Category Archives: Potter County Visitors Center

Find out what’s happening in the Kettle Creek Valley in 2010 at the Kettle Creek Outdoor Show in Cross Fork, PA. The show will be held on Saturday, March 27, 2010 at the Kettle Creek Hose Company. A great line-up of speakers, demonstrations, and exhibitors are being organized to showcase the many outdoor recreational opportunities in Potter County.

Read more on Kettle Creek Outdoor Show…

This weekend give your sweet tooth a workout at the 11th Annual Chocolate Lover’s Fantasy. The event will be held on Saturday, Februray 6, at the Coudersport Consistory from 6pm – 10 pm.

All kinds of chocolate dishes will be presented and judged. Highlights from the past include “Chocolate Chilli” and the Chocolate Dipping Fountain. Prizes include gifts to local resturants and other businesses.

There will also be live and silent auctions. Door prizes will be available as well.

Tickets are $10 and are available at the door or by calling 814-274-0240.

The event is to raise awareness and funds for A Way Out, a local organization which assists and supports victims of domestic violence.

Read more on Chocolate Lover’s Fantasy – Feb. 6…

The Potter County Visitors Association is recruting volunteer bloggers who would like to contribute to this blog. Share your ideas, thoughts, old stories or plans for new adventures.

Its easy to sign up, email potter@penn.com . Write your name and what your topics might include. Your own unique username and password will be emailed to you.

Read more on Become a Volunteer Blogger…

Fall is in the air! That means it’s time for Sizerville State Park’s
19th Annual Autumn Festival!

Come and join us at Sizerville State Park, which is considered by many to be “the hidden gem” of Pennsylvania State Parks, and celebrate a day of history. Take an unforgettable trip back in time and reminisce the simple life. On Saturday, October 3rd, from the hours of 12 PM to 4 PM, Sizerville State Park will be celebrating our Annual Autumn Festival. Activities will include, Candle Dipping, Pumpkin Painting, Scrolling/Woodworking, Knitting, Apple Buttering, Leaf Prints, Gourd Art, Apple Cidering, Maple Candy, Old Time Crafts, and once again, great music by the “Jakob’s Hollow Band!”

Additionally, many other food concessions will be available, and children will have an opportunity to meet Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl! All the children’s activities and crafts are provided free of charge!

We are currently looking for friendly faces to help out. Volunteers are needed for children’s crafts stations. No special skills are required, just a smiling face and helping hands.

The musical event is sponsored in part by the Potter County Fine Arts Council in conjunction with Sizerville State Park. If you would like additional information, call the Sizerville Park Office at 814-486-5605, or e-mail us at sizervillesp@state.pa.us

Access for People with Disabilities
If you need an accommodation to participate in park activities due to a disability, please contact the Pennsylvania Bureau of State Parks: 1-888-PA-PARKS (voice)
(local or international voice)

Read more on 19th Annual Autumn Festival…

A new website has been created for Shinglehouse, PA.

www.shinglehousepa.com was created by the Litt family as a contribution to the community.

The site features local events, links to business and community groups. More will be added as time goes on.

To send new events or to contact the webmaster email shinglehousepa@msn.com

Read more on New Community Website for Shinglehouse, PA…

Remembering the Austin Flood disaster, 98 years ago today. Check out our YouTube channel for video on the Austin Dam Memorial Park.

2011 is just around the corner, the Austin Dam Memorial Association is starting to plan the 100 year anniversary celebration of the flood, email dbrooks@visitpottercounty.com with ideas or if you would like to help out.

The information below is from explorepahistory.com:

State Historical Marker text:

On Sept. 30, 1911, the Bayless Pulp and Paper Co. dam broke here. This concrete dam, built 1909, was nearly fifty feet high; 534 feet long. Its failure sent torrents of water and debris down Freeman Run into Austin and Costello, causing great destruction and killing at least 78 people. This second worst single-dam disaster in Pennsylvania inspired legislation (1913) to regulate the construction of dams in the state.

