S. B. Elliott State Park
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| S. B. Elliott State Park, Pennsylvania, USA | |
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| IUCN Category III (Natural Monument) | |
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| Location: | Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, USA |
| Nearest city: | Clearfield, Pennsylvania |
| Coordinates: | |
| Area: | 318 acres (1.29 km²) |
| Established: | 1933 |
| Governing body: | Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |
S. B. Elliott State Park is a 318 acre (1.29 km²) Pennsylvania State Park located in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is surrounded by Moshannon State Forest. The park is entirely wooded with second growth forests of hardwood and oak. S.B. Elliott State park is nine miles (14.84 km) north of Clearfield on Pennsylvania Route 153 just off exit 111 of Interstate 80.
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[edit] History
By the mid 19th century the demand for lumber reached Clearfield County, where White pine and hemlock covered the mountainsides. Lumbermen came and harvested the trees. The Central Pennsylvania Lumber Company and Goodyear Lumber Company owned thousands of acres in Cleafield and surrounding counties. They built railroads and roads to harvest and distribute the timber. The lumber boom era was not to last, and soon all the trees were gone. Once the trees disappeared, the people were soon to follow. The lumbermen left behind a barren landscape that was devastated by erosion and wildfires. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania bought the thousands of acres of deforested and burned land. The state began the massive project of reforesting the land. The forest has since recovered and is part of Moshannon State Forest.
The park is named for the Honorable Simon B. Elliott. He was a member of the Pennsylvania Legislature. He was a conservationist who promoted the idea of replanted the forests in order to limit erosion and fires.
The park was built in 1933 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The young men of Camp S-116-PA built the park. They built many of the cabins, roads, pavilions, and trails that exist at the park today. They also cleared brush, cleaned streams, built roads and bridges, and planted trees as part of a reforestation effort. The CCC also placed a plaque honoring Simon B. Elliott in the woods on the northern edge of the park.
[edit] Recreation
Fishing at S. B. Elliott State Park is a popular recreational activity. There is a population of native and stocked trout in the small mountain streams of S. B. Elliott State Park. They can only be accessed by hiking through the woods pn one of the three miles of hiking trails.
The park is a trailhead for the Quehanna Trail system. This trail is a 75 mile trail that passes through Moshannon State Forest. It also connects with the Susquehannock Trail system near Sinnemahoning State Park.
The CCC built several cabins and pavilions that are available for camping and picnicking. There is a 25 site rustic campground at S. B. Elliott State Park. There is a modern restroom near the camping area, but there are no showers.
Hunting is permitted on about 234 acres of S. B. Elliott State Park. Hunters are expected to follow the rules and regulations of the Pennsylvania State Game Commission. The common game species are ruffed grouse, squirrels, turkey, white-tailed deer, and pheasant. Many more acres of forested woodlands are available for hunting on the grounds of the adjacent Moshannon State Forest.
[edit] Nearby state parks
The following state parks are within 30 miles (48 km) of S. B. Elliott State Park:
- Bendigo State Park (Elk County)
- Black Moshannon State Park (Centre County)
- Bucktail State Park (Cameron and Clinton Counties)
- Parker Dam State Park (Clearfield County)
- Prince Gallitzin State Park (Cambria County)
- Sinnemahoning State Park (Cameron and Potter Counties)
[edit] References
- Pennsylvania State Parks: The CCC Years. Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved on 2006-11-28.
- S. B. Elliott State Park. Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved on 2006-11-18.
- Map Reference for S. B. Elliott State Park. Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved on 2006-11-18.
- United States Geological Survey. S B Elliott State Park, USGS Elliott Park (PA) Topo Map. TopoZone. Retrieved on 2006-11-18.
