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Shawnee State Park celebrates 75th anniversary

State park marking anniversary with special activities on Saturday

By From Mirror staff reports 3 min read

Once lauded as a "vacation wonderland" by state and local officials and criticized by Bedford County residents as a "Two Million Dollar Folly," Shawnee State Park is marking its 75th anniversary Saturday with special afternoon and evening activities.

Events begin at 1 p.m. with a "Shawnee through the years" display at the campground amphitheater.

An open house will be held at 2 p.m. at the park's Historical and Interpretive Center with Park Manager John McCorkle, who will highlight recent improvements and future plans for the park.

A special presentation on the history of the park will be presented by retired Environmental Education Specialist Ron Barlick at 3:30 p.m.

As part of the celebration, the park is soliciting former staff and visitors willing to share stories of the past in a program scheduled for 4:30 p.m. at the campground amphitheater. The program, "Stories of Shawnee, Remembering the Past," will focus on short stories or anecdotes from those in attendance. Attendees are encouraged to bring old photos along with memories of time in the park. Interested participants are asked to contact the park's Environmental Education Specialist, George Barner, for information at 814-733-4218 or gbarner@pa.gov.

A free guided bike ride will begin at 5:30 p.m. and take participants around the Lake Shore Trail with park staff and guest Jason Graham, Bedford County outdoor recreation coordinator. A limited number of bicycles, at no cost, will be available for those who preregister for the event through the DCNR calendar of events.

The day culminates at 7 p.m. with a visit from Smokey Bear and a Halloween-themed feature film at the park's amphitheater sponsored by the Friends of Shawnee and Blue Knob State parks. Children are encouraged to wear costumes and fun prizes will be awarded to the best judged costumes. Snacks and light refreshments will be available for donation during the movie from the Friends of Shawnee and Blue Knob.

Park was farmland

Shawnee State Park was authorized in 1947 by the state Legislature and is located on what was farmland near Schellsburg. In the early days, local residents considered it an expensive folly, doubting that the project would be successful.

The dam and lake construction began in 1949.

According to a May 11, 1950, Altoona Mirror article, "When completed, Shawnee State Park will rank as one of the finest in the commonwealth's chain of 33 state parks scattered strategically throughout the state." That information was attributed to the state department of Forests and Waters, W.F. Draemel, secretary.

The Saturday, July 21, 1951, Altoona Mirror featured a photo collage of the park with a short article stating the park was nearly complete, with the headline: "Once scorned by many as tremendous waste, Shawnee State Park provides unlimited recreation for thousands."

Today, Shawnee State Park is located in the scenic ridge and valley province of Bedford County, and offers 3,983 acres of recreation, including the 451-acre Shawnee Lake. The park is open year-round for swimming, boating (electric motors only at a slow, no-wake speed), hiking, fishing, camping and environmental education.

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