Dr. Seuss’s classic book “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” is an enduring tribute to life’s ups and downs, something we’re all dealing with during the current world pandemic. When the histories of this time are written, many will note that “the Places We Went” during COVID-19 were our parks, preserves, and trails – sites of beauty, respite, inspiration, and health. While the influx of visitors to some of our best nature spots has required advisories about overuse and social distancing, we are fortunate to have many local outdoor options in which to take solace. No doubt our youth value this nature-seeking, will remember it, and perhaps pursue a career in parks and conservation – a noble cause, now more than ever.
We need these new nature activists, since outdoor places don’t happen by accident. These places are here for us now thanks to the vision, planning, and investment of dedicated public and non-profit partners over many years. Susquehanna National Heritage Area is proud to have helped advance many regional conservation efforts through the past two decades, especially along the Susquehanna River. We did it with outstanding partners – agencies and organizations like the National Park Service; PA Department of Conservation & Natural Resources; Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority; Lancaster Conservancy; The Conservation Fund; Farm & Natural Lands Trust; Lancaster and York County Planning Commissions and Parks Departments; Columbia Borough; and many other local municipalities. Together, we’ve successfully advocated for greater land preservation, more recreational opportunities, and better heritage and outdoor experiences in this place we call the Susquehanna.
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that during life’s most stressful times, we need nature and we need the river. We need its history, its scenic views, its hiking and biking trails, its green trees, and its wildflowers. Many of us have always known its importance, but it’s gratifying to know everyone else needs it too. The embrace of nature in this challenging time validates all the projects, initiatives, and programs that so many have worked so long and so hard to create. With our partners, we will continue to be here for our community, helping to save, improve, and share our region’s rich history and special outdoor places for the benefit of current and future generations. Stay safe out there!
Mark Platts, President
Susquehanna National Heritage Area
Partners Make Places Better
We’ve all become more grateful for outdoor recreation spaces since the global pandemic shuttered our favorite restaurants, businesses, and community spaces. Maybe you’ve never visited these trails before, or you’ve just recently realized their true value. Outdoor recreation spaces, natural habitats, preserves, and trails have been expanding along the Susquehanna for over two decades.
At Susquehanna NHA, we work with great organizations to grow outdoor recreation opportunities and preserve our natural and cultural heritage. We want to share with you their great contributions to our National Heritage Area. Partners bring funding support, unique talents, and a collaborative passion for the river.
Over the next few months, SNHA will be sharing Partner Features to highlight the local, state, and national partners who have made our National Heritage Area a more beautiful, and unique place to live and visit.
Here are just some of SNHA’s projects made possible with our great partners over the years:
• Developing the Susquehanna as a National Destination for Heritage & Outdoor Tourism • Zimmerman Center Enhancement Project Designed, Funded, and Completed • Veterans Memorial Bridge Lighting Project Funded & Completed • Susquehanna Riverlands Tourism Development Group Launched • New Maps, Guides, & Website Developed for Susquehanna Riverlands & NW River Trail • Zimmerman Center Designated as Official NPS Visitor Contact & Passport Station for John Smith Chesapeake NHT • Launched NPS Every Kid Outdoors Field Trips for Local 4th Graders with 1500+ Junior Rangers Sworn In • Managing Columbia Crossing River Trails Center as a Visitor Gateway to the River and Community Place with Programs for Kids & Families • Hosting Annual Canoemobile Event for Local 5th Graders with 600+ paddlers in 2019 • Co-Lead for Columbia River Park Master Planning Process • Launched River Discovery Boat Tours
Explore Susquehanna Heritage: Timeless Books, Folklore, and Stories of the Susquehanna River and Surrounding Area
As we find ourselves spending more time at home for the next few weeks, it’s a perfect opportunity to curl up in your favorite chair and go on a literary journey of the Susquehanna River Corridor. Nothing beats picking up a good book and getting lost in a story. Lucky for us, the Susquehanna River has many stories to tell!
Use our Susquehanna River inspired reading recommendations to explore regional history, culture and stories. There is no shortage of lively characters, exciting adventures and harrowing tales on this list. Get lost in time with the legends and folklore of the past and present from the comfort of home.
