"Where Navy Meets Army" a Philadelphia Travel Page by grandmaR

Send Photo to a Friend

Sidelines of Army Navy game 1958

My maternal grandmother and grandfather lived just outside the city limits of Philadelphia in Delaware County (a small borough called Milbourne). My mom grew up going to school in Upper Darby and going to church in Philadelphia. So I often visited Philadelphia when I was a child. My grandmother died when I was in high school and my grandfather remarried and moved farther out, but he still retained an office in Milbourne.

When my future husband started going to the Naval Academy, he went to Philadelphia every year for the Army Navy game, and my parents and I would go and stay in my grandfather's house and attend the game. [After my sister started to date a West Point cadet, my parents would often sit in the end zone.]

My grandfather died in 1962, and after that, we seldom visited.

Then in 1969, the ship my husband was assigned to (the aircraft carrier Intrepid) came to the Philadelphia Shipyard for some work, and we rented a house in Folcroft (a southern suburb) for 8 months.

Of course we visited the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, and also the Franklin Institute and the Art Museum. Then for Spring Vacation we went on a 5 day touring spree.

Send Photo to a Friend

Skyline in April 1969

Day 1
We drove west to Ephrata Chloisters and then toured along to the Amish/Menonite area of Lancaster, to the market and through Bird in Hand and Soudersberg back home.

Day 2
The second day we went to northwest to Hopewell Village in Elverson in the morning. Then we continued north to visit Reading, Roadside America, and Bethlehem Pennsylvania.

Day 3
This was tower climbing day. We visited Valley Forge and cirled around to Abington where my grandparents and great grandparents are buried and ended up at Washington's Crossing. I climbed the fire tower at Valley Forge, and the tower at Washington's Crossing. Due to all the tower climbing, I began having knee problems which have lasted for the rest of my life.

Day 4
On the fourth day we went west again this time to Hershey (but not the amusement park-just the chocolate factory) and to the State Capitol in Harrisburg. Bob and I had previously been to Hershey to the Antique Car Show and swap meet that is held there every October.

Day 5
The last day of the vacation, we went south to Brandywine Battlefield and then went to Kennett Square and toured Longwood Gardens greenhouses.

During May, there was a National Iris Convention in Philadelphia which my parents attended, and one of the gardens visited on the tour was Longwood. So we made a second visit.

Later on in the year (after I went to my 10th college reunion on Memorial Day), we visited Winterthur and Hagley Museum in Delaware, and went to New Hope for an antique automobile show. We got a Shetland Sheepdog puppy who we took to a puppy show, and I also took some more painting lessons at Tyler Arboretum.

We moved out of Philadelphia in August when Bob's ship left the yard and we haven't really visited again. The closest we have come is to go to Philadelphia to embark on the NCL Crown to take a cruise which ended in Miami. I took some pictures from the ship (top photo).