! Should that have freaked me out? No. Did I freak out? Yes!
DSC01293.JPG


I did my best to "channel" the "Lady in Black," but to no avail. Dang it!!
DSC01302.JPG

DSC01277.JPG


Beacon Hill seems like a whole other world in Boston. Old money, an overload of cafes and coffee shops and interesting architecture. There used to be an actual beacon on top of the hill, where the Capitol now resides.
DSC01317.JPG

DSC01330.JPG

DSC01332.JPG


The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is a museum in the Fenway-Kenmore neighborhood of Boston. It houses an art collection of world importance. Sadly it may be most famous for the 1990 crime caper in which thirteen of the museum's works were stolen. The crime remains unsolved even though there is a multi-million dollar reward being offered until the end of this year. With all that said, the interior garden courtyard covered by a glass roof is its real claim to fame. It’s original to the building. The hydrangeas were in full bloom for our visit.
DSC01345.JPG


DSC01349.JPG


DSC01351.JPG

DSC01338.JPG

DSC01353.JPG
 
Last edited:
Can't leave Boston without bragging on the food! We stop short of photographing our food no matter how creatively it is presented, but some of the restaurants deserved a pic or two. We especially enjoyed Ye Olde Oyster House (thanks for the suggestion @Bruce Vail, @WJC and @Jimklag) and @nitrofd, the Boston Cream pie was too delicious for words!
Legal Seafood (it’s a regional chain, but a winner nevertheless) and Chart House (another worthy, upscale chain) were also real winners. Chart House was particularly nice because the restaurant is housed in the historical home of John Hancock’s first office. We also dined at Bond, a very elegant spot that served great seafood and even greater martinis. Go ahead and say it - "Shaken, not stirred." I did. :giggle:

Chart House at Long Wharf. We loved the original whale oil bucket.
DSC01209.JPG

DSC01199.JPG

DSC01208.JPG

DSC01201.JPG


Ye Olde Union Oyster House. We soaked up some great clam chowder and local ambience at the bar. The locals were a hoot! And that's a compliment.
DSC01012.JPG

DSC01008.JPG


Bond. @Southern Unionist knows I need a little pampering every now and then.
DSC01003.JPG

DSC01005.JPG


Tomorrow we finally begin our move back South by way of (surprise, surprise) Gettysburg.
 
Last edited:
Much thanks to my CWT buddies, @infomanpa, @WJC, @dlavin and @cash (among others) for encouraging me to visit the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg. We spent an afternoon there and really enjoyed it. Hope all of you enjoy this little pictorial courtesy of @Southern Unionist.

The setting for the museum is lovely!

View attachment 143495

This monument greets you upon your arrival. I've added it to my long list of favorites.

View attachment 143496 View attachment 143497 (Please click to enlarge the wonderful inscription.)

These items, especially the personal ones, on display really made an impression on me.

!
Amazing collection, isn't it? Was it very busy? I'm always concerned that others-especially our younger generations- learn by experiencing artifacts like this....
 
Welcome to Scranton, PA!
We stayed in the restored Lackawanna Train Station, a French Renaissance-style station built in 1908. The rooms were nothing special, typical Radisson hotel, but the lobby and restaurant were lovely. I loved the nostalgia!
I'll bet you husband enjoyed this stop! The station was the DL&W corporate offices as well. After railroad service, it was purchased and refurbished by Hilton Hotels, which later sold it to Radisson. I've often wondered how well they converted the many offices into modern hotel rooms.
I notice in your photos part of the waiting room (now restaurant) skylight seems missing. Somewhere I read that the skylight was damaged by workers throwing material out of the offices as they were being remodeled. Looks like at least part has survived....
 
