Fun Facts of the Laurel Highlands

June 30th, 2009

The Laurel Highlands are filled with fun facts.   Check these out!

• Route 40, The National Pike, The National Road Heritage Corridor, is the first federally funded highway in the country. You can view the only two remaining original tollhouses in Pennsylvania in Addison and Searight.

• Fort Ligonier impressively displays the original saddle pistols presented to young George Washington, as well as his original memoirs!

• You can view a portion on the 200-mile Roadside Museum along Route 30, the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor. Nine of the Vintage Gasoline Pumps, ‘The Pump Parade,’ are located within the Laurel Highlands!

• The Pittsburgh Steelers football team has held their summer practice sessions along Route 30 for nearly 40 years. Visit the incredible Saint Vincent College campus in Latrobe, where the Steelers hold their training camp!

• Saint Vincent College in Latrobe was the first Benedictine College in the United States.

• Latrobe is also well known for being the home of the legendary golf pro, Arnold Palmer; the late inspirational Mr. Fred Roger’s; and the origin of the cool sensation, the Banana Split!

• The Banana Split was created by Dr. David Strickler at his drug store fountain on Ligonier Street in Latrobe. Valley Dairy distributed a Banana Split Ice Cream for the 100th Anniversary in July 2004!

• A branch of the McDonald’s chain, in Fayette County, lays claim to where the Big Mac was created.

• Idlewild and SoakZone, located in Ligonier, has been voted the “2nd Best Kids Park in the World” by Amusement Park Magazine. Second only to Legoland in California! This is in honor of Mister Roger’s Neighborhood of Make-Believe. Ride his trolley!

• Seven Springs Mountain Resort is Pennsylvania’s largest ski and year round resort.

• The Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa has been host of the PGA Fall Golf Classic, at the Mystic Rock Golf Course.

• Mountain Laurel, the State’s Flower, begins to bloom the first and second weeks in June and lasts approximately three weeks. Rhododendron follows and lasts another three weeks.

• Wild flowers that can be spotted in the Laurel Highlands region: March - Trillium; April - Hepatica; May - Columbine; June - Mountain Laurel; July - Nodding Pink Onion; August - Trumpet Vine; September - Joe-Pye-Weed; and October - Ironweed and exceptional fall foliage!

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