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In Northeast
Pennsylvania, there are 4,500 square miles of green mountains
and lush valleys, laced with silvery rushing streams and lakes
of cool, pure water and bisected from northwest to southeast
by the wide, slow-moving, and beautiful Susquehanna River. The
first inhabitants of the area, the Delaware Indians, were the
first to call the area "the endless mountains," and
interchanged that with "the land of paradise"
because of the abundance of game and fish. Those identities
are as valid today as when the Endless Mountains first
appeared on maps more than two centuries ago.
The traveler who
values the serenity of the mountains uninterrupted by the
trappings of rampant commercialism will find these attributes
in the Endless Mountains. The traveler will see real people
and places with endearing character. They say hello to
strangers on the street, and the doors are not locked by
deadbolts every night. You are likely to find yourself looking
out at a herd of buffalo, a family of deer, or a gaggle of
geese, not to mention the cows, chickens, and horses. The
flavor and values of small town America are alive and well.
The towns you will
visit, such as Tunkhannock, Towanda, Dushore, Montrose,
Nicholson, Laceyville, and Beaumont, reflect the influence of
native American, French, and other European settlers. You can
visit the area, still somewhat remote, where aristocratic
refugees from the French Revolution built a sanctuary in hopes
that Marie Antoinette and her family could join them.
The mountains are a
treasure for outdoor persons and families, regardless of the
preferred activity. You can enjoy the hiking, camping,
fishing, hunting, and bird and wildlife watching in the many
state parks and game lands throughout the area. You can also
choose from golf, swimming, bicycling, canoeing, cross-country
or downhill skiing, ice skating... the list goes on and on. As
for leaf peeping, the fall colors are unmatched. When viewed
from the top of one of the mountains, the foliage spreads out
in an endless carpet of rolling, flaming color.
Man-made wonders
include the "Oldest House," an historical landmark
which served river travelers and, later, the railroad. After
more than two centuries, it is still architecturally intact.
The house is a stark reminder of the lack of comfort available
when the American republic was formed. The bridge enthusiast
will find the area dotted with covered bridges, the most
notable being the covered bridge at Luthers Mills. Nicholson
Bridge, the largest poured concrete span in the world and
built in 1915, is still in use. Also awe-inspiring is the
Starraduct Viaduct, completely built of stone, each laid into
place by hand in 1848. It too is in use today.
The Farm Museum of
Troy and its collection of tools and memorabilia from the past
were all donated by the residents of the mountains. For those
interested in some of the influences upon our nation's
industrial capacity, the national park at Steamtown is
unmatched in the quality and number of museum exhibits and the
collection of steam engines. In addition, a tour of an actual
coal mine, deep in the bowels of the earth, and a tour of an
authentically preserved town for coal miners and their
families are experiences that will create a lasting
impression. |
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