Pennsylvania Route 6 2016 by Mountain Home

Pennsylvania

Route 6 www.paroute6.com

Who knew the American Dream was just down the road!

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his is Route 6. A magical and tranquil highway through Northern Pennsylvania. It’s where getting away from it all means finding everything you were looking for. This is a road that ties together towns big and small, generations of people and wondrous sights often forgotten. Here, the American dream is alive and well. It’s where apple pie, yellow ribbons, antique stores, museums, parks, and trails create a journey unique to everyone who travels it. This historic 400 miles of road is America. It reflects all we hold dear and all we believe in. Here is a simpler life. One of family, heritage, tradition, and honor. It’s a place where losing yourself really means finding yourself. And where your journey is truly your destination. Welcome to Route 6. The heart of the American dream. The Path to Route 6...................................... 4 Read Between the Signs.............................. 8 Lake Erie’s Preque Isle............................... 10

The Amazing Kinzua Sky Walk.................. 14 Do 6 Your Way: Slow & Scenic

or Off-Road Adventures........................ 18

Maple on the Map....................................... 20 Dark Skies at Cherry Springs

State Park............................................... 22

The Laurel Festival and

Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania............ 24

Artisan Trail Map.................................... 26-27 French Azilym:

An Asylum Fit for a Queen.................... 31

The Quilted Corners of Wyalusing............ 32 Wyoming County Cultural Center

at Dietrich Theater................................. 33

Tunkhannock Walking Tour....................... 36 Steamtown National Historic Site............. 39 The Delaware Hudson Rail Trail................ 40 Gifford Pinchot, Grey Towers,

and the Birth of Conservation.............. 46

A Taste of Route 6...................................... 49 Upper Delaware Scenic

and Recreational River.......................... 50

Pennsylvania Route 6 is published by Beagle Media, LLC, 25 Main St., 2nd Floor, Wellsboro, PA 16901, in partnership with PA Route 6 Alliance / US Route 6 Tourist Association - Pennsylvania division. Copyright © 2016 Beagle Media, LLC. All rights reserved. E-mail info@mountainhomemag.com, or call (570) 724-3838.

The Path to Route 6 I

t may have started as a wilderness path worn to dirt by hunting parties of the Iroquois Nation. The path went generally east and west, a hunting path for Native Americans. Before it was officially Route 6, in Pennsylvania it was called the State Road, on which horse-drawn wagons hauled settlers. The route has been adjusted and relocated a number of times as modern engineers made the road straighter and safer. Once upon a time, the State Road and its successor, Route 6, posed enough adventure within its twists, turns, and cliffhugging cuts to raise goose bumps on the most seasoned travelers. Straightened out considerably, and paved with concrete or macadam, the modern road runs across the northern tier of Pennsylvania. But dirt remnants of the old State Road still stir up

dust from tractor traffic. In the U.S. Highway numbering system, the road became Route 6 in 1926. The first numbered segment of Route 6, extending from Provincetown, Massachusetts, to Brewster, New York, was designated in 1925. Soon thereafter, Route 6 was extended to Erie, Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania segment routed along the “Roosevelt Highway,” so designated after Theodore Roosevelt’s death on January 6, 1919. In some sections, going back to the era of calling roads “trails,” Route 6 was often referred to as the Roosevelt Trail. The Roosevelt Highway Association pushed the name east all the way to Cape Cod. It would take years for the route to span the continent, but that name would apply to the entire transcontinental highway. By the

1950s the name Roosevelt Trail had faded for most of the road. Pennsylvania high schools along the route, or easily accessed from Route 6, adopted the name for their interscholastic leagues. Wyalusing, Towanda, Troy, actually on Route 6, as well as schools and towns on intersecting roads like Canton, Sullivan County, Athens, Sayre, and Waverly, New York, formed an athletic association dubbed The Roosevelt Trail League. Formidable for-profit commercial interests and powerful politicians worked many twists and turns into the route to insure that their towns and their businesses would benefit from the traffic. Entering the Keystone State at Milford, Route 6 went through the business sections of towns like Honesdale and Hawley and

D N A A R R MY G OF T H E

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HIGHWAY U. S.6

dipped sharply southwest to hit the hard coal region, cutting through Carbondale, brushing Blakely, skirting Scranton. Then, The Roosevelt Trail took a sharp right angle and headed northwest to Clarks Summit on its way to Wyalusing and to touch Towanda’s main drag. From there a trek to Troy pushed westward to Mansfield. The original route ran down dirt roads to Covington, but, owing to heavy insistence and equally heavy influence in Mansfield, what would become Route 6 was moved ten miles north to the home of the Mansfield Mountaineers. From there it would wend its way to Wellsboro and past Potter County where travelers go through Galeton, cruise Coudersport’s main drag, and head to Port Allegheny. Traveling west past Smethport, the

route takes a big dip southwest again to pick up the business section of Kane. That town was a major lumber enterprise and, like Mansfield, its powerful politicians and businessmen swung the route through their commercial zone. From Kane, the road takes a right angle turn and runs northwest to hit Warren. The road used to run through Warren’s downtown but now it bypasses businesses and speeds by on the south side of the Allegheny River. From Warren, the route aims east to west and passes Sheffield. At Garland, it skews northwest to come to Corry. At an intersection near Waterford, the road splits. Erie and Edinboro wanted Route 6, the Roosevelt Trail, and the Grand Army of the Republic Highway (more on that later) to touch their towns, so U.S. 6N snakes off

toward PA’s northwest corner. The main artery of the Grand Army of the Republic Highway continues to Meadville and to Linesville and the Ohio border. West of Pennsylvania, the highway followed the route run by the Rock Island Line Railroad…and, later on, the Union Pacific. In Iowa, in 1910, the White Pole Auto Club painted telephone poles that paralleled the highway white up to ten feet in height. That section became known as “The Great White Way” or, more commonly, the “White Post Road.” Other states adopted that idea in a few places. In Pennsylvania, some wooden guardrail posts were painted white until they disappeared in snowstorms and were regularly hit by snowplows. It took until the See Route 6 on page 6 5

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late 1930s for Route 6 to extend through California. It hit the desert of Nevada in 1937 and established the longest distance between towns of any road in the U.S. The road ran for 168 miles between two very small towns. When the gas station signs read, “Last stop for 170 miles,” drivers were warned, and most heeded the warning. By the 1930s, Army Major William Anderson, Jr., recommended that US Route 6 be designated the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, honoring the Union soldiers of the Civil War. The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War began pushing for the GAR Highway as early as 1934. Massachusetts would be the first state to apply the name in 1937. It would take until 1948 for all of the route’s contiguous states to agree to the name, Grand Army of the Republic Highway. Pennsylvania held the dubious honor of being the last state to agree to the name. That distinction was ironic, in that the road had been used from Corry to Kane to Smethport and from Galeton to Wellsboro to Mansfield to Troy as marching route for units of the famed Pennsylvania Bucktail Regiment on their way to war. In fact, in 1925, just a few miles south of the route, the Wilkes-Barre School District named its secondary facility the Grand Army of the Republic High School, referred to locally as G.A.R. Piece by piece and state by state the highway moved ever westward. The GAR Highway finally reached Long Beach, California’s western end, in May of 1953. However, the Roosevelt Highway Association continued activities into the 1960s. The GAR Highway runs 3,200 miles in a general northeastsouthwest diagonal crossing fourteen states. The GAR Highway covers 467 miles in Colorado, where it also reaches its highest altitude as the road rises 11,990 feet to cross the Continental Divide at Loveland Pass. The Keystone State holds second place in mileage by a wide margin over others as the road covers 427 miles in the state and hits ten out of the eleven county seats in the counties it crosses. Throughout its course through the Keystone State, The Grand Army of the Republic Highway traverses the northern edge of the Poconos over the Moosic Mountains, enters the Endless Mountains, and crosses the Allegheny Mountains atop Denton Hill. The road races over numerous waters that flow into three major river systems, the Delaware, the Susquehanna, and the Allegheny, which leads to the Mississippi. Additionally, some twenty-two high schools can be seen from the road. Some fourteen colleges and junior colleges are situated in towns touched by the GAR Highway. One thinks of Lackawanna College, Scranton, Marywood, Keystone, Allegheny, and, of course, two of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education schools, Mansfield and Edinboro. Throw in a Baptist Bible and Mercyhurst. Perhaps the most fascinating college was found in Cambridge Springs, near Meadville. It is Alliance College, and was founded by the Polish National Alliance “to provide opportunities for Americans of Polish descent to learn about the mother country, its culture, history, and language.” It was nationally famous for its Kujawiaki folk dance ensemble and ran exchange programs with Poland. The college closed in 1987. All in all, Route 6, or the Roosevelt Trail, or The Grand Army of the Republic Highway is one enchanting ride. It is a slice of Americana that is liberally dotted with charming small towns that offer many appealing sights, sounds, stories, and histories. You’ll love the drive.

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Read Between the Signs

he term “recycled” does not immediately bring a vision of something worthy to be called art. It makes us think of turning tires into pothole patching material, and melting down plastic bottles to be reborn as shopping bags. But a sight in Meadville, Pennsylvania, takes the concept of recycling to new heights. Nine feet tall, to be exact. Fifteen if you count the hot air balloon. The “Read Between The Signs” project is a collaboration between the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and Allegheny College’s Center for Economic and Environmental Development. The brainchild of artist Amara Geffen in 2002, the community art project redefines “ambitious,” through the creation of a wall 1,200 feet long and nine feet tall. The existence of the wall is not what is so unique, it is what it is made of: an entire façade of recycled road signs. A talented group of students from Allegheny College fashioned the signs in such a way to depict scenes, places, and people. The collective impression from the road is a colorful kaleidoscope, clearly showing hot air balloons, familiar landmarks like the Allegheny Mountains and the French Creek Watershed, even PennDOT crews. In a tribute to environmental conservation, the wall features solar- and wind-powered kinetic components, elevating the idea of recycling to an expressive form of movement and color. The signs are mounted on a chain-link fence that surrounds a PennDOT storage facility. Students from the college worked with employees of the state agency to install their creations. The efforts—and the final product—have become a strong symbol of pride to the community of Meadville. Allegheny alum Matthew Visyak has fond memories

of working on the wall during two of his summer breaks. “My first year we constructed a three-dimensional hot air balloon. I was chosen for this task because of my strong sense of mathematics and geometry. Some basic Calculus helped, but most of the custom bending for the balloon’s fluted seams was done through the trial and error approach.” His second year brought the creation of a snowplow, in a three-point perspective that makes it look like it is rolling right off the wall, complete with snow on the blade. Students were unsure about how the PennDOT folks would feel about working with them. But the highway workers were delighted to tackle something so creative and so different from their usual responsibilities. Read Between The Signs succeeds on a number of levels. It is a lovely display of civic pride. It encouraged teamwork and effort between multiple constituencies. It is a vibrant reminder that all that society creates can serve another purpose. And, perhaps its most valuable contribution, it delivers countless smiles on miles of Pennsylvania roads.

Stay a while! Stay a while!

