[PRCo] Re: Pittsburgh 250 (Tongue-in-Cheek Reply)

[Dennis F. Cramer]

Fred,
You are hardly old.  I have two men in their mid 80's who are still faithful members of my town band.  Art Ellis is in the same category.  They are still all sharp as a tack and enjoy sharing their knowledge and experience as so many on this list do on a regular basis.  It is often said that one is only as old as they feel and if you keep active, both mentally and physically, you will live a great life!

I have been to Clayton and performed in some nearby old homes that had been converted into public places for receptions, etc.  The rich moved up on the hill to be a little cooler.  One also needs to go to the Old Overholt Museum near Scottdale to see the Frick beginnings.

Phipps Conservatory is a regular stop, along with the Carnegie Museum (I do need to get back to see the new dinosaur display at the Carnegie) and Carnegie Hall.  Have performed there also with and orchestra celebrating the Chinese New Year with Chinese musicians, dragons and soloists.  It was the first time in my career that I could not make out the instructions on the music.  Luckily the conductor spoke and read Chinese.  I can deal with Italian, French, German, Latin, Spanish and most other European languages that are not in the Cyrillic language. (Usually those have some Latin based translation written in)

I first went to the Nationality Rooms in the mid 60's and have been back several times.  Do not forget to go down the street and visit Soldiers and Sailors Hall.  
I have been to Old Economy more than once and the same with the Drake Museum.  While in Venango County make sure to visit the DeBence Antique Music Museum in downtown Franklin.  They have one of the best collections of turn of the century music machines in the world.

Johnstown has the best site by a dam site (David McCullough's words) and several other sites to see, including 2 museums, a great cemetery, one of the steepest inclines in the world and the old PRR mainline.  Go up to South Fork and see where the rich of Pittsburgh came to play.  Many of the cottages are still there along with the hotel.

Visit the Greene County Museum outside of Waynesburg to see the only surviving steam locomotive from the Waynesburg & Washington narrow gauge.

I am a firm believer in visiting my own backyard and would be more than happy to visit any of it with any of you.

I want to visit the Coal and Coke Heritage Museum in Fayette County.  I put myself through college working at a beehive coke plant in Armstrong County.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UJLIrT_ALs


Dennis F. Cramer
      Trombone