Explore the Susquehanna River Corridor with selections from the list that highlight the area’s unique features and geology. The Susquehanna River flows through time, leaving behind a history you can see on a visit to the area! Unique formations and rocks like Quartzite and Phyllite that date back to the Cambrian time period tell their own interesting saga. A closer look at the geology of the area and the river that cuts through it, will leave the reader with a better understanding of just how unique this area truly is, as well as the tenacity of the Susquehanna River.
Try these books for a closer look at the geology of the Susquehanna River and surrounding area:
Uncover the hidden history of the region from past to present, with stories of Native American inhabitants, early settlers and notable visitors. This compilation of books is rich with history, featuring stories ranging from John Smith’s account of the Indians he encountered on the Susquehanna River, to the burning of the bridge in 1863, and many more. Get a glimpse into the lives of those who visited the area and lived along the banks of the Susquehanna through the stories of the past!
Get started uncovering the history of the Susquehanna with one of these selections:
Experience the adventures of living in the Susquehanna Valley. Imagine what the Susquehanna River must have looked like as floating logs and rafts of goods littered its waters from bank to bank. The hustle and bustle of life around the expanding transportation hub and growing industry was exciting and innovative for the towns people. What a sight that must have been for the throngs of people who had gathered and settled in the river towns!
Start with one of these books for a taste of adventure in the Susquehanna Valley:
Get ready to curl up with a good book. Many of these stories convey a deep regard for the local lands and resources, especially the Susquehanna River. Others are sad tales of misfortune at the hand of mother nature or the river’s harsh reminder that it ruled the land. Some offer a fun and lighthearted narrative. They all give the reader a glimpse into what life was like in South Central Pennsylvania.
If you’re looking to learn more, no matter if you’re an avid reader or a beginner, you’ll find something on our shelf that interests you. Check out the rest of our recommendations on Goodreads!
Inspired by your reading? Dive into the stories in real life with events, programs and other opportunities that the Susquehanna National Heritage Area has to offer. Visit the Susquehanna National Heritage Area! Plan your visit and find out more: https://susqnha.org/explore-2/
River Roots is Susquehanna NHA’s blog series featuring history from York and Lancaster Counties that showcases the Susquehanna River’s historic, cultural, and natural resources contributions to our nation’s heritage.
For Women’s History Month, SNHA is featuring Susanna Wright. A brilliant, innovative Quaker, who contributed to the colonial settlement of Columbia along the Susquehanna. In an age when women were expected to marry and comply to the orders of the male members of the family, Susanna remained unmarried and pursued a variety of scholarly interests. Her story is that of a remarkable woman, who thrived on the frontier and became well-known as a poet and pundit, botanist, business owner, and scholar.
In 1697, Susanna was born to Quaker parents, John and Patience Wright, in Lancashire, England. She was the oldest of eight children. Her parents emigrated to the Philadelphia area of the Pennsylvania colony in 1712, while Susanna followed in 1718 after completing her education. Susanna’s mother died in 1722 forcing Susanna to take charge of the household responsibilities.
A Ferry Scene on the Susquehanna at Wright’s Ferry by Pavel Petrovich Svinin, ca. 1811
In 1730 her father John settled the family on the banks of the Susquehanna and began operating what became known as Wright’s Ferry. Joining the Wrights were Robert Barber and Samuel Blunston, fellow Quakers who had also resided in the Philadelphia area. In 1738, Susanna’s brother James Wright built a family home, the Wright’s Ferry Mansion, which remains a local landmark in Columbia, PA. Colonial officials were happy to have Quaker allies on the Susquehanna as the west side of the river was disputed territory between Pennsylvania and Maryland. Susanna created an island of genteel English culture in a primitive wilderness of Scots-Irish and German settlers as well as Native Americans.
