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Cook Forest State Park
Cook Forest State Park is a 8,500-acre (3,440 ha) Pennsylvania state park in Farmington Township, Clarion County, Barnett Township, Forest County and Barnett Township, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania in the United States. Located just south of the Allegheny National Forest, the park is a heavily wooded area of rolling hills and mountains along the Clarion River in northwestern Pennsylvania. Cook Forest State Park is known for some of America's finest virgin white pine and hemlock timber stands and was once called the "Black Forest" due to the preponderance of evergreen tree coverage.
Cook Forest is now a National Natural Landmark and was rated one of America's top 50 state parks by National Geographic Traveler magazine.[citation needed] It was chosen by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and its Bureau of Parks as one of "25 Must-See Pennsylvania State Parks".
When European-Americans reached this part of Pennsylvania it was inhabited by the Seneca Nation of the Iroquois Confederacy. They used this area as a hunting grounds; the land of Cook Forest was then purchased by the English. Seneca Rock is still named after the first inhabitants, and the Paramount Pictures' film "Unconquered" was shot here in 1946 by Cecil B. DeMille and starring Gary Cooper and Paulette Goddard.
John Cook was the first permanent American settler. He arrived in 1826 to determine the feasibility of building an east-to-west canal along the Clarion River for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. John purchased 765 acres (310 ha) and settled here with his wife and 10 children in 1828.
At the mouth of Tom's Run, now adjacent to the park office, John built his one-story cabin and the first of many water-driven sawmills. He worked his mills, logged with oxen, rafted logs to Pittsburgh and also engaged in flatboat building through the years.
John's son Andrew bought 36 acres (15 ha) from his father, then gained the rest of his land when his father died in 1858. Andrew's industry expanded, and he built the original Cook Forest Inn for his woodsmen's living quarters. Andrew erected three sawmills, one flouring mill, one planing mill, a boat scaffold, several dwellings and a store. Andrew also served as a judge and local bank president. About 1870, he built the Cook Homestead (now a bed and breakfast) at the intersection of Route 36 and River Road. Cook family descendants still inhabit many of the homes along River Road. After Andrew's death, the business was managed under A. Cook Sons Company.
Major Israel McCreight of Du Bois, Pennsylvania, was author and steward of Cook Forest State Park, the first Pennsylvania State Park acquired to preserve a natural landmark, and a founder of the Pennsylvania Conservation Association. Cook Forest is the most important tract of virgin timberland to be found in Pennsylvania, and is without rival for size East of the Rockies. Once called the "Black Forest", the area is famous for its towering white pines and hemlocks. The idea to make Cook Forest a public park originated on McCreight's first visit to the "Forest Cathedral" near the Clarion River in northwest central Pennsylvania. "It was a beautiful day, August 21, 1910, that the writer with a few others were invited to a weekend house party at the A.W. Cook home. Cook would comment, as he led the way into the silent ‘temple of the gods’, and then listen to the exclamations of astonishment that were sure to come from those who followed along the fern-bound path in this fairyland. Often there was heard no comment, for in this silent cathedral of the Almighty, it was unuttered. Frequently it was observed that sturdy men could not restrain their tears, at the solemnity of their environment. It was during this walk that A.W. Cook and the writer sat down on a log to talk about the future fate of the magnificent panorama they saw and felt all about them, The writer said to him: ‘Cook, no greater crime could be committed than to destroy this; it shall not be destroyed; it must be saved for humanity’s sake." McCreight was determined to save the forest and began a campaign to conserve the natural landmark. In 1910, McCreight and others formed the Pennsylvania Conservation Association and successfully lobbied the legislature to consider Cook Forest for state park purposes. For sixteen years a series of unsuccessful legislative bills were introduced for the state to acquire Cook Forest. In 1923, the Cook Forest Association was formed for the purpose of acquiring the Cook Forest tract of virgin white pine and hemlock. Early pioneers with the Cook Forest Association were Major Israel McCreight, Theo Wilson and John Nicholson. The Association, endorsed by national natural resource groups and Governor Gifford Pinchot, raised $200,000.
On April 14, 1927, a bill was signed by Governor John Stuchell Fisher appropriating $450,000 on condition that the Cook Forest Association raise the remaining $200,000 to purchase the 6,055 acres. On December 28, 1928, the funds having been raised by the Cook Forest Association, the Secretary of the Department of Forests and Waters announced the formal purchase.
