Concetta and I have come to the conclusion that Route 6, which crosses Pennsylvania just below its border with New York State, has some of the most beautiful scenery that we've ever seen. Around nearly every curve you see vast forests laid out before you to the horizon. Fittingly for two people who like to take it slow, we have meandered along Route 6 as it wanders through the hollows and up over the mountain ridges, never keeping to one elevation, never seeking to get you anywhere very fast.
And every few miles you must slow and cruise the length of some tiny town that has somehow managed to retain much of its 19th century commercial district, as well as long rows of lovely Victorian houses. No, it's not the Interstate. We avoid those "blue roads" like the proverbial plague. We are always looking for the America of a century ago and we often find it.
Last night it rained some more and the rain hadn't finished by the time we pulled out of camp this morning. In fact, we thought the stormy skies would probably follow us all day long. So when we saw a sign for the "Pennsylvania Lumber Museum," we wheeled into the empty parking lot and boldly took a spot right next to the building. We had never heard of the museum, but the sign out front proclaimed that they opened at 9:00 a.m. and, since it was 9:15, we decided it might make a very nice indoor, rainy-day diversion.
According to the Museum's web site, "The Pennsylvania Lumber Museum educates the public about the Commonwealth’s rich lumber history and the ongoing care, management, and recreational use of its forests. Visitors are encouraged to explore the museum’s working historic saw mill, recreated lumber camp, exhibits, public programs and collections to discover the relevance of history in their lives. The Pennsylvania Lumber Museum is administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and is actively supported by the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum Associates which is a non-profit community-based organization."
"The Museum is open to the public year-round, Wednesday through Sunday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The museum is closed all Federal holidays except Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day. Located in scenic Potter County along U.S. Route 6 at mile marker 188 between Galeton and Coudersport, the Museum is nestled in the densely forested Allegheny high plateau."
"The museum visitor center and exhibits are all new after a three-year-long renovation and expansion project that concluded in May, 2015. The expansion added 7,000 square feet, nearly doubling the size of the building. The new core exhibit, “Challenges and Choices in Pennsylvania’s Forests,” explores the growth of Pennsylvania’s lumber industry, the devastation and revival of the state’s forests, and current public and private efforts to maintain a 'working forest.'"
"A rustic log cabin built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1936 showcases the talents and craftsmanship of these dedicated citizens. Other exhibits include a steam-powered sawmill and log pond, a 1945 Brookville tannery switch engine, and a Sustainable Forestry Trail that loops through forty acres of forest surrounding Commissioner’s Run."
"The museum’s Bark Peelers’ Festival, held annually over the July 4th holiday weekend, treats thousands of visitors to lively special events, contests, and demonstrations; all celebrating 'woodhick' skills. Unique food and craft vendors provide guests with ample shopping and culinary opportunities. There is live music throughout the weekend, crafts and games at the Kids Korner, an operating steam-powered circular sawmill and birch still, blacksmithing, chainsaw carving, and door prizes. Visitors are encouraged to compete in the greased pole, log rolling, cross-cut saw, and birling competitions to earn the title “Grand Champion Woodhick” and the associated cash prize."
Okay, so probably more information than you need, but take it from me, the museum is REALLY worth a visit. As we've discovered on our sojourn across American, the "new" generation of museums are coming into the 21st century as far as letting patrons become more personally involved with the museum exhibits. Many of the museums we've visited have begun to include "touch this" exhibits along with the more delicate displays behind glass walls. This allows visitors, who may never have even seen some type of early implement, the opportunity to touch and even use the implement. There is no better way, in our opinion, to foster an interest in history than to let the visitor touch that history.
So it was with the Lumber Museum today. Nearly every exhibit had something the visitor could interact with. I wasn't so good with the axe-swinging exhibit, but Concetta showed a great deal of mastery with her repeated slices into the tree. Of course, if you really wanted to interact with the "down-and-dirty" parts of the exhibit, you had to venture outside to where the mock-ups of a lumber camp operation were set up. Here you could touch everything from a sled used to haul logs in winter, to a Shay locomotive and vintage log-hauling rail car. Though there was no one around to let you touch things, we especially liked the blacksmith operation. Unfortunately, the saw mill was not open to visitors today, but we would really have loved seeing that.
Amazingly enough, when we got around to leaving the building for our foray around the grounds, it had stopped raining and the sun had reappeared. It was dazzling after hours of rain! After touring the logging camp, we spent the last part of our visit with the Civilian Conservation Corp cabin that had been erected in 1937. Concetta got her photo taken with the rugged CCC guy, whom she insisted on calling Paul Bunyan.
"I thought I'd look up the facts on the CCC in case you'd be interested. Here's what CCClegacy.org has to say: "The 1932 Presidential election was more a desperate cry for help than it was an election. Accepting the Presidential nomination on July 1, 1932, New York Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt planned to fight against soil erosion and declining timber resources by utilizing unemployed young men from large urban areas."
"In what would later be called “The Hundred Days,” President Roosevelt revitalized the faith of the nation by setting in motion a “New Deal” for America. One of these New Deal programs was the Emergency Conservation Work (EWC) Act, more commonly known as the Civilian Conservation Corps. With this action, he brought together two wasted resources: young men and land."
"The President wasted no time. He called the 73rd Congress into Emergency Session on March 9, 1933, to hear and authorize the program. He proposed to recruit thousands of unemployed young men, enroll them in a peacetime army, and send them into battle against destruction and erosion of our natural resources. Before the CCC ended, over three million young men engaged in a massive salvage operation described as the most popular experiment of the New Deal."
"President Roosevelt promised if granted emergency powers he would have 250,000 men in camps by the end of July, 1933. The speed with which the plan moved through proposal, authorization, implementation and operation was a miracle of cooperation among all branches and agencies of the federal government. It was a mobilization of men, material and transportation on a scale never before known in time of peace. From FDR’s inauguration on March 4, 1933, to the induction of the first enrollee on April 7, only 37 days had elapsed."
"Senate Bill S. 598 was introduced on March 27, passed both houses of Congress and was on the President’s desk to be signed on March 31, 1933"
There was a part of the museum experience today that I really, really liked: the photos of the timber or log rafting workers. As you may remember reading in this blog, my great, great grandfather was a timber raft man on or near the Ohio River back in the 1830s. Try as I might, I have discovered very little information on this early vocation in frontier America. Though not a lot of information was displayed about the life of rafters, I enjoyed the photographs and the dioramas immensely.
The balance of the day we just drove as we're now trying to adhere to a schedule so that Concetta's relatives in Ohio will know when to expect us. So our stops are less frequent, and our mileage is more extensive then we would normally like. But once we leave Ohio, we will resume our more leisurely mode of travel. So stick with us and we'll try and keep it interesting. And as you hit the highways and byways of America this summer, we wish you Happy Travels!
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