Medicine & Agriculture
Along the Susquehanna, Susanna ran a large agricultural operation while her father tended to the burgeoning ferry business. In the 1740s, Susanna moved to the nearby Bellmont Mansion as it had been bequeathed to her from Samuel Blunston. This gift was incredibly important, because under the English practice of coverture Susanna would never have been able to be truly independent. The gift gave Susanna the financial security she needed to stay a single and independent woman when her father died in 1749 and left his estate to his sons.
Susanna was interested agriculture and used the farm to raise a variety of crops including hops, hemp, flax, and indigo. She also had an orchard and used her garden to experiment with native and European plants. She became familiar with herbal remedies and medicines, which she was frequently called to dispense to her ailing neighbors. Through her correspondence with Benjamin Franklin we know that she successfully grew apples – Spitzenburgs and Pippins were her favorite varieties.
Textiles: laying out mulberry leaves to feed silkworms, engraving attributed to B. Cole, 1749.
Susanna’s most remarkable contribution to agriculture was her successful efforts in producing silk. In North America, silk production had been limited to the southern colonies. Susanna developed a method that allowed the silkworms to spin in specially created paper cones. The coolness of the climate made it difficult to handle silkworms after they emerged from their cocoons. Despite this difficulty, she did find some success. In 1759, Susanna’s effort resulted in a pair of silk stockings. They were presented to General Jeffrey Amherst, the commander of Britain’s forces in America during the French and Indian War. By 1771, the Philadelphia Silk Society awarded her a prize of ten pounds for the largest number of cocoons raised by a single individual. That silk was reportedly used to make a court dress presented to Queen Charlotte by Benjamin Franklin.
Politics & Law
Read Franklin’s letters to Wright.
Susanna kept up with political debates on the eastern seaboard through correspondence. She regularly communicated with political elites like Isaac Norris, James Logan, Benjamin Franklin, and Benjamin Rush. She became a prothonotary or principal of the court for the Susquehanna River settlement, drafting legal documents including land deeds, indentures, and wills. Known for her good judgement and integrity, she was also called upon to settle disputes – especially between settlers and Native Americans.
Benjamin Franklin sought Susanna’s help in outfitting the Braddock Expedition of 1753 during the French and Indian War. She suggested calling together the township leaders to discuss gathering provisions for the endeavor. Franklin took her advice and successfully gathered 150 wagons as well as horses and provisions from Lancaster, York, and Cumberland Counties. He also sought her advice in dealing with the Paxton Boys massacre of December 1763. In early 1764, Susanna wrote to a Lancaster merchant that vigilantes were still roaming the region threatening not just Native Americans but those that supported and helped them, including her brother James Wright. Her location along the Susquehanna was a gateway to the frontier, which made her a valuable asset for information to Philadelphia’s elite political leaders.
Poetry & Literature
In quieter times, Susanna’s correspondence to friends in Philadelphia was more intellectual. She exchanged books with Logan, Franklin, and Rush. From her European education, Wright was fluent in French and versed in Latin and Italian. Literature was her constant delight, and she confided to Benjamin Rush that she could not live without her books. James Logan was known for having an immense library and regularly shared books with Susanna. In a surviving letter from James Logan, he complains that Susanna is slow to return the books he loaned her. However, they had a close relationship in which they shared writings, asked for critiques, and experimented with poetic form. Wright had many relationships like the one she shared with Logan.
Milcah Martha Moore’s commonplace book shown here was a personal collection of information and learned knowledge.
She belonged to an informal group of male and female writers in the mid-Atlantic. The female members included Hannah Griffitts, Milcah Martha Moore, Elizabeth Graeme Fergusson, and Deborah Norris Logan. Her contemporaries referred to her as the “Susquehanna Muse”. Deborah Norris Logan noted that Susanna did not write for fame and never kept copies of her work. Therefore, only about three dozen of her poems have survived. Her works were never published; instead she circulated her verses amongst her friends. Many were found in Moore’s commonplace book, a compilation of poetry and prose in which Susanna is one of the three dominate female contributors. Wright’s poems cover a wide breadth of themes like justice, time, death, immortality, friendship, family, and marriage. In a poem titled ‘To Eliza Norris—at Fairhill’, Wright meditates on the status of women in the eighteenth century. Her meditation concerning the inequality of women to men is one of her most analyzed poems.
