I’m not sure if you’ll see this or not but I just wanted to let you know just how much I appreciated this video. I’m a truck driver that’s passed through Breezewood countless times. I’ve only ever stopped for fuel. There’s so much I’ve wanted to explore in the area but I was never able to stay the night there just because my schedule never worked in my favor for that to happen. So watching this just absolutely made my evening and answered so many questions. Thank you so much
Oh, I saw your comment! I’ve been in a similar boat… been driving through breezewood for practically my entire life, but always just did a quick stop for fuel and a quick bite. I’ve always wondered if there’s anything else worth checking out. I’m glad I’m not the only one and I’m glad you enjoyed the video! Thanks so much for checking it out!
I had the same situation; out of 13 years of trucking I drove for a small fleet for about 3 years with a weekly run from Dayton Ohio to Baltimore. On rare occasions I stopped at the Breezewood TA for fuel or lunch, usually headed west but when your schedule is tight you don’t have time to explore and I always found it odd that an interstate had traffic lights! Generally speaking, the modern trucker doesn’t have time for tourism. It was enlightening to learn the role that the Fed, the turnpike authority and the local businesses had in making Breezewood the unique place it is.
I’ve been through Breezewood way too many times to count. In the ‘80’s it was bustling. There were no abandoned motels or businesses of any kind. It’s always been a traffic nightmare, with the three highways converging. Nowadays it seems that more than 50% of the businesses are closed and abandoned. I’ve literally watched that town die. Sad.
You and me both! Been driving through breezewood most of my life and to see it from how it was in the 80s and 90s to now is just sad and depressing. Thanks for watching!
@@kebsis I think that the increased dining options at the Service Plazas has contributed to Breezewood's demise. The original stone Service Plazas only offered Howard Johnson's as a dining option. All of the Service Plaza's were rebuilt about 20 years ago. The updated Service Plazas now contain food courts which give the travelers more dining options. They don't need to get off in Breezewood.
I've been going through Breezewood with my family since I was a little kid. I too have seen it slowly decline through the years since the 1970s through the early 2000's. I miss the old Breezewood. I can't wait to go through it again in April 2023 when heading to the Pennsylvania Maple Festival. I also enjoy visiting the Abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike as well. Been there many times. Videos are on my channel.
We used to stop there going to and from VA Beach. Haven't been for over 15 years because we stopped going to VA Beach. We always stopped at the restaurant and their grilled cheese was the best! Hello from Pgh PA
The reason there are no direct interchanges between the PA Turnpike and Eisenhower Interstate Highways like I-70 (New Stanton, Breezewood), I-99 (Bedford), and I-81 (Carlisle), just to name a few, is that the a law had been enacted preventing direct connections between toll-free, federally funded interstate highways and private toll roads. This apparently was done to prevent travelers from being "forced" onto tolled highways like the turnpike, if they didn't wish to pay tolls. Most of the turnpike main line had been built in the 1940s and 1950s before the federal law that created the Eisenhower Interstate Highway System in 1956. (Prior to the Interstates, there was the U.S. Highway system, e.g. U.S. 30, U.S. 11, from 1925 through the 1950s. Roads like I-70 were built in the 1960s through 1990s (I-99) and were separated from the Turnpike by "miracle miles." These miracle miles were dense commercial areas that grew to serve traffic transiting between toll and toll-free roads. Breezewood as a rest stop grew into the "Town of Motels" because of its connection between the Turnpike and U.S. 30 and Interstate 70. It did well enough in the late Twentieth Century, but it began to decline due to better vehicle mileage, construction of I-68 in Maryland through Sidling Hill Mountain near Cumberland, and then annually escalating tolls caused by an ill-considered Pennsylvania law, Act 44 of 2007, that siphons $450 million of Turnpike revenue annually to pay for mass transit in cities and non-Turnpike highway maintenance. Act 44 was passed following an ill-considered privatization attempt to raise money by selling the Turnpike to European conglomerates. Turnpike tolls have more than doubled since 2007, driving away customers. The economic crash of 2008 and three years of the Covid pandemic have further decimated Breezewood's hospitality trade. Other miracle miles have done better, but it would be ideal if there were direct connections between the interstate highways and the Turnpike (itself designated I-76.) Use of at-speed toll gantries and slip ramps, replacing the obsolete toll booths, may promote this sensible reconfiguration; however, local and state politics weigh heavily against abandoning the miracle miles.
PLEASE read this, Ian. It will mean so much to me. Hi Ian, I hope you see this. Watching your video has brought tears to my eyes. My younger brother, Steve Lerch, died in Breezewood, Feb. 25, 1997. Steve drove truck for JB Hunt, had stopped for a rest, and was eating at the Perkins Restaurant, in Breezewood, with his friend, John Bell, who also drove for JB Hunt. Steve choked during his meal, and couldn’t be saved. Steve was 35 yrs old at the time, leaving 3 young children behind. Our family’s hearts were broken. Shortly after Steve’s passing, I visited Perkins, for the first time, as I wanted to see where his last moments were spent. I met the manager, and several waitresses that were friends of my brother, and had been with him, trying to help, when he died. That warmed my heart knowing that Steve was among friends, and not alone when he passed. I stop at Perkins every time I pass through the town. But never anywhere else there. I enjoy your video so much, I feel like I’m walking along with you, and wonder if Steve had seen some of the things you show. Steve was a regular customer, as he drove through Breezewood, frequently. I want to thank you so much for shining a light on Breezewood, and I’m going to share your video with my family. For me, Breezewood is a tiny town with a very large heart. It’s a special place for me. Thank you again, Mary Patricia Lerch Hamer ❤
Hi Mary Pat! Thank you so much for your kind words and I’m very sorry to hear about your brother, Steve. I have no doubt that I walked some of the places that he did when he would go through the area. As someone who has been going through breezewood for almost my entire life, it too holds a special place in my heart.
Ian, thank you as well, for your kind words. You providing this video means a lot to me, and my family as well. It’s nice to take a walk around Breezewood! Thank you again, so very much, Mary Pat
It’s a memory I have never spoken about…. But this video brought a blush up my face. In 1968 I was 20 years old and had been “forced” to move to York, PA with my mother and father. My boyfriend was in Pittsburgh and we were ordered to stay apart. Well, one stolen day (and night) I snuck to Breezewood and met Bill for a heavenly 24 hours. Never again would I see him. My parents never found out. Oh. Boy, those were the days!
I found myself here because people on twitter keep posting this picture of Breezewood in 2008 as a critique of the homogeneity of America's landscape without even considering Breezewood's history. This deep dive is much appreciated!
You should have seen Breezewood in the late 1950s / early 1960s. My family passed thru and often ate there, on vacation trips from our Pittsburgh home to the Jersey shore, or to Florida. Wall-to-wall traffic.
Breezewood.... Was home to the last operating Greyhound Post House Cafeteria Location. In it's last years it continued to serve as a meca for tour and charter buses traveling along the highways in PA.
My thinking as to why Breezewood has fallen is due to the completion of I-68 in the 90s. This provided a free alternative to the Pennsylvania Turnpike for any truckers/long distance travelers from Ohio to Baltimore/Washington without being forced to stop. The only major hurdle would be the 1960s-era section through Cumberland, but outside of rush hours, that's not a real issue. I-68 is also much closer to I-70 than I-80 or the West Virginia Turnpike, the only other real alternatives that existed already.
