Blog Day # 168 in a day of my life. McKean County seat- SMETHPORT PA.!

     Growing up, I had many ties to Smethport. This is where I cut my teeth so to speak, on developing my infamous SLICE! That dreaded word to all right handed golfers! LOL  Yes, at age 10, my father, Clarence Russell Fitzsimmons, more commonly known as BOB! Now, don't ask me how they got BOB out of that- but that's what everyone called him. He belonged to the Smethport Country Club, and he took my younger brother, Mike and I golfing all the time.

     He would turn us loose ahead of him and his "BUD LIGHT" group, and we would go around nine holes, wait at the Country Club for them, and go in and have our half & half drink. Half grapefruit and seven up! Then , off we would go, to play the second nine! I loved those memories. He passed away when I was 19, but we had good times with him.

SO TODAY, I AM GOING TO DEDICATE THIS BLOG TO THREE PEOPLE. MY FATHER, BOB, MY BROTHER, MIKE (DECEASED) AND MY BEAUTIFUL WIFE SHERRY, WHO WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL HERE IN SMETHPORT AND GRADUATED IN 1967.  IF YOU CAN IMAGINE, WHILE LOOKING AT THE PICTURES, THE SOUNDS OF COUNTRY LIVING- IN A SMALL NORTH WESTERN PA. COMMUNITY- THAT JUST HAPPENS TO BE THE COUNTY SEAT OF MC KEAN COUNTY, PA.



                                  HAMLIN LAKE- A SMALL RECREATIONAL LAKE
                                  IN THE CENTER OF THE COMMUNITY!
                          A POT OF GOLD AT THE END OF THE RAINBOW-HAMLIN LAKE!



                                       LIGHTENING STORM OVER HAMLIN LAKE!
     BLACK BEAR

      YES- YOU JUST MIGHT SEE ONE IN AND AROUND SMETHPORT-OR ANYWHERE ELSE  IN NW PA.

  WHITE TAIL DEER

    YOU ALSO WILL SEE PLENTY OF THESE WHITE TAIL DEER.


THERE ARE MANY - MANY EVENTS THAT HAPPEN THROUGH OUT THE YEAR HERE. IT IS TRULY- A BEAUTIFUL SMALL TOWN AMERICA!


                                  FALL-WINTER IN THE ENCHANTED ALLEGHENY'S MT'S.



                               LOOKING UP MAIN STREET TOWARD THE COURT HOUSE.


                 NOW LOOKING BACK DOWN MAIN STREET- FROM THE COURT HOUSE.

   SMALL TOWN PATRIOTS


   BUILT 1828 !





                       THIS HOUSE IS OLD LIKE THE OTHER AND IS RUMORED TO
                       OF BEEN PART OF THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD!




                                  FRONT PORCH GATHERINGS ARE THE RULE IN SMALL
                                  TOWN USA!




                                         HAMLIN LAKE- MOON LIGHT -SLIGHT FOG!
                                 A SHOUT OUT TO LESTER JORDON- WHO GRADUATED
                                WITH SHERRY IN 1967- AND TOOK THESE BEAUTIFUL
                                PICTURES. WHEN I SAW THEN, I JUST KNEW I HAD TO SHARE WITH 
                                FACE BOOK FRIEND BACK HOME. HE DOES SUCH NICE WORK!

    IF YOU FIND YOURSELF HERE ON THIS DATE- TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE THESE FINE OLD HOMES.




                                      THE NEW ADDITION TO THE HIGH SCHOOL. 

             

                          THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL- NEXT TO THE HIGH SCHOOL!



                              OLD HOUSES OF SMETHPORT! UNDER THE APPLE TREE!



                                        FALL COMES TO THE ENCHANTED MOUNTAINS!


                                A WALK ALONG MAIN STREET- BEGINNING OF FALL!



    
A VIEW LOOKING DOWN OVER THE LUTHERAN CHURCH-WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL
IN THE BACK GROUND!




HERE IS A PICTURE OF PAUL PETERSON- WHO GRADUATED WITH SHERRY AND HIS WIFE JOANNE (FRISBEE) WHO GRADUATED FROM OTTO-ELDRED- SAME AS ME- BUT ONE YEAR BEHIND ME. SMALL WORLD INDEED- THEY LIVE IN AZ. HER COUSIN- BOB GOODMAN- WAS MY BEST FRIEND IN HS.



                                          THE DOME OF THE COURTHOUSE!



 THE MEMORIAL TO ALL THE VIETNAM VETERANS- BY THE BRIDGE TO THE ISLAND.




THE TRAIL FROM THE SMETHPORT DRIVE IN TO DOWNTOWN MAIN STREET.



                                                            MARVIN CREEK.




                          TWILIGHT- MAIN STREET- IN FRONT OF OLD COURT HOUSE!

I HOPE THIS SHORT TOUR OF SMETHPORT- BRINGS BACK MANY FOND MEMORIES OF THOSE OF US WHO HAVE MOVED AWAY. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DO NOT LIVE FROM THIS AREA- TAKE A VACATION, ESP. NOW, THE LEAVES ARE BEGINNING TO CHANGE. ENJOY THE ENCHANTED ALLEGHENY MOUNTAIN'S, THE SPLENDOR OF THE COLORS AND THE BEAUTY OF THE SEASONS OF NW PA. JUST DRIVE THE BACK ROADS, LOOK FOR BEAR AND DEER AND TURKEYS. CHANCES ARE, YOU WILL SEE THEM. CHECK OUT THE ELK IN ELK COUNTY, BRING YOUR CAMERA AND CAPTURE THE BEAUTY OF THIS PART OF THE USA. NOW I WILL LEAVE YOU ONE LAST PICTURE. SPRING TIME AT THE COURT HOUSE- IT JUST DOESN'T GET ANY PRETTIER THAN THIS.

                            DEDICATED TO MY FATHER, BROTHER AND MY WIFE!
                                       SEPTEMBER 17TH 2012-SMETHPORT PA.
                                           GO IN PEACE-THANKS BE TO GOD.