Susanna’s reputation had grown so much by 1784 that Rush mentioned in his journal that he had met “the famous Suzey Wright a lady who has been celebrated Above half Century for her wit–good Sense & valuable improvements of mind.” Later that same year, Susanna Wright died at age 88. She was a unique and valuable contributor to colonial life in Pennsylvania. Her relationships connected her to important decisions in the colonial capital of Philadelphia. Her relentless energy to grow and better understand horticulture helped her community along the river and across the ocean. Her writings and poetry showcase a brilliance and passion that still inspires. In the 88 years of her life, Susanna took part in the transformation of Pennsylvania from a frontier colony to a prominent state in a fledgling nation.
Take a tour of the Wright’s Ferry Mansion located at Second & Cherry Streets. Open May through October on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturdays from 10:00 to 3:00 (last tour begins at 3:00). There is a great video about the preservation of the home and its collection on Vimeo by Natural Light Films.
Find another short biography of Susanna Wright and more learning resources for K-12 educators can be found at Women & The American Story from the New York Historical Society & Library.
Sources:
Shirk, Willis L. “Wright’s Ferry: A Glimpse into the Susquehanna Backcountry.” The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography 120, no. 1/2 (1996): 61-87.
Cowell, Pattie. “”Womankind Call Reason to Their Aid”: Susanna Wright’s Verse Epistle on the Status of Women in Eighteenth-Century America.” Signs 6, no. 4 (1981): 795-800.
La Courreye Blecki, Catherine, and Lorett Treese. “Susanna Wright’s “The Grove”: A Philosophic Exchange with James Logan.” Early American Literature 38, no. 2 (2003): 239-55.
Smith, Thelma M. “Feminism in Philadelphia, 1790-1850.” The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography 68, no. 3 (1944): 243-68.
Kanefield, Teri. The Extraordinary Suzy Wright: A Colonial Woman on the Frontier. New York: Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2016.
Silver, Peter. Our Savage Neighbors: How Indian War Transformed Early America. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2008.
Mick Williams’ watercolors on display at Columbia Crossing
SNHA is pleased to partner with Maryland artist, Mick Williams in a new exhibit at Columbia Crossing River Trails Center. The exhibit is on display through August 30 and features nine original watercolors and the archival photographs/postcards that inspired each work. Featured below is an article from LNP|LancasterOnline detailing Mick’s inspiration for the project.
Some artists have found creative inspiration from what’s inside a bottle of beer, but for New Market, Maryland-based artist Mick Williams, it was what was on the outside of a beer bottle that inspired him to create a watercolor series of vintage Columbia scenes.
The inspiration struck Williams while on a tour of childhood friend Mike Knaub’s soon-to-be-open brewpub, Starview Brews on Locust Street.
“I was looking at the labels of the beers he’s created,” Williams says over the phone. “They’re all archival photos of Columbia and the photos are awesome, so that kind of triggered my idea.”
The vintage photographs led Williams to create a series of watercolor paintings based on Columbia’s past. The watercolors are on display at Columbia Crossing through August 30.
The paintings, which Williams finished within a year, bring life and color to the sepia-toned nostalgia of the archival photos. Williams’ use of light and shadow are brilliant and the tight lines of his street scenes and buildings showcase his passion for architecture.
Williams, originally from York, is attracted to the vibe surrounding Columbia — particularly the city’s architecture.
“I like the fact that it’s on the water,” Williams says. “It’s got this bohemian vibe to it. There are a lot of old buildings. I’ve always been an architecture buff, so I embraced that. I love the old wood with the brick and the trees and the business signs. It’s appealing.”
The paintings are rich with detail. Williams put his skills for hand-lettering to great use. (His painting of the old Hinkle’s Drug Store is a great example.) Williams developed his lettering skills from his years filling in thought and word bubbles for his short-lived syndicated cartoon called “Morons with Money.”
“I really enjoyed doing it,” Williams says of his cartoon strip. “But it never really sold. It really honed my art skills. My pen and ink skills really improved and also my figure drawing. Like if you’ve ever seen ‘Calvin and Hobbes,’ there’s a lot of action in that and I tried to put in the figures in the paintings as much as I could.”
