Two hundred years ago, in November 1824, Captain Ephraim Beach completed his survey and map of the Conestoga River for the purpose of making the river navigable from Lancaster City to Safe Harbor. Captain Beach was the principal engineer for the Schuylkill Canal which opened in 1827....
This is the fifth and final article in the series covering a brief history of the Conestoga River. The first article outlined some general information about the Conestoga River Watershed. The second article covered the conditions of the Conestoga prior to European settlement. The third installment covered...
This is the fourth article in the series in which we are taking a journey through time on the historic waters of the Conestoga River. The first article outlined some general information about the Conestoga River Watershed. The second article covered the conditions of the Conestoga prior...
This is the third article in the series in which we are taking a journey through time on the historic waters of the Conestoga River. The first article outlined some general information about the Conestoga River Watershed. In the second article, I covered the conditions of the...
This is the second article in a series of five which are taken from my book, “The Conestoga River: A History”. The first article outlined some general information about the Conestoga River Watershed. This article deals with the long period of time that preceded the settlement of...
The Conestoga River meanders for sixty miles through the fertile farmlands of Lancaster County. From early Native American inhabitants to the European settlers who made the Conestoga Valley their home, the river has provided sustenance and transportation for generations. Victorian era resorts and hotels were built along...
I will be presenting on the topic, "Lancaster's Historic Waterway" at the Lancaster Hiking Club holiday party. This is a private event.
The Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers (POWR) nominates up to five watersheds each year for the honor of being recognized as the River of the Year. In addition to bragging rights, the award includes a $10,000 grant to the organization that nominated the river. The Conestoga...
Welcome to Mill Monday! It’s time to feature another one of Lancaster County Pennsylvania’s water-powered grist mills. Today we feature the Brownstown (aka Wolf’s) mill on the Conestoga River in West Earl Township.
The first mill on this site was a log mill built...
On Saturday, April 10, I had the opportunity to participate in a kayaking trip on a portion of the Conestoga at the invitation of Todd Roy, president of the Conestoga River Club. One of the goals of this trip was to scout out some locations for an...