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Cook Forest State Park
Cook Forest State Park is a 8,500-acre (3,440 ha) Pennsylvania state park in Farmington Township, Clarion County, Barnett Township, Forest County and Barnett Township, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania in the United States. Located just south of the Allegheny National Forest, the park is a heavily wooded area of rolling hills and mountains along the Clarion River in northwestern Pennsylvania. Cook Forest State Park is known for some of America's finest virgin white pine and hemlock timber stands and was once called the "Black Forest" due to the preponderance of evergreen tree coverage.
Cook Forest is now a National Natural Landmark and was rated one of America's top 50 state parks by National Geographic Traveler magazine.[citation needed] It was chosen by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and its Bureau of Parks as one of "25 Must-See Pennsylvania State Parks".
When European-Americans reached this part of Pennsylvania it was inhabited by the Seneca Nation of the Iroquois Confederacy. They used this area as a hunting grounds; the land of Cook Forest was then purchased by the English. Seneca Rock is still named after the first inhabitants, and the Paramount Pictures' film "Unconquered" was shot here in 1946 by Cecil B. DeMille and starring Gary Cooper and Paulette Goddard.
John Cook was the first permanent American settler. He arrived in 1826 to determine the feasibility of building an east-to-west canal along the Clarion River for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. John purchased 765 acres (310 ha) and settled here with his wife and 10 children in 1828.
At the mouth of Tom's Run, now adjacent to the park office, John built his one-story cabin and the first of many water-driven sawmills. He worked his mills, logged with oxen, rafted logs to Pittsburgh and also engaged in flatboat building through the years.
John's son Andrew bought 36 acres (15 ha) from his father, then gained the rest of his land when his father died in 1858. Andrew's industry expanded, and he built the original Cook Forest Inn for his woodsmen's living quarters. Andrew erected three sawmills, one flouring mill, one planing mill, a boat scaffold, several dwellings and a store. Andrew also served as a judge and local bank president. About 1870, he built the Cook Homestead (now a bed and breakfast) at the intersection of Route 36 and River Road. Cook family descendants still inhabit many of the homes along River Road. After Andrew's death, the business was managed under A. Cook Sons Company.
Major Israel McCreight of Du Bois, Pennsylvania, was author and steward of Cook Forest State Park, the first Pennsylvania State Park acquired to preserve a natural landmark, and a founder of the Pennsylvania Conservation Association. Cook Forest is the most important tract of virgin timberland to be found in Pennsylvania, and is without rival for size East of the Rockies. Once called the "Black Forest", the area is famous for its towering white pines and hemlocks. The idea to make Cook Forest a public park originated on McCreight's first visit to the "Forest Cathedral" near the Clarion River in northwest central Pennsylvania. "It was a beautiful day, August 21, 1910, that the writer with a few others were invited to a weekend house party at the A.W. Cook home. Cook would comment, as he led the way into the silent ‘temple of the gods’, and then listen to the exclamations of astonishment that were sure to come from those who followed along the fern-bound path in this fairyland. Often there was heard no comment, for in this silent cathedral of the Almighty, it was unuttered. Frequently it was observed that sturdy men could not restrain their tears, at the solemnity of their environment. It was during this walk that A.W. Cook and the writer sat down on a log to talk about the future fate of the magnificent panorama they saw and felt all about them, The writer said to him: ‘Cook, no greater crime could be committed than to destroy this; it shall not be destroyed; it must be saved for humanity’s sake." McCreight was determined to save the forest and began a campaign to conserve the natural landmark. In 1910, McCreight and others formed the Pennsylvania Conservation Association and successfully lobbied the legislature to consider Cook Forest for state park purposes. For sixteen years a series of unsuccessful legislative bills were introduced for the state to acquire Cook Forest. In 1923, the Cook Forest Association was formed for the purpose of acquiring the Cook Forest tract of virgin white pine and hemlock. Early pioneers with the Cook Forest Association were Major Israel McCreight, Theo Wilson and John Nicholson. The Association, endorsed by national natural resource groups and Governor Gifford Pinchot, raised $200,000.
On April 14, 1927, a bill was signed by Governor John Stuchell Fisher appropriating $450,000 on condition that the Cook Forest Association raise the remaining $200,000 to purchase the 6,055 acres. On December 28, 1928, the funds having been raised by the Cook Forest Association, the Secretary of the Department of Forests and Waters announced the formal purchase.