CORRY PA CORRY PA , H,

Diamond of istory Diamond of History

HISTORIC DOWNTOWN BUSINESS DISTRICT HISTORIC DOWNTOWN BUSINESS DISTRICT

Just West of Route 6 Mile Marker 65,Turn South on Route 426 for One Mile.Free

Parking Just West Route 6 Mile Marker 65,Turn South on Route 426 formuseum One Mile. Free Parking Stroll the of sidewalks and step Our houses a fine

back into itself among the Stroll thetime sidewalks and step Victorian Italianate storefronts. back into time itself among the Victorianyourself Italianate Immerse in storefronts. the fine art,

example of the world renowned Our museum houses a fine Climax steam engine along with example of the world renowned many items that werealong invented, Climax steam engine with designed and manufactured in many items that were invented, Corry. designed and manufactured in

antiques,yourself musical in instruments, Immerse the fine art, custom children’s clothing and antiques, musical instruments, repurposed furniture alland custom children’s clothing hand-crafted locally. repurposed furniture all hand-crafted locally. Quench your thirst and hunger at

Corry. We also have the State Fish Hatchery, bike trails nostalgic We also have the and State Fish Mead Park. Hatchery, bike trails and nostalgic

all a within distance. Stay whilewalking at our hotel, bed & breakfasts, and Stay a while at ourcampsites. hotel, bed &

here in

Mead Park. This is just a small example of what canasee, taste and feel This you is just small example of here in what you can see, taste and feel

the bistros, and restaurants Quench yourpubs thirst and hunger at all within walking distance. the bistros, pubs and restaurants

breakfasts, andof campsites. Be in the center numerous attractions and events. Be in the center of numerous

CORRY PA CORRY PA ,

Image © Carol Fielding 2015

D i a m o n d o f H, i s t o r y

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Lake Erie’s Presque Isle

t the beginning of the road, no reason to wait for the end for the proverbial treasure, is Lake Erie and one of Pennsylvania’s most loved places: the world-renowned swimming, boating, hiking, bird-watching, nature-loving someplace-like-paradise called Presque Isle. It’s easy to get there, it’s just two left hooks on Pennsylvania Route 6. It’s the classic American road trip: Route 6 all the way from the Ohio line to New Jersey, some 400-plus miles of asphalt meandering across the top of the state through hill and farm and small town and the America dream like a great old river, crossing from the Midwest to the Eastern seaboard in a leisurely demonstration of why they call Pennsylvania the Keystone State. But you won’t be far along, some six miles beyond Edinboro, Pennsylvania, and Edinboro University, when you make your first hook left or almost due north, leaving Route 6 for a little while on Route 19 up into Pennsylvania’s narrow stovepipe northwest-corner like a creature seeking water. Some twenty-five miles later, not stopping at the Splash Lagoon Indoor Water Park, you’ll reach Lake Erie. Now Erie, the city (pop. 100,671), is worth a trip for its history and museums and nightlife and baseball team and unique status as Pennsylvania’s only port on the Great Lakes. But it’s the shimmering lake that holds the horizon, and along the shore you’ll find your second left hook: it’s the great sandy peninsula that juts in a wide sweep out into Lake Erie like a boxer’s left hook. This is Presque Isle, one of those rare places that can fill your soul with restorative glittery sunshine and cheer and relaxation, even while more than four million people a year are relaxing with you. What’s the fuss? Let’s count the ways: PRICELESS NATURE. They make it easy. There’s an official gateway to the 3,112-acre Presque Isle State Park. You can’t miss it: the seventy-five-foot glass lighthouse that marks the 65,000-square-foot Tom Ridge Environmental Center. Here you’ll find an orientation film to the park, a Large Screen Theater featuring a really big “Big Green Screen”—four stories high and forty-five feet wide, with films

for all ages ranging from a futuristic peak at robots to D-Day, Normandy 1944—a Food Court, Nature Shop and Gallery of local artists, and activities and lectures from “Mother’s Day Cast Iron Cooking” with park naturalists to “Hiking with the Humane Society” to “Troublesome Ticks.” Sometimes taxes aren’t so bad: The center has free admission and is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week all year round except those three days featuring a turkey, a man in a red suit, and midnight champagne. Climb the 131 steps of the center’s lighthouse—or take the elevator—for a great view over the waves of Lake Erie, going on forever, and in the foreground Presque Isle Bay and the peninsula, where you’re headed: out on the Presque Isle roadway, part of the Seaway Trail, Pennsylvania’s first nationally designated America’s Byway. World Class Beaches Presque Isle boasts eleven sandy beaches with lifeguards, and was named one of America’s “Top 100 Swimming Holes” by the Conde Nast Traveler magazine. In March 2016, Presque Isle was voted the “Best Freshwater Beach” in America in USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice travel award contest. The sandy peninsula finished first among ten nominated sites, ahead of everything from Grand Haven State Park, in Grand Haven, Michigan, to the Oak Street Beach in Chicago. (Most of the freshwater in North America is in the Great Lakes, so you get the picture). “The first-place finish acknowledges the beauty and unique qualities found at ‘Pennsylvania’s only seashore,’ said Cindy Adams Dunn, state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources secretary. The eleven beaches either have names, like Barracks Beach, Pine Tree Beach, and Mill Road Beaches, or just numbers, like Beach 1 and Beach 6. They all feature parking and amenities that include bath houses, restrooms, picnic pavilions, concession stands, playgrounds, volleyball courts, and at Beach 7, Waterworks Beach, a wheelchair ramp to the water’s edge. If you’re planning ahead, check www. presqueisle.org for a breakdown. “It really all starts with the beaches at Presque Isle,” says the park’s official Web site. “The eleven miles of beaches is

See Erie on page 12

Floral, Gift & Antique Shoppe

rry Ba Be s

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Conneaut Cellars Winery & Distillery

Tradition of Excellence Since 1982 Free Samples of Award Winning Wines Over 20 Sweet to Dry Table Wines Ice Wine ~ Sparkling Wines ~ Ports Raspberry Wine ~ Hard Ciders Brandy ~ Vodka Tours ~ Picnic Pavilion ~ Gift Shop Open Year Round, 7 Days, 10 am – 6 pm 12005 Conneaut Lake Rd, Rt 322 / Hwy 6 Conneaut Lake, PA 814-382-3999 www.ConneautCellarsWinery.com Lake Erie Wine with Distinction®

continued from Erie on page 10

what makes Presque Isle the magnet for locals and tourists from all over the region.” While the beaches offer different amenities, “all have great sand and great water.” Boating and Fishing You can take a ninety-minute narrated boat tour of Presque Isle aboard the 110-passenger Lady Kate, and water-skiing, windsurfing, and scuba diving in the lake are readily available. If fishing is your thing, you can rent paddle boats, canoes and motorboats, interpretive pontoon boat rides, or bring your own boat to launch or dock at the marinas. Bird-Watching You probably won’t escape the Tom Ridge Center without learning about Presque Isle’s unique topography, geology, and diversity of habitats. These traits have earned it designation as a National Natural Landmark, but the bird-watching, um, soars above it all. Named one of the “Top Ten” U.S. birding spots, Presque Isle bird-watchers have spotted over 325 species including warblers, waxwings, wrens, and brown creepers. Gull Point is a popular spot for gulls, geese, and migrant birds, and therefore birders, but is only open to humans November 2 to March 31 so the birds can nest. Hiking and History The Karl Boyes Multi-Purpose Trail winds thirteen miles around Presque Isle State Park. In the park don’t miss the Perry Monument, and the interpretive panels telling the story of the U.S. Brig Niagara, the flagship of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, built in Erie, that helped win the War of 1812 in the Battle of Lake Erie, reclaiming Detroit, among other things, from the British. One of America’s most authentic tall ships, a Niagara replica, is home-ported in Erie at the nearby Erie Maritime Museum, and tours the Great Lakes as the flagship of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. A Natural High Check out the books of local author Gene Ware, who has published five books about Presque Isle, including A Walk on the Park, Moods of Presque Isle. He even enjoys strolling the park with his camera in winter, when it’s “cold and a little bit snowy, yet quite beautiful.” (For the more adventurous, there’s ice-skating, ice fishing, ice kite surfing, ice sailing, or crosscountry skiing.) “With Presque Isle State Park,” he wrote, “I have found that it only takes about five or ten minutes of hiking or walking before something inside me shifts. A natural high seems to take hold. My senses awaken to the fresh air, sunshine, wind and the wild animals…Stress, work, schedules and everything else that clutters my life seems to just slide away.”

Additional Listings 4 Seasons Farm Market 3064 State Route 3005 Meshoppen, PA 18630 570-833-4592 Organic vegetable and beef farm and market. Gift items available.

Piper VanOrd No matter the season…

Warren County

22045 Route 6, Warren, PA 814-726-1222 Www.wcvb.net Like us on Facebook!

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Nocchi’s Hoagie Stand 445 North Keystone Avenue South Waverly, PA 18840 570-888-2267 The Valley’s finest hoagie stand: home of the doublecheese whammy.

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Susquehannock Lodge

5039 Route 6 West Ulysses, PA 16948 814-435-2163 A warm, friendly country inn surrounded by Susquehannock State Forest.

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Victoria Theatre

Birthplace of the Modern Petroleum Industry

222 Main Street Blossburg, PA 16912 570-638-3456 Newly restored movie theater showing current films and live shows.

Wayne County Historical Society

HOURS

810 Main Street, Honesdale, PA 18431 570-253-3240 Stourbridge Lion replica; many exhibits, museum shop and research library.

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March—December Tues.-Sat. 9:00-5:00 Sunday 12:00-5:00

January—February Sat. 9:00-5:00 Sunday 12:00-5:00

202 Museum Lane Titusville, PA 16354 (814)827-2797 www.drakewell.org

Peggy’s Candies and Gifts Ice Cream, Candy, Fudge, Nuts, Cards, and Gifts 82 Main St, Wellsboro, PA 16901 (570) 724-3317 http://www.peggyscandies.com

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The Amazing Kinzua Sky Walk

idden deep within the forest of northwestern Pennsylvania, an engineering masterpiece, the Kinzua Viaduct, once soared 301 feet high and 2,053 feet across, and was at one time the highest and longest railroad viaduct in the world. Known far and wide as the “Tracks Across the Sky,” this amazing structure was first constructed of iron in 1882, rebuilt of steel in 1900, partially survived a tornado in 2003, and then, in 2011, six of the historic steel towers were reinvented as the Kinzua Sky Walk. The Kinzua Sky Walk now towers 224 feet over the Kinzua Gorge. The skywalk features a partial glass floor overlook at the end of the 624-foot pedestrian walkway. It offers a stunning testimony to both the power of man and the power of nature. The stored history of this structure offers a unique glimpse into the ingenuity, dedication, and determination of its designers and builders throughout the generations. In 1882, General Thomas Kane, a Philadelphia lawyer, decorated American Civil War veteran, and president of the New York, Lake Erie and Western Coal Company, had rich coal deposits south of the Kinzua Valley. But since his customers were to the north, Kane needed to cross that valley. Kane needed a bridge. Paris-born Octave Chanute, chief engineer for the Erie Railroad, rose to the challenge. The man who would later help the Wright brothers fly (and is considered by many the world’s first aviation engineer) had a bold solution—a bridge unlike any the world had seen. Chanute contracted the Pennsylvania firm of Clarke, Reeves & Company to design and fabricate the bridge. Adolphus Bonzano designed a wrought iron bridge using his “Phoenix Column,” an engineering breakthrough that

enabled tall structures to resist vibration and buckling. The bridge was pre-fabricated in Phoenixville, near Philadelphia, and transported to the site for erection. Once the sandstone foundation piers were in place, 125 men, working ten-hour days, completed the construction in just 94 days. Three-and-a-half million pounds of iron and $275,000 later, the first steam-powered train rolled across delivering General Kane’s coal to market. Standing 301 feet tall (twentyfour feet higher than the Brooklyn Bridge), the Viaduct quickly became a tourist destination. Walking out on the bridge was the next best thing to flying. By 1900, the locomotives and railroad cars hauling coal and timber across the Viaduct had become larger and heavier. A stronger steel bridge was required. Using 6.7 million pounds of steel held together by 895,000 rivets, workers erected a new bridge to replace the original. Two timber travelers worked toward the center, demolishing the Phoenix Columns one at a time as the new steel towers were hoisted into place. The construction to replace the iron column towers with colossal steel towers was completed in just four months. For generations, freight trains loaded with coal, lumber, and oil roared across the Kinzua Viaduct. Later, excursion trains brought sightseers and visiting engineers from around the globe to visit the majestic bridge across the Kinzua Gorge. Since 1963, the bridge has served as the centerpiece of the Kinzua Bridge State Park. The Kinzua Viaduct was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977 and the National Register of Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks in 1982. See Kinzua on page 16

Allegheny National Forest – Kinzua Sky Walk You’re on the Trail to Something Big!

