A Pleasant Place Mont Alto State Park in Pennsylvania
Mont Alto State Park is the oldest park in Pennsylvania. It once housed a blast furnance which was build in 1807. The Mont Alto Railroad was would ship iron products to Chambersburg, PA but it would also bring visitors to the park for the day.
The park once had a swimming pool, refreshment stands, a lot of hiking trails, and a carousel. Today, it more of a picnic area with a few short trails but access to Michaux State Forest with a lot more trails.
It also has this nice little creek which is the West Branch Antietam Creek.
Brief History
The park is not very big but the history of this park is. Just down the street are four historical markers.
- Captain John Cooke, one of the person was part of Harpers Ferry Raid, was captured near here on October 25, 1859. (See John Brown’s House for more information.)
- Pennsylvania State Forest Academy which was founded by Dr. Joseph T Rothrock, the first Commonwealth’s Forestry Comissioner, Mira Lloyd Dock, George Herman Wirt, and others in 1903. It was the third program in the Nation for Forestry. The first graduating class of 1906 but in order to attend, you had to have a horse. You and your horse would be part of the firefighter force against wild forest fires in the area.
- George Herman Wirt was Pennsyvania’s first professional trained forester and the first director of the State Forest Academy. He served as Cheif Forest Fire Warden from 1915 to 1946.
- Ralph Elwood Brock (1883-1959), who was the first African American forester in the Nation and got his degree from Pennsylvania State Forest Academy. He was a member of the original class of 1906. He would later be the Mont Alto State Forest Nursery superintendent.
In addition, Dr. Rothrock who had been ill as a child would spend time in the wood to exercise. He discovered a love of the woods and would set up South Mountain Camp Sanitarium near the park for those afflicted with tuberculosis and other respiratory illnesses.
Other things in the Area
Check out Michaux State Forest which is right next store, Caledonis State Park which is about 10 minutes away, and Pine Grove State Park is about 30 minutes away.
In addition, Gettysburg is only about 22.5 mile or 30 minutes away. A perfect place for children and adults to learn all about the Battle of Gettysburg and so much more.
The Old Franklin County Jail and John Brown House in Chambersburg, PA is about 20 minutes away. The Old Jail was build in 1818 with an addition put on in 1880 and closed in 1988. The John Brown House is were he and his friend’s planned the Harpers Ferry Raid.
I have or will have all these places posted by the end of September.