Black Moshannon State Park
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| Black Moshannon State Park, Pennsylvania, USA | |
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| IUCN Category III (Natural Monument) | |
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| Location: | Centre County, Pennsylvania, USA |
| Nearest city: | Phillipsburg, Pennsylvania |
| Coordinates: | |
| Area: | 3,394 acres (13.74 km²) |
| Established: | 1937 |
| Governing body: | Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |
Black Moshannon State Park is a Pennsylvania State Park on 3,394 acres (13.74 km²) in Rush Township in Centre County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park surrounds Black Moshannon Lake, formed by a dam on Black Moshannon Creek. Black Moshannon State Park is 9 miles (14.5 km) east of Philipsburg on Pennsylvania Route 504 and is largely surrounded by Moshannon State Forest. One of the unique features of the park is the bog, which is a habitat for diverse wildlife not common in other areas of the state.
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[edit] History
[edit] Seneca nation
The name Moshannon is believed to be derived from a Lenape name for Moshannon and Black Moshannon Creeks: Moss-hanne, which means "moose stream". The name Black Moshannon comes from the dark color of the water that results from plant tannins from the local vegetation. The Seneca were some of the first inhabitants in the area of Black Moshannon Lake. At this time Black Moshannon Lake was a series of beaver ponds. The Native Americans hunted, fished, and traded in the area.
[edit] Early Pioneers
The Philadelphia-Erie Pike (present day Pennsylvania Route 504) opened the area to settlers by 1821. The first settlers in the area opened a tavern along the Pike, trapped fur bearing animals, and cleared some of the land for farming.
[edit] The Lumber Era
By the mid 19th century the demand for lumber reached the Black Moshannon area, where White pine and hemlock covered the surrounding mountainsides. Lumbermen came and harvested the trees and sent them down the creeks to the West Branch Susquehanna River to the log boom and sawmills at Williamsport.
The Beaver Mill Lumber Company became one of the largest single lumber operations in all of Pennsylvania. Beaver Mills and Antes, two lumber boom towns, dramatically changed the landscape in the Black Moshannon Area. The beaver ponds were wiped out by a mill pond, built to serve the needs of Beaver Mills and Antes. Both communities featured a large general store, blacksmith shops, a livery, taverns, schools and even a ten-pin bowling alley. The school is still standing today. The area helped to meet the nation's need for timber in mining operations, construction and railroads.
This boom era was not to last, and soon all the trees were gone. Once the trees disappeared, the people were soon to follow. The lumbermen left behind a barren landscape that was devastated by erosion and wildfires. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania bought the thousands of acres of deforested and burned land. The state began the massive project of reforesting the land. By the 1930s, the land that became Black Moshannon State Park was already a place for picnics and camping (on the aptly named "Tent Hill"), and people swam and fished in the old mill pond.
[edit] Civilian Conservation Corps
Black Moshannon State Park was constructed in the 1930's during the Great Depression by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The CCC, founded by American President Franklin Roosevelt, created many jobs for the out of work industrial workers of Altoona, Bellefonte and Tyrone. Black Moshannon State Park is just one of many examples of the work of the Civilian Conservation Corps throughout central Pennsylavania.
Beaver Meadow CCC Camp was built in May of 1933 near the abandoned village of Beaver Mills. Over 200 young men moved in and began the work of conserving soil, water and timber in the Black Moshannon area. They cut roads through the growing forest to aid in fighting the many wildfires that sprang up in the newly regrowing forest. The CCC also planted many acres of red pines as part of the reforestation effort. The CCC also built many of the park facilities still in use today. They built log cabins, picnic pavillions, a food concession stand, and miles of trails. The CCC also constructed the current dam at Black Moshannon Lake.
[edit] Wildlife
There is tremendous natural diversity at Black Moshannon State Park. Visitors to the forest will see a wide variety of woodland creatures. White tail deer, turkey, ruffed grouse, opussum, raccoon, hawks, red, gray, and flying squirrels, chipmunks, porcupine, and woodpeckers are all fairly commonly seen in the park. Black bears also make their home at Black Moshannon.
