Pennsylvania, Somerset County, near Jennerstown
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Tourists took to the roads in the 1910s, '20s, and '30s not just to exercise their automobile, but to see the country, take in scenic wonders, connect with history, be entertained, and create family memories. Stopping for food and entertainment balanced out the hard work of traveling.
In 1927, James Black Stoughton broke from family tradition of farming and decided to open a sandwich stand. The stand featured chicken salad sandwiches and angel food cake, which soon became a favorite for travelers of the Lincoln Highway. Within a year, the roadside stand was transformed into a small restaurant and won second prize in the Rockefeller wayside stand competition.
Later, several features were added such as the dining room and terraces overlooking the manmade lake. In the 1930s, Stoughton sought to bring cultural entertainment to his customers and decided to open a theater next to the growing restaurant. The Mountain Playhouse was constructed out of an abandoned gristmill that was relocated to the site log by log from Roxsbury to Jennerstown. The first theater production opened on June 24, 1939. Through thousands of stage plays and musicals, the Mountain Playhouse remains one of the oldest professional summer theaters in the United States.
(Entertainment • Industry & Commerce • Man-Made Features • Roads & Vehicles) Includes location, directions, 3 photos, GPS coordinates, map.
Tourists took to the roads in the 1910s, '20s, and '30s not just to exercise their automobile, but to see the country, take in scenic wonders, connect with history, be entertained, and create family memories. Stopping for food and entertainment balanced out the hard work of traveling.
In 1927, James Black Stoughton broke from family tradition of farming and decided to open a sandwich stand. The stand featured chicken salad sandwiches and angel food cake, which soon became a favorite for travelers of the Lincoln Highway. Within a year, the roadside stand was transformed into a small restaurant and won second prize in the Rockefeller wayside stand competition.
Later, several features were added such as the dining room and terraces overlooking the manmade lake. In the 1930s, Stoughton sought to bring cultural entertainment to his customers and decided to open a theater next to the growing restaurant. The Mountain Playhouse was constructed out of an abandoned gristmill that was relocated to the site log by log from Roxsbury to Jennerstown. The first theater production opened on June 24, 1939. Through thousands of stage plays and musicals, the Mountain Playhouse remains one of the oldest professional summer theaters in the United States.
(Entertainment • Industry & Commerce • Man-Made Features • Roads & Vehicles) Includes location, directions, 3 photos, GPS coordinates, map.