I68 has higher grades than any road I’ve ever seen in PA. Eastbound from LaVale into Cumberland is steep. PA tolls the crap out of the turnpike and road improvements are still desperately needed. That Bedford to Breezewood stretch on the TP is a highly dangerous one. A third lane and wider shoulders would help matters. In contrast to the PA Tpk , interstate 99 is a beautiful wide road with pretty wide shoulders
Nope. The fall of Breezewood was after it was a 76 for years It got bought out by the now defunct All-American group. And then the great cafes were gone they leased it out to Perkins. It held on but what happened was when all American went under ta didn't want it pilot didn't want it except for fuel for a bit. So it became an independent I don't know who bought it but somebody did I think it was a foreigner and decided not to put no money into it like they tend to do with travel classes they buy after they pretty much been worn into the ground. It's still open but it's a flying J network stop they are lonely in charge of the fuel. The rest of it to BP and it's a shell of what it used to be. Had nothing to do with interstate 68 being completed at all.
I enjoyed your video. As a professional Truck driver I passed by this place a couple of times and it reminds me very much of Milton Truck Plaza in Milton,PA. That one looks very similar and you can definitely get this feeling of a dying truck stop. Empty shelves, a vintage cinema room, half of the pumps are not working at all, hundreds of potholes in the parking lot. But still I love these old truck stops cause it gives me some sort of nostalgia. I loved stopping there from time to time for a rest and play Pinball for an hour straight!
Having a whole arcade/pinball machine to yourself for an hour or more is one perk of these places. Thanks for watching, I’m glad you enjoyed the video.
I stopped at the Milton service plaza one day two years ago to get lunch to find that there wasn't any lunch open. If traveling though the area, taking the quick 5 minute detour into Milton proper is where it is at, a cute town with several great restaurants. There really are very few places to stop on the eastern end of I-80 for in PA any more.
I'm a truck driver and stopped there for years and last time I was up there I was shocked how bad it has got there you are right it was a great place back in the day.
The town of motels...I gratefully holed up there a couple times during snowstorms. It's too bad to see all the blight in a place that was once a refuge for a place to spend the night, have a meal, or get your vehicle repaired.
This broke my heart gateway was a frequent stop during family trips as a kid. Where the food court is now used to be an amazing buffet/sit down restaurant. It was definitely the go to stop on all trips from Maryland to Pittsburgh.
I travelled to Pittsburgh from Baltimore at least 300 times between 2002-2013 Breezewood was the Las Vegas strip of truck stops. I ate at Bob Evan's with friends who are now deceased, I remember the original Sheetz location, buying gas and pretzel melts. I cannot believe that this corridor is dying. Time is cruel.
This was "halfway" when I was working in Ohio and my wife was in grad school in DC. Been through well over 100 times but never really stopped other than for petrol at BP and maybe a bathroom break. We did take my parents (from the UK) to the Bob Evans there and they were amazed at the endless coffee pot. My Dad got into a convo with a hitchhiker outside and gave him $20 because he used the word "zephyr" during the chat. Thought he was nuts; he still is :-) Will always have a good word for Breezewood even if it isn't good to look at.
I was in a similar boat. Had driven through breezewood for 30+ years but never stopped more than to get gas or eat at the Bob Evans a few times. Thanks for watching!
I was born and raised in Indiana County, PA and went to Gettysburg College from 1987 - 1991. Breezewood was my way station on my trips to and from college, and I always associated it with either going home for the holiday breaks, or heading back to college to see my friends - so coming or going, I always had positive associations with, and fond memories of, Breezewood.
Great video thanks I haven't seen the gateway for six seven years now hasn't changed much. I do remember we would stop there in the sixties on our way to Pennsylvania from Florida and it was a gas station and restaurant which is in the same place still. They had the best roast beef sandwich and mashed potatoes and gravy. Sure has changed a lot since those days. It was a military stop during world war II that's how my dad knew about it.
Greyhound once had a beautiful terminal there along with a small garage . The terminal was called a Post house. Great food , gifts and travel information. It closed I believe in 2002. I got one of the outdoor signs that was left behind. Very sad .
I suspect the ever increasing price of the PA turnpike has hurt Breezewood. My family used to always take the turnpike to visit my grandparents in Philadelphia from Erie. The price has gone up so much and I-80 was raised to 70mph so now we run across I-80 and down the North East extension to save on the tolls.
I live just outside of Breezewood. Businesses have problems because the traffic is heavy in the summer with vacationers but dies in the winter when that stops.
@@IanMartinExploration basically yes, depending on the business. Trucks, if they stop, do so at one of the two truck stops - of which Gateway is the bigger and nicer stop. The rest of the service stations are mainly for autos, although some have a couple truck islands. For restaurants the only ones that survive now are the fast food places that have a drive thru. The only exception is Pizza Hut, but even they have curbside delivery for takeout orders. As others have said they will probably never link 70 directly to the turnpike even though there are plans drawn up to do this. If they ever do there will be more closings, but I suspect some of the main stalwarts (McDonalds, Sheetz, Gateway) will survive.
I think what people fail to remember is with the PA Turnpike now charging userous tolls it just makes more sense to avoid the area entirely and bypass on I-68 across the Maryland Panhandle.
I was out there around the same time. Early July I think. My son and I ate there. It changed alot since the early 90's when it used to have a sir down restraunt in it. I go through Breezewood about once a year when going out to the Pennsylvania Maple Festival in Meyersdale Pa.
super interesting - what changed to cause the once busy transportation confluence to dry up? Is it just that PA has issues or is it this little piece of it? It seems central to so much.
Often the last stop for truckers before continuing to the east coast where there are few truck stops around. Our designated fuel stop was the 76 before TA bought them out some years ago. Never had trouble finding parking at Breezewood. The last time I was there was in 2003. I had no clue at all that the town has gone so downhill since. I am stumped.
I would stop at Gateway when going westbound on 70 and wanting a break, though I would go on down to McDonalds to eat. In the summertime, this was very busy, but the Covid crisis (when this was recorded) decimated this area and I doubt most of it will come back. Many of the motels were nearing the end of their viable cycles and needed renovation or replacement. Rebuilding the 70-76 interchange will cost more than a few million, which both PADOT and the Turnpike Commission would have to design and fund, and under the 1950's agreements, access to US 30 (the Lincoln Highway, not SR 30) would have to be maintained.
Breezewood was always the best place to stop for gas and food when I went from MD to Michigan, Ohio, or Kentucky using the turnpike. Thankfully, I figured out a better route so I never had to get on that horrible road again.
Breezewood in its heyday was a welcome spot to recharge while traveling on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Nowadays, just up the hill on Rte 30 East, there is access to an abandoned stretch of the old Turnpike, with 2 tunnels to explore via bicycle.
My first time thru Breezewood was January of 1959, East from Ca. going to my new Navy Duty Station South of DC. The number of times both ways from then till I became unable to drive anymore is beyond count. Nearly always gassed up here (both directions) but never had time to stay. The stories I could tell. Been over Townhill in fog so thick the resistance seemed to slow the car down. More than once I arranged with a trucker to follow him close up with my headlights off, taking advantage of his foglights.
