Imagine driving across the Allegheny Mountains during the mid-1930s. The Pennsylvania Turnpike was still in the future; the direct route from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh and points west was US 30, the Lincoln Highway.
As you head west from Bedford, the road soon begins to rise and twist with the contours of the mountains. It's not an easy drive, especially if your car is overloaded or underpowered. Suddenly as you round a curve, the view looks like this:
"WHAT THE HECK IS THAT?" you exclaim, startled by the glimpse of the large white structure seemingly suspended from a ridge ahead. A few turns later details of the building become visible.
If you were color blind, or at least not as color-saturated as a linen postcard of the period, the view might look like this:
Welcome to Grand View Point and the Ship Hotel.
Keep driving up the hill to see what all the fuss is about.