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History & Nature Tour Description History & Nature Tour Locations |
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| History & Nature Tour Description | ||
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Northwestern Pennsylvania has great ecological and historical richness. Much of the economic history of the area is tied to the wealth of environmental assets of the region. For example, the area was valued during the colonial period to the fur trade, the Erie Extension Canal passed through Meadville, and the modern oil industry began in Titusville. This tour will take visitors to such places as Drake Well Museum, where visitors will learn of the impacts of the commercial oil industry on our culture and environment. They will also have the opportunity to visit French Creek, which is the most biologically diverse stream in Pennsylvania, home to many endangered species such as mussels.
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| History & Nature Tour Locations | ||
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Historical Museum |
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Description: The renovated Eagle Hotel, part of the Pennsylvania Historic Program since 1990, is home to this museum. In 1973, a group of citizens who wished to see the history of the town preserved, saved the hotel from a dim fate and purchased it. The purpose of the museum is to preserve and restore the historical legacy of the area. Since 1977, the hotel has been restored and is listed on the National Register of Historic Sites. The old hotel functions both as a museum and as a restaurant. The museum tells the story of early forts in the area and of George Washington's visit. The museum is run by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission of Edinboro University.
Environmental Issue: The Waterford Borough is located at the head of Lake Le Boeuf, where the French Fort was located in 1753. Lake LeBoeuf is one of three inland lakes in Erie County. This area played an important part in the struggle for the New World between the French and the British.
Fort Le Boeuf was the second French fort in Pennsylvania located at what is present day Waterford. The fort, named for nearby Le Boeuf Creek, guarded the waters of the upper Ohio River. Fort LeBoeuf was believed to be formed with four sides of a square and had a guardhouse, a chapel, an infirmary and the commander's storehouse. The fort was used to send supplies south from the Saint Lawrence River to the Gulf of Mexico and was designed to protect the Ohio Valley.
In 1753, George Washington, then a major representing the Governor of Virginia, came to Fort Le Boeuf carrying a letter to the commander of the fort warning the French to withdraw their forces from the region that was claimed by Great Britain. Six years later, following the French and Indian War, the French withdrew and the English burned the fort. The English took possession of the site and built a new fort in 1760, which the Native Americans burned in 1763 during Pontiac's rebellion.
The modern town of Le Boeuf was surveyed and laid out in 1794 to follow the land route of the French trail from Erie to the waters of Lake Le Boeuf and French Creek. A stagecoach line began regular service between Erie and Pittsburgh and by 1826, made three trips per week. Waterford became less significant after the Erie Extension Canal era of 1844 to 1871, but by 1900, the population had declined as had employment opportunities. The town then became dependent on agriculture, mostly with potato farming, dairy, and cattle production.
| Contact Information | |
| Phone: | (814) 732-2573 |
| Address: | 123
South High Street Waterford, PA |
| Hours: | Saturday and Sunday, 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm until May; then only Saturdays |
| Fee: | none |
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Description: The Union City Museum, founded in 1965, tells the story of early settlement in northwestern Pennsylvania. The museum has three floors that show how people lived and worked in the region from 1797 to the present. The first floor has equipment from an old grocery store, civil war artifacts, and a World War II roll with the names of Union City veterans. The second floor has equipment used by barbers, doctors, dentists, and pharmacists. The third floor contains items manufactured in Union City.
Environmental Issue: Union City, formerly known as Miles Mills, was founded in 1800. In this area, Miles built a gristmill and sawmill, cleared land for farming, and opened roads. He served as the postmaster in a post office he established here. Three oil refineries were established here after Edwin Drake discovered oil in Titusville. This area was densely forested and the manufacturing of wood products soon began. In 1871, the borough was renamed Union City. Today, much of the history is still visible. The Main Street area is considered a historic district and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. The Depot, which was built in 1903 for the Philadelphia & Erie Railroad, still stands at Main and High Streets.
| Contact Information | |
| Phone: | (814) 438-7573 |
| Address: | 11
South Main Street Union City, PA 16438 |
| Hours: | Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm |
| Fee: | none |
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| Links: | Union City |
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Description: At the Drake Well Museum, you can observe the site where Edwin L. Drake, in 1859, started the modern commercial oil industry. Visitors can explore the replica of Drake's engine house and oil derrick, which provide a glimpse of how the oil industry began, and see reproductions of Drake's steam engine and wood-fired boiler. The Museum tells the story of the beginning of the modern oil industry through museum, exhibits, operating oil field machinery, and historic buildings in a park setting. There are also many special events and educational programs.
