The intrepid Our Local Heritage entourage (consisting of Heather The Wonder Camera Pro and myself) scooted to Saltsburg for this month's video and column. At the encouragement of an Alle-Kiski Today staffer, who shall not remain anonymous {MARY GESS}, I decided to tell the story of the Spring and the President's Cuz. And thinking only about following her suggestion, little did I realize that we would be outside in 15-degree weather. No obstacle is insurmountable when it comes to telling the story of the A-K for loyal Our Local Heritage readers!

OK. Really the truth was, I was a blithering idiot. Not just any idiot, one with blue fingers, nose and toes. And poor Heather The Wonder Camera Pro!! We're still microwaving her and she should be thawed by the time you read this. And hopefully I won't listen to Mary next month—I might wind up covering a story about steel mills—from inside a mill blast furnace…

Anyway, on to the story. Many people know the Pennsylvania Canal came through the Saltsburg. But now many may be aware that a resort spa sprang up there, catering to an elite clientele who availed themselves of "therapeutic" springs in the area.

Somehow in the late 1800s soon-to-be President Woodrow Wilson's cousin, Andrew, heard about it. He and a partner hoped to turn it into a top training facility that would be take its place among the best on the East Coast.

Little did they know it would be the site of one of the first football games in Pennsylvania, or that one day the facility would instruct future students such as Congressman Jack Murtha or Zoo Director Jack Hanna.

The President's Cuz probably never imagined then the school's football team would compete on a collegiate level, or that, still operating in Saltsburg today, the facility would serve students from 14 states and 12 countries.

Think you never heard of this place? Betcha have! Catch the rest of the story in the online video right here

Factual Fragments Featuring Former Feats:

Cabin Cruise: Log cabins don't ordinarily travel places but this one did and landed in Apollo. The 130-year old structure is still there today. Do you know where it is? Where it came from? On Jefferson and Atwood Streets in Apollo sets the McCullough log cabin, which was the home of Abraham Lincoln McCullough. Abraham was a carriage manufacturer in the 1870’s. The cabin was moved to this site from Dayton.

Wagon Train: Last century during the days when Burrell farmers still drove their cattle to market, pranksters took apart a farmer's hay wagon one night in Braeburn. Residents awoke the next morning to find it, in one piece, on a rooftop. Railroad detectives never did find the teenagers who took it apart piece by piece and put back it back together on the roof of the local railroad station.

Skull-Duggery: Near Fox Chapel on the north end of the Highland Park Bridge, near the railroad, was once a mound where one of the most notable Indians in the area, Chief Guyasuta, was buried. It's not there now. What happened? When the railroad was put in, his remains were taken to Carnegie Museum. However, there are at least two other explanations for where they went. Each of them have solid possibilities of being correct as well.

Trashy: Why did this Freeport group in 1863 deliver dried apples, clothing, onions, and elderberry wine to the Pittsburgh Sanitary Commission, something sounding like a Sewage authority or Garbage Collector. Who were these guys and why do this? On January 31, 1863 the Freeport chapter of the Soldiers Aid Society was formed. The society was formed to promote the welfare and comfort of Union soldiers. During the Civil War it sent 6 bushels of dried peaches, 6 of dried berries, a bushel of dried apples, ˝ ˝1/2 bushel of onions, 135 books, 40 pamphlets, 14 packages of papers, 15 gallons of elderberry wine, among other things, to soldiers through the Pittsburgh Branch of the Sanitary Commission. The Sanitary Commission was similar to today's red cross and had two objectives: 1) the contribution of skill, labor and money in the preparation of lint, bandages, and stores, and 2) the offer of personal service as nurses. It later became more, according to a pamphlet published then: "The commission would inquire with scientific thoroughness into the subjects of diet, cooking, cooks, clothing, tents, camping grounds, transports, transitory depots, with their exposures, camp police, with reference to settling the question how far the regulations of the army proper are or can be practically carried out among the volunteer regiments, and what changes or modifications are desirable from their peculiar character and circumstances. Every thing appertaining to outfit, cleanliness, precautions against damp, cold, heat, malaria, infection; crude unvaried, or ill-cooked food, and an irregular or careless regimental commissariat, would fall under this head." The actions of this group made quite an impression upon one woman who was a nurse for the group, who started the American Red Cross. Her name was Clara Barton.

Invasion: Nearly 90 years ago, this section of land in Plum near Hulton Rd. and the Turnpike became Camp Gaillard, a military site. What was all the excitement about? D.D. Gaillard had been an officer and engineer in charge of one of the biggest engineering feats of the construction of the Panama Canal. He engineered the excavation of a huge channel in the Canal, that later became called "Gaillard's Cut." However, he died days before the official opening of the Canal. The camp near the Cut where he had been became called Camp Gaillard. One of the officers serving under him there was Major General Edgar Jadwin. Jadwin was put in charge of putting together the 15th Engineers, a railroad construction regiment and did it at a training base on this section of land outside Oakmont in 1917.

The Lo-Down: Called the "Hi-Newsette", it ran almost 40 years before closing down in '62. What was this that thousands of Parks Twp. and Vandergrift residents enjoyed? The Hi-Newsette, a publication of the Vandergrift high school newspaper was started in 1926 and continued until 1962. The paper linked the school and the town in patronization, financial support, and participation in school and municipal events.

Road to Poverty? Leechburg residents voted in 1897 to give $21,300 for a present for themselves. Why would anyone spend that kind of money? In 1897 voters in Leechburg approved the first bond issue for streets.

Molded: Robert didn't know it in 1900, but his 65-acre failed real-estate investment outside Springdale played a large part in the national eradication of a deadly pesticide. And his daughter, Rachel, led the charge. Rachel Carson, Robert's daughter, became a biologist and botanist. She played a lot on the 65 acres and greatly enjoyed the springs, creeks and forests there. Apparently that played a large part in developing her interest in biology and environmental sciences. After writing several books, she became aware of the use of DDT, a pesticide. After some study she concluded it was a dangerous chemical to humans. She alerted the public, and subsequent studies supported the government's decision to ban the pesticide.

Cool But Scary: If the bird fainted, you knew that you were in big trouble—hundreds of feet underground in this Tarentum coal mine. You could see it for yourself, if only you knew where to go… do you? Of course you know about the Tour-Ed Mine, located just off Route 28 at the Tarentum exit. The mine features exhibits about coal mining and a trip underground to a real coalmine. The bird was a canary, which was more susceptible to lack of oxygen and so would fall over at the presence of a build-up of poisonous gases. When the bird keeled over, you had to get out of there while you still could.

Honored: The Valley Middle School football complex was named for George E. Leslie. Who was he, and why was it named after him? The Valley Middle School football complex was memorialized in the name of George E. Leslie. He was the first Arnold High School graduate to die in World War II.

Be sure and don't forget to watch the video about the Spring and the President's Cousin at this link!