History Cherry Springs State Park

1 history

1.1 native americans
1.2 pioneers , lumber
1.3 civilian conservation corps
1.4 modern era

history
native americans

archeological evidence shows humans have lived in pennsylvania since @ least 10,000 bc. first settlers paleo-indian nomadic hunters known stone tools. hunter-gatherers of archaic period, lasted locally 7000 to 1000 bc, used greater variety of more sophisticated stone artifacts. woodland period marked gradual transition semi-permanent villages , horticulture, between 1000 bc , 1500 ad. archeological evidence found in state time includes range of pottery types , styles, burial mounds, pipes, bows , arrows, , ornaments.

map of park , facilities

historical records show earliest known inhabitants of west branch susquehanna river drainage basin, includes cherry springs state park, iroquoian-speaking susquehannocks. matriarchal society lived in large long houses in stockaded villages. decimated disease , warfare 5 nations of iroquois, 1675 they had died out, moved away, or been assimilated other tribes. name tribe susquehanna , , both river , susquehannock state forest surrounds park named them.

after departure of susquehannocks, lands of west branch susquehanna river valley under nominal control of iroquois, lived in long houses, in upstate new york, , had strong confederacy gave them power beyond numbers. seneca, members of iroquois confederacy, hunted in area of cherry springs state park. nearest villages 51 miles (82 km) northeast @ modern painted post, new york, , 43 miles (69 km) southeast @ lock haven, pennsylvania. seneca had temporary hunting camps east in area of pine creek gorge. fill void left demise of susquehannocks, iroquois encouraged displaced tribes east settle in west branch watershed, including lenape (or delaware) , shawnee.

the seneca allowed few travelers pass through area , kept non-native settlement minimum. french , indian war (1754–1763) led migration of many native americans westward ohio river basin, , more departed after american revolutionary war (1775–1783). united states acquired last purchase, including cherry springs state park, iroquois in second treaty of fort stanwix in october 1784. in years followed, native americans entirely left pennsylvania.

pioneers , lumber

potter county formed part of lycoming county on march 26, 1804, difficult terrain , thick old-growth forest prevented new county being settled european-americans until 1808. prior arrival of william penn , quaker colonists in 1682, 90 percent of pennsylvania covered woods: more 31,000 square miles (80,000 km) of eastern white pine, eastern hemlock, , mix of hardwoods. forests in , near 3 original counties, philadelphia, bucks, , chester, first harvested, settlers used readily available timber , cleared land agriculture. time of american revolution, logging had reached interior , mountainous regions, , became leading industry in pennsylvania. trees furnished fuel heat homes, tannin state s many tanneries, , wood construction, furniture, , barrel making. large areas of forest harvested colliers fire iron furnaces. rifle stocks , shingles made pennsylvania timber, wide variety of household utensils, , first conestoga wagons.

the ccc built replica of cherry springs hotel, tavern built jonathan edgcomb in 1818.

the area surrounding cherry springs state park has been wilderness of history. bridle path cut through woods in 1806–1807, , widened accommodate wagons in 1812. (modern pennsylvania route 44, passes through park, follows course of path between jersey shore , coudersport.) in 1818 the ceres land company, owned of land in potter county , sought open area settlement, hired settler, jonathan edgcomb, build tavern or hotel travelers @ site of park. hotel in remote location 16 miles (26 km) south of coudersport, , visitors few, occasional wandering travelers or native americans.

edgcomb , wife received 100 acres (40 ha) of land in exchange building hotel , running 3 years. when contract expired in 1821, sold land , left area, hotel , land edgcomb had cleared became known edgcomb s clearing . jersey shore , coudersport turnpike constructed along wagon path between 1825 and 1834, , tolls collected travel on road until 1860. park in west branch township, incorporated eulalia township in 1856. post office opened @ edgcomb s clearing in 1873; locals petitioned united states post office change name cherryville , nearby group of black cherry trees. however, since there cherryville, pennsylvania, post office in lehigh township in northampton county, name cherry spring chosen compromise. in time s added, hence name cherry springs . there @ least 2 springs in park.

in 1874 a new, larger hotel built on other side of road original tavern. provided accommodations wealthy summer visitors coudersport. part of potter county became known abundance of game , fish, , attracted hunters , anglers stayed @ cherry springs hotel. era sportsmen s paradise not last, more profitable lumber industry came west branch , surrounding townships, home of tallest, straightest timber left standing along east coast of united states.

when lumbermen reached cherry springs area in late 1880s, eastern white pine , eastern hemlock covered surrounding mountains. lumberjacks harvested trees , sent them down creeks west branch susquehanna river susquehanna boom , sawmills @ williamsport. clearcutting allowed silt choke streams, , nothing left except dried-out tree tops, became fire hazard. result, large swaths of land burned , left barren, , of central part of state became known pennsylvania desert . cherry springs hotel burned in 1897 and property abandoned.