Environmental Issue: Fossil fuels, such as oil, coal, and natural gas, account for 80 percent of energy use in industrialized countries and provide about 95 percent of all commercial energy in the world. Supplies of fossil fuels are diminishing, and their use affects the environment. As we burn fossil fuels, by driving cars and generating electricity, we release carbon dioxide and other heat-absorbing gases that contribute to global climate change, smog, and acid rain. Cleaner renewable energy resources such as solar photovoltaic, wind, and biomass can be used to replace environmentally damaging energy sources.
| Contact Information | |
| Phone: | (814) 827-2797 |
| Address: | 205
Museum Lane Titusville, PA |
| Hours: | May
through October: Monday to Saturday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Sunday
10:00 am to 5:00 pm; November through April: Tuesday to Saturday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Sunday noon to 5:00 pm; open Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day |
| Fee: | yes |
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| Links: | Drake
Well Fossil Fuel Conservation |
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Description: David Mead, who served in the Continental Army and read about George Washington's travels through this area in 1757, was looking for a place to settle following the Revolutionary War. At that time, the Continental Congress had little money, and instead, it granted lands in lieu of cash payments to members of the Continental Army who served in the war. David and his brother settled along French Creek and David became the founder of Meadville. The current cabin replica is actually two log cabins connected by a breezeway, with one side modeled to look like David Mead's home and the other to look like a schoolroom.
Environmental Issue: Meadville, Pennsylvania, is rich with history. David, John, and Joseph Mead founded a settlement there in 1788, which was known as Cussewago, then Mead's Mill, and finally Meadville. David Mead was a general in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War and was appointed associate judge of Crawford County, where he served until his death in 1816. Allegheny College was founded here in 1815, where Ida Tarbell, a famous female journalist, was the only woman in the class of 1880. Tarbell became known nationally for exposing illegal practices of the Standard Oil Company. French Creek, which flows behind the log cabin, is an ecological treasure that is home to many endangered species and also was an important mode of early transportation. In 1870, the Meadville Market House was built; it is now the oldest market house in continuous use in Pennsylvania. A tool and die industry arose and became very important. Zippers were first mass-produced Meadville in 1917; the inventor Wilcomb L. Judson and Lewis "the Colonel" Walker formed the Hookless Fastener Co. in 1913. It was later renamed the Talon Zipper Company and was the nations leading zipper manufacturer for nearly a century.
| Contact Information | |
| Phone: | 1-800-332-2338 (Crawford County Convention & Visitors Bureau) |
| Address: | Corner of French Street and Mead Avenue |
| Hours: | 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm, Saturday and Sunday, from Memorial Day to the end of August |
| Fee: | none |
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| Links: | Meadville, PA history |
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Description: French Creek flows from small tributaries in southern Chautauqua County, New York, to its junction with the Allegheny River at Franklin, Pennsylvania. The east bank of French Creek, behind the David Mead log cabin, is a wonderful place to view French Creek. Fish, mollusks, and waterfowl can often be seen from this location.
Environmental Issue: French Creek is a biologically diverse stream with over 89 types of fish and 27 species of freshwater mussels, including 2 federally endangered species. The freshwater mussels live on the bottom and filter the water to eat and breathe and are a vital component of the ecosystem.
French Creek begins in Chautauqua County, New York and runs through Erie, Crawford, Mercer, and Venango counties, ending in Franklin, Pennsylvania, where it meets the Allegheny River. The French Creek watershed covers over 1,235 square miles. Farmland, wooded areas, meadows, wetlands, and towns, all of which influence the river's quality, border the creek. Despite its excellent biological diversity and high water quality, many issues threaten French Creek. Wastewater discharges from home septic systems and sewage treatment plants cause nutrients to enter the water, altering stream chemistry and biology. Failure to use best farm management practices, can result in runoff of soil, animal waste, fertilizer, and pesticides to the streams. Runoff from roads often includes oil, salt, and other chemicals can be harmful to aquatic life. Introduction of non-native plants and animals can threaten native species through competition, and cause harmful economic impacts. To reduce these harmful impacts on the water, great care must be taken to keep French Creek healthy!
| Contact Information | |
| Phone: | (814) 332-2946 (French Creek Project) |
| Address: | Behind David Mead Log Cabin, French Street |
| Hours: | all hours |
| Fee: | none |
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| History & Nature Tour Itinerary | ||
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| See the tour schedule... | |
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| History & Nature Tour Map | ||
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| See the tour route... | |
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