Field Trips
Tour to Fallingwater, Kentuck Knob, and the Flight 93 National Memorial This all-day tour will feature guided tours of two Frank Lloyd Wright masterpieces in the Laurel Highlands of southwestern Pennsylvania and a visit to the site of the future Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. According to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Fallingwater was proclaimed by a poll of AIA members in 1991 as "the best all-time work of American architecture." It is a supreme example of Frank Lloyd Wright's concept of organic architecture while Kentuck Knob is an outstanding example of a high-end Usonian house.
The tour will visit the Flight 93 National Memorial site in Somerset County. The National Park Service and members of the Flight 93 National Memorial Task Force will present the winning scheme of the international design competition and the process by which the memorial will become a reality. The tour is limited to 105 participants. Travel is by coach buses. A box lunch is included.
Plummer Hollow Nature Preserve
Visit with the Bonta family and trek through their 640-acre private nature preserve atop Brush Mountain. Renowned writer and naturalist, Marcia Bonta (author of the Appalachian Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring series) will lead the tour and relate the fascinating natural and human history of this near-pristine Appalachian ridge. Hiking degree of difficulty is moderate; appropriate footwear is recommended. The tour is limited to 12 participants. Travel is by minivans. A box lunch is included.
The Cultural Landscape of the Ridge and Valley Region
Taking a route through one of the valleys in this highly legible regional landscape, you will see nearly pristine 19th century villages, traditional and "new traditional" Amish farms, as well as the impact of 21st century development. Stops will include Penn's Cave, an all-water limestone cavern, the historic town of Lewisburg, a farm using sustainable agricultural practices, and a rural sculpture garden. The tour is limited to 30 participants. Travel is by Penn State trolley bus. Lunch (on your own) is scheduled at a restaurant.
Eco/Sustainability TourThis trip will take in a variety of healthy and degraded local ecosystems. We will visit research and created wetlands and a ridge top devastated by recent I-99 highway construction. Our final stop will demonstrate ecological technologies at Penn State's Center for Sustainability, including their living machine, solar shed, wind turbine, straw bale construction, and bio-intensive garden plots. Travel is by SUVs. A box lunch is included.
A Field Trip Alternative
For those interested in "stealing away" to do something on their own, resources will be available to assist in planning small-group or self-directed trips including flyfishing in premier limestone trout streams; bicycling (mountain or road); and self-guided walking tours of State College and the nearby Victorian town of Bellefonte.
Access—Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing special accommodations or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact the conference planner at 814-863-5100.
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