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Altoona had one historical main corridor of travel for travelers going north or south through the city. That corridor was, and still is, Sixth Avenue.
A bus tour of the corridor's present and former historic and architectural sites of importance is scheduled by the Blair County Historical Society for 1 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 20th, with a repeat at 3:30 p.m. that same day.
In addition to its existing buildings, Sixth Avenue still has remnants of its important businesses, homes, and schools which will be pointed out on this bus tour along with buildings that are no longer extant, but shown in the complimentary brochure that accompanies the tour.
The 61-block tour will begin at Canon Station's old Fish Bowl Inn (circa mid-1800s) near 61st Street and end at First Street, beyond the former Grand Hotel at Second Street (built 1905). It will include the present sites of churches, bell towers, businesses, and churches and former sites of railroad stations, homes, gas stations, diners, parks, railroad shops and Elias Baker's Grist Mill.
Tours will begin and end at Baker Mansion. Cost for the tour is $35 which includes the 58 photographs of all the sites, past and present.
Reservations can be purchased online at www.blairhistory.org/events where one can indicate which tour time is preferred or call the Blair County Historical Society at 814-942-3916. Seats are limited, and the bus is handicapped accessible.
The tour guide will be Dr. Michael Farrow.