Learning Opportunities at Mt. Pisgah:
Visitors to Mt. Pisgah will find a Park Environmental Interpretive Center with educational artifacts and displays telling the history of the region, including early farm life and regional wildlife. And, contact the Park Office for information on guided and self-guided educational programming available, such as guided nature walks and guided night hikes. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources shares about a self-guided opportunity, “A walk through the butterfly garden enables the visitor to catch a close glimpse of our area’s ‘flying flowers.'”
The History of Mt. Pisgah:
“In 1831, a man by the name of John Salisbury, of Phelps, N.Y., purchased approximately 400 acres of land that included Mt. Pisgah. Prior to his death, knowing his health was diminishing, he divided the land amongst his five children.
“Mary Salisbury, his daughter, received the northeast section of the property, which encompassed Mt. Pisgah. Mary married Moses Gustin in 1856, who was a photographer in Troy, Pa. The views from the summit of Mt. Pisgah were so beautiful that he built an observation tower made of wood in 1876. The tower was approximately 75 to 80 feet tall, and it was said that on a clear day, both Elk Mountain near Scranton, PA. and Cayuga Lake in Ithaca, NY, could be seen. Locals who visited the tower vowed it would never withstand the overpowering winds on the mountain. A storm, one month after the tower’s completion leveled all the trees, large and small, yet the tower remained unharmed. Locals said the spirits of the great Indian warrior Chief Wetona, who once lived in the area and frequented the top of the Mt. Pisgah to pray to the Indian gods, saved the tower. It has been speculated that Chief Wetona was buried atop Mt. Pisgah, and has since been moved to an Indian burial ground elsewhere.
“Around 1918, the tower had seen its better days, and the harsh weather had taken its toll. The tower was closed to the public for safety reasons and eventually had to be destroyed.
In 1965, the Bradford County Commissioners decided to purchase the land that encompassed the mountain that is now known as Mt. Pisgah County Park.” Source: Bradford County, PA
Mt. Pisgah State Park Seasons & Hours:
- Open every day of the year, sunrise to sunset.
- Day use areas close at dusk.
- Contact the park office for specific pool and other facility seasons and hours or for camping reservations.
Images: Stephen Foster Lake 2 and Mount Pisgah County Park 2 by Nicholas_T is licensed under CC BY 2.0
