Susquehannock State Park
Encyclopedia
Susquehannock State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on 224 acres (90.6 ha) in Drumore Township
, Lancaster County
, Pennsylvania
in the United States. The park is on a scenic plateau overlooking the Susquehanna River
and Conowingo Reservoir
. The park is named for the Susquehannock
people, who lived in the area. Susquehannock State Park is located on small roads a few miles south of Pennsylvania Route 372
or west of Pennsylvania Route 272
. The nearest city
is Lancaster
, about 15 miles (24.1 km) north.
s, hiking
, horseback riding, and has organized group tent
ing facilities for overnight use by qualified groups.
. Native holly, rhododendron
and a wide variety of wildflowers can be seen at the park. Woodland creatures like the White-tailed deer
, songbirds and some lizards can be seen. Osprey
, vulture
s, hawk
s and Bald Eagle
s can be seen soaring over the river and park from the scenic overlooks. All trails, except Rhododendron Trail, are open to horseback riding.
and the Conowingo Reservoir on the Susquehanna River. Hawk Point overlooks the reservoir, a hydroelectric impoundment created by Conowingo Dam
in northern Maryland
. The waters of the reservoir provide hydroelectric power and cooling water for the Peach Bottom nuclear reactor
. The reservoir is also a recreational center for boating
and fishing
. The waters also provide a habitat for a wide variety of fish
. These fish are preyed upon by bald eagles and osprey. Hawks, turkey vulture
s and black vulture
s can also be seen soaring over the park from Hawk Point. Down the hill from Hawk Point overlook is Wissler's Run overlook. This vista gives a view of the original rocky nature of the Susquehanna's riverbed.
s, an Iroquoian speaking tribe, had their first encounter with Europeans in 1608 when Captain John Smith was exploring the Chesapeake Bay
for the English Crown. What the Susquehannock called themselves is unknown, the modern name comes from the name, Sasquesahanough or "roily water people", bestowed upon them by Cpt. Smith and his Algonquian
interpreter. They made their home by the river and had only one small village (Conestoga), but they were a strong tribe, that controlled trade routes along the river and the upper reaches of the bay. The Susquehannock lived along the river until 1675 when they suffered a major defeat at the hands of the Iroquois
. Following this loss they began a period of migration and eventual decline. Five chiefs were murdered in Maryland when they went to a meeting to negotiate a treaty. They migrated to New York
in 1677 and intermingled with the Iroquois. They returned to Conestoga in 1697 but left again in the early 18th century when the migrated, again, to Ohio
. Some remained behind and became known as Conestogas. They were able to live in Pennsylvania until 1763 when a group of six were slaughtered by the anti-Indian Paxton Boys
. The remaining Indians sought protection for the colonial governor and were taken to a workhouse
in Lancaster. The Paxton Boys gained entry to the workhouse and murdered fourteen more Indians. Only two Susquehannocks remained in Pennsylvania. They worked the rest of their lives as servants on a farm where they died and were buried bringing about the end of the Susquehannock people in Pennsylvania.
Drumore Township, Pennsylvania
Drumore Township is a township in southwestern Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 2,243.It is named after Dromore , County Down, Northern Ireland.-Geography:According to the U.S...
, Lancaster County
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Lancaster County, known as the Garden Spot of America or Pennsylvania Dutch Country, is a county located in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010 the population was 519,445. Lancaster County forms the Lancaster Metropolitan Statistical Area, the...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
in the United States. The park is on a scenic plateau overlooking the Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
and Conowingo Reservoir
Conowingo Dam
The Conowingo Dam is a large hydroelectric dam in the Lower Susquehanna River. The dam, one of the largest non-federal hydroelectric dams in the US, is classified as a medium height, masonry gravity type dam...
