Love of PA: Greene County

By autumn, the leaves in Greene County creep farther up the spectrum, to purple, yellow, orange and red. Given some swiftly moving shadows of the clouds, a bright fall day provides the eyes with their own harvest feast, with hues bright enough to send you into a trance.

Greene County is appropriately named. The final "e" shows the intent was to honor General Nathanael Greene. A large portion of the area is home to pastures and farms, with the forests in the south and west more similar to those in eastern Kentucky or Tennessee than ridge-and-valley PA.

Traveling south on Route 88 allows the driver the freedom to explore the side roads toward river towns. Upon crossing Tenmile Creek and just before entering Greene County, we stop at the Fredericktown Butcher Shop. Renowned locally for fried chicken, the butcher offers seasoning and casings for sausage makers, and ready-made kielbasa. On your way south, stop at Dry Tavern and pick up a few smoked chops.

After a stop to Dry Tavern, taking a quick stop off the main road toward the river will bring you to Rices Landing where a train bridge acts as the town gate. This bridge is now only used for walking or biking on the Green River Trail, but looking over the river you'll notice the traffic is less frequent and the only sound was that of mother nature.

Once upon arrival to the historic district, make an appointment to visit the "W.A. Young & Songs Foundry and Machine Shop". For years in the past, anything that could be cast in metal was produced at this shop to supply steamboats, locomotives and coalmines. Powered by a steam engine, a system of belts and pulleys connect 25 machines from 1870 to 1920, until later the operation was abandoned intact. After being preserved, it is now recognized by the Smithsonian Institute as one-of-a-kind.

While You're There...

• Fredericktown Butcher Shop

  334 Front St.
  Fredericktown, PA
  724.337.0439

  Open daily 8am-9pm.

• The Riverwalk Café

  139 Main St.
  Rices Landing, PA
  724.592.7777

  M-Sa: 4pm-10pm; Sun: 12pm-9pm; closed Su.

• The Lock 6 Museum

  137 Main St.
  Rices Landing, PA
  724.592.6055

  M+W: 9am-3pm; additional hours by appt.

  Museum is housed in the Rices Landing Borough Building along the Mon River, and dedicated to preserving the history of the Lock 6 Lock and Dam. The Rices Landing Lock and Dam was replaced in the 1960s by the Maxwell Lock and Dam.

• W.A. Young & Sons Foundry and Machine Shop

  101 Bayard Ave.
  Rices Landing, PA
  724.627.3204

  Open for tours only by appt. Call Murray Kline at 724.592.6184 before your visit.

  Built in 1900 by W. A. Young, and was fully functional for 65 years before being abandoned and later reclaimed by the Greene County Historical Society. The foundry was used to produce wagon and locomotive wheels, pipe fittings, mine pulleys and parts for farm machinery.

• Riverrun Books and Prints

  1874 Country Rd.
  Greensboro, PA
  724.943.4944

  Hours by appt.

  Located in the heart of historic Greensboro, Riverrun Books and Prints features used, rare and out-of-print titles. Over 25,000 titles in the arts, humanities and sciences. Hours by appointment.

• The Captain's Watch Inn Bed + Breakfast

  P.O. Box 164
  Greensboro, PA
  724.943.3131
  http://www.thecaptainswatch.net/

  The Inn is located in the historic district of Greensboro overlooking the banks of the Monongahela River. The Inn provides bicycles, canoes, and motoring maps to nearby points of interest free for residents' use. The property is known locally as the the Crawford House, and was home to the manager of the Greensboro Pottery Kilns in the 19th century.

• Gallatin House / Friendship Hill National Historic Site

  1 Washington Pkwy.
  Farmington, PA
  724.725.9190
  http://www.nps.gov/frhi/

  Apr-Oct: Open daily 9am-5pm; Nov-Mar: Sa+Su only.

  Set aside from one to three hours to visit and enjoy the historic house, exhibits, audio tour, nature trails and any special programs.

• Ryerson Station State Park

  361 Bristoria Road
  Wind Ridge, PA
  724.428.4254
  www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateParks/parks/ryersonstation.aspx

  Ryerson Station State Park is three miles from Wind Ridge, just off Route 21 on Bristoria Road, in the southwestern corner of the county. It offers rustic camping sites for tents, as well as two camping cottages. Call 888.727.2757 for reservations (recommended for cottages).

• So'Journey Farm

  1841 Bristoria Road
  Holbrook, PA
  724.499.5680
  sojourneyfarm.com

  So’Journey Farm is a bed and breakfast retreat on a working farm, practicing sustainable agriculture. Meals feature locally grown produce as well as their own grass fed beef and free-range chicken. They offer workshops in rug hooking and fiber arts, as well as opportunities for birding, fishing, hiking and relaxing.