S. B. Elliott State Park
Encyclopedia
S. B. Elliott State Park (also known as Simon B. Elliott State Park) is a 318 acres (128.7 ha) Pennsylvania state park located in Pine Township
, Clearfield County
, Pennsylvania
in the United States. The park is surrounded by Moshannon State Forest
. The park is entirely wooded with second growth forest
s of hardwood and oak
. S. B. Elliott State park is 9 miles (14.5 km) north of Clearfield
on Pennsylvania Route 153
just off exit 111 of Interstate 80
.
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 Clearfield 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 General Assembly
, and a conservationist who promoted the idea of replanting 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 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.
trout
in the small mountain streams of S. B. Elliott State Park. They can only be accessed by hiking through the woods on one of the three miles (5 km) of hiking trails.
The park is a trailhead for the Quehanna Trail System
. This trail is a 75 miles (120.7 km) 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 (94.7 ha) 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
, Eastern Gray Squirrel
, Wild Turkey
, White-tailed deer
, and Common Pheasant
. Many more acres of forested woodlands are available for hunting on the grounds of the adjacent Moshannon State Forest
.
Pine Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania
Pine Township is a township in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 77 at the 2000 census. S. B. Elliott State Park a Pennsylvania state park is in Pine Township...
, Clearfield County
Clearfield County, Pennsylvania
Clearfield County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 81,642.Clearfield County was created on March 26, 1804, from parts of Huntingdon and Lycoming Counties but was administered as part of Centre County until 1812...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
in the United States. The park is surrounded by Moshannon State Forest
Moshannon State Forest
Moshannon State Forest is a Pennsylvania State Forest in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #9. The main offices are located in the unincorporated village of Penfield in Huston Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania in the United States....
. The park is entirely wooded with second growth forest
Secondary forest
A secondary forest is a forest or woodland area which has re-grown after a major disturbance such as fire, insect infestation, timber harvest or windthrow, until a long enough period has passed so that the effects of the disturbance are no longer evident...
s of hardwood and oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
. S. B. Elliott State park is 9 miles (14.5 km) north of Clearfield
Clearfield, Pennsylvania
Clearfield is a borough in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,631 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Clearfield County.-Geography:Clearfield is located at ....
on Pennsylvania Route 153
Pennsylvania Route 153
Pennsylvania Route 153 is an long state highway located in Clearfield and Elk counties in Pennsylvania. The southern terminus is at PA 253/PA 453 near Viola...
just off exit 111 of Interstate 80
Interstate 80 in Pennsylvania
The transcontinental Interstate 80 is designated across northern Pennsylvania as the Keystone Shortway, officially the Z.H. Confair Memorial Highway. This route was built mainly along a completely new alignment, not paralleling any earlier U.S. Routes, as a shortcut to the tolled Pennsylvania...
.
History
By the mid 19th century the demand for lumber reached Clearfield County, where White pineEastern White Pine
Pinus strobus, commonly known as the eastern white pine, is a large pine native to eastern North America, occurring from Newfoundland west to Minnesota and southeastern Manitoba, and south along the Appalachian Mountains to the northern edge of Georgia.It is occasionally known as simply white pine,...
and hemlock
Eastern Hemlock
Tsuga canadensis, also known as eastern or Canadian hemlock, and in the French-speaking regions of Canada as pruche du Canada, is a coniferous tree native to eastern North America. It ranges from northeastern Minnesota eastward through southern Quebec to Nova Scotia, and south in the Appalachian...
covered the mountainsides. Lumbermen came and harvested the trees. The Central Pennsylvania Lumber Company and Goodyear Lumber Company owned thousands of acres in Clearfield and surrounding counties. They built railroads
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
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 General Assembly
Pennsylvania General Assembly
The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The legislature convenes in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. In colonial times , the legislature was known as the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly. Since the Constitution of 1776, written by...
, and a conservationist who promoted the idea of replanting the forests in order to limit erosion and fires.