. The park is named for the Susquehannock
Susquehannock
The Susquehannock people were Iroquoian-speaking Native Americans who lived in areas adjacent to the Susquehanna River and its tributaries from the southern part of what is now New York, through Pennsylvania, to the mouth of the Susquehanna in Maryland at the north end of the Chesapeake Bay...
people, who lived in the area. Susquehannock State Park is located on small roads a few miles south of Pennsylvania Route 372
Pennsylvania Route 372
Pennsylvania Route 372 is an east–west highway in York, Lancaster, and Chester counties. Its western terminus is at Pennsylvania Route 74 in Lower Chanceford Township north of Delta and west of Holtwood, and its eastern terminus is at Pennsylvania Route 82 in Coatesville.-York and Lancaster...
or west of Pennsylvania Route 272
Pennsylvania Route 272
Pennsylvania Route 272 is a long highway in eastern Pennsylvania, in the Lancaster area. The southern terminus of the route is at the Mason-Dixon Line southeast of Nottingham, where it continues into Maryland as Maryland Route 272. The northern terminus is at U.S...
. The nearest city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
is Lancaster
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster is a city in the south-central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Lancaster County and one of the older inland cities in the United States, . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities...
, about 15 miles (24.1 km) north.
Recreation
In addition to its many fine views of the river and Wissler Run, the park is used for picnicPicnic
In contemporary usage, a picnic can be defined simply as a pleasure excursion at which a meal is eaten outdoors , ideally taking place in a beautiful landscape such as a park, beside a lake or with an interesting view and possibly at a public event such as before an open air theatre performance,...
s, hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
, horseback riding, and has organized group tent
Tent
A tent is a shelter consisting of sheets of fabric or other material draped over or attached to a frame of poles or attached to a supporting rope. While smaller tents may be free-standing or attached to the ground, large tents are usually anchored using guy ropes tied to stakes or tent pegs...
ing facilities for overnight use by qualified groups.
Hiking Trails
There are 5 miles (8 km) of hiking trails at Susquehannock State Park. The trails wind through a variety of habitatsHabitat (ecology)
A habitat is an ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular species of animal, plant or other type of organism...
. Native holly, rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
and a wide variety of wildflowers can be seen at the park. Woodland creatures like the White-tailed deer
White-tailed Deer
The white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States , Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru...
, songbirds and some lizards can be seen. Osprey
Osprey
The Osprey , sometimes known as the sea hawk or fish eagle, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey. It is a large raptor, reaching more than in length and across the wings...
, vulture
Vulture
Vulture is the name given to two groups of convergently evolved scavenging birds, the New World Vultures including the well-known Californian and Andean Condors, and the Old World Vultures including the birds which are seen scavenging on carcasses of dead animals on African plains...
s, hawk
Hawk
The term hawk can be used in several ways:* In strict usage in Australia and Africa, to mean any of the species in the subfamily Accipitrinae, which comprises the genera Accipiter, Micronisus, Melierax, Urotriorchis and Megatriorchis. The large and widespread Accipiter genus includes goshawks,...
s and Bald Eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
s can be seen soaring over the river and park from the scenic overlooks. All trails, except Rhododendron Trail, are open to horseback riding.
- Overlook Trail is 0.55 miles (885.1 m) and leads to the two scenic overlooks at Hawk Point and Wissler's Run.
- Rhododendron Trail is 1.2 miles (1.9 km) and is the steepest and longest trail in the park. The trail passes rhododendrons and the remains of the homestead of Thomas Neel, an American Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary WarThe American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
veteranVeteranA veteran is a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field; " A veteran of ..."...
.
- Pine Tree Trail is a short and steep access trail to Wissler's Run.
- Five Point Trail is 0.7 miles (1.1 km) and features views of creek valleys and many rhododendrons.
- Holly Trail is 0.5 miles (804.7 m) and passes by native holly bushes and Christmas ferns.
- Fire Trail is a short loggingLoggingLogging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
road through a stand of poplarPoplarPopulus is a genus of 25–35 species of deciduous flowering plants in the family Salicaceae, native to most of the Northern Hemisphere. English names variously applied to different species include poplar , aspen, and cottonwood....
trees.
