June 2015

6‘Route 6 PA experience’ fi lled with

great sights, family activities

16Fishing 101

with Wade Robertson

20Hang Around at

Sky High Adventure Park

24Movies returning to Allegany State Park’s Quaker Amphitheater thanks

to Smokey’s birthday celebration

10Lots of fun this summer at YCamp in Olean, Bradford and Wellsville

14Take me out the ball game…

It’s the summer season once again and it’s a great time to be in the Southern Tier! New York and northwest Pennsylvania are known for their excellent and diverse summer events and activities. As the season continues we fi nd ourselves outside for cookouts, shopping in our favorite hometown stores, outdoor concerts, fi shing, boating or just generally enjoying the thrills and relaxation of summer sports and recreation. Summer in the Southern Tier is one of the most beautiful and enjoyable times of the year, and if you would like to fi nd out how to truly enjoy these next few months, look no further than this edition of Southern Tier Living.

6

ndoor and outdoor recreational opportunities abound for travelers along U.S. Route 6 in

Pennsylvania, the more than 400-mile corridor that links small towns along the state’s northern tier.

National Geographic dubbed the route “one of America’s most scenic drives.”

Three distinct regions comprise the Route 6 PA experience. Beginning at the Ohio line and heading east, they are the Pennsylvania Great Lakes Region, Pennsylvania Wilds Region and Upstate Pennsylvania Region.

Erie and Crawford counties are in the Great Lakes Region.

In the city of Erie, the Erie Mari-time Museum, with its Brig Niagara and illustrations of the War of 1812 and Battle of Lake Erie, is popular with tourists.

The museum’s newest exhibit fea-tures the U.S. Navy’s fi rst iron-hulled ship, the USS Michigan/Wolverine.

For family fun, there is always a visit to Conneaut Lake Park, among the oldest amusement parks in the country.

The counties of Warren, McKean, Potter and Tioga form the northern portion of the Pennsylvania Wilds, the 12-county area that offers excit-ing outdoor experiences with 29 state parks, 50 state game lands, eight state forests and the Allegheny National Forest, bountiful wildlife and hundreds of miles of water and land trails.

PA Wilds is home to the larg-est elk herd in the Northeast at Benezette.

Even though the visitor center is currently under construction, the bridge and observation deck at the Kinzua Bridge State Park near Mount Jewett in McKean County remain open for visitors. However, the 2015 Kinzua Bridge Foundation Fall Festival has been canceled for the second consecutive due to the con-struction.

At the time of its original construc-tion, the railroad bridge was 301 feet high and 2,053 feet long, making it the world’s highest and longest bridge of its kind. Eleven of its towers were knocked down in a 2003 tornado.

The fi rst two weeks in October are

BY FRAN DE LANCEYSpecial to Southern Tier Living

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Two log birlers compete during the annual Bark Peelers Convention at the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum, located along Route 6 near Galeton, Pa. The Convention is the weekend of July 4-5.

The counties of Warren, McKean,

8

usually the peak times for viewing the area’s fall foliage at the park.

In Bradford, close to Route 6, is the Zippo/Case Museum that attracts over 50,000 visitors annually, making it northwestern Pennsylvania’s most popular museum.

In Smethport, the Old Jail Mu-seum, home to the McKean County Historical Society, is rated by Pursuits Magazine as the “Sixth Most Haunted Place in Pennsylvania,” due to the sup-posed presence of the ghost of Ralph Crossmire.

Crossmire was convicted of mur-dering his mother on Nov. 9, 1892. Lucetta Crossmire was found hanged in a cow stable on the family farm in Farmers Valley. At fi rst, authorities thought it was suicide. Later, however, suspicion turned to her only son who was arrested the following day and confi ned to the McKean County Jail in Smethport to await trial.

When the three-day trial opened on March 2, 1893, the courtroom was fi lled to capacity with men, women and even children, including a New York City newspaper reporter.

Despite the circumstantial evi-

dence, the jury deliberated about 18 hours before fi nding Ralph guilty. The sentence was death by hanging.

On the day the sentence was to be carried out in the jail’s basement, Ralph announced from the gallows, that if were hanged, he would return and haunt the jail. The hanging pro-ceeded as scheduled.

Ralph was true to his word.Several prisoners who later occu-

pied Crossmire’s cell reported seeing his ghost.

