A Z4 Ride to Virginville and the Scariest Place Ever

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A Z4 Ride to Virginville and the Scariest Place Ever

Postby Rick F. » Thu Nov 03, 2011 11:42 pm

Yes, I thought that would get your attention. And I'm not kidding—this trip led me to Virginville, Pennsylvania and to the "Eastern Pennsylvania State Institution for the Feeble-Minded and Epileptic," as it was originally known. For some reason, there was a serious shortage of residents in Virginville—and no one at all at Pennhurst…

As usual, getting there was half the fun. Near the scenic little village of Nantmeal, I managed to take a wrong turn and in the process discovered this unusual barn, with tapered support columns.
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A little further on, I found this place. Wouldn't you love to have a scenic driveway to go with your historic house?
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I made a short detour to see what Iron Bridge Road might be like. Not surprisingly, it featured an iron bridge over a heavily flooded South Branch of French Creek.
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Take a close look at the grass where I parked the long-suffering BMW: I'm pretty sure that this whole area was under water the day before.
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As it happened, you couldn't park anywhere in this part of Pennsylvania without discovering some interesting thing in addition to the one you stopped for. In this case, I spotted a stone house in the distance beyond the bridge. And, next to it, was the even-older, original log home. (No scenic driveway, however.)
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A bit later, there was a fairly ordinary wooden shed situated next to a gigantic, not-so-ordinary stone building. I don't remember ever seeing such a tall structure made of irregular stones. At least not one that was still standing.
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My first major planned stop was Coventryville, PA, founded in 1717 when Samuel Nutt, originally of Coventry, England, established an iron foundry there. A few years later, Samuel joined with Mordechai Lincoln to build additional forges. Their furnaces, and the numerous others that followed, formed a major industrial site in Pennsylvania for over 150 years—but Mordechai's wealth did not extend to his great-great-grandson, Abraham. Although these businesses produced sizable quantities of ammunition for the Revolutionary War and included the first steel mill in all of America, by 1871 they had all shut down, victims of the expanding steel industry elsewhere in Pennsylvania.

Finding Coventryville was fairly easy, since the spire of the 1860 Methodist Church was visible from quite some distance.
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I wasn't sure which building was which, but many of them date back to the late 1700s and early 1800s. It was a beautiful village (but it could use a "walking tour" brochure!)
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With one last look at Coventryville's fading elegance, it was time to motor on.
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In particular, I was hoping to get a picture of the infamous, dreaded "Eastern Pennsylvania State Institution for the Feeble-Minded and Epileptic," as it was originally known—now called simply the Pennhurst Asylum. Pennhurst was built in 1903-1908. It was forced to shut down in 1986 as a result of a lawsuit charging "unsanitary, inhumane, and dangerous" treatment of residents, and it has been abandoned since then. I figured on a long hike and a distant picture at best by holding the camera overtop of a barbwire fence.

Imagine my surprise when I simply drove into the heart of the huge complex by following a mail delivery van! Although I've since read that the area is off-limits and patrolled by state police, I did not see any signs prohibiting entrance. From a distance, Devon Hall looked somewhat forboding but not too worse for the wear following its 25-year closure.
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Closer up, however, the ravages of time were more apparent.
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Further in the distance, the Vincennes Building was, without question, the scariest place I had ever seen. Compounding its appearance, the horrific history of Pennhurst gave the place the worst set of "vibes" that I've experienced since visiting the island of Saipan in 1978 (but that's another story).
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The following photos illustrate the circumstances of the asylum. The poorer-quality ones were part of evidence used in the lawsuit (with patients' faces obscured by the white circles). And yes, all of the individuals seated in the dining hall in the first photo are young children…
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Pennhurst was overcrowded within 4 years of its opening. Dormitory rooms intended for a modest number of patients became wall-to-wall beds. Almost all of the buildings in the complex are connected by underground tunnels—which were also used for sleeping space and for housing some of the more violent residents. Budget cutbacks resulted in wholly inadequate staffing during the week. On weekends, there were no psychiatrists available and far too few aides to help with bathing and toileting. Most bathroom areas did not have towels, soap, or toilet paper. Evidence produced during the lawsuit documented cases where residents were bound to beds or chairs with restraints for as many as 720 hours per month. (For reference, a 31-day month has 744 hours.)

