Fanny on the Susquehanny

Some of the many cabins, campers, and summer homes along the river south of Williamsport. Looks like a good place to put your fanny on the Susquehanny.

Susquehanna Boom

 View from the Hiawatha Paddlewheel Riverboat of one of the cribs that was part of the Susquehanna Boom, a series of man-made cribs on the West Branch of the Susquehanna River near Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The boom was designed to hold lumber that was floated downstream until it could be processed by the nearly 60 lumbermills that were present during the late 1800's.

This is part of a series of cribs as seen from aboard the Hiawatha. The boom was made of 352 cribs that were 22 feet high and extended for over seven miles in the river. The sheer boom gathered the logs into the main boom that was capable of holding up to 300 million board feet (8700,000 m³) of logs.

The owners of the lumber mills were known as Lumber Barons, and were among the richest people in the country, making Williamsport the most propserous city (per capita) in the country at the time. West Fourth Street in Williamsport became known as Millionaire's Row, where the Lumber Barons built their extravagant homes and churches.

The laborers were known as Boom Rats, and worked twelve hours a day, six days a week for $1.50 a day. Other workers that worked the lumber were loggers, sawyers, choppers, climbers, and fellers. A complete history of the lumber era in Williamsport can be found at the williamsport.org site.

Hiawatha Paddlewheel Riverboat

 The Hiawatha Paddlewheel Riverboat

 This is the paddle at the rear of the boat.

The Hiawatha Paddlewheel Riverboat takes an hour long cruise up and down the Susquehanna River in Williamsport, PA.  The boat travels about a half hour down the Susquehanna River, until it turns around and travels back up the river to Susquehanna State Park. It's a quiet and relaxing ride on a replica paddlewheel boat that has been touring the West Branch of the Susquehanna River for thirty years. There is some interesting history along this section of the river. More of that will follow in the next post.

More butterfly plants

In the Butterfly Garden

Mt. Pisgah State Park has a large butterfly garden. It is a good place to spot butterflies and hummingbirds. I did not see any butterflies when I was there! I guess I'll have to go back.

A Sea of Red

From the butterfly garden at Mt. Pisgah State Park.