Jax Stumpes: Bedford, PA I (10/29/2021)

Friday, October 29, 2021

Bedford, PA I (10/29/2021)

Friday, October, 29, 2021

We took two days to drive to Cleveland, OH. Unfortunately, it rained most of the day.

Covered Bridges of Bedford County, PA: Jackson’s Mill
Covered Bridge (1875), a 95-foot long Burr Truss bridge

On the Jackson's Mill Covered Bridge, crossing Brush Creek

Felton's Mill Covered Bridge (1892) is a 100-foot long
Burr Truss bridge on private property, also crossing Brush Creek

Claycomb Covered Bridge (1880 in Reynoldsdale),
a Burr Truss bridge, was moved to this location in 1975
at the entrance of Old Bedford Village

A walking tour of the Historic District of Bedford, PA:

Espy House (1770-1771) was the headquarters of President
George Washington in 1794 when he personally accompanied
troops to quell the Whiskey Rebellion, a protest against a whiskey
tax imposed to pay debts incurred in the American Revolution

Although the protestors in Western Pennsylvania were violent (tarring and feathering tax collectors, an armed confrontation resulting in deaths, and the storming and burning of Bower Hill - home to a war veteran who accompanied the Federal Marshall who served writs on those who did not pay the tax), the insurrection collapsed after President Washington sent ahead representatives to negotiate a settlement and with the threat of the coming federal militia (comprised of several state militias).

Former Penn Bedford Hotel (1922) is now apartments

Pitt Theatre (1939) Is Pennsylvania's longest
continually running movie theatre

Anderson House (1814-1815, by Solomon Filler) was
the home of Dr John Anderson who founded the
Bedford Springs Hotel, established the turnpike to Bedford
to enable guests to come to the springs, and founded the
Allegheny Bank of Pennsylvania (1815-1832)

The original door of the Anderson
House has a door knocker inscribed
with "J A" for Dr John Anderson

The Anderson House is now home of the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art Bedford (2018).

The vault of the Allegheny Bank of PA

Denise Holding Her Child
(1905, by Mary Cassatt)

The Coffee Pot (2020, by Robert Bowden)

Fireplace of the Anderson House with
The Open Hearth (1909, by Gerritt
Albertus Beneker) over the mantel

Under the Skywalk - PPG Place
(1984, by Charles Biddle)

Mt Aloysius Academy (1971, by
B Strank Zivkovich)

There were many, many paintings by watercolorist Barbara Strank Zivkovich, even lining the stairwell.

The Anderson House stairway

Looking down the stairwell

Another Anderson House fireplace (one in every room)
with a display of jewelry by Richard & Susan Coble

The Old North Windows (2021, by Heather Davis), the artist,
of Bedford County, PA, uses the most vibrant colors

River Boys (by Heather Davis)

This is Jimmi [Hendrix]

This is Jerry [Garcia]

And this is Johnny [Winter]

We were talking to each other about how the artist, Heather Davis, graduated from RISD and grew up in Newtown Square, PA, when the woman in the room announced she was the artist!

River Boys with Heather Davis

Heather Davis with one of her signature
portraits (of fellow artist Robert C Jackson,
perhaps best known for still lifes with toys)

We had an amazing conversation with Heather Davis, and will be looking for more of her masterpieces in the future. Her oil painting has gone from plein air to portraits, and she is looking for more challenges. I am sorry I did not take more photos of her paintings!

This will have to be our fall foliage picture; Raccoon Lake
Reflection, Beaver County, PA (2001, by Donald M Robinson)

Melinda "Mouse" Myers Grass Memorial
Garden (2018) behind the Anderson House
remembers a local artist and gardener

A section of wall rebuilt on the actual site of Fort Bedford,
built in 1758 to help protect the supply lines along
Forbes Road during the French and Indian War