Thursday, September 6, 2012

Marie Antoinette Lookout
















A few miles west of the Wyalusing Rocks on Route 6 sits the Marie Antoinette Lookout. It provides a scenic look at "French Azilum" along the Susquehanna River. French Azilum was intended as asylum for loyalist refugees of the French Revolution. The French Azilum Historic Site interprets the history of the late 1790's settlement. It was hoped that it would provide a safe haven for Marie Antoinette, but it is unknown whether she ever knew about it. About fifty houses were built along the horseshoe curve in the river.

The lookout itself was built in the 1930s on Historic Route 6 as a WPA (Works Progress Administration) project. It was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, which provided jobs for unskilled workers following the Great Depression. Much of the original stone walkways and gazebos still exist at the site, which shares its parking lot with a small bar/restaurant.



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