- Spring Trail is 0.4 miles (643.7 m) and features pawpaw trees.
- Nature Trail passes through a mature hardwood forest for 0.3 miles (482.8 m).
- Phites Eddy Trail is a short trail that runs along the river in the vicinity of a former inn.
- Landis Trail is 0.6 miles (965.6 m) and is named for Lester Landis the original owner of the historical Landis House which is across from the park office. A stand of Virginia bluebellVirginia BluebellThe Virginia Bluebell is a spring ephemeral plant with bell-shaped sky-blue flowers opening from pink buds, native to moist woodland in eastern North America.Leaves are rounded and gray-green, borne on a stem up to 60 cm high...
s bloom along this trail in late April and early May.
- Pipeline Trail is 0.24 miles (386.2 m) and follows the right of way of an abandoned pipelinePipeline transportPipeline transport is the transportation of goods through a pipe. Most commonly, liquids and gases are sent, but pneumatic tubes that transport solid capsules using compressed air are also used....
.
Scenic Overlooks
Susquehannock State Park features two scenic overlooks. They offer a view of the Susquehanna RiverSusquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
and the Conowingo Reservoir on the Susquehanna River. Hawk Point overlooks the reservoir, a hydroelectric impoundment created by Conowingo Dam
Conowingo Dam
The Conowingo Dam is a large hydroelectric dam in the Lower Susquehanna River. The dam, one of the largest non-federal hydroelectric dams in the US, is classified as a medium height, masonry gravity type dam...
in northern Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. The waters of the reservoir provide hydroelectric power and cooling water for the Peach Bottom nuclear reactor
Nuclear reactor
A nuclear reactor is a device to initiate and control a sustained nuclear chain reaction. Most commonly they are used for generating electricity and for the propulsion of ships. Usually heat from nuclear fission is passed to a working fluid , which runs through turbines that power either ship's...
. The reservoir is also a recreational center for boating
Boating
Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels , focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, such as fishing or water skiing...
and fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
. The waters also provide a habitat for a wide variety of fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
. These fish are preyed upon by bald eagles and osprey. Hawks, turkey vulture
Turkey Vulture
The Turkey Vulture is a bird found throughout most of the Americas. It is also known in some North American regions as the Turkey Buzzard , and in some areas of the Caribbean as the John Crow or Carrion Crow...
s and black vulture
Black vulture
Black vulture may refer to:* American Black Vulture* Eurasian Black Vulture...
s can also be seen soaring over the park from Hawk Point. Down the hill from Hawk Point overlook is Wissler's Run overlook. This vista gives a view of the original rocky nature of the Susquehanna's riverbed.
Susquehannock Indians
The SusquehannockSusquehannock
The Susquehannock people were Iroquoian-speaking Native Americans who lived in areas adjacent to the Susquehanna River and its tributaries from the southern part of what is now New York, through Pennsylvania, to the mouth of the Susquehanna in Maryland at the north end of the Chesapeake Bay...
s, an Iroquoian speaking tribe, had their first encounter with Europeans in 1608 when Captain John Smith was exploring the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
for the English Crown. What the Susquehannock called themselves is unknown, the modern name comes from the name, Sasquesahanough or "roily water people", bestowed upon them by Cpt. Smith and his Algonquian
Algonquian peoples
The Algonquian are one of the most populous and widespread North American native language groups, with tribes originally numbering in the hundreds. Today hundreds of thousands of individuals identify with various Algonquian peoples...
