The Laurel Highlands: Adventure & HistoryThe Laurel Highlands Adventure: History and Nature in Southwestern Pennsylvania

Having grown up in Pittsburgh, I took for granted the city’s perfect location only an hour north of a most beautiful region known as the Laurel Highlands. During the past 10 years I’ve been experiencing fantastic places that were practically in my backyard, yet I only (re)discovered after moving to Columbus, Ohio.

As a child, we made an annual pilgrimage to Idewild Park and Seven Springs Ski Resort. As an adult, I once again, make an annual pilgrimage for grown up food, fun, and frolicking in nature. I’ve come to appreciate how easily accessible the Laurel Highlands is from several major cities, including Columbus.

Source: The Laurel Highlands: Adventure & History – Wanderlust Travel Press and Tours

Day OneArrive for a tour of Frank Lloyd Wright’s world-famous Fallingwater enveloped in the colorful autumn foliage of hardwood trees. Depart and check in to Seven Springs Resort where each room has a private balcony open to the scenic backdrop of rolling hills adorned in fall colors. Dinner is included in the resort’s beautiful restaurant with sweeping panoramic views.

Source: Fall in the Laurel Highlands

The Laurel Highlands is a region in southwestern Pennsylvania made up of Cambria County, Fayette County, Somerset County and Westmoreland County.[1] It has a population of about 600,000 people. The actual geographic feature is approximately fifty-five miles southeast of Pittsburgh, the Laurel Highlands center on Laurel Hill and Chestnut Ridge of the Allegheny Mountains. The mountains making up the Laurel Highlands are the highest in Pennsylvania, with Mount Davis in Somerset County the highest point in the

Source: Laurel Highlands – Wikipedia

The Johnstown flood of 1977; also known as the Second great flood of Johnstown, and the Johnstown disaster, began on the night of 20 July 1977 when flash floods hit the area of Cambria County, around Johnstown, Pennsylvania and the Conemaugh Valley. Nearly twelve inches of rain fell in twenty-four hours, when a thunder storm stalled over the area. With the failing of six area dams nature was able to do what area residents had been convinced could not happen again.

Ron Shawley, executive director of Laurel Highland’s Historical Village, returned to Johnstown on the 20th and stated “It was like somebody dropped an atomic bomb on Johnstown”, “I questioned what kind of force it would take to do that.”.

Source: Johnstown flood of 1977 – Wikipedia