Pennsylvania Gardens
It’s probably no surprise that Pennsylvania known for it’s pictorial mountains, is also home to plentiful gardens and arboretums. No matter where your travels take you, gardens run the gamut of the state. Experience the Penn State Horticulture trials, see one of the nation’s oldest and largest Victorian glasshouses at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh, Reader’s Digest has deemed Longwood Gardens, just outside Philadelphia, one of “America’s Most Gorgeous Gardens.
If you decide to cultivate your gardening skills, Pennsylvania has a yearly Garden Expo in Harrisburg.
Anna Baker’s Haunted Wedding Dress
Born in 1836, Anna Baker was the third child of prominent iron master Elias Baker who along with his wife Hetty owned the Allegheny iron furnace in Altoona Pennsylvania. Shortly after moving to Altoona from Lancaster the Bakers built what is known to locals as Baker Mansion.
The mansion in it’s present day form is home to the Blair County Historical Society. The Historical Society occupies the top floor of the mansion while the remainder of the building is a museum stocked full of antiques from the age of the Bakers that is open daily for public tours. Some of the antiquities that can be found in the museum include the original table that President Lincoln used at Altoona in 1864 for the War Governor’s convention and a wedding dress that once belonged to Anna Baker that some say, she still occupies.
When Anna Baker was in her twenties she was engaged to a man who worked for her father. The man was a laborer and in Baker’s opinion not good enough for his daughter. Anna secretly was engaged to the man and was going to run away and marry him, she had even bought her wedding dress. Unfortunately Baker found out the lovers plan and had the man fired and sent away as a begger.
Anna never married and died in 1914 as an old maid. The mansion was closed upon her death and not until the Historical Society bought the property did anyone know of her plight.
The historical society found Anna’s dress and placed it in a glass case on the second floor. Shortly after the dress was encased, visitors reported seeing it move and and one point reported seeing it dancing.
The historical society tried to downplay the idea that the dress could be haunted and even installed a closed circuit camera to prove it. Unfortunately, for the museum the cameras showed their worst nightmare. The dress danced when no one was near it.
Not only does the dress dance but folks visiting the museum have reported seeing things move, cold spots and even a full blown apparition.
Does Pennsylvania have same-sex marriage?
No. Pennsylvania doesn’t allow partners of the same sex to marry, nor does it recognize domestic partnerships or civil unions. Most people think of Pennsylvanai as a conservative State, this is not true. PA is now a state split down the middle. According to Keystone Equality “A statewide poll showed that more than 70% of Pennsylvanians now support some recognition of same-sex couples in Pennsylvania.”
www.eriegaynews.com reported that a Pennsylvania House Bill has been Introduced to End LGBT Discrimination. Legislation prohibiting discrimination on the bases of sexual orientation and gender identity or expression in housing, employment, and public accommodations was introduced in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives on March 4, 2009.
Rep. Dan Frankel (D-Allegheny County) introduced the bill, House Bill 300, which would amend the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act to include “sexual orientation” and “gender identity or expression” as protected classes, with a record 79 co-sponsors from both parties and from across the commonwealth. more…
Buy Your Wedding Cake Hazelton Pennsylvania!
Well it’s finally here. The Time has come to make all of the many decisions that come along with planning a wedding. One of the most important decisions is where to buy your wedding cake from. Hazleton Pennsylvania offers a few great options when choosing a bakery. Janie Lou’s, Party Cakes and Carmen’s Bakery are just three of the many favorites.
The place to go though seems to be Janie Lou’s Cake Shoppe (866) 543-5094 . I noticed right away how she adds the extra p in the name of her store, just showing the added class right from the start. All of her cakes are homemade and there are a multitude of specialty cakes available. Janie Lou’s is located in West Hazleton, Pa but definitely worth the drive. All cakes can be costumed made to show your friends and family exactly how you feel on this momentous day.
If you are looking for other options try Party Cakes (570) 455-4854 . Party cakes is located right in Hazleton, Pa and is able to accommodate many special requests. They have numerous positive reviews and they are certainly equipped to make your special day the most memorable that it can be. These cakes all typically use a material called fondant which gives a specialty cake and especially a wedding cake a smooth professional look.
And lastly, try Carmen’s Bakery ( 570) 455-3700. This shop is also located right in Hazleton, PA and offers a wide variety of options. They will be able to accommodate a beautiful cake and still have other options available for all of your wedding needs.
Give them all a try and see which one fits the bill!
Congratulations!!
Courthouse Wedding in Pennsylvania
There are many things to consider and know when planning a courthouse wedding in the great state of Pennsylvania. First of all, both parties must be of legal age to get married, which for Pennsylvania is 18. Second of all, you must attain your marriage license, without this, well there is no wedding. In order to get this certificate you must first go down the local county clerk’s office, which is at the local courthouse. Both parties must be present to begin the process. Once at the location, you will need to have you drivers license, $25 to $60 in cash depending on your location, and, any certificates in the case of a previous marriage that would interfere with this one, such as death or divorce paperwork. You will then need to wait about three days or so while this license is prepared. Once you have it in hand, it will only be good for 60 days. Once you have the license you are free to get married at anytime you wish during those 60 days. Just don’t let it expire or you will have to go through the whole process all over again. And no one wants that.
These are the easy steps to ensuring a painless process in having a courthouse wedding. There are dozens and dozens of county clerk’s office throughout the state. The hardest part will be choosing the one that will become the place of your ceremony and the beginning of the rest of your lives. A courthouse wedding is definately a great way to start your lives together with out all of the stress, money and drama that comes along with a traditional wedding.