A quick trip through Williams’ website shows the painter does more than just landscapes. He occasionally employs a touch of surrealism to his work.
“I don’t want to be just a landscape painter,” Williams says. “Every artist should just embrace creativity and be like ‘it would be fun to do this and just try it.’ ”
“When you do a painting, you have to look at a scene and break it down into those major shapes and then you can go back into and recreate it and color it,” Williams says.
His virtuosic touch makes the paintings look effortless, but it’s a detailed process that goes into creating them.
“It starts with a very accurate pencil drawing,” Williams says. “That’s the key underlying any painting. You’ve got to construct a foundation for a painting properly. For me, it’s a pencil drawing. It’s just a matter of being patient.”
Viewers are sure to be impressed with Williams’ work. And the Columbia Crossing River Trails Center enhances the work.
“I love all the glass,” Williams says about the venue. “It’s ultramodern. It’s a very nice design, and their location right on the water is immaculate.”
The venue allows for lots of light —and the light glinting off the river is a perfect way for viewers to realize just how great Williams is at capturing light accurately.
“I like the way light affects a scene,” Williams says. “And how it changes, like you see something in the early morning and it changes how you see it at midday or at dusk or even at night.”
Hope Byers, manager of Columbia Crossing, agrees that the artist, the venue and the city of Columbia are a perfect combination.
“The exhibit hall at Columbia Crossing has offered a unique space to host exhibits that related to local history and culture,” Byers says. “Local brewer Mike Knaub shared one of Mick’s watercolors with me, and I fell in love. I immediately knew the photograph that Williams had used to create the watercolor. The familiar storefronts and buildings are perfectly showcased in idyllic fashion. I wanted to showcase the real and reimagined together.”
Looking for some winter exercise? Try out the Zimmerman Center’s new stone slab steps to start off a crisp December hike into Native Lands County Park! As part of our project to improve accessibility to Native Lands, the steps replace the rather “rustic” ones visitors have had to navigate from our otherwise lovely trailhead ontothe footpath to the park.
AFTERBEFORE
As you wander up the trail, you may notice that as a result of removal of invasive plant species from the woodland this summer, you can now see the forest through the trees! It’s a wonderful place to enjoy some solitude and take in the soothing landscape.
After your hike, stop in the Center to warm up and you will see that we made Tim Barr’s Petroglyphs at Safe Harbor painting more accessible, having moved it from our second-floor hallway to a prominent spot in our rear gallery. Consider making a Christmas donation to help make this dramatic work of art, on temporary loan from the artist, a part of our permanent collection.
Chesapeake Conservation Corps Member impacts Heritage Area through Pollinator Projects
Each year, Susquehanna National Heritage Area welcomes a Chesapeake Conservation Corps Member to our team. The Conservation Corps program is operated by the Chesapeake Bay Trust in order to increase access to green careers. Educating and training the next generation of stewards on how best to manage and protect our environment is crucial to restoring our region’s natural resources. Young adults are placed with nonprofit or government agencies for one-year terms of service in the Chesapeake Bay region. Susquehanna NHA hosts a Corps member each year thanks to our relationship with the NPS Chesapeake Bay Office that supplies the funding.
For 2018-2019, we welcomed Amy Kochel. She was a recent graduate of Juniata College where she studied Environmental Science. She had experience in aquatic ecology and environmental education. Amy is passionate about streams and rivers, and anything that lives in them. Amy completed and supported a variety of programs and projects during her time with Susquehanna National Heritage Area. Her mentor at SNHA was Paul Nevin, our Zimmerman Center Manager.
Amy completed a Meaningful Watershed Environmental Education grant project with the 4th grade classes at York Academy Regional Charter School in the York City. The elementary school is located across the street from the Codorus Creek, allowing for a great outdoor educational experience. Amy led an in-classroom activity about watersheds and had students work together to build a watershed model. The class also did stream study at the Codorus Creek and the students determined the health of the water using chemical and physical tests. Amy then helped the students to plant a pollinator habitat on their playground. Amy designed the pollinator garden and coordinated with a local nursery to get the 150 plants needed to fill the space. Students learned about the importance of pollinator wildlife and ways that plants can reduce soil runoff into waterways. The students also committed to caring for the garden and signed up to weed and water the garden weekly including over the summer months.
