Those who have never been to Pennsylvania may associate the state with it’s largest cities, like Philly, Pittsburgh, and Allentown. However, a whole lot of land lies between those hubs, and most of it is wide open spaces and greenery that is breathtaking to behold.
In fact, some people find the landscape, which is frequently dotted by the ruins of old cobblestone farmhouses and buildings, reminiscent of far off lands. One woman is even going viral on Instagram for a video she captured of one of these locations, where she hilariously referred to the state as “Ireland in a Carhartt jacket,” and as someone who has lived in the state for most of her life, I 100 percent agree with the sentiment.
🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬
@unpackedwithcat Sharing a piece of my home with you 🫶🏼 also the reason why I’m always late for any event #pennsylvania #explorepennsylvania #visitpa
♬ Fairytale (From “Shrek”) – Geek Music
Woman’s Video About Pennsylvania Countryside Goes Viral
The aptly named Instagrammer @pennsylvaniajunkie posted a beautiful video of a babbling brook running through a verdant countryside that featured the ruins of a stone farmhouse next to a large farm, which she says she captured while en route to Virginia.
“This scene is why I pull my car over on the side of the road,” she said to the camera before flipping the screen around to show off the landscape. “Proof that Pennsylvania is just Ireland in a Carhartt jacket,” she wrote on the video while the music from the movie Shrek.
Related: This Pizza Hut in Pennsylvania Will Take You Straight Back to the ’90s
Commenters Laughed About her ‘Side Quest’
The video was also captioned with a note about how she’s always late because she frequently takes on these “PA side quests” to stop and admire the scenery. “From someone who did not grow up in Pennsylvania, but it is now our forever home, I’ve been saying from the first day I came here: ‘Pennsylvania is the most beautiful place to live,'” one person wrote.
“This is the most accurate take I’ve ever heard lol,” another person added.
As a Pennsylvania native, I can confirm that this is the right take, and I readily admit that this video could’ve been filmed just about anywhere in the state…yes, even right outside of Philadelphia. That’s because this state truly is full of wonderful spots like this, including back where I grew up in Bucks County.
However, several commenters pointed out that our “Ireland in a Carhartt jacket” state is losing a lot of open spaces to the warehouses that are popping up everywhere. “Pennsylvanian here; we’re slowly being swallowed up by warehouses and data centers,” one person added.
Related: This 100-Year-Old Amusement Park Still Hasn’t Lost Its Retro Charm
Pennsylvania and Ireland Have More in Common Than You May Think
According to Vivid Maps, once upon a time, the Appalachian Mountain trail that runs through Pennsylvania once ran through the UK, connecting with some of the Scottish Highlands as well.
They were all connected thanks to the supercontinent of Pangea, which existed up until the Premian Triassic period, hundreds of millions of years ago. While no humans were around to see this landmass, it’s clear that the connection to those times still runs deep in the roots of Pennsylvania and its heritage.