The Great Allegheny Passage Companion: Guide to History & Heritage Along the Trail [Paperback]

Bill Metzger (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 097118352X | ISBN-13: 978-0971183520 | Publication Date: April 1, 2003

The most comprehensive guide to the rail-trail on the market.

Divided into 22 chapters with maps, photos, illustrations, and descriptions for each five mile section of the over 100 mile long trail that will link Pittsburgh, PA to Cumberland, MD and eventually to Washington D.C. Hikers, bikers, rail buffs, armchair travelers and lovers of Pennsylvania history will find this the only book they need about the Great Allegheny Passage!

Editorial Reviews

Review

A carefully researched history of one of America's great multi-use trails by an animated storyteller. -- Larry Walsh, Recreational Bicycling Columnist, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Readers and visitors will find it informative, amusing, and filled with wonderfully detailed maps, observations, local history, and lore. -- Linda McKenna Boxx, President, Allegheny Trail Alliance

From the Publisher

Author Bill Metzger uses history and humor to lead us along the trail and through a region with a rich heritage from the earliest Native Americans, through pre-Revolutionary War incursions, the industrial revolution, and now, as a center for outdoor recreation.

Each chapter offers detailed maps, explanations of the local history and heritage, and things to look for (and some to avoid!) along the way. The book includes an index and resource guide to the area.

From grasshoppers to goliaths (that's train lingo), and tufa to Turkey Foot, you'll have fun, which is what the trail is all about.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Local History Co (April 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 097118352X
• ISBN-13: 978-0971183520
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,074,002 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An invaluable travel planning resource and reference, September 18, 2003

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Great Allegheny Passage Companion: Guide to History & Heritage Along the Trail (Paperback)

The Great Allegheny Passage Companion: Guide To History And Heritage Along The Trail by writer, editor, map maker, and enthusiastic bicyclist Bill Metzger is a detailed, mile-by-mail guidebook to the Allegheny Passage Trail. Especially written for bikers, hikers, rail buffs, armchair travelers and the non-specialist general reader interested in learning more about the colorful past of the great state of Pennsylvania, The Great Allegheny Passage Companion is replete with extensive historical anecdotes for every leg of the journey distinguishing this especial guide. Nicely enhanced with a profusion of black-and-white photographs, maps, and solid travel advice, The Great Allegheny Passage Companion is an invaluable travel planning resource and reference for anyone seeking to fully experience what the Allegheny Passage has to offer the contemporary traveler.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb Book that tells the Stories Behind the Maps, May 15, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: The Great Allegheny Passage Companion: Guide to History & Heritage Along the Trail (Paperback)

Absolutely a superb book. The author is a cartographer whose maps are the basis for many local trails. In this book he shares the history of the area and tells the stories behind the things you see on the trail. This book helps you understand the area you're passing through. Well written, highly usable; glad I bought it.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommended, May 5, 2006

By 

Benjamin H. Krokosky (Pittsburgh, PA USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Great Allegheny Passage Companion: Guide to History & Heritage Along the Trail (Paperback)

This is what a tour book should be - it has great maps, detailed descriptions of the history of the trail and how you can see what remains of it. There are also many interesting sidebars and annecdotes which make the history more relevant and connect it to things you already know.