At the start of the twentieth century, Pennsylvania was almost bare of trees. More than a century of building and logging and charcoaling had stripped the hills and created an industrial boom. Yet, as early as the late 1800’s people were speaking up about the need to protect some of the historic and natural areas of PA.
Today, Pittsburghers can enjoy a variety of parks within our own city (Frick, Schenley, Highland, Riverview) and in the suburbs (North and South Parks). To the east is Boyce and Keystone; to the west is Raccoon Creek and Settlers Cabin. Even farther out we have amazing parks within an hour of driving – Ohiopyle, the Laurel Highlands, McConnell’s Mill and Moraine, and more.
This is a fabulous buffet of outdoor goodies whether you want a small park or a large forest, whether you want to climb or bike or paddle easy or paddle whitewater or fish or whatever.
What I didn’t know until recently is that it is no accident that there are so many state parks and forests located within easy distance of Pittsburgh and other cities in the state. Much of our current park land was built through the work of the CCC and the WPA in the 1930’s(thanks in large part to the leadership of Gov. Gifford Pinchot). PA actually had the second highest number of CCC camps in the country, just after California. What I didn’t realize was that the parks they built through were deliberately located near large cities for the purpose of providing recreation for city residents. How very thoughtful of them!
Then in 1955, Maurice Goddard was appointed director of the Department of Parks and Forests. He proposed building a state park within 25 miles of every PA resident. Can you image this? He actually managed to sell the state on this program and raise the money needed over his 24-year term. By the end of his tenure in 1979, 45 new parks had been created and 130,000 acres of land.
Imagine yourself standing in these places a hundred years ago and seeing only fields and buildings and mud. Could you have believed what you see there today? Could you have imagined it would come back? (By the way, if you want to get an idea of what the forests would have looked like prior to logging, there are a few stands of virgin or almost virgin forest left. One example is Tionesta Scenic and Research Areas in NW PA which is a hemlock-beech forest.)
In honor of the upcoming Labor Day holiday and the labor done by state employees, by the thousands of CCC and WPA employees, and by countless volunteers since. I say go visit your local park! After all those years of labor and legislation, we have the easy part. We just have to enjoy it! Just look around, there should be a park nearby.
Today, Pittsburghers can enjoy a variety of parks within our own city (Frick, Schenley, Highland, Riverview) and in the suburbs (North and South Parks). To the east is Boyce and Keystone; to the west is Raccoon Creek and Settlers Cabin. Even farther out we have amazing parks within an hour of driving – Ohiopyle, the Laurel Highlands, McConnell’s Mill and Moraine, and more.This is a fabulous buffet of outdoor goodies whether you want a small park or a large forest, whether you want to climb or bike or paddle easy or paddle whitewater or fish or whatever.
What I didn’t know until recently is that it is no accident that there are so many state parks and forests located within easy distance of Pittsburgh and other cities in the state. Much of our current park land was built through the work of the CCC and the WPA in the 1930’s(thanks in large part to the leadership of Gov. Gifford Pinchot). PA actually had the second highest number of CCC camps in the country, just after California. What I didn’t realize was that the parks they built through were deliberately located near large cities for the purpose of providing recreation for city residents. How very thoughtful of them!
Then in 1955, Maurice Goddard was appointed director of the Department of Parks and Forests. He proposed building a state park within 25 miles of every PA resident. Can you image this? He actually managed to sell the state on this program and raise the money needed over his 24-year term. By the end of his tenure in 1979, 45 new parks had been created and 130,000 acres of land.
Imagine yourself standing in these places a hundred years ago and seeing only fields and buildings and mud. Could you have believed what you see there today? Could you have imagined it would come back? (By the way, if you want to get an idea of what the forests would have looked like prior to logging, there are a few stands of virgin or almost virgin forest left. One example is Tionesta Scenic and Research Areas in NW PA which is a hemlock-beech forest.)
In honor of the upcoming Labor Day holiday and the labor done by state employees, by the thousands of CCC and WPA employees, and by countless volunteers since. I say go visit your local park! After all those years of labor and legislation, we have the easy part. We just have to enjoy it! Just look around, there should be a park nearby.
Pictures: 1st picture shows logging in PA ca. 1918; courtesy PA State Archives
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