Buchanan State Forest facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Buchanan State Forest |
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Sideling Hill Tunnel is now surrounded by Buchanan State Forest
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| Type | State park |
| Location | Bedford, Franklin, Fulton counties |
| Area | 71,683 acres (29,009 ha) |
| Elevation | 2,484 feet (757 m) |
| Created | between 1909 and 1930s |
| Etymology | James Buchanan, 15th President of the United States |
| Owned by | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
| Operated by | Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |
| Open | Yes |
| Camp sites | Yes - primitive |
| Hiking trails | Yes |
| Terrain | Various |
| Location | McConnellsburg, PA |
Buchanan State Forest is a large public forest in Pennsylvania, United States. It is managed by the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry. The main office is in McConnellsburg, located in Fulton County.
This forest also stretches into Franklin and Bedford Counties. It is named after James Buchanan, who was the fifteenth President of the United States and came from Pennsylvania.
Buchanan State Forest is found in the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians. This is a mountain region in south-central Pennsylvania. The forest covers about 71,683 acres (29,000 hectares). It is made up of several different sections across the three counties.
Contents
History of Buchanan State Forest
How Pennsylvania's Forests Were Saved
In the late 1800s, Pennsylvania's forests were in trouble. Lumber and iron companies cut down almost all the old, tall trees. They left behind dry branches and stumps. Sparks from passing steam locomotives often started huge wildfires. These fires stopped new trees from growing.
People like Dr. Joseph Rothrock worried that the forests would never grow back. They believed the state needed to manage the forests better. They asked the state to buy land from the companies. The companies were happy to sell because they had already used up the trees.
In 1895, Dr. Rothrock became the first commissioner of the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters. This department helps manage the state's natural areas today. In 1897, a law was passed to buy land for "forest reservations." This was the start of Pennsylvania's State Forest system.
Important Historical Places
Several important historical spots are found in or near Buchanan State Forest.
The Forbes Road
The Forbes Road was built during the French and Indian War. General John Forbes created this road from Carlisle to Pittsburgh. It was a supply route for British soldiers trying to capture Fort Duquesne. You can still see parts of the road in the forest today. Hikers, hunters, and mountain bikers use these old paths.
Early Settlements and President Buchanan's Home
Cowans Gap State Park is in an area that was settled very early. British Major John Cowan and his wife Mary moved there after the American Revolution.
Buchanan's Birthplace State Park is also nearby. This is where President James Buchanan was born and spent his childhood.
Forest Regrowth and the CCC
Buchanan State Forest was bought by Pennsylvania after the big lumber era. The lumber companies left behind land that looked like a "barren wasteland." It was full of stumps and dry treetops, which easily caught fire. These fires made it hard for new forests to grow.
Luckily, the forests have largely grown back. Instead of mostly hemlock and white pine, you now see many different hardwood trees. This regrowth happened thanks to the hard work of young men from the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). They worked during the Great Depression in the 1930s.
The Civilian Conservation Corps Camp
A CCC camp, called Camp No. S-52, was built in 1933 on Sideling Hill. The young men of the CCC cleared away dry brush from the forest and streams. They also built many of the forest roads and trails you can use today. This camp is now known as the Oregon Ranger Station.
During World War II, this camp was used for people who refused to fight in the war for moral reasons. Later, in 1944, it became a camp for German prisoners of war.
Abandoned Aqueduct and Tunnels
The Hidden Aqueduct
An old, hidden aqueduct is found in Woodrige Hollow in Buchanan State Forest. It was built in the 1880s by hundreds of stonemasons from Sicily. The aqueduct was finished around 1884 or 1885.
It is made of local sandstone and is 15 feet (4.6 m) high, 10 feet (3.0 m) wide, and 199 feet (61 m) long. It was meant to carry water from Woodridge Run under a railroad. This railroad was being built across Fulton County, through tunnels in Sideling and Rays Hills. The railroad project was never finished. However, much of the land and tunnels were later used for the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
The Abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike Tunnels
Sideling Hill Tunnel is one of three original Pennsylvania Turnpike tunnels that were later closed. This tunnel was closed in 1968. It is now surrounded by Buchanan State Forest. Sideling Hill Tunnel is 6,782 feet (2,067 m) long. It was the longest of the first tunnels on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
Today, Sideling Hill Tunnel and Rays Hill Tunnel are part of the Pike2Bike Trail. Together, these two tunnels and the old roadway are known as the Abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike.
Sweet Root Natural Area
Sweet Root Natural Area is a special part of Buchanan State Forest. It is located near Chaneysville, Pennsylvania. As a state-designated Natural Area, Sweet Root is protected. This means almost no development, like roads or power lines, can be built there.
This area protects the upper part of Sweet Root Run and the water gap it has cut through Tussey Mountain. The gap has a 64-acre (26 ha) old-growth forest. This forest has very old trees like Eastern Hemlock, Sweet Birch, Eastern White Pine, American Basswood, and White and Red Oak. However, tiny insects called Hemlock woolly adelgid are harming the hemlock trees.
You can also find the remains of an early mill here. There is also a saltpetre cave from the Revolutionary War. Saltpetre was used to make gunpowder. The Sweet Root Natural Area is about 1,400 acres (570 ha) in size.
Nearby State Parks and Special Areas
- Cowans Gap State Park is located within Buchanan State Forest in Fulton and Franklin Counties.
Special areas inside Buchanan State Forest include:
- Sweet Root Natural Area
- Pine Ridge Natural Area
- Martin Hill Wild Area
- Redbud Valley (great for bird watching)
- Four picnic areas
There are three other state parks in this region (District #2):
- Buchanan's Birthplace State Park (Franklin County)
- Shawnee State Park (Bedford County)
- Warriors Path State Park (Bedford County)
Neighboring State Forest Districts
The U.S. state of Maryland is to the south of Buchanan State Forest. Other state forests nearby include:
- Rothrock State Forest (to the north)
- Tuscarora State Forest (to the northeast)
- Michaux State Forest (to the east)
- Forbes State Forest (to the west)
- Gallitzin State Forest (to the northwest)
