By Keri A. Johnson, Schuylkill County Visitors Bureau
Now is the perfect time to explore your own backyard and with so many new events happening in Schuylkill County this summer you’ll be sure to find something everyone will enjoy.
Most if not all of us know the Yuengling Brewery is located in Pottsville. But how many of us have actually taken the tour? Unique tours of this National Historic Landmark, including the caves, are offered daily and on weekends from April through December, except Labor Day Weekend. Enjoy the free tour and even a free sample at the end.
Take time to experience America’s Anthracite Heritage at Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine in Ashland. Tour a real Anthracite Coal Mine, 1800 feet into the side of the mountain and take a ride on an old-fashioned narrow gauge steam train. Museum, park, and gift shop nearby.
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is a National Natural Landmark. The 200-degree panorama view from atop Hawk Mountain’s famed North Lookout is unarguably one of the most scenic views in the East. Visitors look down upon the endless stretch of forest along the Kittatinny Ridge, and out across a patchwork of farmland and fields that flank both sides of the mountain.
Our beautiful state parks offer the best hiking, camping, boating, swimming and fishing.
Schuylkill County has it all: The Appalachian Trail, unsurpassed views at Hawk Mountain, America’s Oldest Brewery, five wineries, Pioneer Tunnel, a classic car museum, beautiful golf courses, a rich cultural heritage, history that is second to none, antiques, restaurants and so much more.
The Schuylkill County Visitors Bureau works hard to keep everyone aware of what’s going on around the County. We’ve complied a list of some things not to miss this month. We couldn’t list everything so visit our website and check out our Calendar of Events page at www.schuylkill.org. We strive to keep our Calendar of Events updated and new events are added as soon as they are received. With that said, if you have an event you would like added to our event list give us a call at (570) 622-7700 or stop by our office at 200 East Arch Street in Pottsville. You can also find us on Facebook! There you will find facts, trivia, upcoming events and so much more!
From all of us at the Schuylkill County Visitors Bureau, have a great summer!
June 5, 2010
Ashland’s “The Best of the Best” Hoagie Contest
11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Masonic Lodge, 2500 Centre St., Ashland. Local food establishments in Ashland compete for the title. Sponsored by Ashland Downtown Inc. (570) 875-3571. www.ashlanddowntown.org
June 6, 2010
Sunday Afternoon Tea
The Partridge House Bed & Breakfast, 315 S. Centre St., Pottsville. Call (570) 622-8388 for details. www.thepartridgehouse.com
June 12, 2010
Full Moon Walk
8:00-9:00 p.m., meets in the Waterfall Road parking lot of Sweet Arrow Lake. Come on out all you “lunatics” and enjoy a fun nature interpretive walk with “Porcupine Pat” of the Schuylkill Conservation District. Celebrate the last full moon of spring and look for signs of summer. All ages welcome. www.sweetarrowlakepark.com
June 13, 2010
Island Park Cruise In & Car Show
9 a.m. - 3 p.m., follow the signs, Route 61 Centre Avenue to Dock Street then Fritz Reed Avenue, Schuylkill Haven and follow the signs to the show! Live entertainment by “It Takes Two” oldies duo. No judging, no trophies. Door prizes for registered cruisers, drawing at 2 p.m. Donation - $10 per show car. (570) 385-0252.
June 19, 2010
Victory Beer Tasting Dinner
6:00 p.m., The Restaurant at the Station, 18 N. Railroad St, Tamaqua. We will be featuring 4 beers from Victory Brewing that our chef has paired up into a fantastic four course feast! Tickets are $35/person! Reservations are required and the capacity is only 40 people, so sign up quickly! Call (570) 668-5020. www.therestaurantatthestation.com
June 19 & 20, 2010
6th Annual Winebration
11 a.m. - 5 p.m., both days at Stone Mountain Wine Cellars, 1615 Panther Valley Road, Pine Grove. 3 miles NW of Friedensburg. Wine specials and complimentary wine tastings. (570) 739-4418. www.stonemountainwinecellars.com
June 20, 2010
Tamaqua Summerfest
10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Downtown Tamaqua. Ethnic foods, free entertainment, crafter, vendors. For more information call (570) 668-5722.
