The Quehanna Wild Area

Bunker Door

This past summer I finally had a chance to explore one of the most unique pieces of North-central Pennsylvania, the Quehanna Wild Area. The wildlife area is a huge 40 thousand acres in parts of Cameron, Clearfield and Elk counties. It also has two natural areas with the Marion Brooks Natural area being the larger and home to the largest White birch forest in the east coast. We picked a great warm day to go hiking and explore some of the most notable parts of the wild area and it’s history.

The Quehanna Wild area was founded like so many other state parks and forests. The land which was predomitaly occupied by native Americans, was settled by early American pioneers and then logged and stripped of it’s growth. In the 1930’s CCC camps were incorporated to help American get out of the Great Depression and give youth jobs and skills for life. The camps would transform the barren land into many of the state forests, recreation areas and state game lands we have now.

Former Reactor Site

After the CCC camps improved what would be later called the Quehanna Wild area, the Curtiss-Wright Corporation bought a small area for testing. The testing was to be done for the new Atoms for Peace policy that President Dwight D. Esinhower endorsed. The policy would allow companies to experiment with nuclear technology in hopes of finding alternative uses for nuclear technology besides war. The Curtiss-Wright Company would use the land they bought to build a nuclear reactor and testing facilities. Remnants of the nuclear testing can still be found. The reactor it’s self was dismantled and for a long time it was questionable if the area was safe from radiation. A large-scale cleanup took place and the reactor site is still a barren field. Two nuclear jet engine test bunkers exist. The one was partly buried and used as a bat sanctuary the other is over growing with foliage; however, you can still explore.

Besides the nuclear aspect of Quehanna Wild area, it is a great place to visit in the autumn not only for the beautiful birch trees, but also for the chance to see elk. A few different blinds are set up for people to get a chance to see theses creatures.

Kunes Camp

Quehanna Wild Area is also an exceptional hiking and backpacking area. The trails are well blazed and diversity in terrain allows for a great experience. We decided to hit some of the highlights on my first trip to Quehanna and took the Kunes Camp trail. This trail peaked my interest due to being named after an old hunting cabin that is along the trail. The hike to Kunes Camp was enjoyable and flat. The cabin was built between 2 large boulders of rock. The front and back walls still stand but the roof had rotted away many years ago. The remnants of an old outhouse were not to far from the cabin.

All in all the Quehanna Wild Area is much more than just a day trip. One could easily spend a few days or week exploring all it has to offer. I will be planning a trip back very soon.

Abandon Road

Fall Festivals and Activities in the Susquehanna River Valley Region

Delgrosso’s Harvest Fest – Tipton PA : Sept 24^th/25th

            Usually taking place the last weekend of September, Harvest Fest at Delgrosso’s Amusement Park is a great way to spend an autumn day. There is a $6 dollar fee for entrance for anyone over the age of 3; however, it includes rides. With countless hand made craft vendors and a variety of things to eat, this festival is geared toward the whole family. The park usually has a petting zoo, pumpkin painting, and entertainers that put on shows for kids.

Potato Fest – Ebensburg PA : Sept 24^th/25^th

            This festival as you may guess is centered around Cambria County being the 2^nd largest producer of potatoes in Pennsylvania. Over 200 craft and food vendors come together and line the streets of Ebensburg. Many potato foods can be had including: Potato soup, candies, pancakes, perogies, chips, and even potato pizza. Live music from acoustic, bluegrass, and even some brass bands can be heard throughout the day. A lot of kid friendly crafts, contests, play areas, and live entertainment goes on for the entirety of the festival. For the adults the Dautless Fire Company hosts a wine tasting. Admission is free and off site shuttle parking is available free at the Admiral Peary Vo Tech, Penn Highlands Community College, and Lake Rowena.

Apple Cider Fest – Patton : Oct 2^nd

            Always celebrated the first Sunday of October, the Apple Cider Festival at Prince Gallitzin State Park is one of a kind. The leaves are usually just starting to change in the park it makes for a great backdrop with the smell of fresh Apple Cider and Apple Butter in the air. The festival has a decent amount of local craft vendors and a set of live entertainment. An old fashion hayride can be had to really experience the park. Admission is free.

Hartslog Day – Alexandria : Oct 8^th

            This unique fall festival takes place annually the 2^nd Saturday of October. The day is named after an old Indian trader that set up his trading post, a log, near present day Alexandria. This is one of my favorite fall festivals even though it’s just one day. There is so much to see and do including over 200 food and hand made craft vendors. A local church even offers a breakfast for people early in the morning. Parking and Admission is free. Don’t miss out on experiencing this small town festival.