Behind the Marker:

In the early 1900s, the town of Austin, Pennsylvania, revolved around the lumber industry. Situated in a valley surrounded by hills covered with pine, hemlock and cherry, Austin was a natural location for lumber companies. In the late nineteenth century, as the old-growth timber was exhausted, the pulp and paper industry replaced the sawmills. Several paper mills existed in the area, but none was as important as the Bayless Pulp and Paper Company. Constructed in 1900, it was both the largest plant and the biggest employer in the borough of Austin. The town’s population swelled as lumbermen, mill workers and their families moved to the community for work.

Like all paper mills, the Bayless mill needed a continual supply of water to operate. After facing several water shortages, the company decided to construct a large concrete dam on Freeman Run in 1909. Although designed by a professional engineer, the company made cost-cutting modifications to the dam that contributed to a minor structural failure in January 1910. Repairs were made, but the events of the following year proved that the dam remained unsound.

September 1911 was a rainy month in Austin. The Bayless Company, seeing an opportunity to increase its water reserves, allowed the rains to fill the dam to its maximum capacity. On September 30, 1911, the Bayless Pulp and Paper Company Dam gave way under the pressure. Coursing down Freeman Run, the water picked up debris and stacks of pulp wood, estimated to be as much as 700,000 cords, from the Bayless lumber yard. These logs became deadly weapons as the water hit the town of Austin. After the waters raged through Austin, they hit the nearby town of Costello. Seventy-eight people are known to have died.

The dam disaster also took a tremendous toll on the survivors. Although Bayless rebuilt the paper mill, the town never managed to recapture the vibrancy or prosperity that existed before the flood. Between 1910 and 1920, the town lost half of its population. As support for Austin’s residents poured in from across the state, people began to question who was to blame for the disaster.

Many felt that the Bayless company had been negligent, both in its construction of the dam and its failure to adequately repair the structural damage in 1910. After several lawsuits, the Bayless Company paid $600,000 in damages and fees to the victim’s families.

The Austin flood disaster had lasting statewide effects. Only the Johnstown Flood caused a greater loss of life in a dam failure. In its aftermath, many survivors and officials raised Pennsylvania’s lack of regulations for the design, construction and inspection of dams as a contributing factor. This pressure resulted in the Pennsylvania Water Supply Commission, the state agency responsible for dams, to press for comprehensive regulation of dams. In 1913, the state legislature passed a law granting the commission the power to regulate and inspect dams and hold hearings on their construction, and the power to enforce their duties with fines or imprisonment.

Today, the dam ruins remain standing as a memorial of the area’s lumber heritage, as well as a solemn reminder of the price man paid to harness nature. The ruins were placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. More detailed information and photos can be found at http://www.austindam.net/ .

Read more on Remembering the Austin Flood – Sept. 30, 1911…

Potter County is known for its excellent hunting opportunities, below are the seasons and bag limits.

SQUIRRELS, Red, Gray, Black and Fox (Combined): Special season for eligible junior hunters, with or without required license, and mentored youth – Oct. 10-16 (6 daily, 12 in possession limit after first day).

SQUIRRELS, Red, Gray, Black and Fox (Combined): Oct. 17-Nov. 28; Dec. 14-23 and Dec. 26-Feb. 6 (6 daily, 12 possession).

RUFFED GROUSE: Oct. 17–Nov. 28, Dec. 14-23 and Dec. 26-Jan. 23 (2 daily, 4 possession).

RABBIT (Cottontail): Oct. 24-Nov. 28, Dec. 14-23 and Dec. 26-Feb. 6 (4 daily, 8 possession).

PHEASANT: Special season for eligible junior hunters, with or without required license – Oct. 10-17 (2 daily, 4 in possession). Male pheasants only in WMUs 2A, 2B, 2C, 4C, 4E, 5A and 5B. Male and female pheasants may be taken in all other WMUs. There is no open season for the taking of pheasants in any Wild Pheasant Recovery Areas in any WMU.