Can't leave Boston without bragging on the food! We stop short of photographing our food no matter how creatively it is presented, but some of the restaurants deserved a pic or two. We especially enjoyed Ye Olde Oyster House (thanks for the suggestion @Bruce Vail, @WJC and @Jimklag) and @nitrofd, the Boston Cream pie was too delicious for words!
Legal Seafood (it’s a regional chain, but a winner nevertheless) and Chart House (another worthy, upscale chain) were also real winners. Chart House was particularly nice because the restaurant is housed in the historical home of John Hancock’s first office. We also dined at Bond, a very elegant spot that served great seafood and even greater martinis. Go ahead and say it - "Shaken, not stirred." I did. :giggle:

Chart House at Long Wharf. We loved the original whale oil bucket.
View attachment 144546
View attachment 144547
View attachment 144549
View attachment 144550

Ye Olde Union Oyster House. We soaked up some great clam chowder and local ambience at the bar. The locals were a hoot! And that's a compliment.
View attachment 144551
View attachment 144553

Bond. @Southern Unionist knows I need a little pampering every now and then.
View attachment 144555
View attachment 144554

Tomorrow we finally begin our move back South by way of (surprise, surprise) Gettysburg.
Absolutely phenomenal photos. Somebody had a real great trip.
 
After railroad service, it was purchased and refurbished by Hilton Hotels, which later sold it to Radisson. I've often wondered how well they converted the many offices into modern hotel rooms.

That surprises me. It looks more like a Radisson historical restoration; not bad, far better than the loss of a historic structure, but their projects always leave me thinking that somebody else might have done better. The rooms? I've seen better and worse. The old windows should have definitely been replaced, and some of the hallway areas are very much showing their age, and the parking lot needs repaving.

I notice in your photos part of the waiting room (now restaurant) skylight seems missing. Somewhere I read that the skylight was damaged by workers throwing material out of the offices as they were being remodeled. Looks like at least part has survived....

The center 50% is missing, while 25% on each end is intact. I hate knowing the reason why those panels are gone, but it actually works out well, visually. You can enjoy seeing the surviving stained glass, while seeing all the way up to the upper (clear) glass much higher, and upper level rooms and hallways get a nice view of the restaurant below. I assumed the rest of that decorative glass had been put in storage somewhere.

Another impressive feature of the restaurant is its collection of historic art all the way around the walls up high, depicting the history of Pennsylvania. I didn't have time to photograph it. Maybe another time. The one shot I took only shows the location of it.
 
In the background, you can see part of the controversial semi-modernized, partially restored, partially reconstructed roundhouse that has irritated so many historical purists. Steamtown has been heavily criticized for this, and for their Canadian-heavy collection, and for the lack of scenery on their excursion route.
Great photos! thanks!
It is worth recalling that the basis of Steamtown was a collection by the late F. Nelson Blount. A businessman whose holdings Included the Blount Seafood Corp. and the Blount Marine Corp., both In Warren, R.I., and B & M Marine Corp. in Manchester, N. H. He owned both the original Steamtown U.S.A. in Bellows Falls, Vt., and the Edaville Railroad in South Carver, Mass. In 1984, his collection was moved to Scranton. NPS took over the site and collection in 1995.
The preponderance of Canadian steam is probably for two reasons. First, location. Living in New England, he had easy access to Canadian shortlines as they retired steam. Second, supply: Canadian steam survived most US steam by several years.
Though there are many Canadian engines, there are also some celebrity US locomotives. The UP Big Boy you showed, plus a Reading T1 4-8-4, a Boston & Maine 4-6-2 and one of only two surviving DL&W steam locomotives, a 2-6-0, both undergoing refurbishing.
Given the choice of a Canadian steam locomotive or none at all, I suspect most railfans are pleased with the Canadian engines.
As to the roundhouse, it was, indeed, largely modified, but-unlike so many others in the US and Canada- it's still there and still functional.
And- yeah- the Civil War is not my only passion....
 
The center 50% is missing, while 25% on each end is intact. I hate knowing the reason why those panels are gone, but it actually works out well, visually. You can enjoy seeing the surviving stained glass, while seeing all the way up to the upper (clear) glass much higher, and upper level rooms and hallways get a nice view of the restaurant below. I assumed the rest of that decorative glass had been put in storage somewhere.
Another impressive feature of the restaurant is its collection of historic art all the way around the walls up high, depicting the history of Pennsylvania.
As it looked when new. Some photos from the NPS Steamtown Collection:


B1292 DL&W Station, Scranton, PA ca 1911.jpg B0285  Interior of New Station, Scranton, PA 1908.jpg B0287 Interior of New Station, Scranton, PA 1908.jpg B0303  Interior of New Station, Scranton, PA 1908.jpg B0304 Interior of New Station, Scranton, PA 1908.jpg B0305 Interior of New Station, Scranton, PA 1908.jpg B0306  Interior of New Station, Scranton, PA 1908.jpg B0307 Interior of New Station, Scranton, PA 1908.jpg B0308 Interior of New Station, Scranton, PA 1908.jpg B0309 Interior of New Station, Scranton, PA 1908.jpg B0310 Interior of New Station, Scranton, PA 1908.jpg B0311 Interior of New Station, Scranton, PA 1908.jpg B0312  Interior of New Station, Scranton, PA 1908.jpg
These mosaics are all scenes along the railroad's picturesque right of way.
 
Last edited:
@WJC, be careful. Sounds like you and @Southern Unionist have some common interests. :playfull: Do you live near Steamtown or Harrisburg? You are a wealth of interesting information. I love it! We met Peter Bohlen, the well known architect (that is if you keep up with modern architecture) at a restaurant in Boston. He lives in Waverly, PA and has lovingly restored a historic house/building (and added on a great bit) for his home. He is 83 and still designing some impressive structures. We enjoyed talking to him and his wife so much we ended up sitting with them for a couple hours after we finished dinner. He invited us to stay in his guesthouse and I'd love to take him up on the offer.
 
... the basis of Steamtown was a collection by the late F. Nelson Blount.

NPS took over the site and collection in 1995.

I remember it well. I was an avid reader of Trains magazine during the transition and all the controversies. I'm aware that the NPS has made some good trades in their efforts to Americanize the collection somewhat. I still can't believe they ended up with the UP Big Boy.

Reading T1 4-8-4

Is that the one on the right side of the main parking lot? It's like the N&W 611 without her sheet metal skirts.

Given the choice of a Canadian steam locomotive or none at all, I suspect most railfans are pleased with the Canadian engines.
As to the roundhouse, it was, indeed, largely modified, but-unlike so many others in the US and Canada- it's still there and still functional.

As I recall, part of the controversy was over the decision to spend millions on this facility, so close to Strasburg. I've covered that place very well. I don't know how Strasburg (the railroad or the museum) could be any more perfect than it is.

Trolley museums are quite rare, especially with an operating ride, and the one at Scranton is quite a gem. I would highly recommend it to anyone, even those without a techical side, because electric streetcars and trolleys are quite easy to understand. It's just a car with an electric motor under the floor. The fascinating variations are mostly cosmetic.

And- yeah- the Civil War is not my only passion....

:smile: How can anyone fully understand the Civil War era or Reconstruction era without understanding the transportation systems?
 
Looks like you kids had alot of fun!!! I love Beantown, it's the best city on the east coast!!! So much history, so close. You have places like Lynn and Salem...Fall River. I love the photos...brought back some old memories and started me thinking about maybe some new memories :D

On a previous trip we took a catamaran to Salem. Loved, loved, loved it!!! I want to go to Provincetown on our next visit.
 
@WJC, be careful. Sounds like you and @Southern Unionist have some common interests. :playfull: Do you live near Steamtown or Harrisburg? You are a wealth of interesting information. I love it! We met Peter Bohlen, the well known architect (that is if you keep up with modern architecture) at a restaurant in Boston. He lives in Waverly, PA and has lovingly restored a historic house/building (and added on a great bit) for his home. He is 83 and still designing some impressive structures. We enjoyed talking to him and his wife so much we ended up sitting with them for a couple hours after we finished dinner. He invited us to stay in his guesthouse and I'd love to take him up on the offer.
Thanks for your response.
No, I don't live nearby. Too bad. I'd like to pitch in on some of the locomotive restoration work.
Maybe someday.
I am just a long-time railfan somewhat aware from a lot of reading and conversation with friends. The photos I furnished were taken by the DL&W photographer and are part of a huge collection of early 20th century company photos held by Steamtown. Every new improvement on the line was photographed so that management could monitor progress. I am on a railfan mailing list/forum where these particular photos are shared and discussed. Many are lacking all but the most simple information. It is interesting as the other members- some former railroad employees- try to figure out locations, etc.
That's another benefit of traveling as you did: No airports or interstates, with a plan but stopping where you find something of interest. You meet some great people doing that.
 