Although Pennhurst was ostensibly a school and training facility, the condition of many residents deteriorated substantially during their stays. Terri Lee Haldeman was admitted at age 12 and "During her eleven years at Pennhurst, as a result of attacks and accidents, she has lost several teeth and suffered a fractured jaw, fractured fingers, a fractured toe and numerous lacerations, cuts, scratches and bites." Upon her release at age 23, with more than 40 documented injuries, she became the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit that eventually led to the institution's closure.

A final quote from the lawsuit records: "Plaintiff Robert Hight, born in 1965, was admitted to Pennhurst in September, 1974. He was placed on a ward with forty-five other residents. His parents visited him two and one-half weeks after his admission and found that he was badly bruised, his mouth was cut, he was heavily drugged and did not recognize his mother. On this visit, the Hights observed twenty-five residents walking the ward naked, others were only partially dressed. During this short period of time, Robert had lost skills that he had possessed prior to his admission. The Hights promptly removed Robert from the institution, Mrs. Hight commenting that she 'wouldn't leave a dog in conditions like that.' "

More information and photographs of Pennhurst are available at El Peecho's Pennhurst Page. It ain't pretty. Additional information is available in the 1968 NBC documentary Suffer the Little Children, which investigated the conditions at Pennhurst. I'll leave you with this photo of the Assembly Hall, and then we'll wisely move on.
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My mood after visiting Pennhurst was not improved by the gray day and the fact that my attempt to cross the Schuylkill River into Pottstown was thwarted by this no-longer-safe bridge, which had been closed for repairs, demolition, or just abandonment.
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I found an alternative way into town and was struck by yet another monument to days gone by. At least the stark appearance of this abandoned factory was relieved by the active Byzantine Catholic Church of Saint John the Baptist. (Can you spot the ubiquitous BMW Z4 in this photo?)
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My mood improved as I drove through other parts of Pottstown, finding this adorable little Victorian home…
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…and, just for Cathy and Kim, the imposing First Baptist Church of Pottstown, built in 1859. The church's founders were Serious Baptists, as evidenced by this account from the church's website: "[B]ecause those were the days before heated pools, baptisms took place in the Schuylkill River, whatever the weather. On February 28, 1858, the river was frozen from shore to shore. The ice had to be cut for the baptism of 22 hardy believers as thousands of townspeople turned out to witness their public profession of faith." Incidentally, to get this photo, free of telephone lines and the like, I had to stand in the middle of a fairly busy intersection. The things I do for my faithful readers!
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My mood was fully restored once I arrived in Boyertown and located the Boyertown Museum of HIstoric Vehicles. What a great place for gearheads! Some of you will have heard of the Duryea Hill Climb, which has been held for the last 61 years in Duryea, PA, near Reading. Did you know that there used to be a Duryea automobile company, credited with developing the first automobile in the U.S. in 1893? And that during 1900-1907 Charles Duryea used this 2.4-mile climb up Mount Penn as a test of his cars? This little museum had more Duryea's than I would have thought even existed. Charles and Frank Duryea were the first to commercially manufacture automobiles, the first to use pneumatic tires on cars, and the first to use self-centering steering through inclined kingpins (the "caster" feature that every car continues to use today). For good measure, in 1895 Frank Duryea won the very first car race in the U.S., averaging 7.3 mph over the 54-mile distance from Chicago to Evanston, Illinois. The 1900 Duryea pictured here has a 3-cylinder water-cooled engine and was steered by moving a tiller left and right. It even had a twist-grip throttle on the tiller, just like our favorite 2-wheeled BMWs.
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This Reading Standard motorcycle was built in 1916 in (naturally) Reading, PA. It had an advanced-for-the-time side valve engine in the now-classic V-twin configuration. The Indian Motorcycle Company later hired Reading's chief engineer and produced a nearly identical V-twin for its bikes. Note the suicide shift and clutch pedal on the left, along with a second shift lever and knob; I couldn't figure out its purpose. (Calling Unity!)
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Okay guys, what were you doing when you were 13? At that age, in the late 1800s, James F. Hill of Fleetwood, PA was planning the first car he would build. Over the next several years, he produced this 1900 horseless carriage, initially powered by a steam engine, then by a 1-cylinder gasoline engine. The Fleetwood town council banned him from driving it in the city because it wasn't powerful enough to climb the hills. James retaliated by building and installing a 2-cylinder opposed engine (i.e., BMW boxer style!) that presumably carried him about in fine style.
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So what does this 1928 LaSalle convertible coupe have in common with James Hill and with…
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…this 1920 Packard?? Answers to be provided in due course. (Patience, Grasshopper!) The Packard, incidentally, has a 12-cylinder "Twin Six" motor, which was probably more than enough to get this mammoth automobile going.
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The Boyertown museum also showcased a beautiful pair of runabouts. The red 1912 S.G.V. roadster was built in Reading and could reach 60 mph. Note its highly unusual (at the time) Westinghouse air-oil shock absorbers (and their apparent need for new seals). An electric gear-changing mechanism was an option. The car was so expensive that its primary customers were people named Astor, Drexel, or Vanderbilt, not to mention the King of England, German Kaiser, and the Czar of Russia. (Nuts: Now I really want one!)
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The Acme Motor Company preceded S.G.V., and their cars were also built in Reading. This 1909 Acme Model A runabout had 4 cylinders and did well in early American racing. Interestingly, the car had to be licensed under a patent held by one George B. Selden, which granted him sole control over any vehicle with a gasoline engine and four wheels—that is, every such car made in the U.S. after 1895! It wasn't until 1911 that Henry Ford was successful in getting this patent overturned. In the meantime, Selden had collected hundreds of thousands of dollars in patent royalties.
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Say, was that a diner in the background of the last photo? You bet! How the museum got it here from Reading is anybody's guess. (Maybe Ted Verrill, the ultimate BMWBMW authority on diners, would know?)
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My favorite vehicle in the museum was this 1923 Ace XP3 racing motorcycle, complete with aerodynamic sidecar. With an inline 4-cylinder motor, it set a world speed record for a motorcycle with sidecar—at 106.8 mph!
