A Russian Prince In Pennsylvania? Prince Gallitzin State Park, PA
Prince Gallitzin State Park is not my favorite park but I don’t think that it is the park fault. I went on Sept 1st but the trees were already turning color which made me feel that summer would soon be over. It was a sad day for me to realize that I needed to put out my coats and actually wear a lot more clothing very shortly. Plus less hiking and being outside.
These trees have all the sighs of an early fall coming. Fall is beautiful but I know that winter will be coming soon. Otherwise, this park is a great place to enjoy lazy days of your favorite activities hiking, boating, fishing, swimming, and come winter, sledding, skiing, and snowmobiling.
Headache Hill
Headache Hill give you a great view of the lake and the valley. But you have to be willing to climb up this.
But the views are wonderful…
Pickerel Pond
In several places, the park has these wonderful pond areas but Pickerel Pond was my favorite.
Boating
The park has several boat docks for every kind of boater as the park has a 1,760 acre lake. The lake is not just a circle but looks more like lots of inlets and area to explore. Check the Prince Gallitzin State Park boating launching areas as there are 9 which allow motor boats up to 20 hp, sailboats, canoes, and Kayaks. They also have dry storage parking spaces and mooring spaces available.
If you don’t have a boat, the park has rentals available at the Prince Gallitzin Marina Concession call them at (814) 674-2499 or for campers at Crooked Run Campground at (814) 674-8021 for availability and rates.
Lodging
The park has 10 modern cabins, camping cottages, and camping. Wifi is available to campers, hot showers, and more which start at $29 per night. Reservations
Stay for Free
The park has several host positions open for those who would like to be Camp Host. You must be willing to assist park personnel for 40 hours-per-week and must be willing to sign up for at least 2 weeks. Work includes light maintenance tasks, litter pickup, evening checks of showers and/or docks, and promoting good public relations.
Beaverdam
In 1960, the dam was built for flood control and also to create the lake from several streams that had ran through the valley.
The dam is 60 feet tall and is 1,964 feet long. The dam helped the surrounding areas in the 1972 when Hurricane Agnes made the lake rise five feet and held back 10.75 billion gallons of water from the villages, towns, city, and other communities in the area.
Brief History
Hurricane Agnes hit the United State in 1972. It was the most costly hurricane in US history at the time with an estimated over $2 billion in damages and killing 128 people. The effects were felt from the Caribbeans to Canada.
One of the reasons was that it made land fall in Florida, then moved inland. But after crossing through several states, she exited North Carolina into the Atlantic Ocean. Agnes strengthened and then make landfall again near New York City.
But the most significant effects was creating intensive flooding in Pennsylvania. Flooding Susquehanna and the Lackawanna Rivers. Over 7 inches of rain would hit most of the state with the Schuylkill County getting as much as 19 inches.
Over 100,000 people fled their homes across Pennsylvania with 50 people died. The hurricane took out over 68,000 homes and 3,000 business and left over 220,000 people homeless. Schuylkill River reached a record flood levels of 31.5 feet.
President Richard Nixon would declared disaster areas in Florida, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York. It also impacted the railroad industry which was already struggling. But one item that came out of it was that Pennsylvania created several levee systems which prevented massive flooding during later events including Hurricane Irene in 2011.
Other Areas of the Park
The park also has camping.
Trails of all kinds for hiking, biking, horses, and snowmobiles.
Lots of wildlife with squirrels, deer, groundhogs, fish, birds, and so much more.
Brief History
Prince Demetrius Augustine Gallitzin was an Russian aristocrat but around town he was know as The Apostle of the Alleghenies and possible will be canonized by the Catholic Church in the near future. In 1792, Prince Gallitzin come to America and meet with Bishop John Carroll of Baltimore during his two year tour of foreign lands as was the custom of young aristocrats to complete their education.
He assumed the name of Augustine Schmettau, hiding his title of Prince, to keep a low profile. During his tour of the United States, he found that the Church was in great need of priests. The Prince joined the priesthood by joining the Seminary of St. Sulpice in Baltimore.
In 1795, Father Gallitzin was the first to make all his theological studies in the United States. He went to work immediately.
In 1799, he would found the settlement of Loretto which is now Cambria County, Pennsylvania. The settlement was the first English speaking Catholic settlement in the Allegheny Mountains in southern Pennsylvania. Father Gallitzin would spent his own funds to purchase land some 20,000 acres, estimated $150,000, to attract other Catholic settlers to the area by selling it at low prices or giving it away.
Father Gallitzin would use his contacts as a child and young adult to get loans as he lost his inheritance per Russian law which forbid Catholic priest to receive inheritance. Loans from people such as the Russain ambassador to the US, who loaned him $5,000 and then light his cigar with the promissory note. William the I of the Netherlands, a childhood friend, would buy several items from the Princess Gallitzin’s estate to help him out.
Father Gallitzin would use the funds to build a grist mill and a sawmill. He would also decline offer to be the first bishop of Cincinnati and Detroit. But he did accept the appointment of Vicar-General for Western Pennsylvania.
He died at the age of 41 in 1840. But he left his mark in Pennsylvania. Before he started Loretto, only a handful of Catholics were in the area but at his death over 10,000 Catholics were living in the area. A near by town was named after him. In addition, Charles M. Schwab would fund the construction of a large stone church and provided the funds for a bronze statue of Gallitzin at Prince Gallitzin’s tomb.