Guided tours are available at the

Old Jail Museum. See the Loom Room, Civil War Bucktails’ exhibit, Railroad and wildlife displays, and of course the dungeon in the basement of the former jail.

Next door to the east in Potter County. As one of the 15 counties in the state’s Lumber Heritage Region, Potter County is home to the Pennsyl-vania Lumber Museum near Galeton. This recreated turn-of-the-20th century lumber mill and camp document the history and technology of this indus-try that was a vital part of the area’s economy.

During July 4-5, the Lumber Mu-

seum hosts the annual Bark Peelers’ Convention.

For the astronomy buffs, the exceptionally dark skies at Cherry Springs State Park — the darkest in the state — make it one of the best places on the east coast for viewing planets galaxies and other heavenly bodies.

Pine Creek Gorge, sometimes called the Grand Canyon of Pennsylva-nia, is a 47-mile gorge carved by Pine Creek on about 160,000 acres in Tio-ga County. The canyon starts south of Ansonia, near Wellsboro, along Route 6 and continues south. The deepest point is 1,450 feet at Waterville, near the southern end.

At the eastern end of Route 6 are Bradford, Wyoming, Lackawanna, Wayne and Pike counties in the Up-state Pennsylvania Region, long popu-lar with people who want to leave the stress of living in large eastern cities and enjoy the mountains and lakes.

A major attraction at Nicholson, Wyoming County, is the Tunkhannock Creek Viaduct, a concrete arch bridge, that when measured from the creek bed, was the world’s largest concrete structure when it was fi nished in 1915. Fifty years later, it still was recognized as the largest concrete bridge in Ameri-ca, if not the world.

Traveling southeast into downtown Scranton in Lackawanna County, vaca-tioners will want to stop at Steamtown USA, a National Historical Site railroad museum set on 62.48 acres, the site of the former Scranton yards of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad.

The museum features a working replica of a turntable and roundhouse, as well as collections of locomotives, and freight and passenger cars.

For relaxation, boaters and anglers will fi nd the Allegheny Reservoir and Lake Wallenpaupack as ideal loca-tions.

Recent years in northern Pennsyl-vania have seen the opening of many trails, some for walking, some for biking, some for equestrians, some for ATVs and yet others for multi-uses.

Kinzua Bridge State Park, with its skywalk on the section of bridge that remains standing, is located off Route 6 near Mount Jewett, Pa.

10

hen school’s out for the sum-mer, children don’t have to stay indoors, glued to their

cell phones or laptops.The YMCA of the Twin Tiers is

once again offering its summer day camp from June through August.

The YCamp will run from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday at Olean and Wellsville, as well as Bradford, Pa. Drop-off runs from 6:30 to 9:30 a.m., with fi rst through fi fth-graders being dropped off at the high school. Kindergartners will be dropped off at the YMCA. Camp activities will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Stu-dents must be picked up by 6 p.m.

The YCamp at the YMCA provides children creative, recreational and educational opportunities that include climbing wall challenges, com-munity service proj-ects, nature study and outdoor play, swimming, arts and crafts, char-acter development activities, games and sports and fi eld trips. Opening ceremo-nies and fl ag raising and theme-based special events are also planned for the summer camp.

Staff will help campers develop mentally, physically, socially and spiri-tually.

“Boys and girls entering kinder-garten will get dropped off at the YMCA,” Bradford Family YMCA branch manager Brent Raabe said. “Boys and girls attending fi rst grade through the completion of fi fth grade will be dropped off at the Bradford High

School and picked up at the Bradford YMCA. This group will spend half the day at the high school and half the day at the YMCA.”

For YMCA members, the cost for the summer camp is $130.50 a week; each additional child is $110.20. The weekly fee for the public is $145, with each additional child, $116.

Campers can request weeks they would like to attend.

Financial assistance is available to those who qualify. There is a $25 discount for individuals signed up before May 28.

For more information, in Bradford, contact Lindsey Mapes or Stacie Titus

at 814-368-6101; Olean, Mary Miller, 716-701-1381; and Wellsville, Kristen

Kotelsky, 716-904-3190.