To Buffalo/ Niagara Falls

Ellicottville

Holiday Valley Resort

Salamanca

To Erie

Seneca Allegany Casino

Randolph

Willow Bay

Reservoir

Glendorn Resort

Penn Brad Brsd Oil Museum

Rew

Allegheny National Forest Allegheny Cellars Tidioute Winery Simpler Times Sheffield Museum

Rimrock Overlook Longhouse Byway

Wildcat Park park

State Park Kinzua “Sky Walk”

CJ Spirits Kane Depot

Sheffield

Flickerwood Wine Cellars

Wilcox

Kellettville Pigeon

Pigeon

Ridgway Cook Forest State Park

Exit

23 Portville

Sprague’s Maple Farm

Rock City Park

Freefall Oz Skydiving Skydiving

Eldred WWII Museum Glendorn Penn Brad Brsd Resort Oil Museum

Ranger Station

Rew

Olmsted Manor

Wildcat Park park

Old Jail Museum

Wilcox

Bendigo State Park

• Discover “Oil” at the Lynn Brad Oil Mus Penn eum Hall • Sam ple the wine A-Me-Go-Karting s and spirts at Allegheny River Flickerwood Win es & CJ Spirts in Kane To

PA Lumber • Canoe or kayak on the Alle Museum gheny Reservoir at Willow Bay

McKean County •

Depot

Elk State Park

Mansion District

To PA Lumber Museum

CJ Spirits McKean Flickerwood County Kane Wine Cellars

• Thrill to the Cutco Ka-Bar adventure of walking Visitors Center out 624 feet into the Kinzua Gorge Pfieffer Portville Nature on the Kinz ua Sky Walk Center Sprague’s Maple Farm • Hike or bike along a Forestland Trail 1101 Ozhouse • Drive theFreefall Long National Skydiving Skydiving Scen ic Eldred WWII Byway Museum • Visit the Zippo/Case Museum • Enjoy the charm of the Smethport Mansion District

Old Jail Old Museum Powerhouse Lynn Museum Hall Mansion Kinzua Bridge District A-Me-Go-Karting Allegheny State Park River Kinzua “Sky Walk”

Take a ride at A-Me-Go Karting

• See, Touch & Feel America’s history at the Eldred WWII Museum

Elk State Park Bendigo State Park Emporium Johnsonburg

Johnsonburg

To I-80

Good Times of Olean

Allegheny National Forest Kinzua Bridge

Allegheny Cellars Winery

Olmsted Manor

Zippo/Case Museum

Top 10 Things to See &Do

Good Times of Olean Cutco Ka-Bar Visitors Center

Pfieffer Nature Limestone Center

Marilla Reservoir

Ranger Station Old Powerhouse Museum

SenecaIroquois Museum

1101

Zippo/Case Museum Allegheny Reservoir

Russell Marilla

Rimrock Overlook Longhouse Byway

Airport

Rock City Park

Willow Bay

Russell

Skydiving

ATV Salamanca Trails

Exit 23

Limestone

Allegheny Reservoir

State Parks Seneca Allegany Casino

Randolph

SenecaIroquois Museum

Chautauqua Lake

ellettville

orest rk

To Buffalo/ Niagara Falls

Ridgway

St. Mary’s

Straub Brewery Visit us at the ANF Visitors Bureau Welcome Center, 80 E. CorydonTo Street, Bradford, PA or order aElk County To Visitor’s I-80 I-80 FREE Travel Guide & Map by calling 800-473-9370 Benezette Center

St. Mary’s Straub Brewery

Emporium

visitANF.com Elk County

Visitor’s Driftwood Benezette Center

Driftwood

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The Inn On Maple Street Bed & Breakfast

Family & Pet friendly ~ Children and Pets welcome! Full Home Baked Breakfast included... along with Refreshments, Free Wi-Fi, Cable TV, and Private Baths. Within minutes of area attractions and events. 115 E. Maple Street • Port Allegany, PA 16743

814-642-5171

One bl ock off www.TheInnOnMapleStreet.com Route 6! E-mail: innonmaplest@verizon.net

Bridge designer C.R. Grimm predicted his creation would last 100 years. And he was right. Grimm’s design used roller expansion bearings where the tower legs were anchored to the masonry foundation piers. This design allowed lateral expansion of the tower legs under temperature loading. But his failure to replace the original 1882 anchor bolts would have catastrophic consequences. In July 2003, engineers and skilled bridge builders were hard at work on a $12 million repair project to reinforce the aging structure. The workers decided to call it a day when the sky went black and the winds rushed in. A tornado tore through the forest heading straight for the Viaduct. Hundreds of trees were ripped from their roots and eleven of the bridge’s twenty towers were lifted, twisted, and thrown onto the valley floor. Six towers remained standing on the south end; only three towers remained upright on the north end. Engineers later confirmed that winds attacked from three directions. The original 1882 anchor bolts and collar coupling assemblies, which mated the old bolts to the later 1900 construction, had failed. Within thirty seconds, the power of nature had brought the mighty span to its knees. Kinzua Bridge State Park Visitors Center The new visitor center at the Kinzua Bridge State Park in Mt. Jewett, Pennsylvania, is an exciting addition at the park for visitors of all ages to enjoy. Located at the edge of the Kinzua Gorge, the 11,000-square-foot building has two exhibit halls with a variety of displays showcasing the Three Es: Engineering, Energy, and the Environment. The two-story, $6.9 million building includes two classrooms, a welcoming lobby-receptionist area, the flagship Pennsylvania Wilds Artisan Shop, public restrooms, and offices for the park staff. Arriving at the building entrance, visitors will be greeted by huge steel towers flanking the doorway. As they walk into the building foyer, their attention will immediately be drawn to the wall of windows at the back of the Center which frames a stunning view of the Kinzua Sky Walk. One fun exhibit at the Center is an excursion railroad car, where visitors can view videos depicting the experience of what it was like to be a passenger on the real excursion trains that once crossed the historic viaduct. Exhibits also highlight the innovative, can-do spirit of builder General Thomas L. Kane and engineer Octave Chanute. The Kinzua Bridge State Park is a free, day-use park open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to dusk. Amenities at the park include a picnic area and the Kinzua Creek Trail which allows visitors to hike to the bottom of the gorge. Access onto the Kinzua Sky Walk is free. In Google maps use 1721 Lindholm Road, Kane, Pennsylvania for driving directions. School field trips and motor coach groups are welcome with advance reservation; please call (814) 965-2646 for additional information. For a free copy of the 2016 Allegheny National Forest Travel Guide & Map full of things to see and do, restaurant and lodging information call (800) 473-9370; www.visitANF.com; or e-mail info@visitANF.com. Allegheny National Forest “America is big,” says British historian Paul Johnson, “and the farther west you go, the bigger it gets.” This is true of northwest

Route 6 can enter the byway from just east of the village of Kane, by turning onto Rt. 321 north. This 36-mile loop, starting and returning to Route 6, meanders along the eastern shoreline of the Allegheny Reservoir, crosses the Reservoir at Morrison Bridge, and then returns south along the western shoreline on Longhouse Drive. Along the way, the Old Powerhouse Museum offers a glimpse of the region’s rich oil history, and Rimrock Overlook and Jakes Rocks offer stunning vistas of the Allegheny Reservoir.

Photos courtesy ANF Visitors Bureau

Pennsylvania, where Route 6 leads you into the breathtaking 513,000-acre Allegheny National Forest (ANF). The vast reaches of Pennsylvania’s only national forest are big enough to contain the entire cities of Philadelphia, Baltimore, Seattle, Atlanta, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Las Vegas, and Lincoln, Nebraska all at once. Fortunately, for the Route 6 traveler seeking a beautiful drive and blissful nature, this area remains a scenic rural area of beautiful woodlands and scenic overlooks. You can spend a lifetime exploring the massive forests of the ANF, so to assist you in your travels, here are a few highlights within the borders of the Allegheny National Forest: The Kinzua Dam. The dam, located in Warren County, holds back the waters of the mighty Allegheny River. At 1,877 feet long and 179 feet high, it is one of the largest dams in the United States east of the Mississippi River. The Kinzua Dam was completed in 1965 to protect the city of Pittsburgh from floods that had ravaged northwestern Pennsylvania for decades. It is said to have prevented more than a billion dollars in flood damages. “The River of Tears,” written by Johnny Cash, laments the Seneca Nation’s loss of ancestral lands lost under water during the building of the dam. The Allegheny Reservoir. With over 100 miles of shoreline, this twenty-four-mile-long reservoir stretches across McKean and Warren counties, with the waters then outspreading across the Pennsylvania state line into New York. Locally, it is sometimes referred to as Kinzua Lake. Surrounded by forest, the reservoir is the heart of year-round recreational opportunities including boating, kayaking, canoeing, swimming, and fishing. The current Pennsylvania state records for northern pike and walleye were both caught in the Allegheny Reservoir. In Pennsylvania, boat launches are available at Willow Bay, Elijah Run, Webbs Ferry, Roper Hollow, Kiasutha Recreation Area, Dewdrop Recreation Area, and the Kinzua-Wolf Run Marina. Happy Trails. More than 600 miles of multi-use trails crisscross the Allegheny National Forest. This includes thirteen hiking trails covering 201 miles, eight cross-country skiing trails, and ten interpretive trails. Timberdoodle Flats, one of the interpretive trails, offers a short 1.5-mile hike suitable for families. For backpackers and those seeking a primitive backwoods experience, the 96.6 miles of the North Country National Scenic Trail traverses the ANF through deep forest strands and huge rock edifices. In addition, ATV, motorcycle, and mountain bike trails are available. Two popular sites are Timberline ATV with 39 miles, and Marienville ATV/bike trails with 23.1 miles. There are also many miles of trails in the gateway communities and state parks surrounding the Forest. So Big, So Green. The Allegheny National Forest, established in 1923, stretches across the Allegheny Plateau through four counties, including two of the Route 6 counties, McKean and Warren. The forestland has evolved from the primarily Eastern hemlock and American beech that European settlers found when they arrived into a second-growth, mostly-hardwood forest of maple and black cherry. The ANF is one of the finest hardwood forests in the world. In early June, the mountain laurel will bloom, creating a carpet of pink blossoms under the canopy of green leaves. During the fall season, a full spectrum of bright orange, yellow, red, and gold-tinted leaves will decorate the hills. The prime fall foliage season is the last two weeks of September and the first two weeks of October. Longhouse National Scenic Byway. Chosen by USA Today as one of the top fifty scenic drives in the United States, those driving

Photo courtesy ANF Visitors Bureau

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Do 6 Your Way: Slow & Scenic or Off-Road Adventures

n 1952, with the completion of Route 6, an American dream came true: a 3,652-mile highway connecting Provincetown, Massachusetts, on the east coast, to Long Beach, California, on the west coast. The 400-mile section across the northern tier of Pennsylvania is now “a road-trippers delight,” according to a Washington Post travel writer, “surprisingly quirky, and utterly authentic, the road shimmies across the northern swath of the state, from New York to Ohio, rolling over mountain passes, flirting with the Susquehanna River and chasing railroad tracks.” Driving Route 6 is a relaxing pastime. Taking it slowly, you can spend many leisurely days driving the scenic byway, enjoying the beauty of the landscapes as you cruise through farmlands, mountains, forests, and a string of charming small towns. Or, for those seeking adventure, you can gear up, and hit the road at a fast pace. From Route 6 in Smethport, turn north and drive nine miles on Route 46 to go truly off-road at Majestic Kamp & Lost Trails. Here you can enjoy a guided ATV rental tour on their miles of rugged off-road dirt trails, or you can bring your own equipment and play in the dirt. Their 940-acre property offers all-terrain vehicle (ATV) riders, dirt bikers, three-wheeler aficionados, side-by-side, UTV (Utility Task Vehicle) riders, snowmobilers, and mountain bikers a fun, safe area to ride. The trail system consists of two loops totaling forty-one miles of one-way traffic, on mountainous, forestland terrain offering a challenging ride. There are adult and Peewee motorcross trails along with single-trick dirt bike trails in this family-friendly environment. Folks are welcome to enjoy primitive camping along their majestic pond. Two cabins are available for rent on site. Day passes for riding are available; fees are $20 for adults, $10 for children under 15, and $10 per passenger. The guided ATV tour is a three-hour trail ride along their trails; helmets,

and gloves are included in the $150 fee. To locate Majestic Kamp & Lost Trails with your GPS, type in 2503 Route 46, Rew, Pennsylvania. Nearby lodging is available in Port Allegany, Smethport, Kane, and Bradford. Many of the hotels and campgrounds have large parking lots that can easily accommodate your trailer if you are bringing your own toys. For a different style of off-road riding, turn south, from Route 6 in Port Allegany, and drive about three miles on Route 155 to A-ME-GO Karting. This family friendly adventure course offers thrilling 20-minute go-cart riding on an outside groomed dirt track. Not to be confused with bumper cars, this outdoor course is full of winding tracks, hills, banks, and flat tops. Their ten super sporty karts can carry one or two riders. There is no minimum age, but there is a height requirement. Riders need to be able to reach the pedals—36 inches from the back of the seat to the pedals. Safety is a top priority at A-ME-Go Karting. Eye protection and full-face helmets are included with kart rentals. Each rider will receive safety and riding instructions. Driving gloves and GoPro videos are available to record your ride for lasting memories. A-ME-GO Karting is located at Route 155, at Fogel Road, Port Allegany, Pennsylvania. Two exciting nearby activities are Freefall Oz Skydiving and Machine Gun Adventures at Acme Ammo. From Route 6 in Port Allegany, turn onto Route 155 and drive to Eldred, take Route 446, which turns into 305 to Portville, then turn right on 417 west and look for the sign for Freefall Oz Skydiving. Take another right, and follow a dirt road to find the jump zone. Join them in the air for a tandem jump. Jump with safety and confidence while you are securely attached to your experienced instructor. Their jump zone is located in a beautiful rural location, with a grass airport and a renovated barn now operated as a bed & breakfast, Oz’s Homestay. Personalized skydiving packages are available for groups. Ceres Airport, 296 Faulkner Road, Ceres, Pennsylvania.

