I drove the long way home from harrisburg last friday, and visited Stony Batter State Park, the birthplace of James Buchanan. He was a child here, his mom tied a bell around him so he wouldn't get lost in the forest. Turns out, there is a gap in the Tuscarora Mountains, called Cove Gap, and wagons used to pass over the mountain using it. It was a Indian path, then a bridle path (horses) and finally wagons made their way over it. James Buchanan senior had a blacksmith shop and inn located there along with a hardware store. Kinda of like a last minute stop before going over the mountain. Buchanan later moved to Mercersberg, about 25 miles away, an established city. His mom and dad were illiterate, but wanted James Jr. to be a successful gentleman: he went to Dickinson College where he had a lot of behavioral problems (drinking at pubs). He was a wilderness young man expected to be a disciplined student, and it took awhile for him to catch on. He was expelled at one point, but his father someone intervened. The faculty liked him too because he was very intelligent. The stream that runs through the park is amazing: so pure, and the sound so relaxing. A very beautiful place.
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