June 26, 2010
Island Day at the Winery
Noon to 7 p.m., Long Trout Winery, 84 Fork Mountain Road, Auburn. AAARGH, Mateys!! This be a jammin’ good time. Musical guest not yet decided, stay tuned for updates. Bring a blanket or chair and make a day of it. Beware of he who carries the limbo stick. (570) 366-6443. www.longtroutwinery.com
June 27, 2010
Grand Opening of “PA’s First American: The Schuylkill County Story”
3 - 5 p.m., Orwigsburg Historical Society, 109 E. Mifflin St., Orwigsburg. Unveiling of “PA’s First American: The Schuylkill County Story”. A unique interpretive exhibit showcasing the archaeological artifacts of Francis Burke, Schuylkill County historian and archaeologist. Reception and book signing. (570) 617-7809.
& Collectibles Museum
Now celebrating twelve years as a local tourism stop for automotive and memorabilia enthusiasts, Jerry’s Classic Cars & Collectibles Museum opened for the 2008 Memorial Day weekend, and will be open through the end of October.
What’s new? Jerry has added many new displays and items of interest to captivate history buffs. A new display of 1950’s and 60’s cars has been added.
The Museum is located at 394 South Centre Street, Pottsville, PA and has hosted groups and car clubs from over 30 states and 6 countries. Jerry’s Museum is available for small functions, civic clubs, bus tours and car clubs as a meeting place and serves as headquarters for the Great Pottsville Cruise, one of the areas largest events held the second weekend in August.
For more information and reservations call 888-802-6605 or 570-622-9510. Log on to jerrysmuseum.com. Open Saturdays and Sundays, Noon to 5pm, weekday by special appointment.
Morris W. Heisler founded Heisler’s Cloverleaf Dairy in 1924 as a retail milk delivery business. Milk was delivered fresh each day from the family farm. As the business grew a small plant was constructed on the farm to pasteurize milk produced by the herd.
In 1957 the business was moved 1/4 mile to their current location at 743 Catawissa Rd. in Tamaqua. During that year the recipe for their ice cream was developed. Heisler’s still manufactures their ice cream mix, milkshake mix, and ice cream from that original recipe. Today they offer 40 flavors of ice cream everything from banana flavor to vanilla fudge. They also have frozen yogurt and ice cream sherbet available. They operate a “Dairy Bar” that serves ice cream and a delicious hot food menu. Don’t forget about the 18-hole Miniature Golf, Driving Range, Waffle Shop, Game Room, and Gift Shop.
Heisler’s Dairy is continuing today under the direction of Morris Heisler’s nephew Leonard Ostergaard and his wife Ann. They serve approximately 100 stores with half gallons of their ice cream and a novelty item called the “ CMP® SUNDAE “. The CMP is chocolate, marshmallow, and peanuts on top to vanilla ice cream!
Now that summer is here make sure to visit Heisler’s and enjoy a round of miniature golf and an ice cream to kick out the winter blues. For information on seasonal hours and directions, visit them on the web at www.heislersdairy.com
or call 570-668-3399.
Pioneer Tunnel is located at 19th & Oak Streets in Ashland Pennsylvania. Pioneer Tunnel was open in May of 1963 as a place where visitors could experience a real anthracite coal mine. The Tunnel affords visitors an opportunity to learn how anthracite coal is mined. It shows how a vein of coal lies between rock and strata; it has a gangway, manways, and chutes.
Visitors ride into the Tunnel on mine cars rebuilt to carry passengers; the motive power is provided by an electric mine motor. Deep inside the Tunnel, guests alight from the cars to follow their guides as they give an explanation of deep-mining methods. Another featured attraction is a narrow gauge steam train ride aboard the Lokie Henry Clay. Henry Clay is a steam saddle tank engine of 30 tons used years ago to haul coal cars. Now it pulls passenger mine cars 3,000 feet along the side of Mahanoy Mountain.
