The Abandon Pennsylvania Turnpike & Tunnels

Sideling Hill Western Portal

Abandon Stretch of Turnpike

The Pennsylvania Turnpike has evolved a lot over the past several decades since it opened in the 1940’s. At first much of the turnpike was originally used as a railroad then later turned into highway. The Turnpike now travels over mountains but when it first opened it went through them. With seven tunnels along the stretch, the turnpike would bottleneck from a 4-lane to a 2-lane highway through the tunnels. Due to congestion, primarily at the Breezewood interchange, the tunnels were bypassed. This left about 13 miles of abandon highway and tunnels in South-Central Pennsylvania. The remaining tunnels were enlarged to allow better flow of traffic and remain part of the Pennsylvania Turnpike today.

Access to Turbine Room

The Abandon Turnpike is still currently accessible to pedestrians and bicyclists; were as, motor vehicles have been prohibited. Non-profit conservation groups manage parts of the Abandon Turnpike. The groups have tried to make it a rail-to-trail recreation area. Two tunnels, Rays Hill and Sideling Hill, are open to the public and are the most well known. The tunnel further west, Laurel Hill, is privately owned and being used as a test site. The abandon turnpike is easily accessible from 3 different points. Pump station road off of Rt. 30 takes you to the Eastern part of Sideling Hill Tunnel. Oregon Road off of Rt. 30 takes you in-between Sideling Hill and Rays Hill Tunnels. Lastly, the intersection of Rt. 30 and Tannery road near Breezewood takes you to the western part of the turnpike near Rays Hill Tunnel.

Inside the Tunnel

            I have been to the abandon turnpike tunnels numerous times, and they have yet to get old. Even before reaching the tunnels, there is something amazing about walking down the abandon interstate highway. Trees are growing in the median. Grass and weeds creep up from the cracked concrete. My favorite time to go is at night. The highway gives off an eerie post-apocalyptic vibe that you would see in movies. At night the tunnels can be seen by the moonlight, but the inside is so dark you can’t see your hand in front of your face.

Turbines

Visiting during a sunny day however, you can just barely see through the tunnel to the other side. This is also the best time to explore the inner structures of the tunnels at your own risk of course. I have explored Sidling hill tunnel the most over the years. The massive turbines that pushed air in and out of the tunnel are still intact in the upper floor of the tunnel entrance. The tunnel walls are always changing with new graffiti on both sides. Along the tunnel way where the old lights were, numbers are painted to help you judge how far you are along the tunnel. The tunnels are primarily intact with some concrete falling from the ceiling. Water does come down from the ceiling at both portals but the inside is usually dry. 

Air Shaft above Tunnel

  If you plan on visiting the tunnels, it is at your own risk. I would recommend wearing comfortable shoes and taking a flashlight regardless of time of day and only staying on the road and not exploring the other parts of the structure.

The Bedford Coffee Pot

     Along the Lincoln highway/Rt. 30 many roadside attractions used to litter the side of the road. Many of the tourist traps that sat along American's first coast-to-coast highway have been torn down or are now privately owned. However, in Bedford one of the old attractions still stands. On the Bedford county fairgrounds a huge coffee pot sits just a few yards from the highway. The Coffee pot was originally owned by the Koontz family and operated as a service station. Through the years the building became unkempt and almost burnt down. The building was marked for demolition until a government grant was given to restore and move the coffee pot from its prior location to the county fair grounds. Today people can still stop and get a glimpse of the roadside giant at the entrance of the fair grounds.

Gravity Hill - Bedford County

     

Starting Point

     Why go to the moon to defy gravity when you can do it in Bedford county? A short drive west from the town of Bedford there is a curious phenomenon known as Gravity Hill. True there are many of theses so-called optical illusions, however, none are as well-known or traveled to as this one. On a summer day while taking a mini tour of Bedford county me and a few friends decided to stop and put the claims of Gravity Hill to the test. Finally after traveling back a heavily wooded country road we came across the huge "X" in the road marking the starting place. We then put our car in neutral and watched as it slowly rolled "up hill". I wouldn't recommend going out of your way to see Gravity Hill, but if you're in the area its a free amusement.