Bedford Fall Foliage – Bedford : Oct 8^th/9^th & 15^th/16^th

            This is one of the best places to experience a fall day and really get into the autumn spirit and is always the 2^nd and 3^rd weekends in October. Over 400 vendors line the streets of Bedford with live entertainment, music, chainsaw carvings, Children entertainment, pumpkin patch, and apple pressing. Expect all your favorite fall food like apple cider, apple butter, candy apples, roasted nuts, kettle corn, and many more options.

PumpkinFest – Hollidaysburg : Oct 15^th

            Pumpkin Fest in Hollidaysburg has been slowly getting more and more attention. This year will be the 11^th annual Pumpkinfest celebrated in historic downtown Hollidaysburg. Craft and food venders along with 2 stages with live entertainment make this a small but refreshing fall festival. Many of the local small business in the downtown area are open and offer many fine and unique things that are great to kick-start your holiday shopping.

           

“Fall” into Family – Raystown Lake : Oct 15^th

            This year will mark the 4^th annual “Fall” into Family event at Raystown Lake. This is another smaller festival that is a palate cleanser from the huge crowds other festivals bring and allows for the visitors to really experience the autumn atmosphere. Spend the day watching pumpkin chucking, on a hayride, visiting the tractor show, or the multiple kid friendly games. The event is centered around the family and is a great way to spend a fall day.

PumpkinFest – Old Bedford Village : Oct 15th

            The Pumpkinfest at the Old Bedford Village could not happen at a better time. The leaves are changing and usually almost at there peak color. The air usually has a slight chill and adds to the whole experience.  The colonial village is decorated for the autumn season and really makes for a quaint down to earth experience. There are pie eating contests, pumpkin and gourd chucking and lots for adults and children to experience. The village has many people dressed in colonial wears with different workshops like candle and scarecrow making. Live music and entertainment goes on all weekend and is a great experience. There is a small admission fee for anyone over the age of 14 and free parking.

Shavers Creek Fall Harvest Fest – Petersburg

            This is a great family festival to attend but unfortunately is not going on this year but will return in 2017.

Ravenwood Manor – Beccaria : Sept 29^th- October 30^th.

            For anyone looking for a close to home Haunted Attraction, Ravenwood Manor has been putting on a great show for years. The historic mansion in Beccaria is a great backdrop for a haunted house and hundreds of people attend to get a scare each year. Ticket prices are reasonable with free parking, and food on site. Tickets go on sale around 6:45pm every Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from the last week of September until the end of October. I recommend getting there as early as possible to beat the long lines.

Lincoln Caverns Ghost & Goblin Tours – Huntingdon : Every Friday & Saturday in October

            What better way to get a good scare for Halloween than in a dark cave? Lincoln cavern’s hosts a haunted attraction including a cave tour, Haunted hayride, and woods trail. Each year is a different theme and experience. Save money and perchance tickets online or you can get them at the door. Adults many get a little scare from this attraction but on scare factor I found it more geared towards kids and teens.

       

JB Tree Farm’s Fall Frenzy – Alexandria : Starts Mid Sept through October

            Looking for a great family outing during the fall season? The JB Tree farm will not disappoint. This is a great place to spend an afternoon as a couple or with children. The JB Tree farm kicks off it’s Fall Frenzy Days on September 16^th which include a Corn Maze, Hayrides, Kid play area, Pumpkin Patch and gift shop. This year there is a new Pumpkin Slingshot. There are Nighttime Corn maze hours until 10pm for anyone who wants more of a challenge.

Weakland Farms – Munster : Sept 10th - Oct. 29th Thursday through Sunday

            Weakland Farms is another great place to spend an autumn day. Located in Munster, this farm has a Corn Maze, Barnyard petting zoo, hayride, Pumpkin Patch, Fall decorations for sale, Food stand and Indoor kid play area. The fall activities run from September 10^th through October 29^th Thursday-Sunday.

           

St. Severin Old Log Church

     

St. Severin Old Log Church

     

     Along Route 53 in Clearfield County, there is a small log church that sits back behind a cemetery. St. Severin Church was originally built in 1851 and accommodated 20-30 parishioners. The church is made of logs on a stone foundation with a gable roof and steeple. The Bishop of Pittsburgh, Michael O’Conner, originally dedicated the church in September of 1851. The church remained in use until 1880 when the church grew to small for the growing town of Cooper’s Settlement and a new church was built in what are now the woods around the Old Log Church. That church was later torn down and a stone church was built that is still in use today. The St. Severin Old Log Church was registered under the National Register of Historical Places in 1975.