The park was built in 1933 by the Civilian Conservation Corps
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...
. The young men of Camp S-116-PA 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.
Recreation
Fishing at S. B. Elliott State Park is a popular recreational activity. There is a population of native and stockedFish stocking
Fish stocking is the practice of raising fish in a hatchery and releasing them into a river, lake, or the ocean to supplement existing populations, or to create a population where none exists...
trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
in the small mountain streams of S. B. Elliott State Park. They can only be accessed by hiking through the woods on one of the three miles (5 km) of hiking trails.
The park is a trailhead for the Quehanna Trail System
Quehanna Trail System
The Quehanna Trail is a hiking trail in Pennsylvania.It forms a loop through the Moshannon State Forest and Elk State Forest.The trail is marked with orange blazings...
. This trail is a 75 miles (120.7 km) trail that passes through Moshannon State Forest. It also connects with the Susquehannock Trail system near Sinnemahoning State Park
Sinnemahoning State Park
Sinnemahoning State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Grove Township, Cameron County and Wharton Township, Potter County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is surrounded by Elk State Forest and is mountainous with deep valleys. The park is home to the rarely seen Elk and Bald Eagle...
.
The CCC built several cabins and pavilions
Pavilion (structure)
In architecture a pavilion has two main meanings.-Free-standing structure:Pavilion may refer to a free-standing structure sited a short distance from a main residence, whose architecture makes it an object of pleasure. Large or small, there is usually a connection with relaxation and pleasure in...
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 (94.7 ha) 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
Ruffed Grouse
The Ruffed Grouse is a medium-sized grouse occurring in forests from the Appalachian Mountains across Canada to Alaska. It is non-migratory.The Ruffed Grouse is frequently referred to as a "partridge"...
, Eastern Gray Squirrel
Eastern Gray Squirrel
The eastern gray squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus native to the eastern and midwestern United States, and to the southerly portions of the eastern provinces of Canada...
, Wild Turkey
Wild Turkey
The Wild Turkey is native to North America and is the heaviest member of the Galliformes. It is the same species as the domestic turkey, which derives from the South Mexican subspecies of wild turkey .Adult wild turkeys have long reddish-yellow to grayish-green...
, White-tailed deer
White-tailed Deer
The white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States , Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru...
, and Common Pheasant
Common Pheasant
The Common Pheasant , is a bird in the pheasant family . It is native to Georgia and has been widely introduced elsewhere as a game bird. In parts of its range, namely in places where none of its relatives occur such as in Europe , it is simply known as the "pheasant"...
. Many more acres of forested woodlands are available for hunting on the grounds of the adjacent Moshannon State Forest
Moshannon State Forest
Moshannon State Forest is a Pennsylvania State Forest in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #9. The main offices are located in the unincorporated village of Penfield in Huston Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania in the United States....
.
Nearby state parks
The following state parks are within 30 miles (48.3 km) of S. B. Elliott State Park:
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Parker Dam State Park Parker Dam State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Huston Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is surrounded by Moshannon State Forest. Parker Dam State park is north of Clearfield on Pennsylvania Route 153 just off exit 111 of Interstate 80. The park was... (Clearfield County) Prince Gallitzin State Park Prince Gallitzin State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Chest and White Townships, Cambria County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is home to Glendale Lake a man-made lake. It has a large campground with campsites on the lake shore... (Cambria County Cambria County, Pennsylvania Cambria County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It comprises the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 143,679.... ) Sinnemahoning State Park Sinnemahoning State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Grove Township, Cameron County and Wharton Township, Potter County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is surrounded by Elk State Forest and is mountainous with deep valleys. The park is home to the rarely seen Elk and Bald Eagle... (Cameron and Potter Counties Potter County, Pennsylvania Potter County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is in the Allegheny Plateau region. As of 2010, the population was 17,457. Its county seat is Coudersport. Potter County was named after James Potter, who was a general from Pennsylvania in the Continental Army during the... ) |