#7: [13-Aug-22]

#6: [08-Aug-22]

#5: [15-Oct-11]

#4: [14-Jun-06]

#3: [05-Aug-04]

#2: [04-Jul-02]

This confluence was originally attempted in September 1998 by Dennis Brown, but his film was confiscated! He also was off by several miles. The successful visit was by Henry Schmitt and Dan Klein:

05-Apr-2000 -- Okay, we admit it. This is getting silly. We took off in the minivan headed for the Pennsylvania Turnpike with two cell phones, one Palm Pilot, a Garmin GPS with external antenna (connected to a Macintosh G3 laptop with both GPSy w/DOQQ's and Delorme mapping/routing software), a Carin Navigation GPS, and a camera (not digital, unfortunately). Not exactly roughing it, but then again we didn't bring a portable DVD player and we did have two unused power outlets in the minivan :-)

After passing the SCI Laurel Highlands (a lovely prison facility with some really impressive razor ribbon, motorized perimeter patrol, and big signs saying "No Photography" (see attached photograph :-), we took a small two-lane road to a field, and hiked about 50 feet to the confluence. It was very arduous - the ground wasn't even level, the wind was blowing and there was mud on the ground! We'll try for something more exciting next time :-)

Picture #1 is looking east at the farm to which the confluence belongs. Picture #2 is the obligatory GPS shot. Picture #3 is of the two dwarves, Grumpy and Dopey, picture #4 is looking south at the only other visible civilization other than the farm, and picture #5 is the Somerset Christian Fellowship's compound [several miles from the confluence].

This confluence was previously attempted by Dennis Brown:

20-Sept-1998 -- Greetings once again from Washington, DC! I have been very busy visiting confluences this weekend, very busy indeed! This visit was successful, sort of. I call it successful, because I was able to get photographs of 'ground zero' of the confluence. The 'sort of' disclaimer is because my film was confiscated by:

    COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
    STATE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION
    LAUREL HIGHLANDS
        JAMES C. HENDERSON
        DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT
        FOR FACILITIES MANAGEMENT
    5706 Glades Pike
    PO Box 631
    Somerset PA  15501-0631
    Office: (814) 443-0330
    FAX: (814) 443-0385

Mr. Henderson was a gentleman, by comparison to the "shift supervisor",and gave me his business card. That's how I have all the above info. Anyways, my film was confiscated for three (3) confluences because I took two pictures of their incredible facility. The razor wire and sharp pointed objects were truly awesome. I read their warning sign, which said nothing about photographs, and proceeded to snap two pictures, one of the sign, and one of the awesome razor wire and "pointy things". As I was walking back to my car across the street, one of the security guards, in a vehicle which patroled the perimeter, beeped his horn at me to catch my attention. I walked back the short distance to see what he wanted, and Mr. Henderson showed up in a second vehicle. He informed me that if I did not give up the film to my camera, he would call the State Police and have me arrested. He showed me his badge, for emphasis, I suppose.

There's more to the story, but I think I've driven nearly 600 miles today, and have to get up at 0530 tomorrow morning to get ready for work, which begins at 0645, so I'll cut the story short.