Nestled in the countryside of Erie County, Pennsylvania, Howard Falls holds a rich history that intertwines natural beauty, community, and conservation. One particularly remarkable chapter in its story began in the late 1930s, when the property briefly served as the site of the Erie County Sportsman’s League Game Farm. Chapters One and Two Summary: HowContinue reading “Erie County Sportsmen’s League Game Farm At Howard Falls – Chapter Three”
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The Timeless Face of Howard Falls
Part One For the past 200 years, Howard Falls has been visited by many scientists, geologists and ecologists, drawn there by its unique geological features and the ecologically important Gorge below it. As we detailed in our earlier blog, “The Portage Escarpment“, these features were created from the melt-waters of the Laurentide ice sheet asContinue reading “The Timeless Face of Howard Falls”
Eclipsing Howard Falls
The total eclipse of the sun began in the Pacific that Monday morning, sweeping across central North America, and around 11 am that day at Howard Falls the sun began to be entirely eclipsed by the moon. Soon, Howard Falls was plunged into total darkness, as the moon completely obscured the sun. Four minutes later,Continue reading “Eclipsing Howard Falls”
Total Solar Eclipse at Howard Falls on April 8, 2024
As the countdown begins to April 8, the date when the celestial phenomenon of a total solar eclipse will grace the skies above Howard Falls in Girard, Pennsylvania, it is worth delving into the rich history that surrounds eclipses. These cosmic events have fascinated and mystified humanity for millennia, weaving their way through cultures andContinue reading “Total Solar Eclipse at Howard Falls on April 8, 2024”
Mayhem at the Cottage
We recently came across a poignant statistic: Only a small percentage of Americans can readily name all eight of their great-grandparents. According to a 2019 survey by Ancestry®: – About 21 percent of Americans don’t know which city any of their grandparents were born in.– 14 percent don’t know what any of their grandparents doContinue reading “Mayhem at the Cottage”
The Portage Escarpment
Background In our earlier Blog, “Formation of the Falls Run Gorge,” we discussed the potential dynamics of how the Gorge and Falls formed during the end of the Laurentide Ice Age over 12,000 years ago. Further review of literature on similar gorges in Ohio and New York allowed us to refine these dynamics further andContinue reading “The Portage Escarpment”
Route 98 Dedication, 1926
As we wrote in our blog “Crossing the Divide; The Challenge of Bridging Elk Creek,” the dedication of a new concrete bridge across Elk Creek was an auspicious occasion in early August 1926. On hand were over 100 dignitaries and local residents. One of those residents in attendance was George Howard, who had been askedContinue reading “Route 98 Dedication, 1926”
Crossing the Divide
The Challenge of Bridging Elk Creek Prologue:In early August 1926, over 100 people gathered at Elk Creek, where the state highway connecting Fairview and Franklin Township crossed the stream as reported by The Erie Daily Times. In attendance were Fairview and Franklin residents as well as county and local officials. It was a momentous occasionContinue reading “Crossing the Divide”
Hillside
Prologue: Last week the Girl Scouts of America received a record donation of $84.5 million from Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. Among other uses, the grant is meant to “create more equitable membership opportunities in communities that have been under-engaged” and “foster meaningful program innovation informed by the current interests and needs of girls to prepare themContinue reading “Hillside”
Early Surveys of Erie County
As mentioned in our previous blog, “History of Franklin Township,” most of the land in Northwestern Pennsylvania came under the control of the newly formed United States of America with the 1784 Treaty of Fort Stanwix. The following year, however, disputes of land claims within the colonies began, and a boundary dispute between New YorkContinue reading “Early Surveys of Erie County”