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With some reluctance, I left the museum and continued on my tour (which was now hopelessly behind schedule). Vowing to make up time, I immediately left my planned route to find the Manatawny covered bridge, built in 1856. It wasn't hard to locate, but there was no vantage point for a decent photo—until a friendly homeowner invited me onto his back porch that offered this view. He told me that, during Hurricane Agnes, the water level rose so high that it was pressing heavily against the upstream side of the bridge. Fortunately, the bridge did not wash away and, in fact, was not badly damaged.
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My route next took me to the town of Huff's Church. When I arrived, I was a bit surprised to see that an entire town had been named after this diminutive one-room church.
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But then I looked across the street and discovered the majestic Huff's Union Church. The building I parked next to was actually the Huff's Church schoolhouse. The church was built in 1881. Its massive size is hard to judge from a photograph, but consider this: the bell in its tower weighs 2,200 pounds—as much as a small car!
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Back in the day, if you were traveling from Zieglersville to Fleetwood, then the place to stay was the Fredericksville Hotel. It apparently thrived for many years until Arnie, its owner, started being rude to the customers. Having failed to make the million dollars that he hoped for, he locked the door one day and never came back. Oddly, the place is still shown in many current listings of area hotels.
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Before reaching Fleetwood, I detoured slightly to drive through Kutztown (pronounced, and originally spelled, "Cootstown"). Owing to the lateness of the day, I didn't have a proper opportunity to look around, but I did discover the wonderful architecture of the Kutztown Area Historical Society. The building started life in 1892 as Kutztown High School.
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Pressing on, I soon reached Fleetwood, another of my principal destinations for this trip. You remember James Hill, right, who lived in Fleetwood and built his own car from scratch? Well, that wasn't my reason for coming here. Still, it did have something to do with cars, as suggested by this fading mural on the side of the Fire & Ice restaurant.
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Similarly, the elegant Victorian Lewis Wanner House wasn't my main purpose. But while we're here, it was built in 1873 from the proceeds of Mr. Wanner's Fleetwood Eagle Roller Flour Mill.
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Fleetwood has other impressive houses, including this brick one with brightly painted woodwork…
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…and the these late-1700s houses. (It looks like the last little piggie was correct: Brick houses hold up well over time.)
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As I meandered around town in search of my real purpose for visiting Fleetwood, I encountered this possible descendant of James Hill, complete with his own modified vehicle. He was happily pedaling around the city streets, negotiating u-turns, and generally demonstrating excellent control of his unusual bike. Maybe it was the automotive steering wheel… And no, I have no idea how he initially got on the thing or how he would come to a safe landing at the end of the ride. The big smile on his face? It was because two teenage girls across the street appeared to be quite impressed with him!
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Okay, I've kept you in suspense long enough. I came to Fleetwood looking for any signs of the once-prosperous Fleetwood Metal Body Company, which, during 1909-1930, was considered one of the world's finest custom automotive coachbuilders. Back in the days, many car manufacturers built only the engines, chassis, running gear, and so forth for their cars. Customers would buy a Rolls Royce, Duesenberg, Packard, or Mercedes engine and rolling chassis and then hire a coachbuilder to fabricate the bodies and interiors for their cars. The Italian coachbuilders, such as Pininfarina, are well known. But in its heyday, Fleetwood was right up there with the best of them. The oldest of the Fleetwood Metal Body buildings was destroyed by fire on Christmas Eve in 2005, but the main factory lives on.
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As it happens, the company's chief designer used to run a photography shop. As a result, there are pictures of hundreds of examples of Fleetwood's custom bodywork. This 1911 S.G.V. convertible sedan had just been completed and is shown in a field in downtown Fleetwood. (This photo and the next one are courtesy of the Fleetwood Historical Society.)
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Ever hear of Isotta-Fraschini, one of the finest of the pre-war automobile makers in Italy? These extremely luxurious (and expensive) cars became very popular in the U.S. prior to the Depression. This particular 1927 Isotta-Fraschini Tipo 8A S Roadster was bought by one Rudolph Valentino and sent to Fleetwood for custom bodywork. Note that the hood and cowl represent nearly half the total length of the car (not unlike a BMW Z4 :D ). Valentino's car had gold-plated trim, a polished aluminum hood, and carried his unique coiled-cobra hood ornament.
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Rudolph Valentino, just in case anyone is unfamiliar with this legendary silent-film star, was considered the most handsome and sexy of Hollywood actors in the 1920s. Here's a photograph of him with his wife Natasha Rambova.
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In researching Isotta-Fraschinis for this report, I ran across this photo on the outstanding Coachbuild.com website. Comparing it to Valentino's grey and aluminum car, I became convinced that they were one and the same. I was enormously pleased to (i) make the discovery and (ii) learn that this significant car still existed.
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Further perusal of Coachbuild.com, however, revealed that this was not Valentino's car—it was another one built almost immediately afterward. How did that happen? Well, tragically, Rudolph Valentino passed away from complications of appendicitis surgery at age 31 shortly before he would have taken delivery of his Isotta. While millions of women around the world were mourning his death, the Isotta was sold elsewhere, and Fleetwood was free to produce several essentially identical cars—right down to Valentino's cobra mascot. But the good news was that the original Valentino car is, indeed, still in existence. It sold a few years ago for $1.6 million.
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Here are a couple of other notable Fleetwood Metal Body products, the first being a stunning 1931 V-16 Cadillac roadster and the other a stately 1937 V-16 Cadillac Imperial Limousine. (Photos courtesy of Coachbuild.com.) Those were the days, sigh… (On the other hand, as Mr. Valentino experienced to his great detriment, those were also the days before antibiotics.)
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Oh, by the way: the LaSalle and Packard automobiles I saw at the Boyertown museum? They both carried Fleetwood bodies. And as a final note, Fisher Body bought the Fleetwood company and eventually merged their operations. The "Fleetwood" name lived on as model line for Cadillac's limousines and most luxurious sedans through 1996.

