This was a picturesque 200 mile route that left all of the Interstate highways and freeways far behind; spring had brought green pastures to Pennsylvania, and the bright barns were the only reminder that winter had been before.
We booked Hickory Hollow Campground because it is an approximate half way stop between Staunton,Virginia and Erie, Pennsylvania; also the park had excellent reviews from RVers who had been there before.
Hickory Hollow Campground, Rockwood, Pennsylvania.
Lake at Hickory Hollow Campground
When we arrived near Rockwood, about 70 miles south of Pittsburgh, it felt we were in the middle of nowhere; we were prepared for some relaxing days, walking around the lake and swimming in the pool in the campground. Like many places we’ve stayed, there were surprises and Hickory Hollow Campground was to be no different.
First we were quite amazed that we were staying close to a small township called Shanksville, the site where Flight 93 came down on September 11, 2001. Although a memorial now stands to remember those who died in the plane crash, we decided not to visit.
On a brighter note, to our surprise and delight we discovered that our campground was just 23 miles from ‘Fallingwater’ : a house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and built 75 years ago in 1936 and completed in 1937.
The house was built for a wealthy department store owner, Edgar Kaufmann, his wife Liliane and his only son Edgar Jr. as a summer weekender away from the industrial city of Pittsburgh. The Kaufmann’s originally planned for a house with a view of the waterfall, however, Wright designed the house to be a part of the waterfall.
The ‘cantilever’ construction features on the exterior of the house with wide spaces extending from the bedrooms and living areas; this cantilever construction is repeated throughout the interior with built-in book shelves, desks and sofas made from black walnut from North Carolina and suspended without any visible signs of support.
Organic in nature, the house blends and harmonises with nature, as the exterior enters the interior. Unusually for 1936, each bedroom had a bathroom.
Here are a couple of personal photographs, but if you would like to see more of the house; the following link will take you to the official website: Fallingwater.
The other ‘fun’ part about Hickory Hollow was that we met some good people – Kenny and Brenda, from not far away in Maryland, who were also staying for the weekend. They welcomed us to their campfire on the Friday evening and again on the Saturday evening to share a meal with their family, who came to visit. Times like these make our trip very special; what better way to get to know people than by sharing stories around a campfire!