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Maple on the Map

here are just a few requirements for one of life’s sweetest moments: you’re traveling Pennsylvania Route 6 on a blustery early spring day that stirs the appetite. It’s a day “when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold,” as a visitor to Pennsylvania, Charles Dickens, once put it. “When it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.” And you’re getting hungry. Maybe the sweet tooth is calling. You’ve driving. The sap is flowing. It’s time to meet up: pull over and try a farmer’s fresh-from-the-tree-tap, warm-from-thesugar-shack maple syrup, or maple candie, or maple whatnot. Maple lovers take it in any form, and lucky for them the hills of northern Pennsylvania, like the hills of Vermont, turn out splendid fall leaves and late-winter maple syrup. March, when the sap flows, is a great time to see the maple harvest all along Route 6, to nibble samples and watch families that have been handing down and perfecting traditional methods for years demonstrate the process of tapping the maple tree, collecting sap, and boiling it down. It’s a fine time to stay a couple days at one of the nearby bed and breakfasts or local inns. (See the PA Route 6 Web site for lodging choices, www.paroute6.com). The PA Route 6 Alliance recognizes March as Maple Month. But you can enjoy maple products anywhere on the map at any time of year. Here are a few notable stops:

Hurry Hill Maple Farm and Museum. The museum at 11424 Fry Road, Edinboro (Mile Marker 17N-18N), is Pennsylvania’s only museum dedicated to preserving and interpreting the art and craft of making pure maple syrup and related products. The museum is open on Sundays from 2-5 p.m. throughout the spring, but tours can be arranged privately. For more information, see www.hurryhillfarm.org. Keystone College in Factoryville. On its Woodland Campus, (MM 322), the college has its own small maple sugaring operation that includes a sugar shack with a hobby-sized evaporator, and of course a sugarbush, where there are approximately 275 taps deployed. For more information on maple producing, see their Web site at www. keystone.edu/woodlands/maplesugaring. Look for the following Route 6 Maple Open Houses and Tours, which are usually scheduled in mid or late March (check the schedule on www.paroute6.com). Across the state local maple syrup producers will guide you through the process from tree tapping and sugar boiling to delicious syrup. The producers have free samples available, as well as syrup and additional maple confections for sale. Northwest PA Maple Association Ta s te & To u r We e k e n d . F i f t e e n sugarhouses in the northwestern counties of Crawford, Erie, and Warren, including How Sweet It is Farm and the Hurry Hill Maple Museum, open their doors to the

public. (MM 00N–27N and 23–98). For more information: (814) 333-1258; www. pamaple.org. Northeast Maple Weekend. This is a self-guided maple tour of maple open houses, and the process from sugar bush to table, in the Northeast Pennsylvania region, predominately in Wayne County but also with stops in Pike and Lackawanna Counties. For more information: www. wayneconservation.org. Maple Weekend, Potter and Tioga Counties. Fifteen members of the Potter/ Tioga Maple Producers Association open their sugar shack doors (MM 175–244). For more information: www.pamaple.com. Endless Mountains Maple Weekend. A driving tour of maple open houses in the Endless Mountains Region of Bradford, Sullivan, Wyoming, and Susquehanna Counties (MM 234–275). For more information: www.pamapleassociation. com. As a final temptation, here’s a recipe from the Northwest Pennsylvania Maple Association: Popcorn, Cereal, or Nut Candy: 1 tablespoon butter; 1 cup maple syrup; 3 tablespoons water; 3 quarts popped corn or mixed cereal and nuts. Boil together butter, water, and maple syrup until it forms soft ball in cold water. Add popped corn or mixed cereal and nuts and stir briskly until coated evenly. Continue stirring until it cools, and each morsel is separately coated.

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Dark Skies at Cherry Springs State Park

hip Harrison was standing on a mountaintop about eight miles south of Route 6 in Potter County, Pennsylvania, when something of a miracle came out of the sky. The manager of the lonesome eighty-two-acre Cherry Hill State Park in some of the last wild country in the East, he rubbed his eyes in disbelief: A van was parked in the middle of the usually empty field, and a man appeared to be manipulating a large silver torpedo wrapped in crinkled aluminum, like a giant jiffy-popcorn container. Harrison approached and asked him, “What are you up to?” The man, Gary Honis, from Scranton, Pennylvania, lifted the aluminum wrapping and revealed a tall, gleaming instrument—a telescope. “I’m setting up to look at the night sky. Is that okay?” Sure, Harrison said. But why here? “Because these are the darkest skies around,” Honis said. “The best viewing for astronomers.” Thus began the transformation of the lonely state park into a national mecca for astronomers seeking dark skies. Honis had found what he was looking for on the Internet. Beginning in the 1960s, light pollution (increased use of artificial light) began to blot out the stars, making the wonders of the night sky disappear. Once satellite photos of the U.S. began to appear widely online, amateur astronomers scanned them hungrily for “dark spots,” and the darkest area in the Eastern U.S. was northern Pennsylvania, indicating a last undeveloped area between the glowing electric grids of the east coast and the Midwest. In 1998, Cherry Springs State Park was listed on Phil Harrington’s Dark Registry (an astronomy internet site) as a place that offers the darkest skies in the state, noting the site had a 360-degree view and “No light pollution sky glow… none in all directions.” Astronomers, beginning with Honis, began to check it out. What they found was stargazing heaven on earth. A rare combination of attributes makes Cherry Springs ideal for stargazing and astronomy. It’s remote, wild country with precious little light pollution, but it’s also accessible—a state park. Astronomy buffs are used to skulking around public and private property and being thrown off. The lovely, level open field is at the top of a 2,300-foot-high mountain. The thirty-acre

Astronomy Field now sports improvements like concrete pads for telescopes, electric outlets, and domes for winter viewing. The airspace over the park has little commercial air traffic, making the park ideal for astrophotography. The location of the park, which is at 41.6501 degrees north latitude, 77.8164 degrees west longitude, offers a great view of the nucleus of the Milky Way Galaxy. The park is surrounded by the 262,000-acre Susquehannock State Forest (with its 85 miles of hiking trails), and nearby communities are in valleys, shielding any light that might affect the park. Long called “God’s Country” by locals, Potter County has only 17,497 population, and Coudersport, the county seat and largest city, seventeen miles northwest, lies at a 1,000foot elevation, its light sunk below visibility. The nearest light pollution strong enough to mark satellite photographs is State College. It’s humid country, but the morning fog sinks in the valleys; it’s clear on the mountaintop. The first Dark Sky Park in the state, it was named only the second International Dark Sky Park in the world, and in 2008 attained the highest, or Gold Level International Dark Sky Park certification. The pleasant weather, and the chance a rare view of the summer sky, draws August crowds, and astronomy club “Star Parties,” including tents and telescopes, guest lecture by stargazing experts, and astronomy vendors. (See the park Web site for a schedule of events, www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/ findapark/cherrysprings). Working with Harrison, Thom Bemus, an upstate New York amateur astronomer and coordinator of the Stars-N-Parks program sponsored by the National Public Observatory in Radium, New Mexico, made it the flagship park for a national program. 80 percent of Americans have never seen the Milky Way, Bemus explained. Potter County was a repository of the night sky as it looked a hundred years ago. “Unfortunately for the vast majority of the people, they can’t see anything more than the moon and a handful of the brightest stars and planets in their light-polluted skies at home,” Bemus says. “The dark sky is a resource like the air and water, forests and wildlife,” Harrison said. “We’re committed to protecting and managing the dark sky like we manage wildlife.” 23

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The Laurel Festival & Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania

n the night of June 6, 1938, on Broadway in New York City, as America lingered in the Great Depression and Hitler’s conquest of Austria presaged World War II, theater-goers found a few moments of hope and entertainment in the debut of Thornton Wilder’s play Our Town, the tale of a mythical Appalachian town of 3,000 in New Hampshire. But in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, that evening, a real small mountain town of 3,000 and a cultural jewel on Pennsylvania Route 6, things were a little more colorful. The Arcadia Theater showed Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland in The Adventures of Robin Hood, Jimmy Stewart and Ginger Rogers in Vivacious Lady, elephants marched down Main Street with circus magicians on their backs in a great parade, and the Penn Wells Hotel crowned Pennsylvania’s first Queen of the Laurel, Phyllis Viola of McKees Rocks, a statuesque brunette in a long white gown with ringed locks tumbling under her tiara like, well, a queen. It was the culmination of the first Laurel Festival, staged when the state flower bloomed in the mountains. Three quarters of a century later, the state-sanctioned Laurel Festival, parade, and crowning of the Laurel Queen from a bevy of talented Pennsylvania high school students from around the state reigns as one of the state’s most colorful festivals, a week-long back-to-the-future pageant of food, music, art, crafts, and the pageant that draws tens of thousands of visitors to the Tioga County seat, a charming real-life Our Town. The festival was the brainchild of a small-town midcentury maestro, Wellsboro’s Larry Woodin. A beloved Wellsboro high school teacher who spent time in Hollywood himself as a promoter for Republic Pictures, working with John Wayne in Flame of the Barbary Coast, Woodin pulled a promotional double coup in the 1930s. He not only turned wholesome young high school girls into beauty queens to anchor the Laurel Festival that year, he transformed the breathtaking Pine Creek outside of town, which meanders

sixty-two miles through a thousand-foot-deep pine-treecovered gorge, into “The Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania.” Woodin was ahead of his time. Today the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania is a major tourist attraction, along with the charming, gas-lit Wellsboro Main Street with its renowned festivals, its restaurants and shops and town green, and the Civil War-era Penn Wells Hotel and the 1920s Arcadia Theater still in operation. This combination of rugged country and nostalgic small town draws hundreds of thousands of visitors every year, including, hunters, fishermen, marathon runners, aficionados of the town’s Hamilton-Gibson theater troupe or world-class classical Endless Mountain Music Festival, and men from New York to Harrisburg who drive to town for a custom suit made at Garrisons Mens Shop on Main Street while their families shop and stroll. National magazines have rated the town one of the finest in the east for sportsmen since the 1930s. Tens of thousands more tourists crowd the Christmas season Dickens Festival. The town is the heart of the north-central Pennsylvania Wilds that National Geographic called “a bona fide, 21st-century Eden.” But the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania, Larry Woodin’s marketing notion, is the major draw. In 1936, when he proposed the marketing idea, skeptics hooted. But with support from the chamber of commerce and mayor, Larry insisted the “Grand Canyon” would attract more visitors and commerce to his adopted hometown. With approval from the chamber, Larry found a handsome young man with a nice black car. Larry and the mayor of the borough painted the black car red, and emblazoned it with the legend: Come See the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon. 1000 ft. deep. 50 miles wide. Two personable young Wellsboro men lit out from town, wearing red hats and capes as they drove to Erie, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Scranton, and Philadelphia promoting the canyon’s natural wonders. Two personable young women from town rode a bus, traveling 4,500 miles around the country, to cities like Chicago and New York, and

See Laurel on page 28

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Top to botton: Custom Designed Pendant,