With the day clouding over again and the sun headed for the horizon, I set off to complete the rest of my tour. (Altogether, counting the distance to and from the tour itself, I covered almost 400 miles.) This lane bordering Moselem Creek demanded photographic attention. It was typical of the settings I had been seeing all day, i.e., gorgeous.
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The creek fed a pretty pond, complete with dam and waterfall. It was the perfect setting for flora, fauna, birds, and other wildlife.
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And sure enough, I spotted the most beautiful of birds, a great blue heron. One look at me, however, sent the heron winging away. But not far enough to escape the trusty 20x zoom lens on my camera. What a noble bird (even if they are notoriously camera-shy).
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A couple of miles further up the creek, the Zion Moselem Lutheran Church called out for a photo—and it, too, featured a small church-related schoolhouse right across the street. The original church stood from 1761-1894, when it was replaced with the present building, and the school was constructed in 1874.
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It was too late in the day for a tour of nearby Crystal Cave, so with only mild disappointment I pressed on in search of the almost legendary town of Virginville, PA. In the mid-1700s, Virginville grew up on the farmlands of John Jacob Dreibelbis, who left his home on the Swiss-German border to come to America in 1732. John Jacob's great-grandson, Simon Dreibelbis, built the "Ontelaunee House" hotel in 1832, just outside of town. Virginville expanded rapidly with the advent of the Berks County Railroad in 1874 and growing interest in the newly opened Crystal Cave. By the early 1930s, however, Virginville was being eclipsed by Kutztown, Fleetwood, and other nearby towns. Fortunately, the Virginville Hotel lives on:
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Oddly, as I drove through the streets of Virginville, I saw virtually no residents. Did no one "meet the requirements" to live in this town?? Eventually I ran into two good ol' gals (who clearly did not meet the requirements—but then, they were on the outskirts of town). One was tall, blond, and athletic-looking despite her 60 years. She told me about the history of the town and insisted I hear all the local gossip. Her friend was shorter, rather, uh, wider, sported numerous tatoos and body piercings, and was wearing a t-shirt that read "One Crazy B---h." She also had a full-dresser Harley and had just returned from a day-long ride. Well, I enjoyed talking with them, and I wish I'd been bold enough to get a "Divas of Virginville" photograph.