Also at the YMCA, several camps are

being planned. Children will be able to take part

in swimming, June 22-26 and July 20-24; basket-

ball, July 6-10; soccer, July 13-17; and gymnastics, Aug. 3-7. In addition, youth will be able to partici-pate in a sport and splash camp June 15-19 and Aug., 10-14, which com-bines swimming, sports and other ac-tivities such as basketball, dodgeball, capture the fl ag, volleyball and more. A gymnastics team camp is scheduled July 20-24. Costs are associated with those camps. More information is available by calling 814-368-6101.

hen school’s out for the sum-mer, children don’t have to stay indoors, glued to their

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWstay indoors, glued to their

Wstay indoors, glued to their

Wstay indoors, glued to their

Wstay indoors, glued to their

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

educational opportunities educational opportunities that include climbing that include climbing wall challenges, com-wall challenges, com-

and sports and fi eld and sports and fi eld trips. Opening ceremo-trips. Opening ceremo-nies and fl ag raising and nies and fl ag raising and

Wellsville, Kristen Kotelsky, 716-904-Kotelsky, 716-904-

3190.3190.

several camps are several camps are being planned. Children being planned. Children

will be able to take part will be able to take part in swimming, June 22-26 in swimming, June 22-26

and July 20-24; basket-and July 20-24; basket-

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Lots of fun this summer at YCamp in Olean,

Bradford and Wellsville

Lots of fun this summer at YCamp in Olean,

Bradford and Wellsville

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he Salamanca Area Historical Society Museum houses artifacts from over 100 years of area his-tory, and several new exhibits are on display this

summer.In the main lobby, a new case has dozens children’s

toys on display, some dating back to the 1940s. On the second fl oor, a collection of black and white photographs hangs over a fi replace mantle. All the pictures are related to each other and have a fascinating story behind them.

The museum’s 2015 speaker series began May 18 with a presentation by John Sampson and Daniel Williams on Vietnam. On June 22, Walter Orlowski of Scio will give a pre-sentation on his parents’ experience during the Holocaust. The Southern Tier Paranormal Research Team will discuss what they do and their experience at the Dudley and the

BY KELLEN QUIGLEYSpecial to Southern Tier Living

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Continued on Page 13

12

Historical SocietyHistorical Society

Seneca Theater on Aug. 18. Also, on a date to be announced, Vincent Marto-nis of the Hanover History Center from Silver Creek will give a presentation.

The meetings take place at 6:30 p.m. at the museum on Main Street in Salamanca and are free and open to the public.

Although there have been many changes in the last year, much of the displays and their contents remain the same.

In honor of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, the military section has everything from uniforms to personal paraphernalia from several American wars. As the home of a na-tive Seneca tribe, the section of Native American artifacts is a unique look at the area’s history from centuries before the founding of the city.

For many years, the old school room that includes desks, books, memorabilia and clothing from the several closed area schools has been one of the museum’s most popular exhibits.

To keep the memory of the building’s old function as a bank alive, the muse-um gift shop is located in the bank safe in the lobby and has many modern gifts, souvenirs and me-mentos that celebrate the history of the Salamanca area.

Also for sale in the museum are the Allegany Ox Bow books and fl ag buntings similar to the ones hanging in the mu-seum’s front windows.

The historical mu-seum is located at 125 Main Street and open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 a.m., or by appoint-ment by calling (716) 945-2946. Admission is free; however, donations are appreciated.

To keep the memory of

as a bank alive, the muse-

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have spent all my life try-ing to become a better trout fi sherman. This has become a

perpetual quest, I guess, a study and a pursuit I dearly love, one seemingly fused to my sinew and bone.

If you stand and look upon a spar-kling trout stream, its pristine waters, the rapids, runs, holes, undercuts, mossy rocks, overhanging trees, stony beaches and all the countless details that a life-fi lled stream presents so beautifully to your wondering eyes, you’ll marvel at just how picturesque and even poetic that stream is. Each is a living, moving, ever-changing entity with its own personality and particular traits. Each stream and the trout in it can become a study in its own right, your challenge to come to know, love and understand its secrets.

Trout are at all times sensitive to presentation. Even trout straight from the stocking truck, which haven’t developed a fear and wariness of man, insist on their worm, spinner, minnow, fl y or other presentation meeting a cer-tain criteria before they will bite. Sure, there are some trout in the lot that are bolder than others and less wise, but the great majority expect their meal to behave in ways that appear natural to them or appeal to their instincts.

That is why even in a hole full of hungry trout there are some fi sher-men who cannot catch more than one or two, if any. Their presentation is so unnatural, their tackle so unsuited to

the task, that the trout’s basic instinct is to ignore it.

Trout fi shing is all about details, every detail you have ever noticed over the years and new details you just recognized today. They all have to be examined, categorized, compared and then analyzed for success.