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40. Framesmith Art and Framings

continued from Laurel on page 24

13,000 people visited the canyon on the Fourth of July that year. The following year more visitors came to the canyon than visited Yellowstone National Park. By the summer of 1941, the popularity had soared, with everyone from The Esso Road News to the New York Daily News touting touring the Pennsylvania Canyon Country. To be clear, Woodin created a fetching name for the Pine Creek Gorge, but there’s nothing made-up about this natural wonder, a National Natural Landmark and a haven for sportsmen since the nineteenth Century. The Jersey Shore, Pine Creek & Buffalo Railroad chugged along the creek for more than a century, from 1883 to 1888, carrying timber to sawmills in towns on the floor of the gorge and also coal north to New York state. Some locals still miss the train puffing and whistling through the valley. But after the last freight train passed through in October 1988, the tracks became a much beloved rail-trail. The Pine Creek Rail Trail is “one of the premier rail-trails in the Northeast,” says www.TrailLink.com, offering “travelers a spectacular 61-mile journey through the area commonly referred to as the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania. For 55 of its 61 miles it hugs Pine Creek, offering great views of dramatic rock outcrops and numerous waterfalls, and providing access to whitewater rafting and canoeing in the spring.” USA Today rated it one of the “10 great places to take a bike tour” in the world, along with spots in New York’s Adirondack Mountains; Tuscany, Italy; County Clare, Ireland; Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia; and the glacial ranges of Iceland. Trout fishermen can get lost working their way up into the wooded hills from the creek, following the twisting, rocky tributaries where

brown trout and the native brook trout shelter—the creek has more tributary streams than any other in the United States. Presidents Eisenhower and Theodore Roosevelt fished the creek, and famed outdoor writer and conservationist George Washington Sears, aka Nessmuk, a Wellsboro native, made the creek famous in the nineteenth century, when he skimmed the waters in his famous light canoe as the father of wilderness camping. The rail trail courses through picturesque small villages including Blackwell; Cedar Run, where bicyclists can get a meal or a bed at the lovely Cedar Run Inn, circa 1891, or get ice cream at the general store; Slate Run, with the Slate Run Hotel Manor featuring outdoor creekside dining, notable trout fishing, and the sumptuously outfitted Slate Run Tackle Shop. With numerous trailheads, comfort stations, and campgrounds, the wellmaintained trail is ideal for an afternoon excursion or a longer trek. Its 2 percent grade and crushed limestone surface support bike and foot traffic alike, as well as strollers and wheelchairs. Walking, jogging, running, biking, hiking, backpacking, camping, bird- and wildlife-watching, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, rafting, canoeing, kayaking, and fishing are among the regular activities along its span (no motorized vehicles allowed, though). An equestrian trail path alongside the main path accommodates horseback riders and horse-drawn wagon rides. For hikers and backpackers, the Rail Trail provides access to the Turkey Path, a steep climb up either side of the canyon to reach lookouts for breathtaking all-season views at Leonard Harrison and Colton Point state parks (whose lookouts are also available by auto). Primitive camping is offered at several locations along the trail with a free permit from the Bureau of Forestry.

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French Azilum: An Asylum Fit for a Queen

s you follow Route 6 east of Towanda through the wooded hills of Bradford County, the road climbs the 1,600-foot ridge of Rummerfield Mountain, offering far below lovely views of one of the most idyllic spots in the Keystone State: the Susquehanna River meandering in a great horseshoe bend encircling a broad terrace of gentle fields and pastures and isolated farmhouses. This peaceful place is called French Azilum (asylum). If the sight gives you a sense of pastoral bliss, imagine how the Queen of France, Marie Antoinette, would have felt had she escaped the terrors of the French Revolution to inhabit a great log mansion here, fleeing the guillotine for the remote safety and bounty of Penn’s Woods in the New World. That was the plan: In the fall of 1793 a small group of French exiles came up the Susquehanna from Wilkes-Barre in dugout canoes and boats provided by a French trader. They were citizens of France who “had fled to Philadelphia to escape the certain imprisonment and probable death for which their loyalty to Louis the XVI marked them,” according to a Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission leaflet. “A few were of the courtier circle close to the king; some were of the minor nobility, officeholders, army officers, professional men, clergymen, merchants, and few artisans.” Others fled the French colony of Santo Domingo where mulatto and slave uprisings were replicating the carnage of Paris, and joined the asylum far from revolution, insurrections, and the yellow fever outbreak then sweeping Philadelphia. The two Frenchmen who established the colony were otherwise certainties for the executioner’s blade: attorney Antoine Omer Talon, former chief justice of the criminal court of France, and Louis de Noailles, Lafayette’s brotherin-law, who had fought with distinction in the American Revolution. A member of the French National Assembly of 1789, his mother was chief maid of honor to Marie Antoinette. Sensing a business opportunity, Philadelphians Robert

Morris, who signed the Declaration of Independence and financed the American Revolution, wealthy businessman Stephen Girard, and others formed a land company and purchased sixteen hundred acres to establish Azilum. Thirty log houses went up by the next spring, including La Grand Maison, a two-story log house, eighty feet by sixty, which became the center of the social life of the sophisticated French town in the wilderness. Talleyrand and Louis Phillipe, a future King of France, stayed as guests; this was the house set aside for the queen. But Marie Antoinette was beheaded that same fall, October 16, 1793. Undeterred, the exiles in time added a schoolhouse, a chapel, a theater, dairying and sheep, gardens and orchards, a gristmill, blacksmith, a piano, a horseman who rode the mail to Philadelphia weekly, and makers of soap, gunpowder, and glass. But soon the town disappeared into the wilderness. With the bankruptcies of builders Morris and Nicholson, the émigrés left for Charleston or New Orleans, returned to Santo Domingo, or, after 1803, returned safely to France under Napoleon. A few families, such as the LaPortes, remained, and they and their descendants settled local communities. Today you can visit the historic site at 469 Queens Road, Towanda, open Fridays through Mondays from May 28 to September 4 and only Saturdays and Sundays from September 5 to October 9. The $5 for adults covers a self-guided tour of the grounds and a guided tour of the LaPorte House, a graceful structure of French Colonial style built in 1836 by John LaPorte, son of Bartholomew LaPorte, an original settler. There’s an authentic 1780s hand-hewn cabin with a fifteenminute DVD introduction, but none of the original structures remain, which is why it’s even worth a visit in winter, when all the buildings are closed, to stand in the snow-dusted fields encircled by in the gentle hills and the Susquehanna, with nothing to consult but your imagination.

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The Quilted Corners of Wyalusing

hat happens when you take a group of crafty people and give them every structure in town as a canvas? “Quilted Corners of Wyalusing” is the result — a self-guided driving tour of historic barns and businesses adorned with quilt patterns painted on 8’ x 8’ wooden blocks. The idea began in Ohio, with one devoted daughter hanging a quilt on her barn to honor her mother, a longtime quilter. When Sugar Run resident Peggy DeMartino saw the concept in Country Home magazine she knew it would be a great fit for Wyalusing. The Wyalusing Chamber saw her presentation on the program and became an enthusiastic partner. Now, fifteen years later, nearly 100 patterns augment the natural beauty of the countryside. The route of brightly colored images gives a kind of logic to meandering through the area. It also serves as a great excuse to stop at regular intervals for food, events, tours, and shopping as genuine as the folks who wave to you on your ride. The chain of quilts doubles as an excellent road map to experience some of the best sights and sounds in the region. Quilt seekers pick up a map at the Wyalusing Chamber office, download a brochure from www.wyalusing.net, or access a cell phone audio tour. Time is a critical element here. As in: taking as much time as you can to enjoy the artwork, picnic in a scenic spot, visit art galleries and wineries, and savor the best of the season from roadside farmer’s markets. The trip can also trigger a flood of memories of winter nights spent fireside watching the women of the family work their magic on “Four Swallows,” “Single Knot In Chain,” “Wedding Ring,” and other classic quilt patterns. You also have an excellent chance of finding your favorite pattern in an actual quilt to take home as the ultimate souvenir of your travels.

Fun and games for kids of all ages!

25 Main Street wellsboro, pa 16901 www.popscultureshoppe.com 570-723-4263 Games • Imagination • Fun

Colton Point Motel 4643 Route 6 Wellsboro, PA 16901 570-724-2155

12 miles west of Wellsboro on Route 6 & 2 miles to west entrance of PA Grand Canyon and Pine Creek Rail Trail. 2 acre lake for swimming, fishing, paddle boats.

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Wyoming County Cultural Center at the Dietrich Theater

laces radiate their own special energy. Driving in the idyllic small town of Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania (pop. 1,836) where Route 6 crosses Route 29, you just may feel that you’re in the center of this world. At 60 East Tioga Street (Route 6), within walking distance of the Susquehanna River, the historic lifeline of Wyoming County, shines the old-time movie marquee of the remarkable Dietrich Theater, home of the Wyoming County Cultural Center and the new vortex of community life. The Dietrich offers an inspiring array of independent and current films as well as workshops and classes. Catch a $7 Hollywood matinee, or a classic movie on the big screen, for free, or a free guided two-hour walking tour of Historic Tunkhannock. (Founder’s Day, June 25, is a good day for that.) The Dietrich is an inspiring real-life version of The Majestic, the Jim Carey film about a shuttered small-town movie house that makes a comeback. Fifteen years ago, the old theater had been closed for more than a decade, one of thirteen empty storefronts on the town’s main street. Resurrected by local visionaries, this year the Dietrich is celebrating its fifteenth anniversary with the four-screen Dietrich Movie Theater and cultural center with 545 theater seats at the four screens, the Dorothy G. Sheldon Art Studio, The Peg Fassett Performance Studio, The William Knight Daniels Children’s Room, twenty-nine full time and part time employees, and programming for 90,000 adults and children a year. In addition to the regular Hollywood and independent fare, there’s also an ongoing “Film Favorites Movie Series,” with free movies like To Kill a Mockingbird, the 1962 classic starring Gregory Peck, and the 1951 A Streetcar Named Desire with Marlin Brando. There’s a constant stream of events such as free concerts by the acclaimed bluegrass band Hickory Project, a Friday night movie discussion with a film buff, open mic poets and comedians, lectures by a zoologist on birds of prey, and forty-two classes including poetry, painting, pottery, quilting, a writer’s group, chair yoga, and Drumming 101. Check www. dietrichtheater.com for details if you’re planning a visit. 33

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TUNKHANNOCK

2016 Route 6 Heritage Community of the Year

n 1871, when Zebulon Marcy traveled here from Wilkes-Barre, he saw a great potential for farming on the flood plains where Tunkhannock and Bowman creeks flow into the Susquehanna River. He returned a year later to plant crops near the mouth of Tunkhannock Creek. The settlement that sprouted there was called Marcy. In 1786, the village was renamed Tunkhannock, derived from the Iroquois term for “small river.” By 1830, Tunkhannock was a bustling town with several stores, a post office, hotels, churches, mechanics’ shops, and numerous residences. It was incorporated as a borough in 1841 and became the county seat when Wyoming County was formed from a portion of Luzerne County in 1842. Early settlers were involved in lumbering, shad fishing, and farming, and businesses sprouted up to serve both industrial and agricultural needs. Construction of a canal along the Susquehanna River was begun in 1838 and completed in 1856, allowing for the shipment of lumber and other commodities south to Pittston and Wilkes-Barre and north to New York State. The canal proved too costly to maintain and was closed in 1872. Its demise was hastened by the construction of the first rail line through Tunkhannock in 1869. The railroad literally put the lumber and tanning industries on the fast track, and Tunkhannock flourished. Much of the downtown business district was constructed in the last three decades of the 19th century. Tunkhannock evolved and its economy diversified. As the forests were logged off in the early 20th century, agricultural production reigned for many years as the county’s primary industry. In 1966, Procter & Gamble opened a large plant in nearby Washington Township, stimulating the economy and providing new jobs and an influx of new residents. So much of its Victorian charm remains from the era that public officials were motivated to establish the Tunkhannock Historic District, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. Today, visitors can enjoy the charm and preservation of Tunkhannock’s magnificent past with a walking tour of the homes and downtown businesses that provide an eclectic mix of culture for all.

1. Dietrich Theater - 60 East Tioga Street - 1937

Opened by local businessman George Dietrich on May 28, 1937, the art deco 481-seat Dietrich Theater attracted more than 1,500 patrons in its first weekend. The theater continued to exhibit films into the 1980s until it could no longer compete with mall cineplexes. Through community support, it reopened in 2001 as the non-profit Wyoming County Cultural Center with space for art exhibits, classes, and events.

