Come Walk with Me Along the Historic Harmony Trail

We went for a walk yesterday along the Harmony Trail. A destination that is within 10 minutes of my home, but I never knew this trail existed. Thanks to my new found love of Letterboxing, the whole family is getting out and excitedly running down trails. Along the way, we've seen deer, rabbits, groundhogs, beavers, ducks, and other wildlife. The kids are fascinated.

This trail took us to an old cemetery. It is one of the oldest in the whole western half of the state. Some of the graves here date back to 1815. I just love old cemeteries. The gravestones are so beautiful, so intricately carved. I like to read the names and imagine what kind of lives they lived. I like the wording, usually listing to the day how much time this soul had here on Earth. I try to imagine how people with such little technology were able to chisel out names in such intricate fonts. The Mennonite Meeting House is probably the most original in the nation. We just happened to be there while the caretaker was mowing the grass. Seeing that we were taking an interest, he asked if we'd like to look inside. We got an unexpected private tour.

Here's the date on the building. I wonder why they put dates on old buildings. (Sounds like a question for Wednesday...)

We came across caves.

And cliffs.

And an immense tree that had fallen. We counted the rings, and if that truly indicates age, this tree was over 160 years old.

We strolled through town on our way back, and had dinner. We ate on the patio, near the fountain, at the Harmony Inn. This is a historic site where you can sit on the porch with your iced tea, or have a few beers at the bar. Many say the place is haunted. I've heard tell that the ghost will often appear in the mirror behind the bar. The kids and I strode slowly past and checked it out. No ghosts today. Just a reflection of the bikers knocking a few back.

We strode on a bridge over the Connoquenessing Creek on the way to our final destination. It was nearly sunset and the ducks were out in force.

Here are some duck butts...somehow I like the blurryness....

Our final stop was Rapp's Seat. The Harmony Society's leader, George Rapp, used this isolated seat carved into the outcropping for meditation. It was also a good vantage point for watching over the town.

If you'd like to take this walk, make sure you print out the historical information on Atlas Quest.