building

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Today I had a fabulous lunch date with my daughter... after which, we had a very inspiring walk about the college area... happily taking photos. While we were eating lunch... I happened to pick up a book called "14,000 Things to be Happy About" by Ann Kipfer. Feeling motivated... I decided to devote this post to a similar list *although not nearly so long :)

1. tea. So many varieties... so little time...
2. singing with the radio on full blast
3. puppy kisses
4. my camera... my little creativity box...
5. BAJ and the kiddos... and little Sophia
6. full moons
7. blue skies
8. bagels and cream cheese
9. flannel sheets
10. colored pencils and Moleskine notebooks
11. fresh flowers
12. mail
13. art on the walls
14. handmade furniture
15. 4-wheel drive
16. cottonwood trees
17. a stack of books at my bedside
18. good friends
19. neighborhood shops
20. candles


---perhaps this will in turn inspire you to make your own "happy list"...

*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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(photos by Elaine A. Russell)

One of the most prominent buildings in town is the Courthouse. Coudersport happens to be the county seat for Potter County, and so lots of proceedings take place inside it's fine walls. It was built in 1851-53 by contractor William Bell of Warren and carpenter Eli Rees, at a cost of about $17,000. And it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in the 1970's.


"Alterations were made in 1888-89, including relocation of the courtroom from the first floor to the second. Contractor was Home Hall of Olean, N.Y., who also built the Coudersport Consistory.
During the winter of 1933-45, through the Civil Works Administration, Potter County was able to renovate the courthouse. The basement was excavated for establishment of additional office space. Concrete footing was placed under the old walls. The entire interior and exterior were repainted and modern conveniences were added.
A cupola clock keeps time for the town. It was a gift of Henry Hatch Dent.
A courthouse bell was donated by the Hon. Timothy Ives.
Atop the clock tower is a statue of justice."



The original statue is one of only 5 statues of Lady Justice where she is depicted with her eyes wide open. The statue was ordered from Humphrey and Jones of Jamestown, NY; and was placed atop the courthouse on October 25, 1888. She stands 12 feet tall, and is carved in a Greco-Roman neoclassical style. "The statue was carved from a block of wood and overlaid with handcrafted zinc panels by a process of 'tin knocking', which the hammering of the metal into the carved sections of a tree trunk." She is overlaid with gold plating ... and is adorned with an olive branch crown.

The original statue now takes an honored position inside; and a few years ago a replica was cast and placed atop of the building where she once stood. This new replica will withstand the weather much better than the original, who had a grand restoration about 10yrs ago.


Amongst the relics found during her restoration, was an antique pin... which was later reproduced and sold to help fund the restoration of the statue. The photos here, depict the original statue and the general architecture of the building.



For more info look at these links:

Living Places info...
Visit Potter County website
Coudersport Info on Wiki
and more quotes and info from this site here

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On main street here in Coudersport, is the Potter County Historical Society. I believe the building itself was one of the few to survive the massive fire of 1880... when most of the town's buildings were completely burned down. Later, I am told it was a school.... and when I was a kid... it was the library.
Now... it is the Historical Society... and it houses a wonderful collection of books, dishes, war memorabilia, local made furniture and glass, and so much more. There is a significant library in the one section of the building... that is available to the public for genealogical research. The volunteers that work there are incredibly knowledgeable... it is amazing, really. The curator is Mr. Robert Currin, who, when I went to school... was my 7th grade history teacher. He later became the principal of the high school. Since "retiring"... he has devoted his extensive talents and time to the betterment of the town and county by organizing and expanding all that is the Historical Society today. (link to the Potter County Historical Society website: here)



Last summer.... through the efforts of several townsfolk ( including Robert Leete -- who graduated a year before me in school)... discovered and restored the Mann Fountain.
The Mann Memorial fountain was originally erected in 1903, in front of the Mann House, at the site of what is now the Post Office. After restoration, it was installed and dedicated in front of the Historical Society.


When I was a kid... I really didn't like studying history all that much. However, I started visiting older people in town at a young age... and did some cleaning, errands and such for them on a weekly basis. Because alot of the people I visited were quite elderly, they would recount to me many stories of what life was like when they were younger. Through them... history became a living and interesting thing... not something in dusty books where I had to memorize meaningless dates and places.
Over the years.... I have continued to study various subjects on my own... and I have tried to pass on a thirst for learning to my kids.
~~~

Tonight... much to my amazement... my dad was discharged from the hospital. I do not think he is ready to be home. I was more than a little frustrated by several personnel at the hospital... who called the house no less than 5 times today... saying he was discharged... no he wasn't .... well... maybe he would be.... if the doctor comes in... etc. It was insane.
He was discharged at 8:30pm.
Just last night, he was still taking IV morphine for pain control... and I don't see how he is going to be OK without it. After all... it's not like the cause of pain.. or the extent of the pain has miraculously changed or gone away.
But home he is. And I know that he is very glad to be home....so that is fine...and we will figure it all out.
~~~
And in other news... I have managed to hurt my back. I have herniated discs in my lower back about 4 times in the past... and it feels as if I have done it again. I was trying to clean and organize some things around the house... including moving a desk to my parent's bedroom so that my father wouldn't have to navigate going to the basement to work on things.
It is very painful... but it was more than worth it to see how happy my dad was when he got home and saw that he now has a little office area in the bedroom...


