I had the opportunity to visit the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg Pennsylvania yesterday - it's located in Reservoir Park, just off of Route 83. I was impressed by the size of the place - I understand that the collection and museum came largely from Harrisburg Mayor Stephen Reed's efforts during the 1990's.
We toured the museum's displays, which were decent but a bit hard to follow. The layout was largely a timeline from the end of antebellum times to the westward expansion of the 1880's. The museum's marketing pieces claim that it's the only museum dedicated to the entire Civil War in the country. Quote:
"The only museum in The United States that portrays the entire story of the American Civil War. Equally balanced presentations are humanistic in nature without bias to Union or Confederate causes."
Here's a couple of interior photos - flash was not allowed (which I thought a bit funny, considering that we had just been to the National Gallery in Washington DC, where it was allowed with priceless paintings everywhere you look...).
It took about 2 hours to work through the whole museum, which is an acceptable time. Admission was $9.00 for adults and $7.00 for kids over 5 years old. Overall I thought the experience was worth it - once. I would recommend the new visitor's center at Gettysburg National Battlefield if you're looking for something very similar. In fact, I was struck by the similarities in the presentation and look/feel of the two museums.
As we were leaving town I thought it would be neat to grab a photo of our state's capital dome:
We also drove by Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant on the way home to East Petersburg - yep, it was still there.
Another day in Southeastern Pennsylvania...
This morning we had another great gathering of Lancaster County Twitter users over at the Prince St. Cafe in Downtown Lancaster City. Some new faces were there - thanks for coming out!
Here's the list of attendees so you can follow them...
@wtrmaus
@asruiz
@beckami
@zoidland
@crazywidow
@ryansmoker
@Teammcloud
@airport_girl
@re_marks
@christophervogt
@bbes
@jeremywalter
@chuckholt
@lancasterhomes
@mspiker
@Therealizzy
@adamchlan
@joeltweets
I took the kids to the AMA Road Racing series (American Motorcycle Association) finale event held at the New Jersey Motorsports Park last weekend. We made the 2.5 hour drive from Lancaster County to Milville, NJ through the labor day traffic (not bad). Since I spent much of the 90's participating in the roadracing scene in southern California, including helping in the pits at AMA events for a great friend who raced, I was excited to expose my kids to my favorite sport! The day and the track did not disappoint...
We got there a bit late but missed some of the morning lines at the gate (prepaying for tix helps too!). We left around 6:30pm after much of the crowd had gone home...I love the evenings at the track, when the teams and riders pull up folding chairs and relax in the cooler air to chat about the day's events and life in general. We had a special chance to get photos with Mat Mladin, retiring 7-time AMA Superbike champion who was hanging around his trailer doing autographs for the fans wandering by. And also a special thanks to Beth Miller of the AMA who stopped to admire my son's Smokin' Joes Racing hat (she remembers them...do you?) and give my kids stickers.
Also hot was a stunt show put on in the late afternoon by Aaron Colton, a 17 year-old rider who was exceptional in flinging his Honda CBR around in an excellent display for the fans at the fences - as you'll see in the photos, he got PRETTY close to my camera lens - I got some great shots of his work.
All in all, a special day for me to get back the races after 10+ years away, and for my kids to see the sport I love and how friendly it really is. Can't wait until next labor day!
Photos...
I don't know about you, but I use the Lancaster Library fairly regularly. In fact, they've seen a 30% increase in traffic over 2008, according to a representative who visited our Council meeting in East Petersburg last night. With the ranks of the jobless on the rise (what recovery?) more and more people are using the free internet access and prep materials for job hunting and interviews.
Bad news is, with the PA budget impasse and expected cuts, the state funding for the library is going to dry up significantly.
If you're a supporter of the Lancaster Library yourself, then you have an opportunity to help this month! Loxleys Restaurant, part of the newly opened Heritage Hotel in Centerville, is including the Library in it's "Loxley's Legend Continues" Benefit Program. During the month of September, the Library will be one of three charities to receive 5% of the food bill.
Be sure to specify the Library as your choice when dining there. Tell all your friends and relatives and ask them to go to Loxley’s the next time they go out to dinner.
Go eat!
OK, this got me mad. We received this notice at my house last night in the mail. Here's what was visible through the envelope windows:
Notice the "HUD Lender ID" with the imposing "PA reference number" below it, and especically the "FIRST NOTICE" prominent in the top right. Since we had just refinanced, I immediately thought this was some notice related to the new or old loan.
Upon opening the "notice", here's what I saw:
Ok, my eye had gone to all the places this mortgage ad designer had wanted them to go to:
Now that it was obvious to me that this was just another mortgage solicitation, I became pretty upset at the underhanded tactics employed by this broker. You can't tell me that this isn't specifically designed to scare elderly and young people into calling to "see if everything is OK" just to be pitched by some salesperson on a refinance.
I did some web research on this outfit and found some truly nasty comments, even from mortgage officers advising others not to work there. Here's an example; http://www.mortgagegrapevine.com/thread/?thread=560771. Also, a promintent article at Philly.com about a "stimulus act" mailer "scam": http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20090307_Stimulus_gives_rise_to_consumer_scams.html. In one article the reporter says that the CEO of this company denied any wrongdoing in reference to another misleading mailer - did we expect otherwise? Maybe he should talk to his ad staff.