2. Stark House - 99 East Tioga Street - 1883

This was home to Lydia Marcy Stark, granddaughter of Zebulon Marcy, one of the earliest European settlers of Tunkhannock who moved here from Wilkes-Barre in 1772. The Queen Anne-style house was considered “one of the most handsome residences in town” when it was finished. Though partially destroyed by fire in 1902, it was faithfully restored as per architect D.S. Hopkins’ original blueprints. It currently serves as a rectory.

3. Episcopal Church - 17 Second Street - ca. 1883

This stick-style building served as St. Peter’s Episcopal Church until 1962. It was used as a house of worship by several denominations over the years, including Baptists and Lutherans. It was the Knights of Columbus Hall for a number of decades and Grace Fellowship Church from 1996.

4. Berlinghof House - 130 North Bridge Street - ca. 1869 Situated at the corner of Second and Bridge streets, this Italianate-style building was originally home to Tunkhannock barber

Jacob Berlinghof, whose shop was several blocks away. The Seventh Day Adventist Church occupied the structure from 1941 to 1972, and today it serves as an office building.

5. Baptist Church - 2 Church Street - 1883

The first Baptist congregation in Tunkhannock was formed in 1841 and met at several other buildings in town, including an early Presbyterian Church and the Episcopal Church building (see no. 3) on Second Street, before purchasing this lot in 1883. Construction of a clapboard building was completed in October of that year, and the baptistry was completed and first used in February 1884. Electrified lights were first installed in 1900 and updated in the course of major renovations in 1910.

6. Sand Hill School - 11 East Harrison Street - ca. 1855

It’s easy to see that this complicated structure at the corner of Bridge and Harrison streets was modified over time, primarily to meet the needs of a growing student body. Later known as the Harrison Street School, it was renovated in 1872. It was expanded in 1883 and again in 1893. The school closed in 1971 and has been home to the Wyoming County Historical Society and Genealogical Library since 1980.

7. Methodist Church - 4 Church Street - 1939

The original Methodist church was constructed of wood in 1868 and boasted the tallest steeple in the county until it burned down during a February nor’easter in 1937. This English Gothic-style church was first dedicated in 1939, with hundreds of people gathered on the courthouse lawn. In 2011, it was discovered that the bell tower had shifted by an inch, and pieces of mortar were falling to the sidewalk. It was rededicated in October 2015 after significant structural repairs.

8. Wyoming County Courthouse - 1 Courthouse Square – 1843

The original two-story courthouse was built on land donated by farm owner Thomas T. Slocum. It was extensively expanded and renovated in 1870 into its current Italianate style. Considered an architectural masterpiece by designer D.R. Nolt, the building features narrow double-hung windows, a low-pitched roof with overhanging eaves, and an ornate clock tower. All repairs and enhancements, such as the new entrance on the building’s Putnam Street side, are as historically and aesthetically accurate as possible. A prominent feature is the Civil War monument on the west lawn.

9. Thomas Slocum Building - 7 Marion Street - ca. 1843

Thomas T. Slocum was the first known owner of this property. Prominent Tunkhannock citizens who have used the building include S. Judson Stark and C. Elmer Dietrich. Stark served as county treasurer and manager of the Tunkhannock Toy Company. Dietrich was a cemetery monument dealer, congressman, and father of theater owner George Dietrich. In recent years, it has served as law offices due to its proximity to the courthouse.

10. Triton Hose Firehouse - 9 Marion Street - 1891 This simple, two-story brick building has had many uses through the years, including a firehouse until 1909, when the Triton Hose Company moved into a new building on Warren Street. It was sold to the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) who added the Colonial Revival-style door and made other improvements. In 1985, the DAR donated the former firehouse to the Tunkhannock Public Library, which occupied it until 2001.

11. Sittser House - 81 Putnam Street - 1900 Tunkhannock Mills owner and inventor Frank L. Sittser was the first inhabitant of this two-story brick Colonial Revival-style house. The house features a deep wraparound porch, flat brick window arches with keystones, pilasters and porch supports with Ionic

capitals, wide-band frieze, and cornice with gable returns and block medallions.

12. Hungerford House - 22 West Harrison Street - 1880

George Hungerford and James Young purchased this lot in 1865 from Moses DeWitt and operated a wood planing mill through at least 1868. Hungerford then purchased the property and had this house built to much acclaim — “lots of horizontal emphasis and a cupola with a flat roof — the most stylish in town.” The rear, second floor bedrooms were built later. Below the bluestone basement floor, the current owner discovered a portion of the original planing business.

13. Evangelical Church/Grange Building - 7 Clay Street - 1887

This building was dedicated as the Tunkhannock Evangelical Church on Oct. 6, 1887. In the 1890s, a doctrinal split in the denomination saw this congregation fall into decline. The building was sold in 1907 and served as Tunkhannock Grange #209 Hall until 1979. It is now a private residence.

14. Henry Metcalf House - 50 West Harrison Street - 1895

The sprawling Queen Anne-style house was constructed for prominent local landowner Henry F. Metcalf, a descendant of Lt. Asa Stevens, an American patriot killed during the Wyoming Massacre in 1778. The home features a dramatic wraparound porch with Ionic columns and a porte-cochre (predecessor of the car port).

15. Metcalf Museum - 38 West Harrison Street - 1936

Built by Henry F. Metcalf to house his growing collection of local periodicals and Native American artifacts, the two-story Colonial-style building was opened to the public through December 1950. It was closed in 1950 upon Metcalf ’s sudden death. Metcalf was a charter member of the Wyoming County Historical Society. The building is now a private residence.

16. Bunnell House - 64 West Tioga Street - 1876

The house has been part of the Bunnell and Fields families since it was constructed for James Bunnell, father of Frank C. Bunnell. Frank twice served as a US Congressman. He also served in the Union Army under Gen. McClellan until 1863 and returned to his mercantile pursuits in Tunkhannock. The house has understated Italianate elements, including brick window arches and ornate roof brackets. The curved Colonial Revival-style porch with Doric columns was added in the early 1900s.

17. Hawke/Goble House - 72 West Tioga Street - 1903–1907

Meshoppen quarry manager Francis Hawke began construction of this stoneand-shingle house in 1903 but never finished it. The stone foundation was sold in 1907 to Samuel Goble, who completed the building. The front porch features square Doric columns that wrap around the porte-cochre and a large Palladian window in the third-floor gable end.

18. Leighton House - 71 West Tioga Street - 1853

When constructed as a home for George and Phebe Leighton, one room of this house was used as a private school. The Leighton’s son, James, added the north wing of the house in 1885. Henry Metcalf bought the house in 1914 for his daughter and her husband, Walter Tewksbury, a dentist and winner of five medals in track and field at the 1900 Summer Olympics. The house remained in the Tewksbury family into the 1980s.

19. Ross House - 55 West Tioga Street - ca. 1845

This amazing house bears little resemblance to the original structure in that it has been altered numerous times. Built by the Ross family, its distinctive mansard roof was added in 1870 by owner Sarah Metcalf. In 1901, her son-in-law, attorney Bradley F. Lewis, had the entire structure raised two-and-a-half feet and made extensive additions, including the wrap-around porch with paired Ionic columns and spindlework balustrade.

20. Hallock House - 71 Elm Street - 1904

The home of lumberman John E. Hallock is a textbook example of Colonial Revival-style architecture. Highlights include the symmetrical facade, full-width one-story porch with Doric order columns and spindlework balustrade, Palladian window centered on the second floor,

square pilasters, hipped roof with overhanging eaves and curved brackets, front gable dormer, and a widow’s walk.

21. Ervine House - 67 Elm Street - 1936

This is a classic Sears, Roebuck, and Co. catalog house, which was popular between 1908 and 1940. This is the Chatham model and considered Colonial Dutch in style. The kit, costing $1,667, was ordered in 1935 and delivered by train to Tunkhannock in early 1936. William and Mildred Ervine moved into the home in late 1936, and Mildred lived here until 1986.

22. Palen House - 8 Susquehanna Avenue - 1868 Tunkhannock Tannery owner Gilbert Palen had this architecturally eclectic home, with its clipped gable roof and wall dormers, constructed at the corner of Susquehanna Avenue and Elm Street in 1868. The house was later converted into apartments. In 1984, the building was purchased and restored as a single family unit by H. Clayton Ervine, who grew up in the house next door (see no. 21).

23. Gravel Hill Cemetery - Susquehanna Avenue

Gravel Hill is the oldest surviving cemetery in the borough, with its first burial dating from 1829. Among its most notable inhabitants are Benjamin Slocum who, at age 9, witnessed his father and grandfather being killed by Delaware Indians during a raid on a Wilkes-Barre fort. His sister, Frances, was taken captive by them. Also interred here are George and Phebe Leighton, parents of U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Frank Leighton; and some 28 Civil War veterans, including Frank. C. Bunnell, who also served the region as a congressman.

24. Kittredge House - 19 Susquehanna Avenue - 1911

This home was originally owned by William Kittredge, who was a local lumber baron and manufacturer of cosmetics and food flavorings. The home features a deep front porch and Ionic columns, turned spindlework balustrade, and porte-cochre at its west end. The house was later sold to his son-in-law, Donald Tiffany, who was a model builder for the Cunard shipping line.

25. Isaac Slocum House - 21 West Tioga Street - ca. 1814

One of the oldest houses in Tunkhannock, the current Presbyterian manse has twice been associated with the church. It was originally part of a large farm owned by Maj. Isaac Slocum, one of the earliest settlers in the area, and also served as a stagecoach hostelry.

26. Presbyterian Church - 51 Putnam Street - 1891

The Presbyterian Church of Tunkhannock was organized in 1833. Due to a fire that destroyed the original wood-frame structure,the building was rebuilt by the congregation in 1868. In 1964, the bell tower at the southeast side was removed in addition to other renovations, giving it its current appearance. Now known as the Tunkhannock Presbyterian Church, it has been at this location for more than 150 years. See Tunkhannock on page 44 See Tunkhannock on page 44

Settlement House

Official PA Artisan Trail Stop - Route 6, Sylvania, PA settlementhouseart.com Pottery Wood Turnings Jewelry Connie Sickler Prints Carvings

(570) 297-0164 glassware fiber art leatherwork baskets ironwork

Located inside the Settlement Post & Beam display home on Route 6 in Sylvania 37

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Steamtown National Historic Site

here is a particular vibration that roars through your chest when a locomotive passes nearby. A unique thrill hits your ear when a train announces itself with a whistle blast. The warmth of a summer day is unlike the heat from a tended firebox. Fewer and fewer people have experienced these sensations firsthand, and an important part of the American landscape is near to extinct. The Steamtown National Historic Site stands in tribute to a time when steel rails ruled the country and man and machine formed an indomitable partnership to move a nation forward. Located on the former yards of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, Steamtown covers more than forty acres with exhibits and interactive displays that breathe new life into the stories of our grandfathers. While a visit is best begun at the Visitor’s Center, it will be hard to keep the kids away from the graceful dance of the turntable demonstration out in the yard, where locomotives are oiled and inspected daily. Once you get them inside, there is an overview video and guided tours to enhance the experience. Within the complex is a 250-seat theater. The critical role the railroad played in the growth of America is detailed, beginning with an eighteen-minute documentary, “Steel and Steam.” Often, the museum will showcase other videos, sometimes in partnership with railroad companies. Exhibits in the museum bring the cultural impact of the railroad into sharp focus. Areas highlighted include the Pullman Porters, an icon of a period of elegant rail travel. The union for the porters was the first in the country to allow African-American members. Some careful planning on your part will be rewarded with attendance at one of Steamtown’s Locomotive Shop tours. These National Park Service ranger guided tours provide visitors with the opportunity to go behind the scenes to see skilled craftsman working on the repair and restoration of historic rolling stock. Make sure you wear sturdy shoes for this up close and personal tour of an active working locomotive shop.

