The West Fork Logging Co. Steam Unit No. 2, built in 1923, has a new home at Mt. Rainer Scenic Railroad’s new museum. Formerly housed at the Lion’s Club campground in Mineral, Washington, the steam unit was constructed by the Willamette Iron & Steel Works of Portland, Oregon. In addition to the steam unit, the museum has also received a builder’s plate, which confirms the unit was part of Willamette Iron & Steel Works’ engine No. 2208. The builder’s plate was found more than fifty years ago, by someone using a metal detector in the area around Mineral Lake, where Unit No. 2 was once used to load logs onto Milwaukee Road log cars. A restoration of Unit No. 2 is planned, as well.
This young museum (just over a year old) has big plans for 2014, including an additional hangar and the launch of its very own PT boat. The hangar is being added for protecting visiting aircraft, for additional storage, and as a place where work can be completed on the Ford Tri Motor plane being constructed by the Tri Motor Heritage Foundation. When this group of volunteers finishes its work, plans are for the plane to be available for public rides. If all goes as planned, PT 728 will also be available for rides. This patrol torpedo boat, the type John F. Kennedy captained in World War II, has been in the process of restoration for the past year. Once launched, and after all safety inspections are passed, PT 728 will be available to the public for rides—an opportunity that exists nowhere else in the country.
When selecting a destination for your next group tour, why not choose a location you may never have considered before—a hidden gem with authentic adventure for all travel interests? Welcome to the Deep Creek Lake area, in western Maryland.
Opening at the Grand Rapids Public Museum this Fall
The classical age of piracy comes to life when the Grand Rapids Public Museum welcomes Real Pirates: The Untold Story of the Whydah on October 18, 2014. This interactive exhibition showcases more than two hundred artifacts recovered from the wreck of the first fully authenticated pirate ship ever to be discovered in U.S. waters. Artifacts include treasure, implements used on board, and the crew’s personal items.
The Midwest is full of open spaces, beautiful scenery, and kind-hearted folks ready to welcome all visitors. Indiana is no exception. Jake Oakman, director of sales at Visit Indiana, Lisa Wallace, communications manager at Visit Indy, and Mary Huggard, vice president of tourism development at Visit Indy have joined together to give you a peek inside this fun-loving, hospitality-filled destination.