Trout fi shing is a lifetime pursuit with a constant learning curve.

The fi rst thing an aspiring trout an-gler has to master is his or her equip-

ment. Someone just beginning would be wise to start with a lightweight spin-ning outfi t, 6-pound test line and a No. 8 hook. In terms of reels, I prefer the small, very light, Zebco 11 spincast reel for many reasons, the fi rst and foremost being it is so trouble free. Open face reels tangle easily, espe-cially when you are just learning, but if you prefer an open face, fi ne.

BY WADE ROBERTSONSpecial to Southern Tier Living

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Continued on Page 18

16

Jane Robertson photo

In order to catch two very nice brown trout like this you have to be on the water at the correct time and using the right tackle and presentation. Trout fi shing is all about the basics of mastering your equipment and then paying attention to every tiny detail of the water and light conditions. These big browns hit garden hackle after a rain.

I would also suggest a light, 6-foot rod over a shorter 5-footer. The longer rod has many advantages, the biggest being a gentle cast still producing good distance. This is very important; a hard cast can snap your salmon egg or worm off the hook, not good at all. The longer rod also allows a more natural drift and will place your bait, spinner or spoon more accurately with less effort. Shorter rods are lower to the water, pulling the bait back at you during the drift and the shorter arc during hook set drastically reduces your ability to bury the hook in the fi sh’s jaw. Can you use a 5-foot and still catch fi sh? Yes, but everything is so much more challenging — and when you are learn-ing, more frustrating!

Once you have picked your equip-ment, whatever it may be, take the time to practice, practice, practice with it. Accurate casts are critical. You simply must be able to hit a gallon milk jug at 30 feet or longer. You must also be able to judge the length of your cast to within inches. Knowing how to

judge your cast length allows you to place your bait tight against that log or undercut bank. If the bait is close to the trout’s place of security it will dash out and grab a lure or bait. If it is a foot farther away, a trout may just watch it fl oat right on by.

Once you have mastered your equipment it is necessary to study the stream and recognize where the fi sh like to lie or hide. As mentioned before trout like undercut banks, logs and rocks. They feed in the tails and heads of pools and rest in the deeper, slower water where they feel safe.

A common mistake is failing to cast far enough upstream or above the area the fi sh are holding in. Your presentation takes time to sink and during the time it is sinking, the cur-rent is sweeping it rapidly downstream. If it is not on or near the bottom before it reaches the trout you won’t get a hit. Many times it is necessary to cast 20 feet upstream or more to accomplish this. Also, trout will in time associate the splash of any bait close to them as

danger and dash off or simply ignore you.

Once you have done enough correctly to trigger a strike, you have to recognize how different types of strikes feel and act accordingly. Just last week we were catching some small brown trout. These pesky little devils were light hitters, took at least 30 seconds to get the worm far enough into their jaws to hook and if they felt too much tension on the line, immediately dropped the bait. You had to be very delicate in everything you did. It was great training for my daugh-ter, who was frustrated a couple times, but soon got the hang of it.

So, be a master of your equip-ment, cast with deadly accuracy, place your bait upstream of the fi sh and let the current sweep it to them. If and when a trout hits, react accordingly, judging your hook set to the trout’s feeding patterns that day.

All this is just the tip of the ice-berg, but it is a solid start to a fasci-nating journey.

Fishing 101Fishing 101

t may not be ski season, but Holiday Valley is worth the trek year-round with

outdoor fun like Sky High Adven-ture Park.

This will be the park’s fi fth year of operation and the third since the addition of the Climbing Forest.

“The Climbing Forest has gone over really well,” said Jane Eshbaugh, public relations direc-tor for Holiday Valley. “It’s like a climbing wall only it’s 3D. There are fl at planes and climbing holds attached to the trees. There are some very easy trees and others are much more diffi cult.”

Each climber is fi tted with a harness that is clipped into an Auto Belay system. Participants must be at least 5 years old and 30 pounds. Individual rates for the Climbing Forest are $17 for an hour, and $5 for each additional hour. Group discounts are avail-able.

The Climbing Forest is open weekends starting May 8, daily starting June 19 and again week-ends from Sept. 11 through Nov. 1, weather permitting.

Sky High also includes the Aerial Park and Mountain Coaster, for those looking for a little more speed.