The Gateway Restaurant was AWESOME!! Great food, great people and now they took out something great and put the same crap that all the other crap stops have.. very disappointed. The second floor use to have a Radio Shack
Decline of “mom and pop”/independent truck stops is due to the fact that Fleet Trucking Companies have fuel purchase agreements with the big Truckstop chains (Loves, P/FJ, TA/Petro) and get Discounts for fueling there. And drivers get perks at those stops like free showers and “points” for merchandise and food. So, independent stops are targets for parking when the chains fill up. The heavy cash flow selling all that diesel is lost.
Gosh, that was so interesting....who would have thought! It really would not have occurred to me to look into a truck rest stop before, but it's actually quite cool!
As I sit here at the Gateway Ta truck stop tonight reflecting on 30 years . Yes 30 years of stopping here I've seen it go from just the truck stops and restaurants to loosing the big motels you show used to have 100 or more car hauler guys there as it was the end of the day for most a place to unwind and relax . Now those times are spent in a 48 inch box instead of the nice hotel. Food is brought from home and the day is timed to the second by a cocomputer can't stop and smell the roses. Great video bud honestly thanks .
Very interesting. My question is, what could this area ever be re-developed as? But it does look like it would be a pain to get into and out of the current driveways and parking lots as it is now configured, with that endless line of speeding cars (and trucks).
Back in the 1960's and early 1970's, my family would drive the Pennsylvania Turnpike to Breezewood and turn onto Rt70 to Baltimore. Long ago, I recall there was a beautiful little ice cream store there. Back then, Breezewood seemed a simple clean place in the woods. I don't recall these other businesses back then.
Interesting video. I drive through (and stop in) Breezewood at least once a month, so I'm familiar with a lot of the places that you featured there. I will say that while there are some run down and abandoned restaurants/motels there, many of the ones that are still there seem to be doing well. There is always a line at Arby's and that big rest stop you walked through always has a lot of people in it (not sure about the upstairs though-- I've never been up there). The Sheetz gas station down the road is always packed full of cars when I go past it. My favorite stop, Hardees, sadly just burned down in October. I think the pandemic contributed to the ghost town effect you were seeing there, because I always see plenty of people in and out of the places there. Good video though!
My understanding is that a direct access link from the PA Turnpike (I-76) to I-70 has never been constructed for fear that it would turn Breezewood into a Ghost Town. As you mentioned, Breezewood was there long before I-76 or I-70 were constructed. Sadly, it looks like Breezewood is becoming a Ghost Town anyway. I think that you are right about the location of the PA Turnpike Service Plazas affecting people's desire to stop in Breezewood. If you are heading eastbound on the turnpike there is a Service Plaza about 10 miles east of the Breezewood interchange. If you are heading westbound on the turnpike there is a Service Plaza about 15 miles west of the Breezewood interchange. For many years the Service Plazas only contained a Howard Johnson's restaurant. Now the Service Plazas contain a food court giving travelers many more dining options. Maybe raising the speed limit on the turnpike from 55 MPH to 70 MPH also increased business at the Service Plazas because drivers could get there faster. I really enjoyed this video. GREAT JOB !!
Thanks for watching! I totally agree that a direct connection between the two highways would turn breezewood into an absolute ghost town. I bet for that reason there are a lot of people lobbying Pennsylvania government to avoid doing something like that. Killing off a whole town probably wouldn’t look too good.
I've lived just outside Breezewood my whole life. Worked at McDonald's in high school. Thanks for putting this video out. Breezewood is a ghost town compared to the 80's.
For years going on vacations to Wis from Wash. DC and our first stop many times was the diner across U.S.30 from the toll gates to the Pa. Turnpike. Occasionally we would stop at the National Cafe in Hancock, Md., great food! But Breezewood, we knew we were on our way! Loved the tunnels and Midway stop on the turnpike where you could walk under the turnpike from one stop to the other heading the other direction. Wasn’t the same when they moved the turnpike entrance to a feeder road. Still great memories of those July vacations!
I spent way too many hours passing through Breezewood during the 70’s and 80’s. Insane traffic, especially around Thanksgiving and Christmas. For me, it was a place to get through a quickly as possible (which was not quick at all). I haven’t been through there in decades, thanks from the glance back.
Thanks for this. I used to drive through Breezewood about once or twice a month in the early 2000s. I even stayed at that Days Inn once. In those days, the area was crazy-busy (besides the usual traffic nightmare). The last time I was there in 2017, I was shocked by the decline, and that was before the pandemic and all the economic problems we're having now.
Most of my memories of Breezewood are of being there predawn hours in the 70s and '80s. My family would always stop there on the way to vacation in Maryland.
Remember trips as a kid with family from East Coast to Chicago area every year when I-70 was US 522 from Hancock to Breezewood. Once we got to Breezewood, it was 4 lanes and toll all the way to Ill. The Howard Johnson's in Breezewood was right up against route 30 and we always had the fried clams.
I love Breezewood! Always fascinated me stopping there on the way to the Outer Banks from Pittsburgh, so many cool shops and stores in the middle of nowhere
I stopped at Breezewood twice a week when I was working in the Pentagon and living in Pittsburgh with my kids back in the 80s. Top off the tank and grab a meal. It was perfect.
Thanks for checking it out! You know, I think I’m with you. Pretty sure it makes equally if not more sad to see these kinds of places go away than malls.
I used to go through Breezewood all the time and it's definitely a shell of its former self. It used to be a trucker's and traveler's paradise, and now it's a ghost town.
So surreal coming into the Breezewood TA from the car lot out front! All the decades I've stopped there I always came in from the professional driver entrance from the big truck lot. Most often on autopilot with my body still buzzing from the long hours on the road. I wrongly assumed that I knew every nook and cranny of the place, yet never once thought about what it was like out front. Or even what it was like coming into the building from the general motorist point of view.
I've stayed in Breezewood twice: 1995 and 2001.The first was at the Econolodge. The second time was at the Best Western. There was a buffet style restaurant across the street.
Great video, I got interested about Breezewood after seeing some pictures of it. Place looks pretty empty, sure when it’s summer it gets pretty busy. Kinda creepy.
Thanks for watching! From my experience, even at its busiest, the only spot that gets busy is the Sheetz gas station right where 70 coming up from Maryland dead ends route 30. That single gas station seems to be monopolizing almost all of the traffic flowing through the corridor.
My late wife and I spent an anniversary in Breezewood at the Holiday Inn. Went to the local drive-in theater and the Coral Caverns. It was a good weekend.
I used to be a Steel hauler back when we still made steel in America. I would routinely haul from Pittsburgh to philly and sparrows point md. Breezewood was one of my regular stops. Still looks the same.
I used to travel from Harrisburg to Altoona many times and never took the Breezewood exit just the Bedford one when they put in 220/99. So much easier of a drive. Great vid.
I love big rest stops like this with all the amenities. I'm never down that way (live in Pittsburgh), I'm usually going north to Erie or east via I-80, but what a treat this place is. Last time I was on 80 all the way across PA, I stopped at a couple rest places that were just bathrooms and vending machines (there are bigger travel centers too) but it's always extremely disappointing. I like to stop and get my mind off of driving for 20 minutes or so, have a bite to eat, look around a shop. Anyway - great find! Thanks for sharing.