As a conclusion, the students attended a field trip with Susquehanna NHA at the Zimmerman Center for Heritage where they investigated the health of a nearby stream to learn more about the Susquehanna River and compared it to their local stream in the city. Students completed the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail Junior Ranger book and were sworn in as Junior Rangers at the end of the day. As part of the swearing in ceremony, students committed to continue learning about the landscape, plants, animals, and history of the river region.
At the SNHA Zimmerman Center property, Amy helped to enhance the information and interpretation of native species. She located, flagged, identified, and labeled native wildflowers along the hiking trail that leads to Native Lands County Park. Her work along the riverfront removed invasive species from the rain garden in order for more native plants to grow. In the fall, Amy caught and tagged monarch butterflies and created an informative area at the Zimmerman Center’s welcome desk for visitors to learn more about the monarch migration and the importance of native milkweed. Over the winter, she researched more about the native species that were present before Europeans arrived in Pennsylvania. Utilizing research from local archaeological digs that were done near the Susquehanna River, Amy then compared the findings to the types of plant and animal species that are found today.
In the spring, Amy created a pollinator garden alongside Susquehanna NHA’s rain garden. Throughout the year, Amy developed a site plan to determine the area of the garden and how many plants would be needed. She ordered the plants and advertised a planting day to find volunteers to help plant the garden. With the help of volunteers, she planted 300 native plants from 15 different species. A brochure was also created for visitors to learn more about pollinators and pollinator gardens.
In August 2019, Amy Kochel’s tenure with Susquehanna NHA came to an end. Her time in the Chesapeake Conservation Corps advanced her knowledge and leadership skills. We were proud to be her mentor through the process. She has since earned a permanent position with the Nature’s Classroom Institute as an Environmental Educator in Wisconsin.
A big THANK YOU! to the Student Conservation Association Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps who braved the heat and rain in July to remove invasive plants from our woodlands and perform maintenance on the Pleasant Garden Trail leading to Native Lands County Park!
This youth employment and enrichment program is managed by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources in cooperation with the Student Conservation Association, a national conservation jobs organization that has engaged thousands of young people nationwide in hands-on service to the land to build the next generation of conservation leaders and inspire lifelong stewardship of the environment and communities.
The Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps program offers paid work experience, job training, and educational opportunities to teens and young adults as they protect and restore public lands and waters. We were also honored to have Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Deputy Secretary Michael Walsh join us to inspect the youth crew’s accomplishments.
Visit the Zimmerman Center for Heritage and Native Lands County Park to see these first steps toward restoring the woodland to a more natural state.
When: Saturday, July 13th & Sunday July 14th, 10:30am/12:30pm/2:30pm,
and Every Weekend through Summer 2019
Where: Zimmerman Center for Heritage, 1706 Long Level Rd., Wrightsville, PA
On Saturday, July 13th and Sunday, July 14th, Susquehanna National Heritage Area will launch our pilot season of River Discovery Boat Tours on the Susquehanna River. Three FREE pontoon boat tours will be offered every Saturday and Sunday through the summer from our Zimmerman Center for Heritage dock, on the river south of Wrightsville, PA. Tour times for the initial pilot season are 10:30am, 12:30pm, and 2:30pm.
Tour participants will cruise the Susquehanna in a comfortable 10-passenger pontoon boat owned and operated by locally-based Long Level Marina. Susquehanna National Heritage Area’s on-board guides will lead participants on a 1 hour 15 minute tour of the Lake Clarke portion of the river while sharing the Susquehanna’s rich natural and cultural history. Tour participants will enjoy being on the water, hearing stories of the river, and viewing beautiful scenery and wildlife.