PHEASANT: Male only in WMUs 2A, 2B, 2C, 4C, 4E, 5A and 5B – Oct. 24-Nov. 28. Male and female may be taken in all other WMUs – Oct. 24-Nov. 28, Dec. 14-23 and Dec. 26-Feb. 6 (2 daily, 4 in possession). There is no open season for the taking of pheasants in any Wild Pheasant Recovery Areas in any WMU.

BOBWHITE QUAIL: Oct. 24-Nov. 28 (4 daily, 8 possession). (Closed in WMUs 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, 5C and 5D.)

HARES (SNOWSHOE RABBITS) OR VARYING HARES: Dec. 26–Jan. 1 (1 daily, 2 possession).

WOODCHUCKS (GROUNDHOGS): No closed season, except: Sundays; during the antlered and antlerless deer seasons; and until noon daily during the spring gobbler turkey season.

CROWS: July 3-April 4, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday only. No limit.

STARLINGS AND ENGLISH SPARROWS: No closed season, except during the antlered and antlerless deer seasons and until noon daily during the spring gobbler turkey season. No limit.

WILD TURKEY (Male or Female): Wildlife Management Units 1A, 1B and 2A (Shotgun and bow and arrow) – Oct. 31-Nov. 14; WMU 2B (Shotgun and bow and arrow) – Oct. 31- Nov. 21; WMUs 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 4A and 4B – Oct. 31-Nov. 14; WMUs 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4C, 4D and 4E – Oct. 31-Nov. 21; WMUs 5A and 5B – CLOSED TO FALL TURKEY HUNTING; and WMUs 5C and 5D (Shotgun and bow and arrow) – Oct. 31-Nov. 4 (1 bird limit, either sex).

SPRING GOBBLER (Bearded bird only): Special season for eligible junior hunters, with required license, and mentored youth – April 24, 2010. Only 1 spring gobbler may be taken during this hunt.

SPRING GOBBLER (Bearded bird only): May 1-31, 2010. Daily limit 1, season limit 2. (Second spring gobbler may only be taken by persons who possess a valid special wild turkey license.)

BLACK BEAR (WMUs 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 4A, 4B and 4D) Bow and Arrow only: Nov. 18-19. Only 1 bear may be taken during the license year.

BLACK BEAR (Statewide): Nov. 23-25. Only 1 bear may be taken during the license year.

ELK (Antlered or Antlerless): Nov. 2-7. Only one elk may be taken during the license year. The Board gave approval to an allocation of 59 elk license for the 2009 season. Further information about allocation of antlered and antlerless licenses, as well as allocations by zone, will be announced later.

ELK (Conservation Tag): Sept. 1-Nov. 7, in any Elk Management Zone. One antlered elk license awarded per Act 101 of 2008.

DEER, ARCHERY (Antlerless Only) WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D: Sept. 19-Oct. 2, Nov. 16-28 and Dec. 14-23. One antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.

DEER, ARCHERY (Antlered and Antlerless) Statewide, including WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D: Oct. 3-Nov. 14 and Dec. 26-Jan. 9. One antlered deer per hunting license year. One antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.

DEER (Antlered Only) WMUs 2D, 2G, 3C and 4B: Nov. 30-Dec. 4. One antlered deer per hunting license year. (Holders of valid DMAP antlerless deer permits may harvest antlerless deer on DMAP properties during this period in WMUs 2B, 2G, 3C and 4B.)

DEER (Antlered and Antlerless) WMUs 2D, 2G, 3C and 4B: Dec. 5-12. One antlered deer per hunting license year. An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.

DEER, ANTLERLESS (Statewide): Oct. 22-24. Junior and Senior License Holders, Disabled Person Permit (to use a vehicle) Holders, and Pennsylvania residents serving on active duty in U.S. Armed Services or in the U.S. Coast Guard only, with required antlerless license. Also included are persons who have reached or will reach their 65th birthday in the year of the application for a license and hold a valid adult license, or qualify for license and fee exemptions under section 2706. One antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.

DEER, ANTLERLESS MUZZLELOADER (Statewide): Oct. 17-24. An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.

DEER, ANTLERED OR ANTLERLESS FLINTLOCK (Statewide): Dec. 26-Jan. 9. One antlered per hunting license year, or one antlerless deer and an additional antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.