Last edited:
On a previous trip we took a catamaran to Salem. Loved, loved, loved it!!! I want to go to Provincetown on our next visit.
One of our best vacations was a two week trip we took starting in Boston and taking a leisurely, off-interstate drive through New England in a big loop through all the states, ending up in Long Island. Salem and Provincetown were among the hi-lights. So much to see throughout the area.
 
Is that the one on the right side of the main parking lot? It's like the N&W 611 without her sheet metal skirts.
I can't say. I hope it's in the roundhouse out of the elements. One of the controversies that I suppose is still alive is the decision to restore the B&M Pacific when the Reading T1 was available. Some thought that because Reading was a Pennsylvania road and an anthracite hauler, that it should have been restored first.
I'm sure every decision is challenged by someone.
As I recall, part of the controversy was over the decision to spend millions on this facility, so close to Strasburg.
I don't know which came first. I've never been to Strasburg, though I understand it's great. For one thing it has the PRR engines that the company saved from the torch years ago in hopes of putting them on display. Second it was a popular operating steam tourist line.
They have the only other DL&W steam engine, cosmetically restored.
As I recall, it was all about which politician had more pull at the time.
Trolley museums are quite rare, especially with an operating ride, and the one at Scranton is quite a gem. I would highly recommend it to anyone, even those without a techical side, because electric streetcars and trolleys are quite easy to understand. It's just a car with an electric motor under the floor. The fascinating variations are mostly cosmetic.
I've seen photos and video of it. Though it is adjacent to Steamtown, I think it is a separate entity. From your pictures it really looks great. Seems like a lot of Philadelphia streetcars, including the streamlined Red Arrow cars that were originally on North Shore between Chicago and Milwaukee.
:smile: How can anyone fully understand the Civil War era or Reconstruction era without understanding the transportation systems?
That's my story and I'm stickin' to it....[/QUOTE]
 
traveling as you did: No airports or interstates

Well... we do use interstates quite a bit, but only so that we can spend more time away from the interstates in areas of interest, when we don't have unlimited time.

I've driven I-81 through Virginia more times than I can count, but I've gotten off it and done enough short side trips that I've now been in every one of those towns that it bypasses, and covered every inch of parallel Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway, and most of parallel US-11, and quite a few east-west mountain roads in the area. We've now used more than half of all the larger I-81 towns in VA and PA as overnight base camps for further exploration; some more than once.

I hope it's in the roundhouse out of the elements.

Unless they have more than one Reading 4-8-4, it's out there in the parking lot. I didn't take a pic because I drove past it in a rainstorm, and the all-black paint job was not going to produce a decent pic in poor lighting. I was going to shoot the exterior of the Lackawanna station that morning too, but the rain set in and we had to move on.

One engine I couldn't get close enough to identify by name is this 2-8-0. I know railfans think they're boring, but there's a reason why every tourist operation has to have one. Same reason that every branchline used to have several. They work. They're practical and a good fit for assignments that are not demanding. They pull hard, for such a compact and inexpensive package. Not glamorous or exciting.

DSC00910.JPG



I've never been to Strasburg, though I understand it's great. For one thing it has the PRR engines that the company saved from the torch years ago in hopes of putting them on display. Second it was a popular operating steam tourist line.

You have to go! The museum and railroad are separate. The railroad is the oldest in America still operating continuously and independently under its original charter. Its thematic target era is the Civil War and the decades immediately after. Their passenger cars are spectacular, with arched windows and polished brass light fixtures and hardwood everywhere. The museum across the road is owned by the state. I haven't been since they doubled their indoor exhibit space, and it was already great. I wanted to work it into our recent schedule, but there wasn't enough time for everything. I'll be back.

Strasburg doesn't have a roundhouse, but that doesn't concern me because I live 45 minutes from the largest surviving roundhouse in America.

Though it is adjacent to Steamtown, I think it is a separate entity. [trolley museum]

It is. The two share only a station platform. As far as I know, nobody has expressed any concerns or reservations about the trolley museum.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top