A series of pictures and factoids for Create's NaJoPoMo Challenge.

First off: when our ancestors first came to the 'New World (it was new to them) in the 1680s, they found wonders. They were grateful to God, their Indian neighbours, and incidientally to the King of England for the opportunity to live in this amazing place. But let's face it, they got a little homesick now and again. To keep from feeling totally bereft of their roots, they gave things familiar names.

The ones from England and Wales contributed names like Chester, Montgomery, Bryn Mawr. The Germans made up Germantown and King of Prussia. The Dutch threw in the Schuylkill River, and the local Lenape gave them places like Manayunk and Passayunk.

This is Strafford Station, a railway stop on the R-5 SEPTA run between historic Paoli and historic Philadelphia, passing through Wayne, Strafford, Radnor, St Davids, Bryn Mawr, Ardmore, etc. That area's called the Main Line, for the snobs who came later. Upstarts all, say I. Our families remember when it were all fields. And wildlife. Strafford Station's in Tredyffrin Township, by the way..

The train station itself was built in 1876. It originally stood in Fairmount Park. Why, you ask? I'm glad you did. In 1876, there was a monster Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. Think World's Fair. They built a whole fantasy city in Fairmount Park. The Exposition introduced the US to bananas and the Statue of Liberty. The arm of the as-yet unfinished colossus was on display. A good time was had by all.

When the Exposition was over, this particular pavilion was moved out to Strafford to serve as the railway station. Tav, this was actually built in a style called the 'Eastlake' or 'stick' style. The Eastlake style was named for Charles Eastlake, the British author of Hints on Household Taste in Furniture, Upholstery, and Other Details, 1868. A volume nobody could put down.

The trains are still running, because I prevented Elektra from knocking down the ancient overpass with our car when she was trying to learn to drive. Elektra and I used to live in an apartment about two minutes' walk from this station, so I thought it was good stopping place for our Time Travel Tour.

The old tardis will still be roving, but we'll pause the dispatches for now. Until next time, if you've got an interesting photo to share – yours or public domain – and a story to tell about it, please remember the Post. It's a lot of fun to go traveling together. And, while I'm at it, thanks so much to everyone who's read and commented. Your anecdotes have made this journal project much more interesting than it started out to be!