Civilian Conservation Corps Monument

While it may not be as vast and notable as the Grand Canyon, the Pine Creek Gorge still has its own historical relevance. Located just outside of Wellsboro Pennsylvania, Pine Creek Gorge has experienced a multitude of geographical, political, and environmental changes that have impacted the surrounding communities to varying degrees. Believed to have formed from the continental Laurentide glacier[1]. A natural dam formed until the water began to overflow naturally carving the landscape into what we now experience and call the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania. Located on either side of Pine Creek along the rim, are two state parks Colton Point on the west side, and Leonard Harrison on the east side. However, before the state parks and the railroad that will later be a key factor in the development of this area, there were several Native American tribes who not only lived in the area but saw the beauty as spiritually motivating. One of the primary indigenous settlements was the one of the Seneca Tribe. Some of the earliest recorded accounts of this area come from a Seneca Chief, who describes the area as a place that needs preserving. The natives to the area called the creek “Tiadaghton,” however, white settlers mistook the Tiadaghton as Lycoming Creek and later decided on the ambitious name of “Pine Creek” due to the kind of trees that surround it. Located on either side of Pine Creek along the rim, are two state parks Colton Point on the west side, Leonard Harrison on the east side with a railway dissecting the two. This railway was an essential part of the lumber industry, as much of the wood that helped Williamsport become the lumber capital was transported either by creek or by train. Following the construction of the railroad was the destruction of the ecosystem whether it be from deforestation or wildfires from the sparks generated on the railroad. The last train departed on October 7, 1988, however the area surrounding Pine Creek has seen an era of reconstruction predating the dismantling of the railway.

The last train departed on October 7, 1988, however, the area surrounding Pine Creek has seen an era of reconstruction predating the dismantling of the railway. Colton Point, the State Park on the west side of the gorge, was named after Henry Colton, a lumberjack who was known for making his living off the trees in the area. The years 1933 to 1936 the Civilian Conservation Corps developed the park into what is today an area with pavilions and benches to encourage visitors from all around to enjoy the scenic views. Pennsylvania had the second-highest number of camps outmatched only by California; this was because Pennsylvania was beginning something similar already. Depicted most beautifully by the perfectly planted trees in straight lines, the work accomplished by the CCC is both still prevalent today and had a major role in the revitalization of the area. An estimated 195,000 Pennsylvania residents served as what some referred to as “Three-C-Boys”. These were young men who came from families that were most affected by the stock market crash of 1929. Then-President, Roosevelt, implemented a public service program that would go on to plant millions of pines and hemlocks. There were 11 CCC camps in the Pine Creek watershed alone. Alongside the construction of the two-state parks, they also built a fire tower and developed a fish hatchery also in the Tioga State Forest. Originally labeled the S-92 Asaph Camp, they were later relocated to Pine Creek and renamed the S-155 Darling Run Camp due to a fire that decimated the previous camp. Previously mentioned the “Three-C-Boys” had a great responsibility in not only constructing the State Parks but also, more importantly, they were some of the nation's first forest fire responders. Due to the growing number of forest fires in the area, forest fire-prevention became a key factor in the development of this program. Some of the first people to ever be trained on how to properly contain a forest fire were a part of this program. Overall the work done by the Civilian Conservation Corps is undeniable. To this day their work is represented by the estimated 3 billion trees planted, 800 parks constructed, and their development of service buildings and public roadways that web across even the most remote locations in the Pennsylvania Wilds.

[1] History of Colton Point State Park. Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. (n.d.). Retrieved April 7, 2022, from https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/FindAPark/ColtonPointStatePark/Pages/History.aspx

[2] Wilds, T. P. (2019, July 27). The CCC boys of the Pennsylvania Wilds: A legacy lives on. Pennsylvania Wilds. Retrieved April 8, 2022, from https://pawilds.com/ccc-boys-pennsylvania-wilds/

[3] U.S. Department of the Interior. (n.d.). National Park Service: CCC and the National Park Service. National Parks Service. Retrieved April 8, 2022, from https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/ccc/ccc4.htm