Ebensburg, Pennsylvania - August 22, 2008

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I drove US422 from Youngstown to Ebensburg with a minor diversion along some Western Pennsylvania backroads.

Ebensburg, county seat of Cambria County and part of the Johnstown Metropolitan Statistical Area, was founded in 1796 by Rhees Lloyd. The 2000 census counted 3,091 people.

This shot is pretty much a metaphor for my Pennsylvania experience. Everywhere I went, I encountered cheerful, welcoming people.

Returning from a run

The old Cambria County Prison's cornerstone was laid in 1870 and the building, built from locally-quarried sandstone, was completed in 1872. It is thought that the prison may have been built larger than needed at the time in order to thwart an effort by Johnstown to have the county seat moved there. The brick annex within the walls was constructed in 1911 and the building served its original purpose until 1997, when it was abandoned for a new facility. The building now serves as a repository for county records.

Crown Jewel of Ebensburg, the Cambria County Courthouse was built 1880-1882 and most recently restored in 1995. Old illustrations show the building with a Second Empire tower above the entrance; presumably that tower held the bell that now sits in front of the entrance. The building is symmetrical, and the cylindrical structures on the ends, housing courtrooms with balcony galleries, appear to be later additions. I asked if I could photograph the very elegant interior, but was declined permission. Historical information and photos of this beautiful building on the internet are sparse.

Thanks, Ebensburg, for making me smile!

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