Forest Heritage Project

Few residents of rural Bradford, Lycoming and Potter Counties realize the enormity of their common cultural heritage, or understand the impact of their region's lumbering, stream and river systems, and canals on America's settlement period. The Forest Heritage Project provided new insight into those concepts for participants. Activities reaching across the generations enriched the lives of children, teens, adults and senior citizens who participated. New experiences launched new ideas and prospectives.
For years to come, students, teachers and community volunteers who were directly involved will fondly recall, "Remember the year we…"

The project, funded by the National Endowment for the Arts and Endless Mountains Heritage Region, reached nearly 2,000 people in Bradford, Lycoming and Potter Counties. Community involvement and leaving a legacy were top priorities of the Forest Heritage Project. Reaching as many people as possible across the generations in meaningful ways was another.
Support from many community organizations and individuals spurred the project forward. The enthusiasm for learning about and celebrating heritage in these rural communities is refreshing. All the wonderful things would have been impossible without committed volunteers. We sincerely thank them for caring enough about their heritage and culture to participate.

Bradford County Project
The first portion of the project was implemented at Wyalusing High School in Bradford County in 2003 when singer/songwriter Tom Flannery worked with students to develop a song about Stephen Foster. Foster provides an important national link to the heritage of all three counties. Flannery developed a website where people can read the lyrics or download an MP3 to hear the song.
http://www.kikomusic.com/foster

Potter County Project
A Heritage Day at the school featuring NTCA presenters celebrated history, heritage and culture. The Austin Memorial Dam Association hosted an evening cookout and concert with the community at the Austin Dam Site that evening. The event celebrated efforts by Pennsylvania Conservation Corps workers to improve trails and signs. NTCA presenters from the heritage event at the school were on hand to entertain and educate. Austin School participated in a second event taking 75 fourth graders out to visit Potter County Historical Society Museum in Coudersport and the nearby Pennsylvania Lumber Museum.

Lycoming County Project
In Lycoming County the project reached high school, elementary and local Head Start students. Presenters at Hughesville High School visited local history classes. Head Start students visited a nearby fiber farm.
Muncy Historical Society and Museum of History linked up with Ashkar Elementary School students for school Heritage Day. Seventy-five fourth grade students, teachers, aides, chaperones and a dozen parents who 'tagged along' visited three sites manned by Muncy Historical Society volunteers. They toured the museum, a restored canal boat, visited the society's archeological field lab in a historic barn, the canal restoration and archaeology dig site, and the Society's future Heritage Park and Nature Trail along the Susquehanna River. The next day fourth graders "advertised" a public Community Heritage Festival to other classes.