From Virginville, I followed Maiden Creek (is there a theme here?) as I pressed on in search of Dunkel's Church and the Dreibelbis Covered Bridge. I was in a bit of a hurry, since I wanted to get to Windsor Castle before sundown… Image

The church proved easy to find—but I hadn't realized that it had been abandoned in the 1970s, due to the planned construction of a large dam on Maiden Creek. It was nonetheless an impressive sight. Its predecessor churches dated back to the 1744 New Jerusalem Dunkel's Kirche, built by the Merkels, Dreibelbis's, Dunkels, and other Pennsylvania Dutch families. It was replaced by a larger church in 1790, with the current building constructed in 1859
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Continuing on, and keeping an eye on the impending sunset, I enjoyed the beautiful vistas offered along Dreibelbis Station Road. (The Dreibelbis family was, and continues to be, a major presence in this area. They have frequent family reunions and are working hard to acquire and preserve various properties built by their forbearers.)
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Soon enough, the Dreibelbis Covered Bridge appeared, one of the longest such bridges in the State that still carries traffic. It was Simon Dreibelbis' masterpiece, built in 1869 and spanning 175 feet.
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Now, you'll recall that I wanted to reach Windsor Castle before sundown, right? This desire was based on the legends of Hecksa Dans, or "the witches' dancing hall." (I'm not really superstitious, but why take chances?) Two hundred years ago, the rural lane that connected Virginville and Windsor Castle was notorious among the Pennsylvania Dutch residents as a place that no one dared to walk after dark. Ernie Miller now owns the land where the witches would dance around their fire at night. Local lore holds that no plants of any kind will grow on the 20-foot circle of land where they danced and that, even during the day, horses were extremely reluctant to pass this spot on the lane.

Did I mention that the lane developed into a 2-lane road? Called Witchcraft Road? Yep, I don't make these things up. Fortunately, I drove on by the Hecksa Dans site without difficulty—but then, the sun had not yet set. An entertaining account of witchcraft in Berks County is available in a recent Berksmont News article Secrets of a Pennsylvania Dutch Witch.

At Windsor Castle, PA, I encountered a crossroads, a striking old hotel, and not much else. The hotel was a bit of a surprise, since there didn't seem to be much there otherwise, beyond a couple of small farms and a few houses. Still, it was a very distinctive-looking place, and I waved to an older couple sitting on the front porch as I drove by.
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A little farther on, I got the dreaded "Off route! Recalculate?" from Professor Zumo, and I realized that I'd taken the wrong turn at the crossroads. I used the opportunity to get this photo of the Schappell Farm as the sun was setting.
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Retracing my steps, I waved at the couple again as I passed by the hotel and turned onto what proved to be another wrong road! I mean, why are there always witnesses when you foul up this badly? Finding nothing of interest on Windsor Castle Road before turning around, I proceeded back to the hotel, and the couple, who appeared to be waving with less enthusiasm and more perplexed expressions. Throwing caution to the winds, I turned down the sole remaining choice at the crossroads and found myself back on route.