The largest in New York State, the Aerial Park is comprised of platforms and “bridges” with each course containing at least two zip lines. The 14 courses vary in diffi culty, including a new black dia-

BY CHRISTA NIANIATUSSpecial to Southern Tier Living

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Holiday Valley Resort photo

The Climbing Forest at Holiday Valley’s Sky High Adventure Park is open weekends starting May 8, daily starting June 19 and again weekends from Sept. 11 through Nov. 1, weather permitting.

Continued on Page 2220

mond trail — the second most diffi cult level — just added this year.

“You can challenge yourself as much as you want,” said Eshbaugh. “You can always get better, so people keep return-ing and challenging themselves to go faster, smoother. Another thing people really like is you can do the course by yourself, or when you have people to-gether it’s a really cooperative experience giving each other hints, especially for families, but also for corporate group retreats.”

Participants must be at least 7 years old and there is a weight limit of 265 pounds.

Reservations are required on weekends and suggested for weekdays by calling (716) 699-4444. A single pass is $49 per person, with group discounts available.

If that isn’t fast enough,

visitors can also try the Moun-tain Coaster, a roller coaster where one or two riders ride their “car” down the rails and can adjust their speed to their preference.

“There are breaks on the cars for the Mountain Coaster, so if you’re looking for a more leisurely ride it’s a beautiful view. For more of an adventure you can just let go,” said Esh-baugh.

Drivers must be at least 54 inches tall and be able to demonstrate they understand the staff’s instructions to be a driver. Children must be at least 3 years old and over 38 inches to accompany a driver who is at least 16 years old. A single ride costs $8.

The Aerial Park will operate the same hours as the Climb-ing Forest and the Mountain Coaster will be open May 22 to Nov. 1.

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ll the hard work last summer raising money to bring movies back to the Quaker Amphithe-

ater will pay off this year.Enough money has been raised

through Smokey Bear’s 70th Birth-day Party to purchase projectors and sound system equipment needed to start showing outdoor movies again. After years of absence of the popular family event, a full schedule has been

planned for the upcoming summer.Last summer, volunteers began to

show movies, and the fi rst night was an emotional one for Sally Marsh, one of the event’s coordinators.

“The fi rst night was ‘Blackbeard’s Ghost,’” Marsh said. “I got so choked up realizing the movies were back. One of the kids ran down and said, ‘Sally is the movie sad?’ I said, ‘no, I’m just happy the movies are back.’

“Enthusiastically, he said ‘me

BY RICH PLACESpecial to Southern Tier Living

ll the hard work last summer raising money to bring movies back to the Quaker Amphithe-

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Continued on Page 26

Movies ReturningTo Allegany State Park’s Quaker Amphitheater

Thanks To Smokey’s Birthday Celebration

Photo by Rich Place

Sally Marsh (left) and Jo Patterson stand with Smokey Bear during last year’s birthday party. Money raised from the event helped to bring movies back to the Quaker Amphitheater.

24

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too!’”Money raised for the necessary

equipment came from Smokey Bear’s birthday party, which was held last Au-gust. The offi cial Smokey Bear mascot visited the event and was available to take pictures with both the young and old alike.

“The night of Smokey Bear’s party was such an awesome night,” Marsh recalled. “Seeing families together, laying on blankets or in chairs under the stars talking, laughing, eating and enjoy themselves is what Allegany State Park is all about. It’s a timeless tradition.”

Marsh, who has conducted Hoote-nannies at the park for more than 40 years, coordinated the event alongside her friend, Jo Patterson. Marsh said she wished to thank those who helped selling tickets or volunteered else-where in making the event a success.

The following is the schedule of movies for the summer of 2015. Movies begin at dusk at the Quaker Amphitheater, weather permitting:

Saturday, July 4: “The Incredible Mr. Limpet”

Saturday, July 11: “Mary Poppins”

Friday, July 17: “Music Man”

Friday, July 24: “Pollyanna”

Friday, July 31: “The Lion King”

Saturday, Aug. 8: “The Shaggy Dog”

Friday, Aug. 14: “That Darn Cat”

Friday, Aug. 21: “The Swiss Family Robinson”

Friday Aug, 28: “Angels in the Outfi eld”

Friday, Sept. 4: “The Apple Dumpling Gang”

Quaker AmphitheaterQuaker Amphitheater

Photo by Rich Place

Smokey Bear signs autographs for children during a birthday party held last year in his honor. Money raised from the party helped bring movies back to the Quaker Amphitheater.