I agree about all the neat little features this area has to offer! I’ve driven through here on my way to visit family for most of my life, but only ever really stopped at Sheetz or the Bob Evans that’s kinda back up on the hill. I loved the first place I explored with all the old school arcades etc. Had such a throwback feel to it. So untouched almost. Thanks for watching!
I used to drive through there every single weekend for about 4 years back around 2008 - 2012. Driving from Northwestern Pennsylvania down to Fairfax Virginia. It's an interesting place because there isn't much else of note nearby. I haven't been through there since that time though so this is cool.
Just stumbled across your video. Awesome video. One thing I wanted to correct you on was that the econolodge was actually occupied and being in full use before a massive fire overwhelmed it in 2018. Hope this helps a little. :)
Ohhh, that explains it! I obviously knew about the days inn fire up the road, but never came across or heard anything about the econolodge also having a fire. Just spent some time reading up on. Thanks for the info and for watching!
@@IanMartinExploration no problem. There were rumors around the area that the owner set the fire for insurance money but its unknown how true that is. I live close to the area and have some stories if you ever wanted to learn more :p
This is so sad. I was born in Pittsburgh, PA. My mom was from Uniontown, PA and my dad from Ambridge PA. When I was a kid we moved to DC for my dad's job. When we went to visit family we would always stop at Breezewood for a meal and stretch. Explore a little bit, etc. When I got older (college) I had a friend who was a professional photographer and he had several models who lived in the area and I would go and help him with the shoots. I have spent many nights in those various hotels and ate many times in those restaurants. It is sad to see them go. I wonder is the strip club that was up the hill from the first truck stop is still there?
The last time I went into a Radio Shack it was that one in the Gateway TA truck stop. They had a good restaurant there years ago, I don't know if they still do.
I haven’t been through Breezewood in over 10 years because I’ve only flew to the DMW from Michigan since that time. I used to like going through that little town when I was younger but it’s totally obsolete.
@@IanMartinExploration: Turnpike commission sought to remove toll collectors from all interchanges by Q1 2023. CoViD-19 accelerated this timeframe. Since EZ Pass/Toll by Plate are the only pay methods (Mar 2020), bottlenecks @ major interchanges are trending downward.
Everyone knew that breezwood trooper that sat on the pike westbound side....one Amoco TS was there in sixtys..perciate the vid kid stay healthy Good Luck 👍
I go through Breezewood several times a year to visit my family around DC area from Ohio, where I escaped to damn near 40 years ago. Glad I did because what I see when I go back makes me ill what's happened to NoVa. Decades ago, this was an Oasis in the night in the middle of nowhere and a dangerous road over the mountain to into Md. Through there a month ago now and all the construction seems about finished up. We've stayed there in the past but only once. It's 24hr semis, a clusterfuck to move around in to find the entrances to everything. If we stay anywhere or want a sit down restaurant we hit Somerset anymore. Advice to anyone rolling through there in a car for the first time jumping from TP to 30 or 70, it's like the golf Tee triangle game - get it right first time you're a GENIUS! :D I've seen some flip-floppers put themselves into the damnedest situations there where a heavy lift helicopter would've been faster. Pulling in places they don't fit, jamming up traffic. But yea, the old places are a changing. Half the roads I grew up on, places I hunted in Va are all gone today. It's malls, townhouses and a place I don't recognize. But the PennaPike is a super nice road today. 20 30 years ago, it was a deadly scary road man.
Although millions today still connect at Breezewood I believe the reason travellers don't stop is because most of the journeys that conect through here are 4-6 hour journeys and most people just want to get to their destination and not stay in a motel or eat at a restaurant there.
Breezewood is always a stop for us when traveling from Erie to the Chesapeake Bay. It's a traffic nightmare but Perkins and Sheetz are always a great spot for food.
I used to pass through there travelling from the DC area to Ohio. It was usually around a holiday and the traffic was horrendous. I always wondered why they never built an interchange to access the turnpike from I70.
In 93 I had to go to Breezewood on a service call. Old lueyville Ford we had had a fuel crossover line that froze up. I had to dig all the snow out from under it. I used a propane torch to thaw it and then put a piece of water pipe insulation on it. Froze my ass off!
I’m not sure if you’ll see this or not but I just wanted to let you know just how much I appreciated this video. I’m a truck driver that’s passed through Breezewood countless times. I’ve only ever stopped for fuel. There’s so much I’ve wanted to explore in the area but I was never able to stay the night there just because my schedule never worked in my favor for that to happen. So watching this just absolutely made my evening and answered so many questions. Thank you so much
Oh, I saw your comment! I’ve been in a similar boat… been driving through breezewood for practically my entire life, but always just did a quick stop for fuel and a quick bite. I’ve always wondered if there’s anything else worth checking out. I’m glad I’m not the only one and I’m glad you enjoyed the video! Thanks so much for checking it out!
More people should consider Breezewood as a destination rather than a waystop.
I had the same situation; out of 13 years of trucking I drove for a small fleet for about 3 years with a weekly run from Dayton Ohio to Baltimore. On rare occasions I stopped at the Breezewood TA for fuel or lunch, usually headed west but when your schedule is tight you don’t have time to explore and I always found it odd that an interstate had traffic lights! Generally speaking, the modern trucker doesn’t have time for tourism. It was enlightening to learn the role that the Fed, the turnpike authority and the local businesses had in making Breezewood the unique place it is.
I’ve been through Breezewood way too many times to count. In the ‘80’s it was bustling. There were no abandoned motels or businesses of any kind. It’s always been a traffic nightmare, with the three highways converging. Nowadays it seems that more than 50% of the businesses are closed and abandoned. I’ve literally watched that town die. Sad.
You and me both! Been driving through breezewood most of my life and to see it from how it was in the 80s and 90s to now is just sad and depressing. Thanks for watching!
@@IanMartinExploration why is it dying? Both of those highways are still pretty busy aren't they?
@@kebsis I think that the increased dining options at the Service Plazas has contributed to Breezewood's demise. The original stone Service Plazas only offered Howard Johnson's as a dining option. All of the Service Plaza's were rebuilt about 20 years ago. The updated Service Plazas now contain food courts which give the travelers more dining options. They don't need to get off in Breezewood.
Eh you can only rip people off so many times before they figure it out
I've been going through Breezewood with my family since I was a little kid. I too have seen it slowly decline through the years since the 1970s through the early 2000's. I miss the old Breezewood. I can't wait to go through it again in April 2023 when heading to the Pennsylvania Maple Festival. I also enjoy visiting the Abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike as well. Been there many times. Videos are on my channel.
We used to stop there going to and from VA Beach. Haven't been for over 15 years because we stopped going to VA Beach. We always stopped at the restaurant and their grilled cheese was the best! Hello from Pgh PA
The reason there are no direct interchanges between the PA Turnpike and Eisenhower Interstate Highways like I-70 (New Stanton, Breezewood), I-99 (Bedford), and I-81 (Carlisle), just to name a few, is that the a law had been enacted preventing direct connections between toll-free, federally funded interstate highways and private toll roads. This apparently was done to prevent travelers from being "forced" onto tolled highways like the turnpike, if they didn't wish to pay tolls. Most of the turnpike main line had been built in the 1940s and 1950s before the federal law that created the Eisenhower Interstate Highway System in 1956. (Prior to the Interstates, there was the U.S. Highway system, e.g. U.S. 30, U.S. 11, from 1925 through the 1950s. Roads like I-70 were built in the 1960s through 1990s (I-99) and were separated from the Turnpike by "miracle miles." These miracle miles were dense commercial areas that grew to serve traffic transiting between toll and toll-free roads.