Later, in looking into Dreibelbis Family history, I discovered a picture of the Ontelaunee House hotel and found that, except for size, it was a dead ringer for the Windsor Castle Hotel. I assumed they were built by the same people, at about the same time, since they're only 4 miles apart. But further research indicated that the larger Windsor Castle Hotel was built around 1903—a good 70 years later than Ontelaunee House. But I'm pretty sure I know where they got the idea for their design…
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Traveling southwest on Zion Church Road, I wasn't too surprised to find the magnificent Zion Church. The plexiglass protecting the stained glass windows reflected the golden glow of the setting sun. This church was preceded, yet again, by several earlier ones. Starting in 1760, these predecessors lasted 14 years, 29 years, and 104 years before the present building went up in 1909. During the Revolutionary War, the second church was used to store gunpowder and ammunition for the Continental Army. The local residents wisely decided to hold services in a neighbor's barn.
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A short ways down the road, I found yet another one-room schoolhouse. It wasn't clear whether this one was associated with the Zion Church.
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Out back behind the schoolhouse was a Scenic Privy, complete with a door at each end (I assume for boys and girls, respectively).
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With time and light running out on my trip, I managed to find the Dreibelbis grist mill, which Simon purchased in 1868 from Enoch Wartzenluft and promptly sold to his son, Cleophas. The mill is still operable save for one broken part, according to the family's website. It was originally water-powered, from Pigeon Creek, but was converted in about 1940 to diesel operation.
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I had several more planned stops but had to forgo them for another time. I took a quick spin through Shoemakersville before following the Schuylkill River to Route 422 to Route 30 to York and on to home.
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It was a long and rewarding tour, both in terms of the historical sights and the entertaining back roads that dominate this part of Pennsylvania. The look at early American automotive industry was fascinating, while the look at early (and not-so-long-ago) American treatment of the disabled was disturbing and appalling. Fortunately, we've come a long way as a society. As always, the Z4 ran flawlessly, was great fun to drive, and even returned 29 mpg in the process. Every time we get on or in our BMWs, we should thank our lucky stars that we have the means to enjoy these wonderful machines.

Rick F.

PS: This route was planned using the "Wikipedia overlay" feature of Google Maps, which a work colleague told me about. If anyone would like a MapSource file of the route, just let me know.
Last edited by Rick F. on Tue Sep 15, 2015 3:47 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: A Z4 Ride to Virginville and the Scariest Place Ever

Postby Maria V » Fri Nov 04, 2011 8:36 am

Bravo! Great report - I love to explore abandoned buildings. =D>
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Re: A Z4 Ride to Virginville and the Scariest Place Ever

Postby Unity » Fri Nov 04, 2011 2:53 pm

Rick F. wrote:... a second shift lever and knob; I couldn't figure out its purpose. (Calling Unity!)

Sorry, Rick, you'll need to find someone even older to answer that one.

However, while looking at old motorcycles, I happened upon a fore-and-aft horizontal twin made by (are you ready?) H-D. :o :shock:

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Re: A Z4 Ride to Virginville and the Scariest Place Ever

Postby Rick F. » Wed Nov 09, 2011 10:10 pm

Maria V wrote:Bravo! Great report - I love to explore abandoned buildings. =D>

Maria,

First, good to hear from you--hope all is well.

Second, there's something fascinating about abandoned buildings. They're irresistible.

Third, I went by that old house that's being renovated on Littlestown Pike out your way. I see that it now has a lot of scaffolding around it, so I hope the owners are making progress. (Of course, the last time I saw it a couple of years ago it looked like it was being worked on. Slow progress, I guess!)

Rick
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Re: A Z4 Ride to Virginville and the Scariest Place Ever

Postby Rick F. » Wed Nov 09, 2011 10:29 pm

Unity wrote:
Rick F. wrote:... a second shift lever and knob; I couldn't figure out its purpose. (Calling Unity!)

Sorry, Rick, you'll need to find someone even older to answer that one.

However, while looking at old motorcycles, I happened upon a fore-and-aft horizontal twin made by (are you ready?) H-D. :o :shock:

--John


John,

I managed to find a little information about the Reading-Standard gearshift from a 1921 product info brochure, but it doesn't help much:

"The clutch is operated by the familiar R-S dual hand lever and foot control on the left side."

I should have taken a closer look at the museum and figured out what the levers were controlling. Next time!

As for the H-D longitudinal horizontal twin, I found it quite interesting--but I was surprised that they're not still producing it with exactly the same ~ 1920 technology... :D

Rick
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Re: A Z4 Ride to Virginville and the Scariest Place Ever

Postby Dough Boy » Thu Nov 10, 2011 7:44 pm

Fantastic!