Kids are a major focus of the park, where they believe that exciting them about America’s rich rail history is the best way to preserve it for the future. Boy Scout Railroading Merit Badges are available through a special train ride between the park and Gouldsboro, Pennsylvania. A park ranger talks to the Scouts about railroading history, economics, and safety. Two different Junior Ranger programs are available, depending on the child’s age. But, it is a safe bet that the youngster in your life will be most impressed with Big Boy. Weighing in at an impressive 1.2 million pounds, the 1941 locomotive is one of the last remaining of its type. To stand in front of its massive face is to feel truly diminished. Though the locomotive could be restored to functional ability, today’s trestles, bridges, and turntables simply could not support its weight. Don’t miss getting a photo. The ultimate way to experience a vintage train is, of course, to ride one. Short excursions are available seasonally at the park. The Scranton Limited will take you on a thirty-minute trip through the rail yard and across the Lackawanna River, stopping near the University of Scranton. On some Sundays, you are invited on the Nay Aug Gorge Limited with a visit to the Gorge along with an interpretive program by a park ranger. Weather and special charters can often impact the schedule, so be sure to check the Web site. There was a time when these behemoths of steel and smoke rolled across the American landscape. They delivered the goods and people necessary for the growth of a young country. Cities grew along their routes. The riches of the rails created immense wealth. Their role in history cannot be overstated. A visit to the Steamtown National Historic Site is a must for all who want to help protect the legacy of the rails. The park is open daily except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Years Day. The park may close early on the day before each of these holidays. Regular park hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; winter park hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors please note: the ticket office closes one hour prior to park closing. For further information, visitors can call (570) 340-5203 or visit www.nps.gov/stea. 39

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The Delaware & Hudson Rail Trail

eandering the width of the state, Pennsylvania Route 6 crosses sacred ground in American history. One of the most unlikely yet hallowed spots—as important as Gettysburg, when you think about it—is in Carbondale, Pennsylvania, where you can hike the thirty-eight-mile Delaware & Hudson Railroad rail trail through the coal mountains that changed the world. As you know if you’ve visited Lake Erie, at the western end of Route 6, the US Brig Niagara played a vital role in winning the War of 1812 against the British in the Battle of Lake Erie—the tall ship can still be seen flying the stars-and stripes on the lake. But some three hundred miles east, at the other end of the road in the northeastern Pennsylvania mountains, the war had unintended consequences. The British blockade of the eastern seaboard had stopped coal shipments from Virginia. New York and America’s other coastal cities ran out of fuel; all the trees were cut down; and in Carbondale, along current Route 6, the enterprising Wurts brothers discovered a solution: “the richest deposits of anthracite coal in the world,” writes historian Dr. S. Robert Powell. “They made this discovery while America was in the midst of its first fuel crisis, so they built a canal to transport all this coal to New York City.” They built a Gravity Railroad in 1829 to ship coal from Carbondale fourteen miles east to Honesdale (paralleling current Route 6) to reach the New York market, by canals that ferried the coal to the East Coast of the U.S. and to Canada, and in time birthed the American industrial revolution. The first steam locomotive in the United States, it was called the Stourbridge Lion, named for the lion’s face painted on the front and the city in England, Stourbridge, manufactured here in 1829. The Stourbridge Lion ran successfully on August 8, 1829 in Honesdale on its only run. It was judged too heavy for its track, but the Wurts brothers kept tinkering, and by 1830 the Delaware & Hudson Railroad’s seventeen miles of track comprised most of the total twenty-three miles of track in the U.S.

Hauling anthracite over Moosic Mountain to the New York market and beyond, the D&H became the first commercially successful railroad to operate in America. In May 2015, The Stourbridge Line reopened with excursion rides, providing customers with a celebration of the past, from Honesdale or Hawley, Pennsylvania. The D&H Railroad no longer runs in the Pennsylvania mountains, but from Carbondale you can access the D&H Rail Trail, which runs thirty-eight miles to the New York border near Susquehanna, Pennsylvania. To access the trail, take Route 6 to Carbondale, located in Lackawanna County about fifteen miles northeast of Scranton (site of the first underground mine in America, the first coal breaker, and the first commercially successful railroad, the D&H). Turn left onto Route 171. Continue one mile and park on the right side of the viaduct, next to the military tank. Follow the old O&W Trail for two miles, where it accesses the D&H to the west. In Forest City, five miles farther north, park in Forest City Industrial Park off of Commerce Boulevard. There is a large trailhead, ample parking, and a port-a-john. The Union Dale trailhead is on South Main Avenue at the intersection with Skyline Drive. “From Simpson to Ararat, you’ll be pedaling constantly because of the slight incline in the trail,” one bicyclist reported. “But from Ararat to Stevens Point, you’ll have a much easier ride because the trail’s grade is at a slight decline. In Thompson, take a break at the homemade ice cream shop right alongside the trail before continuing on to the New York State border.” To experience the places and sights connected by the D&H, a system of markers has been installed throughout Carbondale, Waymart, Honesdale, and White Mills. Some sites not to miss are: Carbondale Historical Society, Depot Museum in Waymart, Canal Lock House 31, and Wayne County Historical Society in Honesdale.

Take a ride on an Old Fashioned Trolley! 570-723-7777

Weddings, Parties, Special Events, PA Grand Canyon Tours and More! www.tonystiogatrolleytours.com

Heritage Village and Farm Museum Home of The Pennsylvania Heritage Festival

Bradford County Historical Society Museum & Research Center Located in the Restored Bradford County Jail,

built in 1871

www.paheritagefestival.org Located one-half mile north of the Routes 6 and 14 intersection in Troy, PA.

• RevolutionaRy WaR items • oveR 50 caRRiages,

sleighs and Wagons on display • vintage geneRal stoRe • heRitage Festival the 3Rd Weekend oF septembeR annually MUSEUM HOURS: Open late April through mid-October Thursday to Saturday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Sunday 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

www.theheritagevillage.org

Museum

The museum’s two ﬂoors of exhibits feature hundreds of artifacts including Native Americans, Military History, Home Life, Trades, a 100-year-old log cabin and much more! See jail cells, the dungeon cell, the exercise/execution yard, and the Sheriff’s house.

Open Memorial Day - Labor Day Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

10 am - 4 pm

Group Tours by Appointment Closed on National Holidays

Research Center

The Research Center Library on the third ﬂoor houses an incredible collection of information including genealogy, local history and official county records.

Open Year Round Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

10 am - 4 pm

Call for Saturday hours Closed on National Holidays

109 Pine Street, Towanda, PA

570-265-2240

www.bradfordhistory.com Find us on Facebook! 41

12TH ANNUAL

Wyalusing Valley Wine Festival SEPTEMBER 10, 2016 â&#x20AC;˘ NOON - 5PM

WWW.WYALUSINGWINEFESTIVAL.COM Funded in part by the Bradford County Room Tax Fund

Wyoming County

Your Endless Mountains getaway starts here! To learn all that Wyoming County has to offer, visit www.EndlessMountains.org or call 1-800-769-8999 Funded by the Wyoming County Room Tax Fund & the Endless Mountains Visitors Bureau 42

Place Your Order Today! CAKES • PIES • BREADS • COOKIES COFFEE...& MORE! Hours: Monday - Thursday | 8 am to 4 pm Friday | 8 am to 6 pm Saturday | 8 am to 4 pm

Keystone Konfections 99 Bridge St., Tunkhannock, PA 570-836-7250

continued from Tunkhannock on page 37

27. Dewitt House - 33 West Tioga Street - ca. 1863

The construction of this house began in 1863, when the home faced Putnam Street. Unspecified renovations to the original I-shaped three-room house were completed prior to 1874. The current facade with the two-story Ionic columns and Neoclassical elements was in place by 1906. Porches at the east and west ends were added by 1926 and also sport Ionic columns.

28. Piatt House - 24 West Tioga Street - 1896

This high-style example of Queen Anne architecture was built by prominent attorney James Wilson Piatt, who served as Wyoming County District Attorney from 1875 to 1878. Highlights include steeply-pitched irregular roofs, a wrap-around porch with both a turreted and cross-gable roof, a cantilevered tower, and finials. In 1923, the elaborate home was passed from Piatt’s widow, to her daughter Eulalie Piatt Ogden. The family sold the house in 1973.

29. Mack & Son Carriage Factory - 55 Putnam Street - 1871

William Mack started a carriage business in a barn on this site that burned down in 1868. He entered a partnership with William Kiefer in 1874. The building was converted to a residence in 1881. The building features Italianate elements, including a symmetrical five-bay facade, double-hung windows, and shallow brick arches over the windows.

block to survive the Great Fire of 1870 and was moved down Warren Street where it still stands. Over the years, the building has served as a drug store, soda fountain, dry goods and grocery store, clothing store, and an antiques shop.

36. Phelps Building - 3 East Tioga Street - 1844 Sherman D. Phelps built this threestory brick commercial structure, which he sold in 1849 to Isaac Ross. Most often used as a hardware store, the building has also been home to a harness and trunk factory and a dress and bonnet shop. Known alternately through the years as O.S. Mills & Co. Hardware, Mills & Billings, Billings & Sons and George Hardware Store. The building has also been used as a grocery outlet, clothing store, youth center, coffee house, and fine dining restaurant.

37. Dana Hobbs Block - 110, 112, 114 Warren Street – 1873

More than 140 years of additions and renovations makes it difficult to picture the original house and business buildings constructed under the guidance of Civil War veteran and medical doctor Charles H. Dana. The first addition was the middle section constructed in 1894, with the third section built shortly thereafter. The most striking architectural features still remaining are the ornate stone lintels over the windows on 110 Warren Street. Between 1959 and 1962, Dana’s heirs sold the block to attorney Davis R. Hobbs, who resided and conducted business there through 1993.

JUMP FROM NEW STORY

35. Grey Block - 2 East Tioga Street - ca. 1887

This is actually a cluster of three buildings built between 1887 and 1890. A small clapboard house on this site was the only structure in this 44

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This is the oldest commercial building featured on the tour and was originally a drug store and grocery store owned by Dr. A. H. Bolles at what was then the intersection of Tioga Street and Turnpike Road. It was sold in the 1850s to Daniel Winchester, who conveyed it to attorney Daniel A. Bardwell in 1861. In 1929, dentist Walter Tewksbury moved his practice here from across the street.

34. Bolles Building - 3 West Tioga Street - ca. 1840

Tunkhannock Middle School

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The left side of this building was originally built as a one-story house for Sherman D. Phelps. It was sold to Frank C. Bunnell in 1872, at which time a one-story addition was used as a private bank. The bank closed in 1889, and the building was used for a time as a bakery. The second floor of the commercial portion was added in 1903.

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33. F.C. Bunnell Bank Building - 6 West Tioga Street - 1844

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When Daniel Wright had this house built, a local newspaper commented that it was a shame that such a magnificent structure was not built in a “more showy location.” Wright sold the house the next year to Frank C. Bunnell, who had the wrought-iron fence constructed.

While the core of this building was built in 1844, there has been a hostelry at this corner since 1814 when Carter Hickock ran a guest house constructed of wood. Its name change to the Prince Hotel came with the purchase of the building by Frank Prins. The hotel was modernized in 2013.

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32. Wright House - 20 West Tioga Street - 1869

40. Wall Hotel - 45 E. Tioga Street - 1844

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The core of this home, which has been modified many times, was built by the family of Isaac Slocum, brother of Frances Slocum. Though the precise date of its construction is unknown, it was featured among sketches by Frances Overfield Piatt done in 1803. In about 1829, Maj. Benjamin Slocum moved to this house and became Tunkhannock’s first postmaster.

Henry Stark, treasurer of the Tunkhannock Bridge Company and a landowner, bought this tract of land in 1830 and began construction of the brick commercial buildings at the corner of Tioga and Bridge streets in 1844. Numerous businesses have operated here through the years, including the family’s bakery. It has served as various retail outlets, restaurants, and apartments.

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31. Slocum House - 21 West Tioga Street - pre-1803

39. Stark Brick Block - 31, 35, 39 East Tioga Street - 1844–1845

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Another example of Queen Anne-style mansions, the home of John B. Fassett is known to be as detailed on the inside as it is on its exterior. Visitors will notice the delicate spindlework on the porch railing and supports on both the first and second floors. The first story wraparound porch also has a spindlework frieze. Fassett helped to form Citizens National Bank in 1902.

Built by Daniel Wright, this building was generally associated with Frank C. Bunnell’s property on Tioga Street. Prior to becoming a lawyer’s office, the long, narrow building once held a small bowling alley and a laundromat. The DAR used to meet on the third floor, which is a wide open space. It has also been a private residence.

