Snyder Middleswarth Natural Area facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Snyder Middleswarth Natural Area |
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IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
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Relict virgin forest within Snyder-Middleswarth Natural Area
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 Snyder Middleswarth Natural Area
Location in Pennsylvania
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| Location | Spring, Snyder, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Area | 500 acres (200 ha) |
| Elevation | 1,329 ft (405 m) |
| Established | 1921 |
| Named for | Simon Snyder and Ner Alexander Middleswarth |
| Governing body | Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |
| Website | Snyder Middleswarth Natural Area |
| Designated: | 1967 |
The Snyder Middleswarth Natural Area is a special place in Pennsylvania, United States. It covers about 500 acres (202 hectares) and is part of the Bald Eagle State Forest. This area is known as a National Natural Landmark. This means it's a very important natural site in the country.
The natural area is named after two important people from Pennsylvania: Simon Snyder and Ner Alexander Middleswarth. Both were politicians who helped lead the state. This area used to be a state park, but it changed to a Natural Area in the 1990s.
What's in a Name?
The Snyder Middleswarth Natural Area gets its name from two famous Pennsylvania politicians. They were Simon Snyder and Ner Alexander Middleswarth. Snyder County, where the area is located, is also named after Simon Snyder.
Simon Snyder lived from 1759 to 1819. He was a leader in the Pennsylvania government. He served three times as the Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He also became the third governor of Pennsylvania. He was chosen to join the United States Senate, but he passed away before he could start. He is still the only governor from Snyder County.
Ner Alexander Middleswarth lived from 1783 to 1865. He was also a very important politician. He was Speaker of the Pennsylvania House twice. He also served in the Pennsylvania State Senate and the United States House of Representatives.
The official name for this area is "Snyder Middleswarth Natural Area," without a hyphen. This is how the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources uses the name. However, when it was a state park, it was called "Snyder-Middleswarth State Park," with a hyphen.
Where is This Special Place?
The Snyder Middleswarth Natural Area is in Spring Township, in the western part of Snyder County. You can find it about 5 miles (8 km) west of Troxelville on Swift Run Road. It's also about 23 miles (37 km) southwest of Lewisburg. And it's 31 miles (50 km) southeast of State College.
This natural area sits in the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians region. It's in a narrow valley that runs east to west. Jacks Mountain is to the south, and Buck and Penns Creek Mountains are to the north. A stream called Swift Run flows east through the area. Swift Run is a small river that flows into Middle Creek.
There are a couple of picnic spots here. The Rock Springs Picnic Area is at the eastern end. The Snyder-Middleswarth Picnic Area is further west, right in the middle of the area. It's located where Swift Run Road leaves Swift Run. The Tall Timbers Natural Area is right next to it on the western side. Other parts of the Bald Eagle State Forest surround the Snyder Middleswarth Natural Area.
A Look at Its History
Many years ago, in the 1800s and early 1900s, most of Pennsylvania's forests were cut down. Only a few small areas of very old, untouched forest remained. The land that became Snyder Middleswarth Natural Area was bought by the state in 1902. It was part of a much larger purchase of 14,000 acres (56.66 square kilometers).
On April 12, 1921, a law was signed to create "Snyder-Middleswarth State Forest Park." This made it Pennsylvania's ninth state park. By 1923, the park had a telephone and some buildings. In 1937, the state called it a "Forest Monument." This meant it was a special area because of its plants or history. Early on, a fire tower was built nearby, but it was later abandoned.
In November 1967, the park became a National Natural Landmark. It was recognized as a great example of an old forest. This forest mainly has hemlock, birch, and pine trees, with some oak trees too.
In 1980, an airplane crashed near the park. It was carrying people from The New York Times. Sadly, one person died. The crash site was on Thick Mountain, at the southern edge of the park.
By 1981, both the Snyder Middleswarth and Tall Timbers Natural Areas were set up. Snyder Middleswarth was part of the state park. Tall Timbers was part of Bald Eagle State Forest. Both areas are along Swift Run. Tall Timbers has a "second growth forest," meaning trees that grew back after being cut. Snyder Middleswarth has a "virgin forest," which means the trees have never been cut down. This old forest likely survived because of its location. It was hard to move the cut trees out of the area. Also, many of the trees were brittle hemlock, which might have helped protect them.
Even though it was Snyder County's only state park and a National Natural Landmark, Snyder Middleswarth stopped being a state park. This happened sometime between 1992 and 1996. It then became a Natural Area within the state forest system.
Exploring the Trees
Today, the Snyder Middleswarth Natural Area is 500 acres (202 hectares). About half of this, 250 acres (101 hectares), is a virgin forest. This means the trees there have never been cut down by people. These trees are very old and tall.
The tallest trees in Snyder Middleswarth are more than 150 feet (46 meters) high. Their trunks are also very wide, more than 40 inches (102 cm) across. Scientists can tell how old a tree is by looking at its growth rings. One fallen tree in the area was found to be 347 years old!
Next to Snyder Middleswarth is the Tall Timbers Natural Area. It covers 660 acres (267 hectares). This area has a "second growth forest." This means its trees grew back after the original forest was cut down. You can find oak, white pine, hemlock, and hard pine trees there.