Between your tours, get a bite at the Lunch & Snack Bar, stroll through the Playground and Park, and check out the Outdoor Mining Displays. This year Pioneer Tunnel celebrates their 45th Anniversary, so be on the look out for new and exciting things happening this summer!
The Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine souvenir and gift shop offers fine handcrafted jewelry, books, apparel, coal-related novelties, and displays of interesting mining memorabilia .
For more information on Pioneer Tunnel and “Pioneer Day” on August 18, visit them on the web at www.pioneertunnel.com or give them a call at 570-875-3850.
Who would have ever thought there would be a campground built on the side of a mountain! Rosemount Camping Resort has been family owned and operated for the past 43 years. Rosemount is located in the beautiful Lewistown Valley. The campground takes pride in the natural setting and surroundings; the sites are always kept natural and very appealing to anyone who has the please of visiting. Along with the camp, there id a five-acre stocked fishing pond that our campers can enjoy.
The campground is family oriented and there are many activities for both young and old. For the outdoor type, there is ping-pong, shuffleboard, and basketball, or just sit and relax by the pool! For those indoor people, we have bingo and ceramics, just to name a few. Scheduled activities from April though October.
There are sites available for tent camping and sites for trailers and if you don’t have any camping equipment, there are even cabins available for rent! Of course we have all of the amenities from home, cable television is available on the sites, so you won’t miss your favorite game or the big race for the weekend! Come and enjoy the fun! Rosemount would love to have you come and see what we have to offer. Call 570-668-2580 for more information.
The Schuylkill County Fire Museum, located at 105 South Jardin Street in Shenandoah, is housed in the former Columbia Hose & Steam Fire Engine Co. #1 station in Shenandoah. The Columbia, organized in 1870, utilized the fire station for over 125 years before relocating to a new facility. The building also served as borough hall, police station, Gamewell fire alarm system and jailhouse for the borough of Shenandoah for over 100 years. The Schuylkill Historical Fire Society currently maintains an interesting collection of antique fire apparatus in the museum. The oldest piece on display is the 1809 Pat Lyons hand pumper, owned by the Friendship Fire Company #1 of Orwigsburg. The Pat Lyons pumper was built in Philadelphia and was the first piece of fire apparatus used in Schuylkill County.
The fire society has set up numerous displays and exhibits of fire equipment and memorabilia for visitors throughout the building. Displays include over 150 year of fire helmets, parade uniforms, a historical display of fire nozzles and breathing apparatus, an in-house Gamewell Alarm system, and a photo wall of Schuylkill County’s most serious fires. The Schuylkill Historical Fire Society is open for fire department, school and private tours. There is no charge for tours, but donations are accepted. Interested groups should contact President Michael Kitsock at (570) 628-3691 or Vice-President William Kline at (570) 622-3678 to schedule a tour. Membership inquiries are also welcome.
The Leesport Farmers Market is a third generation Berks County treasure. Grandfather, LeRoy J. Weist, raised the first building in 1947, and his sons LeRoy and John expanded and improved the market over the years. 55 years later, we continue to add and grow with the times, but we have never lost sight of our granddad’s commitment to bring to market the best of the areas farmers, growers, craftsmen, and merchants.
Every Wednesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. the market grounds explode into an endless variety of plants, produce, and paraphernalia. Our indoor market buildings feature fresh country meats and cheeses, deli items, poultry, fish, baked goods, candies, fabrics, clothing, books, collectibles, furniture, stoves, health foods, and even a barber shop. In the outdoor sheltered area covering over 48,000 sq.ft. you will find an overwhelming selection of garden fresh vegetables and produce (many farmed locally), along with a tremendous display of garden items - bedding and vegetables plants, spring bulbs, fall mums, cut flowers and gardening tools. You will also discover antiques and collectibles, household goods, grocery items, baked goods, clothing, and almost anything else you can imagine. Our flea market gets rolling at sun-up and the farmers market runs from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m., with a livestock auction starting at 1 p.m.
For a list of upcoming events for more information about the Leesport Farmers Market check them out on the web at www.leesportmarket.com
