The (Not so) Rural Pennsylvanian

  • Erie City at Twilight

    I managed to take a short drive around Erie during the time I was there.

    The Bicentennial Tower on the waterfront.
    The best view I could get of the brig Niagara since the maritime museum was closed at the time.
    The Erie Land Lighthouse.
    High and dry.
    The beautiful Russian Old Rite Orthodox Church.

    The following two historic homes were moved and reconstructed on their current sites.

    VON BUSECK HOUSE — C. 1815
    This saltbox-style farmhouse was built c.1815 in west Millcreek on what is now known as 5021 West 38th Street, south of Wheaton Road. The land was owned by Irish immigrant John Nicholson (1764–1828), and the family of John Wheaton owned the building for a time. For over 150 years it was owned by Louis Von Buseck (1812–1893) and his descendants. Louis was born Ludwig Heinrich Von Buseck in Germany, the second son of Baron Carl Philip Von Buseck.

    The Von Buseck House.

    HON. JUDAH COLT HOUSE — C. 1820
    One of Erie County’s earliest citizens, Hon. Judah Colt (1761–1832), settled at what is now known as Colt Station in 1796. He moved to the Borough of Erie in 1804 as the agent for the coun­ty’s first land developer, Pennsylvania Population Company. Colt served as burgess of Erie in 1813 and 1820–1821. He built this Federal-style house c.1820 at the southwest corner of East 4th and French streets where he entertained the Marquis De Lafayette (1757–1834) on June 3, 1825. This was also home to his nephew Thomas G. Colt (1805–1861), the last Bur­gess and the first mayor for the city of Erie. The house was moved to 345 East Front St. in 1890.

    The Judah Colt House.

  • Winding Down the Westward Swing

    Here are too many pictures of the rapids at Ohiopyle State Park, the visitor center, and the Youghiogheny River.

  • Another Pretty Big Lake and a Unique Habitat

    Moraine State Park in Butler County, which features the 3,225-acre Lake Arthur with 42 miles of shoreline, is a landscape that has endured the effects of continental glaciers and massive mineral extraction. This popular park hosts more than one million boaters, picnickers, hikers, bikers, horseback riders, cabin renters, and swimmers each year. The 16,725-acre park was restored from prior coal mining and oil and gas drilling practices. Unfortunately, it was not a very nice day when I visited in early May.

    Jennings Environmental Education Center is one of several state parks specifically dedicated to providing environmental education and recreational programs to the community. This site provides a unique combination of prairie and forest environs, which offer a wide array of resource and educational opportunities. One of the park’s main features, the 20-acre prairie ecosystem, is home to distinctive prairie plants and the endangered massasauga rattlesnake. The most noteworthy and spectacular prairie flower is the blazing star. Jennings was the first reserve established in Pennsylvania to protect an individual plant species and remains the only public and protected prairie in the commonwealth.

    The prairie wildflowers are best enjoyed in late July and early August. I did not get very good shots at this site, due to the weather and the time of year.

  • A Couple of Really Big Lakes

    My trip through western Pennsylvania led me through two parks with some of the largest lakes in the state.

    Maurice K. Goddard State Park in Mercer County contains the 1,680-acre Lake Wilhelm, which is popular with anglers and boaters. Many recreational activities, such as hiking, hunting, cycling, skating and picnicking, attract visitors in all seasons. The large lake, abundant wetlands, old fields, and mature forests provide a diversity of habitats for wildlife, especially waterfowl, eagle, and osprey.

    Pymatuning State Park in Crawford County, at 16,892 acres, is one of the largest state parks. The 17,088-acre Pymatuning Reservoir (partially shared with Ohio) is the largest lake in the commonwealth. It is one of the most visited state parks in Pennsylvania. The many recreational opportunities include boating, fishing, swimming, and camping. In addition to the state park facilities, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission operates a fish hatchery and visitor center, and the Pennsylvania Game Commission has wildlife viewing areas.

    My first stop was the dam at the southern end of the lake. It is the largest earthen dam that I have seen. The area around the lake is one of the few places that bald eagles nested continuously during their years of decline.

  • A Two-fer (In More Ways Than One)

    Shikellamy State Park is an unusual park in that it contains two distinctly different sections. It also affords great views of the two branches of the Susquehanna River (the West Branch and the North Branch ). The Park is in both Union and Northumberland counties. The 54-acre Shikellamy Marina is on the southern tip of Packers Island at the confluence of the West Branch and North Branch Susquehanna River, and offers hiking and biking trails, a marina, and boat launch. The 78-acre Shikellamy Overlook is on the western shore of the Susquehanna River. A 360-foot cliff overlooks the confluence of the two branches of the river.

    Although the marina area seemed more popular with Labor Day party goers, I was more impressed with the views on the overlook side.

    A look toward the Marina.
    A look down over the edge.
    The West Branch on the left.
    The town of Northumberland.

    The Marina Section provides great access to the water as well as picnicking opportunities.