      St. Severin Old Log Church was a quick stop on another adventure a friend and mine were on that day. It was very peaceful sitting at the back of the cemetery with the woods surrounding it. The inside of the church is well maintained with a plaque that gives some light to the history of the building. Pews line the main floor and the second floor has a few pews as well. Originally the building had a potbelly stove to warm it but is long since gone. Please be respectful of this site if you wish to visit.

The Standoff in Woodard

     Just northeast of State college along Route 45 is the small town of Woodward. With a population of just over 100, not much happens and you probably wouldn’t even know you drove through it. However, in the spring of 1896, the sleepy town was in an uproar over a menacing outlaw that was terrorizing the area.

     William Ettlinger was a known terror in Center County and was always getting into trouble and fights. Reportedly  Ettlinger had beat his father-in-law to a pulp with a whip handle and had a warrant out for his arrest. Ettlinger fled the small town and hid out in the mountains for about 6 months and evaded the local law enforcement, but continued to terrorize the small town. Ettlinger even promised to poison the towns water supply with pesticides. Many of the townspeople were looking for someone to stand up against this outlaw and one man finally did.

     John Barner was a newly appointed constable for the area and made a promise when he got the position that he would bring Ettlinger to justice. Trying to make good on his promise, Barner went to serve Ettlinger his warrant with two deputies but was met at the door by two blasts from a shotgun. Ettlinger then stepped out and slit his throat for good measure and began to fire at the deputies who ran for help. Sheriff Condo was called in from Bellefonte with a few armed men to stop Ettlinger. A standoff developed with volleys of gunfire and Ettlinger throwing an occasional stick of dynamite. The Sherif and his men lit Ettlinger’s house on fire in an attempt to smoke him out. Eventually Ettlinger came out of his home firing and then took his own life.

     After Ettlinger was dead, John Barner was laid to rest in Woodward Cemetery and William Ettlinger was thrown in a shallow grave in a near orchard. Years later, descendants of Ettlinger moved his remains to Woodward Cemetery only a couple years away from Barner. To this day people have reported hearing and smelling gunfire in the cemetery and strange shadows. On my visit to the cemetery, I found it quite peaceful and had no difficulty finding the grave sites of the two men. Please be respectful if you plan to visit this location.

Trough Creek State Park

Balance Rock

Trough Creek State Park is one of Pennsylvania’s smaller state parks but that doesn’t stop it from having some of the best views and natural attractions. This rustic state park is situated in the middle of Huntingdon County and just a short distance east from Raystown Lake. The over 500 acre park offers camping, fishing, hiking, picnic areas and even and old stone mansion you can rent.

Through Creek was founded like so many other state parks in Pennsylvania. Early pioneers trying to get ahead in the late 1700’s built small iron furnaces and cleared land to conquer the new frontier. In the 1930’s Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC camps) were made to employ young men and revitalize the land that was stripped from its resources. Later many of the CCC camps were made into the state parks we have today.

Paradise Furnace

     The area of trough creek attracted the attention of the iron master Rueben Trexler in the early 1800’s. The area was rich with iron, trees, and water to power mills; everything needed for a profitable iron smelting business. Trexler built his first furnace in 1818 and later built the Trough Creek Furnace that increased production. In 1832, John Savage leased the furnace and renamed it the Mary Ann Furnace and built a forge. The furnace production died down for a few years until the American Civil War. At that time iron was in high demand again and the furnace flourished again.. The son of Rueben Trexler, Horatio, took over his father’s furnace and renamed it Paradise Furnace after the war. By the early 1900’s the Iron production had taken its toll on the surrounding land. The forest had been depleted to make charcoal and floods and forest fires were prevalent and the area was vacant.

Side view Paradise Furnace

     In the 1930’s many young American men were unemployed due to the Great Depression. One attempt to correct this problem was the building of Civilian Conservation Corps(CCC). This allowed young men to learn new skills, earn some money, and fix the ecosystems that were destroyed by tree and mineral stripping. The CCC camp S-57 of Trough Creek was also known as Camp Paradise Furnace and built Trough Creek State Park. The state park officially opened in 1936.

So what makes Trough Creek unique compared to other State Parks? Well this park has plenty to offer in its rich history in the iron industry; as well as, many natural landmarks. Paradise Furnace still exists and can be visited today.