ADOPTED 2009-10 FURBEARER HUNTING SEASONS
COYOTES: No closed season. Unlimited. Outside of any deer or bear season, coyotes may be taken with a hunting license or a furtaker license, and without wearing orange. During any archery deer season, coyotes may be taken while lawfully hunting deer or with a furtaker license. During the regular firearms deer and any bear seasons, coyotes may be taken while lawfully hunting deer or bear, or with a furtaker license while wearing 250 square inches of fluorescent orange. During the spring gobbler season, may be taken by those with a valid tag and meet fluorescent orange and shot size requirements.

RACCOON and FOXES: Oct. 24–Feb. 20, unlimited.

OPOSSUM, SKUNKS & WEASELS: No closed season, except Sundays and prior to noon during the spring gobbler season. No limits.

BOBCAT (WMUs 2A, 2C, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4D and 4E): Oct. 24-Feb. 20. One per permit. (Bobcats may only be taken by furtakers in possession of a Bobcat Hunting-Trapping permit.)

ADOPTED 2009-10 TRAPPING SEASONS
MINK and MUSKRAT: Nov. 21–Jan. 10. Unlimited.

COYOTE, FOXES, OPOSSUM, RACCOON, SKUNKS and WEASELS: Oct. 25–Feb. 21. No limit.

COYOTE and FOXES (Statewide) Cable Restraints: Jan. 1-Feb. 21. No limit. Participants must pass cable restraint certification course.

BEAVER (Statewide): Dec. 26–March 31 (Limits vary depending on WMU).

BOBCAT (WMUs 2A, 2C, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4D and 4E): Oct. 25-Feb. 21. One per permit. (Bobcats may only be taken by furtakers in possession of a Bobcat Hunting-Trapping permit.)

ADOPTED 2009-10 FALCONRY SEASONS
SQUIRRELS (combined), QUAIL, RUFFED GROUSE, COTTONTAIL RABBITS, SNOWSHOE OR VARYING HARE, RINGNECK PHEASANT (Male or Female combined): Sept. 1-March 31. Daily and Field Possession limits vary. (Migratory game bird seasons and bag limits for falconers will be set in accordance with federal regulations in August.)

No open season on other wild birds or mammals. Waterfowl and Migratory Game Bird seasons will be established in accordance with Federal Regulations this summer

Read more on 2009-10 HUNTING SEASONS AND BAG LIMITS…

Vote for your favorite time of year to visit Potter County. We’ve set up a poll on the right-hand side of the blog. Tell your friends!

Some Facilities Closed, Others Remain Open

Warren, Pa. ? While Labor Day usually signals the “unofficial” end to summer, the Allegheny National Forest (NF) does still offer many opportunities for enjoying the beautiful autumn season in northwest Pennsylvania.

The scenic Kinzua Beach facility will remain open until September 30th this year. According to Bradford District Ranger Tony Scardina, ?Kinzua Beach offers an excellent opportunity for visitors or local residents to spend a day enjoying the fall season in the Allegheny National Forest.? Scardina also reminds everyone that there is no longer a fee to use the Beach.

Boat docks located at Webbs Ferry, Willow Bay, Kiasutha and Elijah Run will remain in until October 19th, water levels permitting. Most ATV trails will close for the season effective September 28th. However, the Timberline trail and the ATV loop of the Marienville trail will remain open on Sundays in the month of October, with the exception of October 4th which is the running of the fall Tour de Forest ride.

The Kinzua Point Information Center and the temporary outlet at the Foote Rest Campground in Lantz Corners have closed for the season. The Marienville Ranger District will continue to be open 7 days a week until October 11th and will also have Sunday hours on October 18th and 25th to accommodate ATV riders taking advantage of the extended season on the trails.

Both the Dewdrop and Kiasutha campgrounds are now closed for the season, however several developed campgrounds will remain open through hunting season.

