Trees and Leaves . . .

have provided many an eighth grader with his or her science project. Pennsylvania is home to nearly 20 different species of conifers and close to 100 deciduous hardwoods. Almost all are natives.

Getting Together in "P. A."

Rural demographers tell us P. A. ––in spite of its major metropolitan areas––remains one of our nation's most rural states. Maps list hundreds of little crossroad communities sprouting the names of  "corners," "hill," "valley," "creek," "run," "falls," "springs," and so forth. Neighbors often meet in churches or meeting houses such as this one for elections, political airings, benefits, local talent shows, dances, benefits or suppers where ham loaf or swiss steak dinners are often served. Near New Richmond, Crawford County in northwestern P. A.

The Quintessential "P.A." Farmstead?

Some visitors might think so once they've traveled the rural corners of Pennsylvania––"P. A." to the natives. Red barns and outbuildings are often common and many of these family dwellings date from the early to mid-1800s.

Yes, most were modernized with central heat and indoor plumbing and are continually updated over the decades, a rural version of "The Money Pit." But many homeowners bear the expense of remodeling and maintenance to retain a sense of history deeply embedded in the timbers of these treasured farmhouses.