civilian conservation corps

as timber exhausted , land burned, many companies abandoned holdings. in 1897 the pennsylvania general assembly passed legislation authorized purchase of unseated lands forest reservations , first pennsylvania state forest lands acquired following year. first land susquehannock state forest acquired in 1901; cost major acquisitions average of $2.50 per acre ($6.18 per ha). equivalent $49 per acre ($121 per ha) in 2017 terms. of 2003, susquehannock state forest, entirely surrounds park, covered 265,000 acres (107,000 ha), chiefly in potter county small tracts in clinton , mckean counties.

the park traces existence 1922, when pennsylvania department of forestry established 3 scenic areas in state forests part of plan retaining natural beauty . 1 of these 6.5-mile (10.5 km) cherry springs scenic drive on old coudersport-jersey shore turnpike. same year, 1 of 16  class b public campgrounds in state forests located on cherry springs drive. these campgrounds free public use , had potable water, picnic tables, fireplace, garbage can, , latrine. land hotel sat purchased state in 1932.

like many state parks in north central pennsylvania, development of facilities @ cherry springs work of civilian conservation corps (ccc), work relief program young men unemployed families. established in 1933 as part of president franklin d. roosevelt s new deal legislation, ccc designed combat unemployment during great depression. operated in every u.s. state, , established ten ccc camps in susquehannock state forest, of 8 in potter county.

cherry springs home ccc camp s-136-pa, established on may 27, 1933. according camp s 1936 history: through efforts of [ccc] enrollees cherry springs park, formerly clearing, has been transformed park of people of potter county can proud of. [sic] historic recreation of original tavern built, rifle range, picnic tables , shelters, roads, , hiking trails. young men of ccc camps worked clear brush woods fire prevention measure. after clearing woods, planted stands of norway spruce , white pine, apple orchard. camp-136-pa closed on july 10, 1937.

the other ccc-built picnic pavilion has hexagonal roof , in camping area.

men ccc camp s-88-pa, based @ nearby lyman run in potter county, active in park. in 1939, built structure @ cherry springs largest , unique of ccc-built picnic pavilions in state, , listed on national register of historic places. pavilion overlooks pa route 44 and shaped h, 2 partially enclosed structures (the vertical lines of h) connected breezeway (the horizontal bar). breezeway roof supported 8 log columns log railings. ends of pavilion built log walls white chinking, log cabins. each end has large opening breezeway in 1 wall, while other 3 sides enclosed large window in wall facing highway, stone fireplace , chimney on opposite wall, , door flanked windows on wall opposite breezeway.

a 1984 survey of pennsylvania state parks found 3 picnic pavilions, , associated latrines @ cherry springs typical of smallest day use areas constructed ccc . these pavilions examples of rustic style built ccc in state parks throughout great depression. local materials used in way minimized impact on natural surroundings, , in manner resembled building style of pioneer settlements of appalachian mountains.

in addition 2 ccc camps active @ park, cherry springs home camp elliott, run pennsylvania department of forests , waters (precursor department of conservation , natural resources (dcnr)) college students , other unemployed men. in 1935 they built airfield, cherry springs intermediate field, north of park. 40-acre (16 ha) airfield built emergency landings , later became small airport. in 1936 it had sod runway of dimensions 2,400 500 feet (730 150 m), , hangar. united states entry second world war led end of ccc , camps closed summer of 1942.

modern era

the park has had several names through years, starting 1922 establishment cherry springs scenic drive , associated cherry springs class b public campground . 1941 pennsylvania department of highways official map of potter county shows cherry springs state park . on november 11, 1954, pennsylvania geographic board officially named cherry springs state forest picnic area . forrey s 1984 history of pennsylvania s state parks , 1986 nrhp nomination form still used name, forrey clarified under jurisdiction of bureau of state parks . cupper s 1993 our priceless heritage: pennsylvania s state parks 1893–1993 refers cherry springs state park , , remains official name of 2009.

up 10,000 stars, such these in constellation cygnus, can seen park

in post-war era, park long known chiefly isolated location , primitive camping facilities. in august 1952 it played host first woodsmen s carnival, annual celebration of lumbering industry, again active in second growth forests in area. festival, sponsored penn-york lumbermen s club, features lumberjack competitions reminder of past, displays of new equipment. in 1987 the galeton rotary club took on sponsorship, , renamed event woodsmen s show in 1990.

in 1980s, ccc , work in park honored. cherry springs state park 1 of several celebrate fiftieth anniversary of founding of civilian conservation corps ccc reunion in summer of 1983. on may 11, 1987, cherry springs picnic pavilion listed on nrhp. none of other remaining ccc structures in park had retained historic integrity sufficiently included on nrhp.

cherry springs began attracting stargazers in 1990s. in 1999 the dark sky fund established , continues enhance stargazing , astronomy experience funding improvements @ park. in 2000 cherry springs officially named dark sky park dcnr, , same year became part of hills creek state park complex, administrative grouping of 8 state parks in potter , tioga counties. headquarters cherry springs @ nearby lyman run state park. national public observatory picked pilot stars-n-parks program in april 2001. dcnr acquired cherry springs airport in 2006  expand overall dark sky observation area , allow increased programming opportunities @ park, , closed in 2007. on june 11, 2008, international dark-sky association named cherry springs state park second international dark sky park . (the first natural bridges national monument in utah.)