Looks like an incline but actually a decline.

      Now for some directions, first take a left on Bethel Hollow Rd. just off of Rt. 96 between New Paris and Schellsburg. Following Bethel Hollow rd. then simply make a right turn on Gravity Hill Rd. and look for the huge painted "X" marking the starting point. Now the fun part, place your care in neutral and watch as it climbs uphill. Take a ball, water, or anything you can think of with you and watch in amazement. I really wish there was more to say about Gravity Hill, but you really just have to see it yourself.

The End

Bedford's Old Log Church

Front View of Church

2nd Floor Seating

      Continuing on my Lincoln Highway adventure, a short distance from Story Land, sits the Old Log Church which it is rightfully named. The 1808 church, as it is also sometimes called, is on the left if heading west from Schellsburg PA, on Cemetery Road. The old church caught my eye as I was driving. It rests in the center of an old cemetery, as if watching over the old graves. I was lucky enough to go inside this old building. Instantly, I was taken back in time by the unique character of the church.

View Looking Towards the Entrance

      The church was built in 1808 on land bought from John Schell, the founder of nearby Schellsburg. The majority of the building was made from logs. The first thing you notice upon opening the door, is an elevated pulpit at the opposite end of the entrance. The main floor of the church is laid out with two columns of pews with stairs up to the balcony pews. The church remained in use by the Reformed and Lutheran denominations for years until 1852 when they erected a new church in Schellsburg. The Old Log Church and Cemetery Preservation Society is now in charge of the still used cemetery. The society continues to do maintenance and repairs on the church, as well as care for the cemetery.

Entrance

      The Church is open to the public with a book to sign to leave
your mark and a place for donations. The next time you travel Rt.
30, take a stop at this quaint church; you won't be disappointed.

Grave Yard

Candlelight Vigil in Saxton PA

   There is a legend in Saxton PA of a young girl that killed in October of 1986. Different versions of the legend exist. One version states the girl was murdered. The girl's family being poor, they had to bury her on the outlying tree line. Another version states she was sacrificed by an occult organization and buried along the outside of the cemetery. This legend provoked a better investigation for myself. Surprisingly, I did witness some truth to this legend. However, I'll leave you to make your own conclusions about the legend.
      Upon hearing the rumors and gathering information about this legend, true to the date, a few friends and myself arrived at the cemetery around 9pm. We walked the loop around the cemetery a few times to get our bearings, then found a place to observe the cemetery in its entirety. Around 10:30, we saw a few flickers of light in the opposite end of the cemetery. We carefully walked closer to where we saw the lights, walked around a mound of dirt, likely left from the remains of graves. Around the mound, astonished, we watched eight individuals in dark clothing conversing. Being at a safe distance, we could not make out what they were speaking about. They seemed to be fiddling with something and using their flashlights. Thirty minutes had passed, and then they started to move. They lined up in a straight line, lighting candles and progressed towards a part of the wood line. We watched in amazement as the legend was being revealed before our eyes. After another thirty minutes, their candles were blown out and then they dispersed into the woods. We stayed back for some time talking about what we had just seen. We sat and watched to make sure that they had left. We then proceeded to investigate the scene. Red candle wax lay in a circle around a lone stone. The stone looked to be carved, but without any writing. Only a lone candle half used stood upon the stone. With closer investigation, all around the area, older and dirty wax was found. This lead to a belief the event or vigil had happened before.
     To this day no new information was able to be found about this strange occurrence. Obituary records do show that a woman had died in the fall of 1986. But no other information as to the death or exact date was able to be obtained. I tried to interview locals with out any luck. Some people didn't have a clue as to what I was talking about. Although, others seemed to be aware of the mysterious happenings of Grandview Cemetery but had nothing to comment.