    A butterfly garden

  • A Detour to the North, Part II

    While in New England and Canada, I took a day trip to the popular village of Peggy’s Cove. This tourist attractions is a quaint Nova Scotia fishing village with one of the most photographed lighthouses in Canada.

    Finally, here a some photos of Georges Island National Historic Site in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

  • A Detour to the North, Part I

    This October I was fortunate to take a trip to Maine, Nova Scotia and Quebec. Much of the topography of the inland areas, and the fall color, remind me of Pennsylvania. First up is a boat trip from Bar Harbor, Maine. This part of the Maine coast from Bar Harbor to Somes Sound is dotted with the “cottages” of the rich and famous.

    The trip was themed around the lighthouses of the Bay of Maine near the Mount Desert Island shore.

    Here are some boats, buoys, and critters along the way, along with a few looks at Mount Desert Island from the sea.

  • Two Large Lakes I Didn’t Realize Existed

    There are some fantastic locations in Pennsylvania that have escaped my notice, even after all these years. Perhaps, in the case of our next location, it is because it’s almost all the way to the New York State line.

    Tioga-Hammond Lakes are twin lakes in north central Pennsylvania with overnight and day use facilities in a scenic environment, southwest of Tioga, PA and north of Wellsboro on PA on Route 287. The recreation area has camping, a swimming beach, sand volleyball court, playground, boat launches, field sports area, a camp store, trails hunting, display gardens, archery trail, scenic overlooks and picnic facilities including grills and picnic shelters. There area is administered by the US Army Corps of Engineers.

    The lakes were formed by the building of two separate dams, one on the Tioga River and one on Crooked Creek. They are connected by a channel cut through the rock which has its own weir on the Tioga Reservoir side. This unusual arrangements allows acid polluted water to mix with cleaner water from the other stream, increasing overall water quality downstream.

    A view of the channel.
    Near one of the boat launches at the Ives Run Beach Area and campground.
    Some looks out over the reservoirs.
    Tioga Reservoir Overlook.
    The recreation area abuts state game lands near Crooked Creek.
    Unusual and nice osprey nest platform viewing area.
    Fishing the Tioga.
    The goldenrod was everywhere that weekend.

  • A Dam Long Way Around, Part 2

    I left Austin and proceeded south to Sizerville State Park. This park reminds me of Hyner Run or Reeds Gap. It is a quiet park with a small campground and a pool. Alas, the pool at Reeds Gap is gone, but this type of park remains one of my favorites. The 368 acre Sizerville is surrounded by Elk State Forest and near large blocks of additional state forest land. If it wasn’t so far, I’d like to come back here.

    The drive up to Salt Run Vista was worth it. Yes, someone must drive up here to mow this.
    Salt Run Vista
    Trees on the way down the mountain to Sizerville.
    A bonus vista – the narrower view at Crooked Run Vista.

    I then made the long journey to Kettle Creek State Park. In retrospect, I should have done this the day before as continuation of my trip to Ole Bull, but now I know better. The park consists of 1,793 acres along Kettle Creek in western Clinton County. The park is in a valley surrounded by mountainous terrain and wilderness. Many of the existing recreational facilities arose from a joint flood control project developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the former Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources. The park offers camping, boating, hunting, fishing, hiking, and other activities.

    Another dam.
    A dam with a flag.
    Looking down over the edge to the lake. It’s further than it looks.
    The valley with the lake is pretty.
    A family paddle.

    I thought I might be able to save some time getting to Sinnemahoning State Park by driving up to Kettle Creek Vista then cutting across the ridge and down the other side. Of course there were no roads down into the other valley, because there was another lake, with (you guessed it) another dam.

    Kettle Creek Vista.

    I made the trek back down the valley to highway north to Sinnemahoning State Park. The park, located near the center of the Pennsylvania Wilds’ scenic steep valleys region, encompasses 1,910 acres of beautiful scenery and outstanding wildlife habitat. Situated in Cameron and Potter counties, the park is nestled between the green-shouldered ridges of Pennsylvania’s Elk State Forest and Susquehannock State Forest. The park is long and narrow and includes lands on both sides of First Fork Sinnemahoning Creek — a major tributary to the Sinnemahoning Creek. At the southern end of the park, a 145-acre reservoir created by the George B. Stevenson dam provides fishing and boating opportunities. There is a campground and excellent wildlife viewing opportunities, including elk, bear, and large variety of birds.

    Another valley with another dam.
    Park office and wildlife center.
    A look inside the Wildlife Center.

  • Summer at Middle Creek

    I don’t make it to Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area in Lancaster and Lebanon counties all that often during the Summer. Here are a few shots from around the property.

    A lovely tiger swallowtail decided to hang out.
    Geese can be found at Middle Creek almost any time of year.
    The corn is looking good.
    Farming is done at Middle Creek. The fields provide habitat and food for some species.
    Pennsylvania farm country in a nutshell.
    I never really noticed the hills around this area as much as on this trip.
    Much to do here other than wildlife viewing.
    A glamorous egret interloper with the geese.
    Purple wildflowers along this pond.
    Lots of wildflowers everywhere ….
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