Tat’s Bizarre Travels

Indiana, PA - I’m actually not a fan of Jimmy Stewart. Pretty much if he’s not in a Hitchcock film he isn’t worth watching in my opinion. And even then I could pass, unless it’s Rear Window. I love Rear Window. It’s one of my favorite Hitchcock films, and I can overlook the casting of Stewart because it is such a great film. And who wouldn’t want to be Grace Kelly?

So , I just wanted to visit someplace (relatively) close and I figured on an hour drive to Indiana to visit the Jimmy Stewart Museum (JSM) wouldn’t be all that bad. Not that I expected much, but I have to say I was sorely disappointed. Especially since this year marks the 100^th anniversary of his birth. I thought there may have been some sort of interesting something or other. I was wrong, yet again.

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Kittanning, PA - I absolutely love coming off of the highway and seeing the attraction I’ve driven to see right there waiting for me. It’s especially wonderful to be greeted by a giant cowboy with an equally gigantic hamburger. His smiling face and white duds were a welcoming site and allowed me not to stress about trying to find the big guy.

Located at the Cadet Restaurant and named Sam he’s really a fantastic and shinny site to behold. My only disappointment is that I made him my first stop instead of my last, especially after visiting their website, they sound like an wonderful place to stop and chow down. I would have loved to have dinner with a window seat that looked out on the fiberglass giant. So if I’m ever in Kittanning again…

Weston, WV - My trip to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum (TALA) was a bit of a lengthy one. Not just the tour, but the drive was longer than expected, and since I had to be home at a reasonable hour this week, I felt crunched for time. I could have opted for the much more cost effective and shorter tour of the 1^st floor, but since I got a bit lost on my way to my first intended site (I don’t want to talk about it) I felt I needed to make the most of my visit to TALA so I bought the overpriced tour and spent a good three hours hearing the history of one of the last standing asylums in the united states.

The TALA is a privately owned abandoned mental hospital, originally called the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Museum. By the time it closed it’s doors in the 90’s it had changed it’s name to Weston State Hospital, my assumption is when it was bought from the state the new owners knew what a marketing gem the original title was and so they’re now using it to it’s fullest extent. In fact if you visit they’re super-slick website you’ll notice that they’re playing up the whole insane asylum image, complete with hauntings. Don’t use the site as a barometer to experience their overall marketing, though. I’m pretty sure they blew the budget on it and have nothing left over for souvenirs or brochures, although you can purchase a t-shirt if you’d like.

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