Breezewood as a rest stop grew into the "Town of Motels" because of its connection between the Turnpike and U.S. 30 and Interstate 70. It did well enough in the late Twentieth Century, but it began to decline due to better vehicle mileage, construction of I-68 in Maryland through Sidling Hill Mountain near Cumberland, and then annually escalating tolls caused by an ill-considered Pennsylvania law, Act 44 of 2007, that siphons $450 million of Turnpike revenue annually to pay for mass transit in cities and non-Turnpike highway maintenance. Act 44 was passed following an ill-considered privatization attempt to raise money by selling the Turnpike to European conglomerates. Turnpike tolls have more than doubled since 2007, driving away customers. The economic crash of 2008 and three years of the Covid pandemic have further decimated Breezewood's hospitality trade. Other miracle miles have done better, but it would be ideal if there were direct connections between the interstate highways and the Turnpike (itself designated I-76.) Use of at-speed toll gantries and slip ramps, replacing the obsolete toll booths, may promote this sensible reconfiguration; however, local and state politics weigh heavily against abandoning the miracle miles.
good take on that.
PLEASE read this, Ian. It will mean so much to me. Hi Ian, I hope you see this. Watching your video has brought tears to my eyes. My younger brother, Steve Lerch, died in Breezewood, Feb. 25, 1997. Steve drove truck for JB Hunt, had stopped for a rest, and was eating at the Perkins Restaurant, in Breezewood, with his friend, John Bell, who also drove for JB Hunt. Steve choked during his meal, and couldn’t be saved. Steve was 35 yrs old at the time, leaving 3 young children behind. Our family’s hearts were broken. Shortly after Steve’s passing, I visited Perkins, for the first time, as I wanted to see where his last moments were spent. I met the manager, and several waitresses that were friends of my brother, and had been with him, trying to help, when he died. That warmed my heart knowing that Steve was among friends, and not alone when he passed. I stop at Perkins every time I pass through the town. But never anywhere else there. I enjoy your video so much, I feel like I’m walking along with you, and wonder if Steve had seen some of the things you show. Steve was a regular customer, as he drove through Breezewood, frequently. I want to thank you so much for shining a light on Breezewood, and I’m going to share your video with my family. For me, Breezewood is a tiny town with a very large heart. It’s a special place for me. Thank you again, Mary Patricia Lerch Hamer ❤
Hi Mary Pat! Thank you so much for your kind words and I’m very sorry to hear about your brother, Steve. I have no doubt that I walked some of the places that he did when he would go through the area. As someone who has been going through breezewood for almost my entire life, it too holds a special place in my heart.
My condolences on the loss of your brother.
Ian, thank you as well, for your kind words. You providing this video means a lot to me, and my family as well. It’s nice to take a walk around Breezewood! Thank you again, so very much, Mary Pat
Teresa, thank you ❤
❤❤❤❤❤
It’s a memory I have never spoken about…. But this video brought a blush up my face. In 1968 I was 20 years old and had been “forced” to move to York, PA with my mother and father. My boyfriend was in Pittsburgh and we were ordered to stay apart. Well, one stolen day (and night) I snuck to Breezewood and met Bill for a heavenly 24 hours. Never again would I see him. My parents never found out. Oh. Boy, those were the days!
Heh. We may have driven past while you were there in '68!
So whatever happened to Bill? I think that you should look him up.
Stayed overnite on a class trip in 1957. Remember it very well.
Did you have sex?
I found myself here because people on twitter keep posting this picture of Breezewood in 2008 as a critique of the homogeneity of America's landscape without even considering Breezewood's history. This deep dive is much appreciated!
You should have seen Breezewood in the late 1950s / early 1960s. My family passed thru and often ate there, on vacation trips from our Pittsburgh home to the Jersey shore, or to Florida. Wall-to-wall traffic.
Breezewood.... Was home to the last operating Greyhound Post House Cafeteria Location. In it's last years it continued to serve as a meca for tour and charter buses traveling along the highways in PA.
My thinking as to why Breezewood has fallen is due to the completion of I-68 in the 90s. This provided a free alternative to the Pennsylvania Turnpike for any truckers/long distance travelers from Ohio to Baltimore/Washington without being forced to stop. The only major hurdle would be the 1960s-era section through Cumberland, but outside of rush hours, that's not a real issue. I-68 is also much closer to I-70 than I-80 or the West Virginia Turnpike, the only other real alternatives that existed already.
That’s a really interesting theory! I hadn’t considered 68 as playing into the equation.
Steeper grades on l-68.
The increase in toll prices pushed trucks off the pike as well.
I68 has higher grades than any road I’ve ever seen in PA. Eastbound from LaVale into Cumberland is steep. PA tolls the crap out of the turnpike and road improvements are still desperately needed. That Bedford to Breezewood stretch on the TP is a highly dangerous one. A third lane and wider shoulders would help matters. In contrast to the PA Tpk , interstate 99 is a beautiful wide road with pretty wide shoulders
Nope.
The fall of Breezewood was after it was a 76 for years
It got bought out by the now defunct All-American group.
And then the great cafes were gone they leased it out to Perkins.
It held on but what happened was when all American went under ta didn't want it pilot didn't want it except for fuel for a bit.
So it became an independent I don't know who bought it but somebody did I think it was a foreigner and decided not to put no money into it like they tend to do with travel classes they buy after they pretty much been worn into the ground.
It's still open but it's a flying J network stop they are lonely in charge of the fuel. The rest of it to BP and it's a shell of what it used to be.
Had nothing to do with interstate 68 being completed at all.
I enjoyed your video. As a professional Truck driver I passed by this place a couple of times and it reminds me very much of Milton Truck Plaza in Milton,PA. That one looks very similar and you can definitely get this feeling of a dying truck stop. Empty shelves, a vintage cinema room, half of the pumps are not working at all, hundreds of potholes in the parking lot. But still I love these old truck stops cause it gives me some sort of nostalgia. I loved stopping there from time to time for a rest and play Pinball for an hour straight!
Having a whole arcade/pinball machine to yourself for an hour or more is one perk of these places. Thanks for watching, I’m glad you enjoyed the video.
Many similar truck stops, new foreign owners from I won't mention where
I stopped at the Milton service plaza one day two years ago to get lunch to find that there wasn't any lunch open. If traveling though the area, taking the quick 5 minute detour into Milton proper is where it is at, a cute town with several great restaurants. There really are very few places to stop on the eastern end of I-80 for in PA any more.
I'm a truck driver and stopped there for years and last time I was up there I was shocked how bad it has got there you are right it was a great place back in the day.
The town of motels...I gratefully holed up there a couple times during snowstorms. It's too bad to see all the blight in a place that was once a refuge for a place to spend the night, have a meal, or get your vehicle repaired.
This broke my heart gateway was a frequent stop during family trips as a kid. Where the food court is now used to be an amazing buffet/sit down restaurant. It was definitely the go to stop on all trips from Maryland to Pittsburgh.