For additional information on closing dates for specific camping areas or other forest facilities, contact the Supervisor?s Office at 814-723-5150 or the Marienville Ranger District at 814-927-5700, or visit our website at www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/allegheny

Read more on ALLEGHENY NATIONAL FOREST ANNOUNCES SEASONAL CLOSURES…

It won’t be long now, when the mountains and valleys of Potter County turn ablaze with reds, yellows, and oranges of the fall foliage. Typically, the peak of the season is around the second week of October.

During the weeks surrounding the peak foliage, there are many events and activities going on around the area.

Fall Festivals

Austin Fall Festival – Austin, PA – September 27, 2009
Falling Leaves Festival, Coudersport, PA – Oct 3 & 4, 2009

Ski Denton Mountain Biking & Scenic Lift Rides (located midway between Coudersport and Galeton on U.S. Route 6)

October 3-4 (9-4pm)
October 10-11 (9-4pm)
Mountain Biking : $25 adults/$17.50 youth
Scenic Lift Rides: $5

814-435-2115

Guided Elk Tours – Sinnemahoning State Park

Tours are offered Friday and Saturday evenings beginning Sept 11th & 12th to October 16th & 17th. Cost for the tour is $30.00 per family group, with one week advance notice. A limited number of spaces are available and pre-registration is required.

814-647-8401.

Pennsylvania Lumber Museum

Fall Schedule: September 1 through November 30. Open Wednesday through Sunday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

814-435-2652

Read more on Fall Folliage Season Just Around the Corner…

The Central Pennsylvania Observers will be hosting their 10th annual Black Forest Star Party at Cherry Springs State Park this coming weekend. This is a pre-registered, pre-paid event, but the general public is invited to visit the Astronomy Observation Field on Saturday, September 19 from 7:30 – 11:00 pm.

There will still be enough light on the field for visitors to see the hundreds of telescopes that will be set up on the field, then stay after dark to look through many of the scopes that have been “volunteered” for this event. These telescopes will be marked with a green light stick on the ground pointing towards the telescope and the scope itself will be marked with a red light stick.

For those wishing to attend it is recommended that you bring along a small flashlight and you will be issued a red cellophane filter, as no white light is permitted on the Astronomy field. Please dress warmly as it can get quite cool and damp at Cherry Springs and sturdy footwear is also recommended. No pets will be permitted, so please leave your dog at home.

This is the 10th year for the Black Forest Star Party which has been held at Cherry Springs State Park usually from mid-August to early October. Over 500 astronomers have registered to attend this year’s event which runs from September 18 – 20. Not only do astronomers spend the night observing the fantastic night sky available at Cherry Springs, but during the afternoons there are astronomy vendors as well as a slate of internationally known speakers – another reason why star parties are so popular.

This year’s keynote speaker will be Canada’s Terence Dickenson, author of 14 books including “Night Watch” – one of the world’s best selling stargazing guides. He is also co-author with Alan Dyer of “The Backyard Astronomer’s Guide”, Dickenson was also the first editor of Astronomy magazine, and a professional science writer freelancing for Science Digest, Popular Mechanics, the Gannett news service, CBC radio and the Canadian Discovery Channel. For the past 15 years he has been the editor of “Sky News”, the Canadian magazine of Astronomy and Stargazing.

Other speakers at this year’s star party will be Erik Hoversten, a Research Associate at Penn State University, who will speak about Observing Gamma Ray Bursts from Space and Your Backyard. Larry McHenry, an amateur astronomer for over 30 years will be speaking about Video Astronomy for Beginners. Also speaking will be Phil Creed, a long time deep-sky and comet observer from Ohio who will be talking on the Science of Site(s). And speaking on Modification and Cooling of DSLR Cameras for AstroImaging, will be Gary Honis, member of the Greater Hazelton Astronomical Society and long time observer at Cherry Springs State Park.

Those wishing to visit the park for the Public Viewing Night, should park their cars in the public parking lots located on the north side of Rt. 44. They can then cross the road where they will be met by members of the Cherry Springs Dark Sky Team who will set up their flashlights for them and point them in the right direction for finding the volunteer telescopes.