interpreter. They made their home by the river and had only one small village (Conestoga), but they were a strong tribe, that controlled trade routes along the river and the upper reaches of the bay. The Susquehannock lived along the river until 1675 when they suffered a major defeat at the hands of the Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
. Following this loss they began a period of migration and eventual decline. Five chiefs were murdered in Maryland when they went to a meeting to negotiate a treaty. They migrated to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in 1677 and intermingled with the Iroquois. They returned to Conestoga in 1697 but left again in the early 18th century when the migrated, again, to Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. Some remained behind and became known as Conestogas. They were able to live in Pennsylvania until 1763 when a group of six were slaughtered by the anti-Indian Paxton Boys
Paxton Boys
The Paxton Boys were a vigilante group who murdered 20 Susquehannock in events collectively called the Conestoga Massacre. Scots-Irish frontiersmen from central Pennsylvania along the Susquehanna River formed a vigilante group to retaliate against local American Indians in the aftermath of the...
. The remaining Indians sought protection for the colonial governor and were taken to a workhouse
Workhouse
In England and Wales a workhouse, colloquially known as a spike, was a place where those unable to support themselves were offered accommodation and employment...
in Lancaster. The Paxton Boys gained entry to the workhouse and murdered fourteen more Indians. Only two Susquehannocks remained in Pennsylvania. They worked the rest of their lives as servants on a farm where they died and were buried bringing about the end of the Susquehannock people in Pennsylvania.
Nearby state parks
The following state parks are within 30 miles (48.3 km) of Susquehannock State Park:- Elk Neck State ParkElk Neck State ParkElk Neck State Park is a park in Cecil County, Maryland. It is eight miles south of the town of North East on MD 272, and is nearest to exit 100 on I-95. The North East River, Elk River, and Chesapeake Bay form the Elk Neck Peninsula, on the southern tip of which the park rests...
(MarylandMarylandMaryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
) - Gunpowder Falls State ParkGunpowder Falls State ParkGunpowder Falls State Park is an park in northwestern Baltimore County and eastern Harford County, Maryland. It is primarily made up of the stream valleys of the Big and Little Gunpowder Falls and the Gunpowder River, and boasts over 100 miles of trails. All areas of the park are convenient to the...
(Maryland) - Rocks State ParkRocks State ParkThe Rocks State Park, originally known as Deer Creek State Park, is a state park located in Deer Creek Valley near Pylesville in Harford County, Maryland. The park, located near the junction of Maryland Routes 24 and 165 is near the Mason-Dixon Line, and about a one-hour drive from Baltimore...
(Maryland) - Samuel S. Lewis State ParkSamuel S. Lewis State ParkSamuel S. Lewis State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Lower Windsor Township, York County, Pennsylvania in the United States. Mt. Pisgah is an high ridge that is the focus of recreation for the park. The ridge separates East Prospect Valley from Kreutz Creek Valley. An overlook on Mt. Pisgah...
(York CountyYork County, PennsylvaniaYork County is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 434,972. It is in the Susquehanna Valley, a large fertile agricultural region in South Central Pennsylvania....
) - Susquehanna State ParkSusquehanna State Park (Maryland)Susquehanna State Park is a state park on the lower Susquehanna River north of Havre de Grace, Maryland. The main park area is on the west bank of the river, but it also manages land on the river islands and east bank....
(Maryland) - White Clay Creek PreserveWhite Clay Creek PreserveWhite Clay Creek Preserve is a Pennsylvania state park along the valley of White Clay Creek in London Britain Township in Chester County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park was donated by the DuPont Company in 1984 for the purpose of "preserving the diverse and unique plant and animal...
(Chester CountyChester County, Pennsylvania-State parks:*French Creek State Park*Marsh Creek State Park*White Clay Creek Preserve-Demographics:As of the 2010 census, the county was 85.5% White, 6.1% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 3.9% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 1.8% were two or more races, and 2.4% were...
) - White Clay Creek State ParkWhite Clay Creek State ParkWhite Clay Creek State Park is a Delaware state park along White Clay Creek on in New Castle County, Delaware in the United States. The park, often known by its initials W.C.C.S.P., is near the Mason-Dixon Line. North of the park is Pennsylvania's White Clay Creek Preserve...
(DelawareDelawareDelaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
)