I remember going through there in the early 60s & vaguely recall an old smorgasbord. I used to look forward to seeing this on our way to Florida.
Bonanza
Shoals or something like that? I think we stopped there for lunch during our 8th grade trip to DC.
@@johnp139 maybe, I'm talking about 1966.
I travelled to Pittsburgh from Baltimore at least 300 times between 2002-2013 Breezewood was the Las Vegas strip of truck stops. I ate at Bob Evan's with friends who are now deceased, I remember the original Sheetz location, buying gas and pretzel melts. I cannot believe that this corridor is dying. Time is cruel.
Idiotic gas policies created by governor wolf is killing it.
I feel the same way. Like you, I'd travelled through Breezewood countless times in the past, but not in the last 10-or-so years.
I think some of it is how expensive the turnpike is now. I take alternate ways and by default i dont hit breezewood, like i used to
@@adamcounterman7028 I did rt68 Cumberland once, really scenic and pretty. Have not been back since 2013 though.
This was "halfway" when I was working in Ohio and my wife was in grad school in DC. Been through well over 100 times but never really stopped other than for petrol at BP and maybe a bathroom break. We did take my parents (from the UK) to the Bob Evans there and they were amazed at the endless coffee pot. My Dad got into a convo with a hitchhiker outside and gave him $20 because he used the word "zephyr" during the chat. Thought he was nuts; he still is :-) Will always have a good word for Breezewood even if it isn't good to look at.
I was in a similar boat. Had driven through breezewood for 30+ years but never stopped more than to get gas or eat at the Bob Evans a few times. Thanks for watching!
I am from this area. Breezewood is simply a known as a speed trap where the PA state police make their quotas for citations!
UA-cams algorithm is hitting me heavy with your videos. I appreciate you! Keep up the good work.
Thanks for watching! I really appreciate it
Sometime in the mid 60s the PA Turnpike closed the tunnels which are now a destination of their own.
I was born and raised in Indiana County, PA and went to Gettysburg College from 1987 - 1991. Breezewood was my way station on my trips to and from college, and I always associated it with either going home for the holiday breaks, or heading back to college to see my friends - so coming or going, I always had positive associations with, and fond memories of, Breezewood.
Great video thanks I haven't seen the gateway for six seven years now hasn't changed much. I do remember we would stop there in the sixties on our way to Pennsylvania from Florida and it was a gas station and restaurant which is in the same place still. They had the best roast beef sandwich and mashed potatoes and gravy. Sure has changed a lot since those days. It was a military stop during world war II that's how my dad knew about it.
I loved going through Breezewod as a kid....at night, it was lit up like a Christmas tree. Sad to see it this way. 😭
Yes. Always was exciting to roll up on it at night after miles and miles of darkness.
I enjoy your focus on the atmosphere of the area.
Greyhound once had a beautiful terminal there along with a small garage . The terminal was called a Post house. Great food , gifts and travel information. It closed I believe in 2002. I got one of the outdoor signs that was left behind. Very sad .
I suspect the ever increasing price of the PA turnpike has hurt Breezewood. My family used to always take the turnpike to visit my grandparents in Philadelphia from Erie. The price has gone up so much and I-80 was raised to 70mph so now we run across I-80 and down the North East extension to save on the tolls.
I live just outside of Breezewood. Businesses have problems because the traffic is heavy in the summer with vacationers but dies in the winter when that stops.
Ahhh interesting point! So the heavy traffic during the summer isn’t enough to sustain the businesses for the rest of the year basically?
@@IanMartinExploration basically yes, depending on the business. Trucks, if they stop, do so at one of the two truck stops - of which Gateway is the bigger and nicer stop. The rest of the service stations are mainly for autos, although some have a couple truck islands. For restaurants the only ones that survive now are the fast food places that have a drive thru. The only exception is Pizza Hut, but even they have curbside delivery for takeout orders.
As others have said they will probably never link 70 directly to the turnpike even though there are plans drawn up to do this. If they ever do there will be more closings, but I suspect some of the main stalwarts (McDonalds, Sheetz, Gateway) will survive.
I think what people fail to remember is with the PA Turnpike now charging userous tolls it just makes more sense to avoid the area entirely and bypass on I-68 across the Maryland Panhandle.
I was out there around the same time. Early July I think. My son and I ate there. It changed alot since the early 90's when it used to have a sir down restraunt in it. I go through Breezewood about once a year when going out to the Pennsylvania Maple Festival in Meyersdale Pa.
super interesting - what changed to cause the once busy transportation confluence to dry up? Is it just that PA has issues or is it this little piece of it? It seems central to so much.
I was born and raised about 15 miles from Breezewood, PA. I feel a hole in my chest.
Great vid! We used to go through Breezewood often from Pittsburgh to the shore.
Often the last stop for truckers before continuing to the east coast where there are few truck stops around. Our designated fuel stop was the 76 before TA bought them out some years ago. Never had trouble finding parking at Breezewood. The last time I was there was in 2003. I had no clue at all that the town has gone so downhill since. I am stumped.
I would stop at Gateway when going westbound on 70 and wanting a break, though I would go on down to McDonalds to eat. In the summertime, this was very busy, but the Covid crisis (when this was recorded) decimated this area and I doubt most of it will come back. Many of the motels were nearing the end of their viable cycles and needed renovation or replacement. Rebuilding the 70-76 interchange will cost more than a few million, which both PADOT and the Turnpike Commission would have to design and fund, and under the 1950's agreements, access to US 30 (the Lincoln Highway, not SR 30) would have to be maintained.
Breezewood was always the best place to stop for gas and food when I went from MD to Michigan, Ohio, or Kentucky using the turnpike.
Thankfully, I figured out a better route so I never had to get on that horrible road again.
Breezewood in its heyday was a welcome spot to recharge while traveling on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Nowadays, just up the hill on Rte 30 East, there is access to an abandoned stretch of the old Turnpike, with 2 tunnels to explore via bicycle.
My wife and I have done it. its really neat to see some history like that.
My first time thru Breezewood was January of 1959, East from Ca. going to my new Navy Duty Station South of DC. The number of times both ways from then till I became unable to drive anymore is beyond count. Nearly always gassed up here (both directions) but never had time to stay. The stories I could tell. Been over Townhill in fog so thick the resistance seemed to slow the car down. More than once I arranged with a trucker to follow him close up with my headlights off, taking advantage of his foglights.
There’s been fog at Town Hill at least 80% of the times I had been through it -in all seasons!
Used to travel the turnpike in the early 60s. Got on and off at Breezewood and New Stanton. Traveling from Fort Belvoir, Va to Pittsburgh.
The Gateway Restaurant was AWESOME!! Great food, great people and now they took out something great and put the same crap that all the other crap stops have.. very disappointed. The second floor use to have a Radio Shack
So sad the truck stops went from restaurants to the same old fast food junk. Luckily by then I wasn't doing much that I didn't get home every day.
Glad to see that the sports gear shop is still there.❤️
Decline of “mom and pop”/independent truck stops is due to the fact that Fleet Trucking Companies have fuel purchase agreements with the big Truckstop chains (Loves, P/FJ, TA/Petro) and get Discounts for fueling there. And drivers get perks at those stops like free showers and “points” for merchandise and food. So, independent stops are targets for parking when the chains fill up. The heavy cash flow selling all that diesel is lost.