Paradise Cemetery

     The Furnace still stands about 20 feet tall but part of its wall has fallen in. Across from the furnace the original Iron Master’s home sits atop a hill overlooking Paradise Furnace. The Iron Master's mansion, Trough Creek Lodge, was renovated and available for year round renting. A short walk along Cemetery Trail will lead you to Paradise Cemetery. Along this trail remains of the mill can be found if you look hard enough. Paradise Cemetery is an old pioneers cemetery with mainly fieldstones marking the graves of the interments. Rumor has it that an Indian was buried in one of the corners of the cemetery. Tales tell of the Indian's ghost haunting the cemetery at night.

Looking down into the mine

     Another part of man’s mark on trough creek can be visited at the Ice Mine. The mine was believed to be dug by early pioneers prospecting for iron ore. No iron was found but unintentionally a fascinating geologic area was made. The Ice Mine is believed to work when cold winter air seeps into the mountain above the mine in the winter. During that time the air is collected and through the summer the cold air escapes down the mountain and into the mine. This allows freezing temperatures in the mine during the summer and through condensation ice to form on the roof of the mine even through the hottest summer days. This is a great spot to stop after a long hike to cool off.

Rainbow Falls

     A short distance from the Ice Mine, one of the most visited places in Trough Creek is Balance Rock and Rainbow Falls. Along Trough Creek Drive, before the Ice Mine, there is a small pull off to the right to park. Directly across from the parking area if you look upwards you will see Balance Rock hanging over the Great Tough Creek. Following Balanced Rock trail down into the gorge, you first have to cross the creek over a suspension bridge. Continuing up the trail Rainbow Falls is seen to the left of the trail. The best time to see this waterfall is in the spring or fall when the water level is at its max. During the summer months the stream feeding into Rainbow Falls tends to dry up. After passing Rainbow Falls a short hike up the hillside leads you to Balance Rock. After thousands of years of erosion, Balance Rock was cut from the different rock around it and appears to dangle over the gorge below.

Balance Rock

     Another geographical wonder is Copperas Rock. This out outcrop of rock was also made by years of erosion and many different rock layers can be seen. Trough Creek Drive will take you past Copperas Rock on your way to Balance Rock and the Ice mine. Some Folklore pertains to Copperas Rock. Some believe Edgar Allen Poe visited this area and after seeing the many ravens that live in the rock formation he was inspired to write one of his most known works. No real factual evidence lends creditably to this claim but it is still fun to think about.

Trough Creek Sate Park is a great place to plan a day visit or camp for a long weekend. The many sights, hiking trails, and fishing is enough to make any outdoors person happy. The easiest way to reach Trough Creek is by taking route 994, Old Plank Road, and watching for the signs direct you to Trough Creek. 

Inside the Ice Mine

Along Balance Rock trail

The Suspension Bridge

The Riddlesburg Coke Ovens

     The Riddlesburg coke ovens were once part of a larger operation owned by the Colonial Iron and Coal Company and included a large blast furnace. A total of 48 ovens were located on the property. Behind the ovens a huge slag pile was made and still stands behind the ovens today. The company in Riddlesburg would change hands a few times while in operation from the early 1900s until the blast furnace was dismantled in the 1940’s. The coke ovens were saved by a local group of preservationists and the local township. Along with the ovens various tools were also saved and on display. To get to the Riddlesburg coke ovens, follow Route 26 and turn onto Six Mile Run Road. The ovens are then a few hundred feet on the right-hand side.

The Bleeding Tombstone of Union Cemetery

     A small cemetery in Centre county Pennsylvania has been getting a lot of attention in the paranormal community for many years. There is a bizarre story that one of the tombstones in the cemetery bleeds. I have heard stories and read various articles about this gravestone and just had to visit it my self.

     The Union Cemetery just west of Milheim along Route 45 is home to the reports of a bleeding tombstone. The interment in question is William Musser. Besides being the larges stone in the cemetery, his gravestone is said to bleed from time to time. Since his death, people have reported a reddish brown stain appearing around the lettering of his tombstone. The family of Musser have tried washing the stain away, replacing the stone, and evening placing a plaque over the lettering but the bloodstain seems to reappear.

     No one is certain why something like this would happen to William Musser. Many thought he was a serial killer but that was only local speculation. William Musser was just a small town businessman and no one can figure out why this supernatural occurrence would happen to his tombstone. The tombstone now has not bled in years but older residents of the area can still remember the stains from their younger years.

Please be respectful if you choose to visit this location and parking is limited.

The Bleeding Tombstone