*all photos by Elaine A. Russell

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The wife called and tells me she has no connection tonight. So stay tuned for an update tomorrow!

-- posted by the hubby
____________________________________________________________________

UPDATE:
I am sitting at Mitchell Park here in town... where I have miraculously gotten a connection. I had gone to McD's for one... but they have closed for the night, and thus shut off the Internet capabilities.

So... We came to the park to let Sabrina run around... and low and behold TA-DA!

So... on Monday (yesterday now)... I did alot of errands for my parents. Mom went to the Chiropractor again.. which is good. Things have sort of settled into a routine of sorts. Dad continues to have severe leg/buttock cramps.. and I can't get a hold of his doctor to potentially get a prescription or to get his blood checked. It is frustrating.



The photos for today's post are of the Old Hickory. It was once an Inn and a bar/restaurant... that unfortunately fell into severe disrepair. At one point.. I heard the the Rigas Family had bought it with the intent to turn it into a bed and breakfast... which would have been really cool. Work was started... basically, the interior was gutted and the roof was fixed. However, I think that was as far as things got when the whole Adelphia fiasco happened. Since then, the place was in limbo. It was unclear who owned it... then I heard that some people from the southern part of the state bought it... but didn't do anything. Then I was told that last year it was up for sale along with alot of other properties as a "tax sale." Not sure if that is true.... but it would be awesome if someone would buy it and fix it up.

The Old Hickory has been around forever. It is definitely one of the oldest buildings in town.. and certainly one of the most interesting looking. PLUS... there is the ghost story..... tales of a young man who was "worse for the drink" and got into a bar-room fight over a woman. The young man got shot in the stomach... and as the story goes... because he was "under-age", his body was carried to an upstairs room and draped over a piano. I am not sure if the people thought that he would recover up there... but he passed away. Legend tells that he still haunts the place and can be seen in the upstairs cupola at night... wandering ... and looking for his lost love...




(all photos by Elaine A. Russell)

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-----------------------------------a collage of photos taken at Charles Cole Memorial Hospital today



Today was one of those weirdly busy days... I ended up driving alot of people different places... to the store... to get groceries... to get movies.... out for dinner.....to the hospital and back... just different things. Kind of a "hurry up and wait" kind of thing at times.....
The hospital that dad is getting his rehab at is Charles Cole Memorial Hospital. It is the closest... and basically.. only ... hospital in the area. The next closest is about an hour away. And the one that dad had his surgery at is about 3hrs away.
CCMH is a good hospital. It has undergone sooooooooo many changes since I last worked there in 1990. But then, that is to be expected.
Dad had a bad day today. Alot of pain... still alot of swelling.... poor appetite... and generally not feeling well. He promised to take some pain meds tonight and try to rest......



........................................................................... a couple photos from one of the few alleyways in Coudersport. The mural was painted on the back of this building when I was in high school, by some fellow high school students. I think it still looks pretty cool.
I also love the brickwork on the buildings here. Alot of the downtown area features buildings built around 1880... so they are all brick... with Gothic and Victorian touches here and there. This is the backside of one of the buildings... and I just love the old iron staircase....



For dinner.... Kristin and I went down to Fox's Pizza... (formerly the Tastee Freeze when I was a kid). It still looks exactly the same as it did in the 1970's.... only the food has changed ever so slightly. You can still get pizza, burgers, fries, and soft serve ice cream and sundaes... but now they also offer Gyros and sub sandwiches, mozzarella sticks and other "fast food" items.
When I was a kid... they actually had a brown bear in a pen out back for "tourists" to gawk at... fortunately... they do not do that anymore. It's one of the few places for people to hang out at.... and the ice cream is still pretty good.....PLUS... ya gotta love that they still have gumball machines with cheesy toys in them.....



And then there was this guy... just taunting me from his perch on a porch in town. Nothing screams EASTER... like a plastic light-up bunny . My mother-in-law would've loved it... so in her honor, it became my photo for the day.....
---------------------------------------------------> all photos by Elaine A. Russell


Links:
Charles Cole Memorial Hospital: here
Fox's Pizza: here
Info on Coudersport, PA: here

way down south



photos by Elaine A. Russell, at the Factory on 5th



---as in the south end of the Factory on 5th building. I need to get keys from the owner and explore inside some more... but in the meantime.... here are some more shots in my on-going series.

I took a photo of the ceiling line inside the building. The wood tones are just amazing. Not to mention the whole..."feels like I am in the bowels of a ship"... feeling I get when I am in there. Cozy, safe, secure.

Then there is a photo of some of the industrial windows. I just love how they have chicken wire in them. And air bubbles in the glass. Wow. Fantastic. It reminds me of some of the windows in older buildings back east... which I adore.

Lastly, a photo of some chili peppers in the rock parking lot. Not sure how they got there... but they looked cool.

Thanks for everyone's comments on this series. Your feedback helps me to do better.