Adventures with Teresa

Yesterday was a rare treat for Teresa and I.  We seldom get to go on outings together these days, where in the past we were always into something! We started our Tuesday adventure in the pouring rain, heading toward Valencia and the Wagon Wheel Antique shops. Although it was still a drizzle when we arrived, we were inside the buildings and didn’t mind.  Four buildings full of everything imaginable from the past – from comic books to clothing and dishware to doilies.  We found quite a number of things similar to what our parents or grandparents once had, and even things that we still owned.  My eye was drawn to the dark wooden cupboards and tables.  Teresa enjoyed the textiles and dishes the most.

From there we drove over to Harmony, where there were restored, quaint buildings on quiet streets.  The little German settlement was established by a self-proclaimed prophet, George Rapp, who had acquired a large following.  They actually followed him to the United States in the early 1800’s and thus began the little Butler County town of Harmony.  There is quite a history in this little group, but mostly they did not fit in well with the community.  They were, however, very prosperous, and by the time they relocated to Indiana (the state, not the PA city!), they had built a church, a school, warehouse, mills, tavern, grist mills, brewery, distiller and tannery. These days several of the buildings are often used for classes in such things as weaving.

Shortly after they relocated, ‘Father Rapp’ was able to sell their 9000 acres to Abraham Ziegler, a Mennonite from out east, and another community began.  This community was also very prosperous, and grew to great proportions.  All this – plus too much more to recount here! – we learned from Paul, our very knowledgeable and personable tour guide. His history degree from Slippery Rock gave him the qualifications, added to his obvious passion for history and the site.  We toured three separate buildings, and learned about the common (and uncommon!) lives of both groups of settlers, their buildings and business prosperity and religious practices.  We were in the wine cellar (which I really liked – thus the three pictures!), the post office, the warehouse, the settler’s cabin, and the doctor’s office – which displayed the original Zelienople  telephone switchboard.  Teresa especially liked this, as her mom was a switchboard operator in her little hometown for many years. 

After the tour, we each bought something that caught our eye (Teresa bought a glass duck planter and I got a black, wrought iron star-shaped soap dish), then went down to the Two Fraus Bakery for yummies.  I had a chocolate chip cookie make with potato chips.  And it was very yummy!  I highly recommend it!  I also recommend a trip to both the Wagon Wheel Antique center, and to the quaint little historic village of Harmony.  I hope you can ask for Paul to be your tour guide.  You won’t be disappointed!