Gosh, that was so interesting....who would have thought! It really would not have occurred to me to look into a truck rest stop before, but it's actually quite cool!
My thoughts exactly! Thanks so much for watching and for the kind words!
Your videos are amazing. I appreciate you taking the time to make them.
Thanks so much! I really appreciate the kind words!
I don't know why, but I usually cry my eyes out seeing these abandoned or dying buildings.
Same here especially if I've been there before. I was a trucker so Breezewood was a common stop.
As I sit here at the Gateway Ta truck stop tonight reflecting on 30 years . Yes 30 years of stopping here I've seen it go from just the truck stops and restaurants to loosing the big motels you show used to have 100 or more car hauler guys there as it was the end of the day for most a place to unwind and relax . Now those times are spent in a 48 inch box instead of the nice hotel. Food is brought from home and the day is timed to the second by a cocomputer can't stop and smell the roses. Great video bud honestly thanks .
Very interesting. My question is, what could this area ever be re-developed as? But it does look like it would be a pain to get into and out of the current driveways and parking lots as it is now configured, with that endless line of speeding cars (and trucks).
Back in the 1960's and early 1970's, my family would drive the Pennsylvania Turnpike to Breezewood and turn onto Rt70 to Baltimore. Long ago, I recall there was a beautiful little ice cream store there. Back then, Breezewood seemed a simple clean place in the woods. I don't recall these other businesses back then.
Interesting video. I drive through (and stop in) Breezewood at least once a month, so I'm familiar with a lot of the places that you featured there.
I will say that while there are some run down and abandoned restaurants/motels there, many of the ones that are still there seem to be doing well. There is always a line at Arby's and that big rest stop you walked through always has a lot of people in it (not sure about the upstairs though-- I've never been up there). The Sheetz gas station down the road is always packed full of cars when I go past it. My favorite stop, Hardees, sadly just burned down in October.
I think the pandemic contributed to the ghost town effect you were seeing there, because I always see plenty of people in and out of the places there. Good video though!
Oh no, I think that was my closest Hardee's 😢
I remember the first time I came through Breezewood in an 18 wheeler. That layout to get to I-70 always caught my attention.
My understanding is that a direct access link from the PA Turnpike (I-76) to I-70 has never been constructed for fear that it would turn Breezewood into a Ghost Town. As you mentioned, Breezewood was there long before I-76 or I-70 were constructed. Sadly, it looks like Breezewood is becoming a Ghost Town anyway. I think that you are right about the location of the PA Turnpike Service Plazas affecting people's desire to stop in Breezewood. If you are heading eastbound on the turnpike there is a Service Plaza about 10 miles east of the Breezewood interchange. If you are heading westbound on the turnpike there is a Service Plaza about 15 miles west of the Breezewood interchange. For many years the Service Plazas only contained a Howard Johnson's restaurant. Now the Service Plazas contain a food court giving travelers many more dining options. Maybe raising the speed limit on the turnpike from 55 MPH to 70 MPH also increased business at the Service Plazas because drivers could get there faster. I really enjoyed this video. GREAT JOB !!
Thanks for watching! I totally agree that a direct connection between the two highways would turn breezewood into an absolute ghost town. I bet for that reason there are a lot of people lobbying Pennsylvania government to avoid doing something like that. Killing off a whole town probably wouldn’t look too good.
For many years the Congressman that represented Breezewood was either the chairman or ranking member of the House Transportation Committee.
@@u686st7: Bud Shuster (R PA-9) Trans Cmte Chair (1996-2001)
I've lived just outside Breezewood my whole life. Worked at McDonald's in high school. Thanks for putting this video out. Breezewood is a ghost town compared to the 80's.
Wow. I can't even remember all the time I stayed the night there as a kid going to
see my grandparents. Seems like it's in a great spot still.
For years going on vacations to Wis from Wash. DC and our first stop many times was the diner across U.S.30 from the toll gates to the Pa. Turnpike. Occasionally we would stop at the National Cafe in Hancock, Md., great food! But Breezewood, we knew we were on our way! Loved the tunnels and Midway stop on the turnpike where you could walk under the turnpike from one stop to the other heading the other direction. Wasn’t the same when they moved the turnpike entrance to a feeder road. Still great memories of those July vacations!
I spent way too many hours passing through Breezewood during the 70’s and 80’s. Insane traffic, especially around Thanksgiving and Christmas. For me, it was a place to get through a quickly as possible (which was not quick at all). I haven’t been through there in decades, thanks from the glance back.
Stopped there many times in the late 70’s early 80’s.
Been through there many times on the Turnpike from the 1960s on up. It was always a super busy place. Surprising to see it like this now.
Thanks for this. I used to drive through Breezewood about once or twice a month in the early 2000s. I even stayed at that Days Inn once. In those days, the area was crazy-busy (besides the usual traffic nightmare). The last time I was there in 2017, I was shocked by the decline, and that was before the pandemic and all the economic problems we're having now.
Most of my memories of Breezewood are of being there predawn hours in the 70s and '80s. My family would always stop there on the way to vacation in Maryland.
I go even father back, remembering it in the early to mid 60s as our first stop early morning from Ohio to Florida. Sad to see this, it was so nice.
1:58 the ‘RadioShack’ kinda gives it away. Literally haven’t seen one in 10 years lol
God, as a kid, I never went past one without going into it to explore! They were in most big city malls too!
@@gobbletegook yep we had one in our local mall, was taken out about a decade ago hence why I said that lol
Remember trips as a kid with family from East Coast to Chicago area every year when I-70 was US 522 from Hancock to Breezewood. Once we got to Breezewood, it was 4 lanes and toll all the way to Ill. The Howard Johnson's in Breezewood was right up against route 30 and we always had the fried clams.
I love Breezewood! Always fascinated me stopping there on the way to the Outer Banks from Pittsburgh, so many cool shops and stores in the middle of nowhere
I stopped at Breezewood twice a week when I was working in the Pentagon and living in Pittsburgh with my kids back in the 80s. Top off the tank and grab a meal. It was perfect.
It is not coming back. Not now, maybe someday. Excellent job, thank you.
Thank you! And unfortunately I agree. I don’t see this town ever coming back.
RadioShack was the apple store before there was anything called the apple store! Heck it was even better!
Great Vid! I think I miss these kind of truck stops more than malls.
Thanks for checking it out! You know, I think I’m with you. Pretty sure it makes equally if not more sad to see these kinds of places go away than malls.
I used to go through Breezewood all the time and it's definitely a shell of its former self. It used to be a trucker's and traveler's paradise, and now it's a ghost town.
Good tour! Good reminder of how America is changing. People are sending videos of abandoned indoor malls across the country.
So surreal coming into the Breezewood TA from the car lot out front! All the decades I've stopped there I always came in from the professional driver entrance from the big truck lot. Most often on autopilot with my body still buzzing from the long hours on the road. I wrongly assumed that I knew every nook and cranny of the place, yet never once thought about what it was like out front. Or even what it was like coming into the building from the general motorist point of view.
Great choice in music- really nailed the 'creepy' factor.
Thanks! And thanks for checking out the video!