This company should be ashamed of itself and in my opinion they are part of the crisis in confidence in the real estate industry right now. Intercontinental Capital Group of 55 East 59th Street 4th Floor, New York NY 10022. Stay AWAY from these people just because of decency's sake.
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Your One-Stop source for expert Lancaster County PA Real Estate assistance. Jeff's blog is nationally-featured and he's been quoted in Lancaster News, PA Business, WGAL & the Wall Street Journal.
Raised on Long Island, Jeff received his Associate Degree in Business at Suffolk College in 1985. He transferred to Penn State at University Park, PA to complete his undergraduate studies, earning a Bachelors of Science in the Marketing discipline in 1988. RJR Nabisco Brands, who had taken Jeff on as an intern in the last summer of his time at Penn State, offered him a sales position calling on accounts across Long Island. Thus began his career, one which would lead him to Lancaster armed with one of the top resumes in the Real Estate industry.
In the past sixteen years Jeff has worked for several multinational corporations, rising from route sales to managing large accounts and working daily with company chairs and officers. Along the way Jeff acquired his MBA in Business Management at Dowling College in Oakdale, NY. More importantly, Jeff has operating a multimillion-dollar internet sales division and in that capacity handled innumerable customer service calls, successfully resolving the vast majority. This in combination with his years of consultative sales experience has given Jeff an innate feel for the needs of the customer which he has successfully integrated into his Real Estate practice.
With Jeff Geoghan as your representative, you can be assured of the very best in personal, professional service. Contact him today to discuss your real estate hopes and dreams.
Jeff R. Geoghan strives to provide the very best in service and expertise possible to his customers. Whether you are looking to sell a home or buy your "dream home", Jeff Geoghan is the right choice. Also, Jeff is an agent focusing on ways to encourage the growth of "green building" practices and energy efficient homes, for greater environmental stewardship in the real estate process.
Throughout the United States, there is a rising interest in ways to beat skyrocketing fuel prices, live more independently of the "grid" and protect the environment of which we are all called to be good stewards of. The sentiment has even reached into the state and federal governments, who are now beginning to recognize this movement as "not going away" and are working on incentives to spur development. The good news is that homeowners have more resources at their fingertips that ever before, and that accomplishing the goals of independence, savings and environmental stewardship are more attainable than ever.
The Real Estate industry nationwide, however, has huge opportunities available to share these emerging and now-standard technologies with the home consumer. In the home sales process, little to absolutely no emphasis is placed on the energy consumption of the home or the degree to which "green" building practices are employed (in new homes especially). In our fossil-fuel world of central Pennsylvania, home sellers, buyers, builders and agents do not focus on doing things better & cleaner but take fuel oil, gas and grid electricity for granted even as these items rise in price constantly. There is a better way!
The mission of Jeff R. Geoghan, his partner firms and YourLancasterHome.com is to bring change to the industry in central PA by focusing on the ways Real Estate customers can save money, improve their lifestyle and reduce dependence on fossil fuels with their attendant costs. Through his affiliation with the Green Building Association of Central PA Jeff will help educate his clients on ways to improve homes through "green" projects, and inform buyers on the merits of different new home constructions. Through his affiliation with the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association, Jeff will help educate on ways to reduce energy expenses in the home, and to explore alternative energy options that are already available. Lastly, as an official Energy Star Partner Jeff will educate on the relative merits of appliances, insulation, lighting and other energy-saving strategies. Here at YourLancasterHome you will find benefits offered nowhere else in the Real Estate industry today.
With a solid track record of residential sales in and around Lancaster County, Jeff is well-placed to offer the top-notch service expected of a professional agent. If you, as a prospective home sales customer, are looking for the edge in energy management, Jeff stands alone as the agent of choice.
"We beleive Jeff went above and beyond the normal service. He made us feel like we were the only clients he had. We highly recommend Jeff" - The Haines - Hamilton Park
"Jeff was a pro in all respects to our sale and purchase. He was calm when times were stressful. He always returned our calls promptly! We felt like Jeff was working for us every day...he was wonderful from the first open house through settlement"- The Swionteks - Manheim Township
"Jeff was a pleasure to work with...I will be recommending him to my friends! - The Johnsons - Lititz
"Jeff was an outstanding agent, and we would highly recommend him..." - The McEdwards - East Hempfield Township
"Jeff answered every single question we had about the process...we would recommend Jeff to anyone" - The Gildeas - Manheim Township
"Jeff Checked things even more thoroughly than we did. He was fun to bounce ideas around with, can see possibilities, helps bring relevant information and confidence to decision making" - The Weavers - Columbia
"I told a lady my kids were playing with at mall to call you...and gave her my name as a reference" - The Saint Cyrs, East Petersburg"
"Jeff was looking out for us and when he saw something that was not right in a house, he was honest enough to let us know. He really was looking out for our interests" - The Maris' - Manheim Township
"Jeff was willing to show us many homes without us feeling like we were inconveniencing him. Seeing numerous homes helped us narrow down our priorities...he was patient with us!" - The Stoltzfus' - Lititz
"Was very quick on our counteroffer - coming to us on a Friday night to sign, ensuring that we would get the house" - The Halls, New Holland
"The first afternoon we met, I was sold on Jeff" - Alisia Lara, Lancaster City
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