Black Moshannon Lake is home to beavers, as well as Canada geese, mallards, wood ducks, great blue heron, swans, snow geese, and many other types of waterfowl. The bogs, marshes, and swamps are home to carnivorous plants like the pitcher plant and sundew. The wetlands also contain frogs, salamanders, many different birds, and the occasional black bear.
[edit] Bogs
Bogs are freshwater wetlands that act like a big sponge, thanks to their large amounts of sphagnum moss. Dead sphagnum moss decomposes very slowly, which causes layers of the moss to build up at the bottom of the bog, creating peat under the sphagnum moss.
Most bogs exist in glaciated areas, but Black Moshannon State Park is on the Allegheny Plateau. This area was not covered by glaciers during the last ice age. The bogs formed here because of the beds of sandstone that lie flat and very close to the surface of the earth. Sandstone does not absorb water very well. Any depression in the sandstone will collect water, as has happened at Black Moshannon State Park.
The water in the bog is low in nutrients and high in acid. This makes it difficult for most plants to live in a bog. Only specialized plants can thrive. There are three species of carnivorous plants and seventeen varietys of orchid living in the bogs of the park. Wild cranberries and blueberries live in the bog along with sedges, leatherleaf shrubs, arctic cotton grass and viburnums. The bogs are all protected, by Pennsylvania, as part of the Black Moshannon Bog Natural Area.
[edit] Recreation
[edit] Cabins
There are thirteen cabins, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, available for use at Black Moshannon State Park. These rustic cabins have minimal furnishings, elecrtic lights, a kitchen stove and a wood burning stove, refrigerator, and bunk beds. Six modern cabins are also available for park visitors. The modern cabins have electric heat, bedroom, a living room, kitchen and bath. All cabin renters need to bring their own dinnerware, pot and pans, towels, dishes and bed linens.
[edit] Camping
There are eighty campsites at Black Moshannon State Park. Each campsite has access to washhouses with flush toilets, showers and laundry tubs. The campsites also have fire rings and picnic tables.
[edit] Picnics
There are eight picnic pavilions, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the park. In addition to the pavilions, Black Moshannon State Park has 250 picnic tables in four large picnic areas. The use of the picnic table is first come, first served and they are free of charge.
[edit] Boating
Boating is a popular use of the waters of Black Moshannon Lake. Canoes, sail boats and motor boats are all permitted on Black Moshannon Lake, provided they are properly registered with the state.
[edit] Fishing
Black Moshannon Lake's warm waters hold many different species of fish, including largemouth bass, yellow perch, crappie, muskellunge, catfish, northern pike, and bluegill. Cold water fishing is available in Black Moshannon Creek, where anglers will find rainbow trout and brown trout that have been stocked there for sport fishing by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.
[edit] Hunting
Hunting is permitted in Black Moshannon State Park. The most common game species are ruffed grouse, squirrels, turkey and white-tailed deer. The hunting of groundhogs is prohibited. Hunters are expected to follow the rules and regulations of the Pennsylvania State Game Commission.
[edit] Nearby state parks
The following state parks are within 30 miles (48 km) of Black Moshannon State Park:
- Bald Eagle State Park (Centre County)
- Bucktail State Park (Cameron and Clinton Counties)
- Canoe Creek State Park (Blair County)
- Greenwood Furnace State Park (Huntingdon County)
- Parker Dam State Park (Clearfield County)
- Penn-Roosevelt State Park (Centre County)
- Prince Gallitzin State Park (Cambria County)
- S. B. Elliott State Park (Clearfield County)
- Whipple Dam State Park (Huntingdon County)
[edit] References
- Pennsylvania State Parks: The CCC Years. Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved on 2006-11-28.
- Black Moshannon State Park. Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved on 2006-10-28.
- History. Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved on 2006-10-28.
- Bogs. Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved on 2006-10-28.
- Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Bureau of Planning and Research, Geographic Information Division. "2006 General Highway Map of Centre County". Retrieved on 2006-10-30.Note: shows Black Moshannon State Park
- United States Geological Survey. Black Moshannon State Park, USGS Black Moshannon (PA). TopoZone. Retrieved on 2006-10-30.