(As always)

May I suggest southern Chester County for your next trip? It's quite picturesque.
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Re: A Z4 Ride to Virginville and the Scariest Place Ever

Postby Rick F. » Fri Nov 11, 2011 5:15 pm

Dough Boy wrote:Fantastic!

(As always)

May I suggest southern Chester County for your next trip? It's quite picturesque.

DB,

Thanks for the tip--I'll check it out.

Rick
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Re: A Z4 Ride to Virginville and the Scariest Place Ever

Postby RockBottom » Tue Nov 15, 2011 6:26 am

Speaking of covered bridges, I recently stumbled across what I later found out is the longest one in Pennsylvania (although no longer in use)

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Re: A Z4 Ride to Virginville and the Scariest Place Ever

Postby Rick F. » Tue Nov 15, 2011 11:55 pm

RB,

Wow, that's quite a find! Any hints as to its name or location??

Rick
For all my tour articles, check out rsftripreporter.net.

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Re: A Z4 Ride to Virginville and the Scariest Place Ever

Postby RockBottom » Wed Nov 16, 2011 6:24 am

Rick F. wrote:RB,

Wow, that's quite a find! Any hints as to its name or location??

Rick



http://rootsweb.ancestry.com/~pajchs/pomeroy.html

The GPS location is Lat. 40.4943N & Long. -77.4728W. http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=215297622548952181534.0004b1d767fba5ba8f543&msa=0&ll=40.236557,-77.450867&spn=0.854395,2.113495

A few thousand yards from the bridge is the Tuscarora Academy, a 19th century girls' school which is claimed to be haunted.

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~pajchs/academy.html
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Re: A Z4 Ride to Virginville and the Scariest Place Ever

Postby Rick F. » Thu Nov 17, 2011 8:02 pm

RB,

Thanks--that's great! Of course, now I'll have to plan a whole new trip around the sites you've listed... :D

Rick
For all my tour articles, check out rsftripreporter.net.

2020 Mercedes-Benz SL550
2013 BMW 335i convertible (sold)
2007 Aston Martin V8 Vantage (sold)
2006 BMW Z4 3.0i roadster (sold)
2005 BMW R1200GS (retired)
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Re: A Z4 Ride to Virginville and the Scariest Place Ever

Postby RockBottom » Thu Nov 17, 2011 8:07 pm

Here's another one taken just a few miles from that spot.

Image
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Re: A Z4 Ride to Virginville and the Scariest Place Ever

Postby Flash! » Fri Dec 02, 2011 1:40 pm

Well, if anyone besides Rick and myself is interested in wildflowers, the mystery plant growing in the sand is finally identified. My husband took pity on me in my frustration, and found the name on a National Park Service site--http://www.nps.gov/plants/pubs/nativesmd/coastalplain/coastal-herbs.htm--and then googled images of the plant.

Seaside Goldenrod
Solidago sempervirens

Seaside goldenrod can be recognized by its fleshy, waxy leaves -- an adaptation to the drying effect of salt spray. Individual flowerheads of seaside goldenrod are larger than those of the typical goldenrod.

For help with identifying goldenrods, see the Quick Guide to the Common Goldenrods of New England.

• Family: Aster (Asteraceae)
• Habitat: beaches, dunes, salt marshes
• Height: 1-8 feet
• Flower size: flowerheads 1/4 to 3/8 inch high, in clusters 2-5 inches across
• Flower color: yellow
• Flowering time: August to November
• Origin: native

Image
Image

Last updated November 13, 2005. © 2005 Connecticut Botanical Society. All rights reserved.

Thanks, Rick, for another great photo tour and another interesting plant!

Jody
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Re: A Z4 Ride to Virginville and the Scariest Place Ever

Postby Rick F. » Sat Dec 03, 2011 5:45 pm

Jody,

Yay Jody and John for the Beach Goldenrod identification! That's definitely what it is.

If I understand correctly, in the process of trying to identify this mystery flower, you even rode your F650GS to Chincoteague Island to look around?? That's dedication!

Rick
For all my tour articles, check out rsftripreporter.net.

2020 Mercedes-Benz SL550
2013 BMW 335i convertible (sold)
2007 Aston Martin V8 Vantage (sold)
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2005 BMW R1200GS (retired)
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