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30. Fassett House - 25 West Tioga Street - 1896

38. Wright Building - 103 Warren Street - 1845

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MILE

Gifford Pinchot, Grey Towers, and the Birth of Conservation

oing east into Pennsylvania, a scant seventy-five miles northwest of New York City along the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, one of the first towns one meets is Milford. It’s worth the stop to tour the Pinchot manor, Grey Towers. The home is a National Historic Landmark Site and a perfect example of the large estates and grand mansions erected by monied moguls and magnates who ruled the Victorian Era. The estate encompasses 201 acres and every detail within was built—if not overbuilt—in the late Nineteenth Century. On a hill above town, the mansion overlooks the Delaware River. The architect of Grey Towers, Richard Morris Hunt, a leading figure in the history of American architecture, was also America’s leading designer for the rich and famous during the lavish Victorian Era. Grey Towers stands as a monument to Gifford Pinchot, one of America’s leading conservationists and former Governor of Pennsylvania. In the process of accumulating a vast fortune, Gifford Pinchot’s grandfather denuded the vast eastern forests, leaving brush open to forest fire and exposed earth open to erosion. Ken Sandri, the preservationist at Grey Towers, said, “The country had a voracious appetite for wood then. People burned wood for heat and used it for building. Even cars had wooden spokes.” Gifford’s father, James Pinchot, shouldering deep remorse for his father’s fortune, became a strong advocate of conservation. He urged Gifford toward a forestry career, sending him to Phillips-Exeter Academy, to Yale, where he was a leader in Skull and Bones, and then to post graduate studies at European forestry schools. (The forests had been all but destroyed in Europe centuries before, and northern European foresters had a real head start on America when it came to forest restoration.) James got his son a job as George Vanderbilt’s private forester at the Biltmore Estate 46

in Asheville, North Carolina. The Pinchot family endowed a two-year postgraduate study in forestry at Yale. After their parents’ deaths, Gifford and his brother Amos split the estate, with Amos taking the half on which a small forester’s cabin was the main dwelling and Gifford taking the house. The mansion itself is a three-story fieldstone chateau with roofed towers at three of the corners—thus, Grey Towers. A service wing projects from the fourth corner. As originally built, it contained forty-three rooms, with the first floor featuring a large entrance hall, billiard room, dining room, library, and sitting room. Bedrooms were located on the second floor. The third floor was storage and children’s playrooms. Almost all the materials came from local sources. Hemlock timbers were floated down the Delaware on rafts; another river town, Shohola, delivered the bluestone and windows. Roofing slate came from across the river, in New Jersey. All the workers hired were Milford residents. The total cost was $19,000 for the house and $24,000 for furnishings. Well known by the powers that be and recognized for his stance on the conservation of natural resources, Gifford was noticed in Washington, D.C. When William McKinley chose Teddy Roosevelt as his running mate and then ascended to the presidency, he listened to the young Roosevelt. He named Gifford Pinchot the chief of the Division of Forestry within the Department of the Interior. Teddy rose to the highest office in the land when McKinley was assassinated. From 1898 to 1905, Pinchot continued as chief. He had made a great case for replanting trees in clearcut forests and, in 1905, his friend and fellow conservationist, President Roosevelt, moved Gifford to chief of the United States Forestry Service (USFS) within the Department of Agriculture. Pinchot’s mission was to find a way to manage for posterity the nation’s forests, which had been decimated by

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timber barons. During his twelve-year tenure as chief forester, his small staff of ten controlled no forests but grew to a staff of more than 2,500 that managed 172 million acres of national forests. William Howard Taft, Roosevelt’s successor, fired Pinchot for speaking out against his policies and those of Secretary of the Interior Richard Achilles Ballinger. (The feud caused the split in the Republican Party that led to the formation of the Progressive Party led by “Bull Moose” Roosevelt and Pinchot.) Still seeking to make a difference, Pinchot considered elective office. In his marriage he had a good partner, as Cornelia Pinchot was a power in her own right. Born Cornelia Bryce in 1881 in Newport, Rhode Island, she was reared in the way of wealthy captains of commerce, much the same as Gifford. Educated in private schools, she enjoyed hunting and polo. Her father, Lloyd Bryce, the son of a Civil War Union officer, graduated from Georgetown, earned a master’s at Oxford, and trained at Columbia Law. The dashing young gent played polo at Newport and rode foxhunts on Long Island. He was twice elected to Congress and was editor of North American Review. Appointed General of the New York militia, he was thereafter called “General Bryce.” He also served as U.S. Minister to Netherlands. Cornelia Pinchot’s mother was the daughter of the Mayor of New York and the granddaughter of the founder of Cooper Union, and would be the one to arrange Cornelia’s coming-out party. Cornelia was a strong and politically active suffragette. Preparing for the future, Cornelia made substantial changes to the interior of the home, where the family summered. She realized that Gifford’s developing political career (and hers…she ran for Congress three times) required a residence more suited

to entertaining guests than was originally intended. She began “modernizing” the house. Pinchot told the Saturday Evening Post, “The first thing my wife did was break down the partition walls and let in light and air...Of course, it’s a vast improvement.” The USFS realized how much Cornelia’s renovations had damaged an architecturally significant structure and began reversing the changes, developing plans to restore the estate to the way it had been in Pinchot’s era. After a brief closing, it reopened on Pinchot’s birthday in 2011. Cornelia remained a force in Gifford’s political career. She once said, “I marked down, pursued and captured one of the really big men I have ever known—one who has never turned his back but marched breast forward—and lived happily ever after.” While getting women the vote and mounting her own campaigns, she urged Gifford onward. Reentry into politics brought him the governorship of Pennsylvania in 1923. At that time, the governor could not succeed himself. He sat out a term and was again elected Governor in 1930. Cornelia once quipped that perhaps her memoirs could be titled, “How I Rushed My Husband, In Two Years, From the Brass Rail of a Saloon Into the Governor’s Chair.” All this is remembered at Grey Towers, where the family summered and where they retired. It opened to the public when Gifford Pinchot’s grandson deeded the estate to the USFS. Also known as The Gifford Pinchot House, the site is open for tours daily from 10 a.m.to 4 p.m., Memorial Day into November. Guided tours of the home and gardens start hourly from 10 a.m. (Except for Independence Day and September 22 [U.S. Public Lands Day] there is a fee). Self-guided tours highlight the history of the Pinchot family, forestry, and the grounds.

CARBONDALE PENNSYLVANIA

Any Season is a Good Season to Visit and Explore Carbondale, Where the Story Began.

Things to Do:

Year Round Self-Guided Walking Tour. Special Events each Season — See our websites for details. D&H Museum located Historic City hall — A National Historic Register Property. Link up with the 27-mile Lackawanna Valley Heritage Trail for hiking and biking. Enjoy Skiing and Snowmobiling and Other Winter Activities. Easy Access to Nearby Metropolitan Areas with Sporting and Cultural Events. Shopping, Dining, and Overnight Accommodations — Full Service Hotel & Quaint Bed & Breakfast. For more information on these and other events, check our websites at: www.carbondalechamber.org • www.discoverroute6.com • www.carbondalehistoricalsociety.org • www.carbondalien.com 47

Photo courtesy River Barge Brewing Company

A Taste of Route 6

n the last few years, the Route 6 Heritage Corridor has experienced an explosion of wineries, breweries, and distilleries across the scenic highway. In addition to the award winning wineries along Lake Erie, a new crop of local winemakers and brew-masters are starting to gain recognition and build a following. In Crawford County, Conneaut Cellars Winery (12005 Conneaut Lake Rd., Conneaut Lake, PA) has been pleasing customers and international judges alike, since 1992; www.ccw-wine.com. The Voodoo Brewery (215½ Arch St., Meadville, PA) has an eclectic and witty environment with a unique approach, plus a weekly changing menu using locally sourced ingredients; www.voodoobrewery. com. In Warren County, the Allegheny Cellars Winery (4772 Route 6, Sheffield, PA) opened in 2007 and features a warm “woodsy” atmosphere—perfect for a winery in the heart of the Pennsylvania Wilds; www.alleghenycellars.com. Another atmospheric setting in the Pennsylvania Wilds is the award-winning Flickerwood Winery (309 Flickerwood Rd, Kane, PA). Retired from the US Forest Service, winemaker Ron Zampogna feels winemaking is part of his Italian heritage, which should be continued and passed along to future Zampogna generations. The Zampognas want everyone to feel at ease and at home. They have twenty-one Flickerwood wines to offer customers,

including sweet, semi-sweet, semi-dry, and dry table wines in red, white, and blush; www.flickerwood.com. In Bradford County, River Barge Brewing Company (71 Grovedale Lane, Wyalusing, PA) opened in 2012 and features local craft beer and fine wines available at neighboring Grovedale Winery and Vineyards. Founders Jeff Home and Thor Trowbridge believe life is too short for anything but good friends, great beer, good food, music, and good times. www. riverbargebrewing.com. The Antler Ridge Winery (2575 Route 6, Hawley, PA) serves international award-winning wines handcrafted from Pennsylvania grapes and fruits. Open yearround, they have a gift shop and sell home winemaking supplies. From distinct specialty wines to the traditional varietals, one great way to sample them all is to take the Endless Mountains Wine Trail. This self-guided trail will take you to ten wineries dotted throughout the Endless Mountains and beyond. Each stop will offer you a different taste, a different story, and a different memory. Antler Ridge Winery Battlecreek Road, Rome 570-247-7222 www.AntlerRidgeWinery.com Bartolai Winery 2377 Rte. 92, Harding 570-388-8466 www.bartolaiwinery.com

Bird Song Winery 507 Bear Rd., off Rte. 220 near Dushore 570-637-4888 www.birdsongwinery.com Grovedale Winery 119 Grovedale Ln., Wyalusing 570-746-1400 www.grovedalewinery.com Hidden Creek Vineyard and Winery 1670 Carter Rd., Laceyville 570-869-9463 www.hiddencreekwines.com Laddsburg Mountain Winery 20 Winery Ln., SR 2008, Marsh Road, New Albany 570-363-2476 www.laddsburgwine.com Maiolatesi Wine Cellars 32 Cabernet Dr., Scott Twp. 570-254-9977 www.salthewineguy.com Nimble Hill Vineyard & Winery Tasting Room 3971 SR 6, Tunkhannock 570-836-9463 www.nimblehill.com Pickering Winery Rte. 187, between Wysox and Rome 570-247-7269 www.PickeringWinery.com Winterland Winery 15B Flat St., Lopez 570-928-7771 www.winterlandwinery.com 49

MILE

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Photo by Gary Tyson

Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River

he eastern end of Pennsylvania Route 6, thirteen miles east of Honesdale, is where the West was won. You can visit the site in Lackawaxen: in a green Victorian mansion on the Delaware River, the legendary author of Western novels, Zane Grey, lived and, in 1912, wrote Riders of the Purple Sage, “the most popular western novel of all time,” the most famous of his fifty-six westerns that invented the genre, spawned forty-six Hollywood movies, launched actors like Gary Cooper, and popularized the romance of the West, cowboys and Indians, and the days the “West was won.” The house, now operated as the Zane Grey Museum by the National Park Service (which celebrates it’s Centennial on August 25, 2016), is part of the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River, and is a good place to get your bearings in this spectacular seventy-three-acre National Park Service site. Along the riverfront three hundred feet north the Lackawaxen River flows into the Delaware River, and just south of the house is the Roebling

Bridge, the oldest existing wire suspension bridge in the United States, a 535-foot aqueduct built in 1849 that now carries cars and pedestrians. The remnants of the historic D&H canal, which combined with the D&H Railway to ship Pennsylvania coal to New York City and drive the industrial revolution, are also within the park. On the park Web site (www.nps.gov/upde/index.htm) you’ll find thirteen recommended canoe liveries, eleven fishing guides for the famously abundant waters (you need a license from PA or NY), fifteen lodges and B&Bs, ten campgrounds, six hiking trails, and family activities like the Zane Grey Reading Challenge. The novelist moved to Hollywood, but “had a lifelong love of this area, and his remains now rest within view of the house.” Look up—more than one hundred bald eagles migrate to the Upper Delaware each winter, “in search of open water, fresh and abundant fish, and undisturbed habitat.”

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