PA priced the Breezewood and other stops out of business via turnpike tolls and gas taxes. Once the alternative route appeared it was over.
I've stayed in Breezewood twice: 1995 and 2001.The first was at the Econolodge. The second time was at the Best Western. There was a buffet style restaurant across the street.
Great video, I got interested about Breezewood after seeing some pictures of it. Place looks pretty empty, sure when it’s summer it gets pretty busy. Kinda creepy.
Thanks for watching! From my experience, even at its busiest, the only spot that gets busy is the Sheetz gas station right where 70 coming up from Maryland dead ends route 30. That single gas station seems to be monopolizing almost all of the traffic flowing through the corridor.
My late wife and I spent an anniversary in Breezewood at the Holiday Inn. Went to the local drive-in theater and the Coral Caverns. It was a good weekend.
I remember the Coral Caverns. I went there as a kid.
Sad to see. I spent many days in Breezewood because it was a driver break point for my charter company in the early 2000’s.
I used to be a Steel hauler back when we still made steel in America. I would routinely haul from Pittsburgh to philly and sparrows point md. Breezewood was one of my regular stops. Still looks the same.
I've traveled through Breezewood many times, but never stopped. The traffic is always backed up and the area always looked cheap.
I used to travel from Harrisburg to Altoona many times and never took the Breezewood exit just the Bedford one when they put in 220/99. So much easier of a drive. Great vid.
I love big rest stops like this with all the amenities. I'm never down that way (live in Pittsburgh), I'm usually going north to Erie or east via I-80, but what a treat this place is. Last time I was on 80 all the way across PA, I stopped at a couple rest places that were just bathrooms and vending machines (there are bigger travel centers too) but it's always extremely disappointing. I like to stop and get my mind off of driving for 20 minutes or so, have a bite to eat, look around a shop. Anyway - great find! Thanks for sharing.
I agree about all the neat little features this area has to offer! I’ve driven through here on my way to visit family for most of my life, but only ever really stopped at Sheetz or the Bob Evans that’s kinda back up on the hill. I loved the first place I explored with all the old school arcades etc. Had such a throwback feel to it. So untouched almost. Thanks for watching!
I used to drive through there every single weekend for about 4 years back around 2008 - 2012. Driving from Northwestern Pennsylvania down to Fairfax Virginia. It's an interesting place because there isn't much else of note nearby. I haven't been through there since that time though so this is cool.
Thanks you rekindled my love of watching exploring
That’s great! Thanks so much for watching!
very interesting. nice job, and thanks for posting.
Amazing video.
Aren't Day's legally obliged to clear the wreck at the end??
I stopped here a lot back in the 60-90s when I was traveling, bought gas, had some eats, etc. This is really sad.
Just stumbled across your video. Awesome video. One thing I wanted to correct you on was that the econolodge was actually occupied and being in full use before a massive fire overwhelmed it in 2018. Hope this helps a little. :)
Ohhh, that explains it! I obviously knew about the days inn fire up the road, but never came across or heard anything about the econolodge also having a fire. Just spent some time reading up on. Thanks for the info and for watching!
@@IanMartinExploration no problem. There were rumors around the area that the owner set the fire for insurance money but its unknown how true that is. I live close to the area and have some stories if you ever wanted to learn more :p
I’ve travelled through Breezewood many times. It does seem somewhat deserted these days 🤗
This is so sad. I was born in Pittsburgh, PA. My mom was from Uniontown, PA and my dad from Ambridge PA. When I was a kid we moved to DC for my dad's job. When we went to visit family we would always stop at Breezewood for a meal and stretch. Explore a little bit, etc. When I got older (college) I had a friend who was a professional photographer and he had several models who lived in the area and I would go and help him with the shoots. I have spent many nights in those various hotels and ate many times in those restaurants. It is sad to see them go. I wonder is the strip club that was up the hill from the first truck stop is still there?
Just a bar now
@@jimafton5659 Thanks for the update.
I'm 66 & born in Youngstown Ohio,for yrs on our way to Florida this would be our stop. Not even sure why I remember it but I do, & fondly. Thanks.
The last time I went into a Radio Shack it was that one in the Gateway TA truck stop. They had a good restaurant there years ago, I don't know if they still do.
I haven’t been through Breezewood in over 10 years because I’ve only flew to the DMW from Michigan since that time. I used to like going through that little town when I was younger but it’s totally obsolete.
It’s crazy cause it looks pretty much the same as it did 10 years ago, just worse and clearly dying off. Thanks for watching.
@@IanMartinExploration it used to be a required stop everytime we went. Back in the late 90s and early 2000s there was nothing empty at all
@@IanMartinExploration: Turnpike commission sought to remove toll collectors from all interchanges by Q1 2023. CoViD-19 accelerated this timeframe. Since EZ Pass/Toll by Plate are the only pay methods (Mar 2020), bottlenecks @ major interchanges are trending downward.
Everyone knew that breezwood trooper that sat on the pike westbound side....one Amoco TS was there in sixtys..perciate the vid kid stay healthy Good Luck 👍
I go through Breezewood several times a year to visit my family around DC area from Ohio, where I escaped to damn near 40 years ago. Glad I did because what I see when I go back makes me ill what's happened to NoVa.
Decades ago, this was an Oasis in the night in the middle of nowhere and a dangerous road over the mountain to into Md. Through there a month ago now and all the construction seems about finished up. We've stayed there in the past but only once. It's 24hr semis, a clusterfuck to move around in to find the entrances to everything. If we stay anywhere or want a sit down restaurant we hit Somerset anymore.
Advice to anyone rolling through there in a car for the first time jumping from TP to 30 or 70, it's like the golf Tee triangle game - get it right first time you're a GENIUS! :D
I've seen some flip-floppers put themselves into the damnedest situations there where a heavy lift helicopter would've been faster. Pulling in places they don't fit, jamming up traffic.
But yea, the old places are a changing. Half the roads I grew up on, places I hunted in Va are all gone today. It's malls, townhouses and a place I don't recognize. But the PennaPike is a super nice road today. 20 30 years ago, it was a deadly scary road man.
My parents stoped for the night in Breezewood coming and going on our summer vacations. Had to view this
Glad I found your channel. Great content!
Thanks and welcome to the channel!
Although millions today still connect at Breezewood I believe the reason travellers don't stop is because most of the journeys that conect through here are 4-6 hour journeys and most people just want to get to their destination and not stay in a motel or eat at a restaurant there.
Breezewood is always a stop for us when traveling from Erie to the Chesapeake Bay. It's a traffic nightmare but Perkins and Sheetz are always a great spot for food.
Great video..haunting music. .well done sir
I really enjoyed this. Places like this are interesting
Thanks for watching!
Breezewood died for me when they killed Arthur Treachers! They had the BEST Fish’n Chips anywhere!
I used to pass through there travelling from the DC area to Ohio. It was usually around a holiday and the traffic was horrendous. I always wondered why they never built an interchange to access the turnpike from I70.
Love Breezewood get my coffee here while there is also an abandoned PA Turnpike Tunnel around here as well
In 93 I had to go to Breezewood on a service call. Old lueyville Ford we had had a fuel crossover line that froze up. I had to dig all the snow out from under it. I used a propane torch to thaw it and then put a piece of water pipe insulation on it. Froze my ass off!