Again, the public is asked to vacate the area by 11:00 pm so the astronomers can get back to their regular observing. In the event of poor weather or overcast skies, the public viewing portion of the program will be cancelled. Please contact the Lyman Run State Park office for any cancellation notices – which will be left on the park’s answering machine at (814) 435-5010.

Cherry Springs State Park has been internationally recognized for having one of the darkest night sky observing areas in the Eastern United States. Astronomers from all over the US will be attending this star party and hopefully, the weather will cooperate in order for them to see the spectacular site of the Summer Milky Way stretching across the sky from one horizon to the other. Astronomers can’t wait to share the wonders of the night sky with people and there’s nothing more exciting than seeing the moons of Jupiter or looking into the heart of a nebulae where new stars are being born.

Cherry Springs State Park…Pennsylvania’s First Dark Sky Preserve..the place to be…for Astronomy!See you under the Stars!!

Read more on PUBLIC INVITED TO STAR PARTY…

Technical topics include: Camera menu, Automatic camera settings and when to ignore them; Best lenses for the subject and how aperture affects the final picture; Memory cards and downloading to the computer.

Read more on FALL PHOTOGRAPHY FIELD TRIP…

Friday, September 18th & Saturday, September 19th 2009

5:00p.m. – Guided Elk Watches – Starting from the Sinnemahoning State Park office, located along Rt 872, 8 miles north from junction at Rt 120 in Sinnemahoning.

The elk in Pennsylvania are unique resources that have their own set of requirements and needs. Come learn about these majestic animals and their habitats. We will have a short discussion on some elk watching tips and then travel into the elk range to observe the elk during the rut. A limited number of spaces are available and registration is required. Contact the park office at (814) 647-8401 to register or for more information. Cost for the guided elk watch is $30.00 per family group or $15.00 per individual with one week advance notice. The guided elk watches will run until October 17th, 2009.

For more information, contact Sinnemahoning State Park office at 814/647-8401.

If you need an accommodation to participate in park activities due to a disability, please contact the Pennsylvania Bureau of State Parks: (888) PA-PARKS (voice), (888) 537-7294 (TTY), (717) 558-2711 (local or international TTY), (800) 654-5984 (PA AT&T Relay Service). With at least three days notice, interpreters for people who are deaf or hard of hearing are available for educational programs. For more information visit our web site at www.dcnr.state.pa.us

Read more on Guided Elk Watches…

October 3 & 4, 2009

The Annual Fall Gun Show sponsored by the Black Forest Conservation Association will be held from 8:00 to 4:00 Saturday (Oct 3) and from 8:00 to 2:00 Sunday (Oct 4) at the Firemen’s Building on River Street in Roulette.

The kitchen will be open. Admission is $3.00. Children under 12 admitted free when accompanied by a parent or other adult.

For information, call William Sallade at 274-9087 or email bankinbill@zitomedia.net

Read more on Fall Gun Show Oct 3 & 4…

Fans of the Judy Bolton mystery book series by local author Margaret Sutton will make their annual pilgrimage to Coudersport area on Friday and Saturday, October 9 and 10.

Sutton used the Coudersport area as the setting for the popular young adult series, originally published from the 1930s through the 1960s. Some of the sites that inspired the series include the Austin Dam and the Freeman Run Valley (known as Roulsville and Dry Brook Hollow in the series) and the Lewis Mansion and other locations in Coudersport (Farringdon in the books).

On Friday at 4:00 p.m., the Chamber of Commerce hosts a reception at the Chamber office to welcome participants to the community. Information about the weekend’s activities will be available at that time. A 5:30 p.m. buffet dinner follows at the Klein Family Century Farm, built by Margaret
Sutton’s grandfather and father. Activities continue at 8:00 p.m. at the Westgate Inn with a program and series book sale.

On Saturday beginning at 9:00 a.m., tours of the Judy Bolton sites will be conducted by Peg and John Rotello. Lunch will be served at the Austin School where the students created a Judy Bolton mural. An evening dinner and program are also planned.

Read more on Judy Bolton Weekend Oct 9th & 10th…