anyone from the Philadelphia area?

[Briar Rose 7457]

dd is going to the Easern State Penitentiary with her camp group. I understand it's some sort of ruin. doe sit have some sort of historical significance? I've never heard of it before.

 

[d.kurz]

Eastern State is a prison that was built around 1829 or so. It is famous for it's architecture and the fact that it was a new type of prison when it opened that isolated prisoners for the first time. Al Capone spent time at Eastern. You can see his cell on the tour. If you've ever visited Alcatraz, it's kind of like that.

I've seen you help all the NYC questioners and was glad to see that I could help you with a Philly question!

Here's their website:

http://www.easternstate.org/index.html

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

cool. she was at Dorney Park today, and she's doing the jail, Independence Park and the Franklin Institute tomorrow and thursday.

 

[d.kurz]

That sounds like a GREAT camp!! The Franklin Institute is way cool and Independance Park has a brand new Constitution Center that just opened July 4. Maybe it's just me, but seeing the Liberty Bell always gives me chills.

Are these day trips from your area or are they based down here for a couple of days?

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

she's actually down in your area. they took abus this morning, went to dorney, and they're staying at a motel tonight and tomorrow. last week she was in Massachusetts for 3 days. next week she's going to Busch Gardens and Colonial Willaimbsburg for 4 days.

younger dd will be in Philadelphia on thursday, too. she went to Baltimore today. thier trip includes the Baltimore aquarium and the harbor, Six flags and the National Zoo. and on the way back they're going to stop in Philadelphia to see the Franklin Institute.

I wish they'd had travel camps like this when I was a kid!

 

[d.kurz]

Originally posted by Briar Rose 7457


I wish they'd had travel camps like this when I was a kid!

Me, too! Sounds like a blast!

 

[SuiteDisney]

I enjoyed touring Eastern State Penitentiary. And they've improved it quite a bit from what I hear. Here is a small trip report with pictures from when we went...

http://fglaura.tripod.com/id128.htm

 

[Adrianna]

Wow, ya know I've lived in the Philly 'burbs all my life (well until 9/01 when I moved to Oregon), and I never saw it. I'll have to do that when I go home to visit the folks.

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

thanks for the links. so now I have something to talk about when dd comes home --- this is the young lady who'll sum up a trip in one word if I don't drag the details out of her.

 

[Tiggeroo]

Dorney Park is great, and she will love the Franklin Institute. I have to find kids to drag along so I can go there now. I'll be asking for tips in a couple of weeks when I take dd and some friends to the Natural History Museum to see the Chocolate exihibit.