The River Discovery Tours are the first new initiative of Susquehanna National Heritage Area since Congressional designation of Lancaster and York Counties as America’s 55th National Heritage Area in March 2019. The 2019 pilot season of tours are offered free of charge for all participants thanks to grants from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources/Heritage Areas Program and the National Park Service/Chesapeake Bay Gateways Program.
The River Discovery Tours were developed as part of the Zimmerman Center’s official role as a National Park Service Visitor Contact & Passport Station for the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, America’s first water-based National Historic Trail. Special themed tours and round-trip cruises between the Zimmerman Center and the Columbia Crossing River Trails Center we manage on the Columbia riverfront will be offered later in the summer. If popular with the public in this pilot season, an expanded schedule of tours will be developed for 2020 and beyond.
Each tour has a limited number of seats and online reservations are recommended. Reservations are limited to 4 persons maximum per tour and one reservation per tour day. Unreserved seats may be available on the first-come, first-served basis. Tours leave from the Zimmerman Center dock, 1706 Long Level Rd., four miles south of Wrightsville.
More information about River Discovery Boat Tours and making reservations can be found here.
On Friday, June 7, 2019, Susquehanna National Heritage Area (SNHA) will celebrate the recent designation by Congress of Lancaster and York Counties as America’s 55th National Heritage Area. National, state, and local elected officials, agencies, and business leaders will come together on the riverfront in Columbia to honor our area’s significant role in shaping American history and recognize those partners who helped bring this important national designation to our communities.
Featured speakers for the celebration are U.S. Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and Congressman Lloyd Smucker (PA-11), who both championed National Heritage Area designation for our region in Congress.
Remarks will also be offered by Kate MacGregor, Deputy Chief of Staff exercising the authority of the Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of the Interior; Cindy Dunn, Secretary, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources; Josh Parsons, Chair, Lancaster County Board of Commissioners; Susan Byrnes, President, York County Board of Commissioners; Columbia Mayor Leo Lutz; Lancaster Chamber President Tom Baldrige; and Kevin Schreiber, President & CEO of the York County Economic Alliance. Representatives of the National Park Service will also be in attendance.
Weather and water permitting, a small group of invited participants will arrive for the celebration in Columbia by boat after a cruise from SNHA’s Zimmerman Center for Heritage at Long Level, York County. In 2016, the National Park Service designated the Zimmerman Center as Pennsylvania’s official Visitor Contact & Passport Station for the Captain John Smith Chesapeake Trail—America’s first water-based National Historic Trail. National Heritage Area designation builds on this existing trail partnership with the National Park Service by expanding collaboration to the regional level.
Designation of York and Lancaster Counties as the Susquehanna National Heritage Area caps an eleven-year community campaign to achieve this national recognition for our region. After completion of a Feasibility Study Report in 2008, the National Park Service found our region meets the National Heritage Area Feasibility Study Guidelines for Congressional designation. With this determination, Senator Casey sponsored legislation to designate the Susquehanna National Heritage Area in every session of Congress since 2008 and Congressman Lloyd Smucker (PA-11) joined the effort in 2017. In early 2019, the Susquehanna National Heritage Area was included in S.47, the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act, which was approved by Congress in February 2019 and signed by President Trump in March 2019. The Act named Susquehanna Heritage Corporation as the Local Coordinating Entity for the new National Heritage Area and authorized fifteen years of federal funding to carry out heritage and conservation activities. Next steps will include development of a Cooperative Agreement with the National Park Service and a Management Plan to chart the future course of the National Heritage Area’s programs and projects.
Columbia Borough has released the final draft of Columbia River Park Phase III Report and welcomes feedback on this plan.
Susquehanna Heritage has participated with the process to expand Columbia River Park, where Columbia Crossing River Trails Center is located. There is an opportunity to expand the park north of the Veterans Memorial Bridge. Almost eleven acres of river front land will be turned into a beautiful, innovative public park. The space holds important cultural features including two historic bridge piers and canal remnants.
Over the last year, designers have collected information, data, and opinions from local residents, visitors, businesses and more. Through a series of public meeting, online surveys, and public events like the Bridge Bust, the designers prepared and refined a plan for the expanded park.
