Heritage Festival Visit

    It's always a good feeling to be back with you folks for another blog post!

    As mid-October approached the second day of the 17th Annual Bullskin Heritage Days Festival, I made a conscious decision to keep a promise to check out this year's excitement.

                                              
                     
    Now while I'm not always able to make it to too many of the regional festivals and events in our local area, I do like to be sure to get to at least a few from time to time. This was the situation last year at the Bullskin Fair and earlier, at the Connellsville Braddock Crossing Reenactment.

     This might seem to be nothing but a free ad for the historical society over others, and in that sense, I suppose it does have that appearance and on the surface may serve such a purpose. While I do hope on some level the post is appreciated, this is not the main reason I was present and accounted for as I freely admit to being rather partial to the location I grew up so near and dear to. You see, from my youth my brothers and parents often visited my grandfather and grandmother's old place close to the Spaugy Mill site.

     On this unseasonably chilly day I put on my sporting Steelers cap and Pittsburgh Penguin jacket. Off I went with my curiosity and old camera in tow, firing up the car.

   Here are a few basic photos of my trip after arriving at the fairgrounds:

Surely this includes myself

                                                          

   I wasn't in the mood to take the shuttle van thoughtfully provided for the occasion. I'd rather take a stroll enjoying nature, even on a day like this.


                                                          

As always, I took the road less traveled

                                             

the shuttle leaving without me! lol

Bonnie Brougher and Connie Rhodes were out and about; busy ladies around the various booths:

                                         


                                             

Art Corner

                                                  

ART under cover

 
 Later I looked into the other booths, tinsmithing, blacksmith, and eventually made a pre-planned beeline to the Food booth:

                                         

one of the many booths doing well in spite of the cold

                                           

A warming fire on a chilly ass day

           
   Is this indeed Bobbi Kramer in period costume helping prepare meals?

                                         

Bobbi Kramer and others at the ever popular food booth

 
   Here are more photos of the event:

                                       

laughing at the weather...ha ha! (brrr...)

                                                           

and the band played on...

                                       

the village smithy

                                         

replica of the old Mount Vernon Furnace

                                              

A fittingly dressed gent and Director at the furnace

                                   
                                               

water wheel and furnace with more to come

     It is fairly well known that local man Jim Whetsel of Keefer Rd. spent a considerable amount of time working on the water wheel and is to be congratulated for his brand of dedication.
  
                                         

Jim Whetsel's magnificent water wheel

     It is a fact that it really did snow for a minute or two around 1:00 p. m. when I was visiting the site!

                                               
  
                                             

taking it all in

                                        

up the hill to the west

   Oh, here's a quick photo of my cousin, Keith Romesburg. We love it when we can find some time to talk about our ancestry together! He is a proud Director of the Bullskin Historical Society:

                                        

My nice cousin Keith on the left, deep in conversation

 
  Among many folks, I hoped to see my old friends Bev Quinn, the Society Treasurer, and her husband Bud and son Rick and his family, but they probably came at a different time. I certainly enjoyed moments well spent here. This should give you a good feel for the festival itself, especially if you were one of the unfortunates that, for whatever the reason, couldn't manage the trip!

       (IF something still needs to go HERE, I wanted to leave a space)














   With a "Well, BYE!" I decided to duck out the back when the wind was whipping things up the worst:
    

the Festival pathway

                                      
                                          

'down the road and around the bend'

                                         

they roped this section off so children (and myself) don't get lost

                                         
 

 After I talked to some members of the Bullskin Historical Society and various acquaintances I just had to get some of the pulled beef BBQ sandwiches Keith helped me with to take back home!

the all important meal! ...mmmm

                                               
     With a last reluctant look at the parking lot and surroundings, I turned up the heat and drove off:

those brooding skies

                                              

                                                    
                                        

when the going gets rough...

    I wish them all the luck in the world with what they have done toward the water wheel, the casting shed, promoting this event and others! What I do -(write about history) may not take a ton of elbow grease, just the same this is my chosen niche after all.

                                            

        In closing,

        One thing I feel may need to be said, although I normally hesitate to refer to any other clouds on the horizon or rocks on the road, yet having had one personal email experience of being treated like a testy school marm was disciplining an unruly child, I seriously expect this to be the last of that type of particular treatment. Note: this was not appreciated. Now whether such a thing was actually on purpose or not, the judgement hasn't been finalized. If this circumstance does 'hold water' in the negative, then perhaps in response adding an appropriate blog post might be just the ticket to not only expose an unfortunate incident that would rather be left unmentioned, but further allow the more interested visitors that closely follow my blog- "Fayette/Westmoreland Forgotten History" a worthwhile look at such apparent evidence which has been lately compiled, giving you the opportunity to enlighten yourselves and thereby make up your own minds.

     Thank You all for stopping by to get a clearer look at the event. I wish you ahead of time, A very Merry Christmas !

         
      
                                         See you soon !