Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center
Encyclopedia
Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center is a 1168 acres (472.7 ha) Pennsylvania state park near Wind Gap
, in Bushkill Township, Northampton County
in Pennsylvania
, in the United States. The Jacobsburg National Historic District is almost entirely surrounded by the park. Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center is just off the Belfast
exit of Pennsylvania Route 33
.
for the citizens of Pennsylvania and specifically the students of the nearby elementary school
s, high school
s, college
s, and universities
. Jacobsburg stays busy offering hands on opportunities to these students and their teachers with a "discovery and problem solving" approach.
was manufactured. The district includes 11 contributing buildings and 34 contributing sites. Along with the staff of the Jacobsburg Historical Society the center provides a heritage education program, with classes in gunmaking
and blacksmith
ing. Rendezvous and period military encampments are included in the center's Living History program. The Pennsylvania Longrifle Heritage Museum is located in the Henry Homestead.
The production of the Henry Rifle was vitally important to the outcome of the French and Indian War
, American Revolution
, the War of 1812
, westward expansion of the American Frontier, and the American Civil War
. William Henry
opened his first gun factory in Lancaster
in 1750. During the French and Indian war he was an armorer
for the Braddock Campaign
of 1755 and the Forbes Expedition
of 1758. His son William Henry II established a small gunmaking shop in Christian Springs in 1778. He moved his operation to Jacobsburg in 1792. Soon he built an iron forge
to provide the needed iron to manufacture the Henry Rifle at Jacobsburg. The War of 1812 lead to a greater need for the rifle and Henry II built a second and larger factory in Boulton. The Henry family continued for three generations in manufacturing the Henry Rifle for use in the Civil War and John Jacob Astor
's American Fur Company
.
. The Henry's Woods section of the park is a largely virgin forest. Ecologists note the lack of large Eastern White Pine
s in what is otherwise a stand of old growth deciduous trees and Eastern Hemlock. The trees are up to 130 feet in height.
on 18.5 miles (29.8 km), fishing
, biking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing
, hunting
, and picnic
king. The walking bridge adjacent to the main parking lot was destroyed in 2004 during a flood caused by Hurricane Frances
, but was replaced in 2008. The center provides an environmental education program, with classes in natural history. The center is known for its diversity of wildflowers that are especially striking during springtime. There is a heritage education program at Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center. This program displays and demonstrates early gunmaking practices. A living history program includes a mid 1840s rendezvous and military re-enactments. Blacksmith and gunsmith classes are offered and the historic buildings are open for tours.
Hunting
is permitted on about 937 acres (379.2 ha) of Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center. The most common game species are squirrel
s, pheasant
s, rabbit
s and white-tailed deer
. The hunting of groundhog
s is prohibited. Hunters are expected to follow the rules and regulations of the Pennsylvania Game Commission
.
Bushkill Creek
is stocked
with trout
by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
.
Wind Gap, Pennsylvania
Wind Gap is a borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. Wind Gap is located in the Lehigh Valley region of the state. It is part of Pennsylvania's Slate Belt .The population of Wind Gap was 2,720 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
, in Bushkill Township, Northampton County
Northampton County, Pennsylvania
As of the 2010 census, the county was 86.3% White, 5.0% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 2.4% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 2.2% were two or more races, and 3.8% were some other race. 10.5% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry.As of the census of...
in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, in the United States. The Jacobsburg National Historic District is almost entirely surrounded by the park. Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center is just off the Belfast
Belfast, Pennsylvania
Belfast is a census-designated place in Plainfield Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the Lehigh Valley region of the state...
exit of Pennsylvania Route 33
Pennsylvania Route 33
Pennsylvania Route 33 is a -long limited-access state highway in eastern Pennsylvania, United States. South of the US 22 interchange, the route is called the Gen. Anthony Clement McAuliffe 101st Airborne Memorial Highway....
.
Environmental Education
The main purpose of Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center is to provide environmental educationEnvironmental education
Environmental education refers to organized efforts to teach about how natural environments function and, particularly, how human beings can manage their behavior and ecosystems in order to live sustainably. The term is often used to imply education within the school system, from primary to...
for the citizens of Pennsylvania and specifically the students of the nearby elementary school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
s, high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
s, college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
s, and universities
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
. Jacobsburg stays busy offering hands on opportunities to these students and their teachers with a "discovery and problem solving" approach.
Jacobsburg National Historic District
The Jacobsburg National Historic District is the location of the Henry Homestead, where the famous Henry rifleHenry rifle
The Henry repeating rifle was a lever-action, breech-loading, tubular magazine rifle.-History:The original Henry rifle was a .44 caliber rimfire, lever-action, breech-loading rifle designed by Benjamin Tyler Henry in the late 1850s. The Henry rifle was an improved version of the earlier Volcanic...
was manufactured. The district includes 11 contributing buildings and 34 contributing sites. Along with the staff of the Jacobsburg Historical Society the center provides a heritage education program, with classes in gunmaking
Gunsmith
A gunsmith is a person who repairs, modifies, designs, or builds firearms. This occupation is different from an armorer. The armorer primarily maintains weapons and limited repairs involving parts replacement and possibly work involving accurization...
and blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
ing. Rendezvous and period military encampments are included in the center's Living History program. The Pennsylvania Longrifle Heritage Museum is located in the Henry Homestead.
The production of the Henry Rifle was vitally important to the outcome of the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
, American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, westward expansion of the American Frontier, and the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. William Henry
William Henry (delegate)
William Henry was an American gunsmith from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and a delegate for Pennsylvania to the Continental Congress in 1784, 1785, and 1786.-Biography:...
opened his first gun factory in Lancaster
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster is a city in the south-central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Lancaster County and one of the older inland cities in the United States, . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities...
in 1750. During the French and Indian war he was an armorer
Armorer
An armourer or armorer is a member of a military or police force who maintains and repairs small arms and weapons systems, with some duties resembling those of a civilian gunsmith....
for the Braddock Campaign
Edward Braddock
General Edward Braddock was a British soldier and commander-in-chief for the 13 colonies during the actions at the start of the French and Indian War...
of 1755 and the Forbes Expedition
John Forbes (General)
John Forbes was a British general in the French and Indian War. He is best known for leading the Forbes Expedition that captured the French outpost at Fort Duquesne and for naming the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania after British Secretary of State William Pitt the Elder.-Early life:Forbes was...
of 1758. His son William Henry II established a small gunmaking shop in Christian Springs in 1778. He moved his operation to Jacobsburg in 1792. Soon he built an iron forge
Bloomery
A bloomery is a type of furnace once widely used for smelting iron from its oxides. The bloomery was the earliest form of smelter capable of smelting iron. A bloomery's product is a porous mass of iron and slag called a bloom. This mix of slag and iron in the bloom is termed sponge iron, which...
to provide the needed iron to manufacture the Henry Rifle at Jacobsburg. The War of 1812 lead to a greater need for the rifle and Henry II built a second and larger factory in Boulton. The Henry family continued for three generations in manufacturing the Henry Rifle for use in the Civil War and John Jacob Astor
John Jacob Astor
John Jacob Astor , born Johann Jakob Astor, was a German-American business magnate and investor who was the first prominent member of the Astor family and the first multi-millionaire in the United States...
's American Fur Company
American Fur Company
The American Fur Company was founded by John Jacob Astor in 1808. The company grew to monopolize the fur trade in the United States by 1830, and became one of the largest businesses in the country. The company was one the first great trusts in American business...
.
Ecology
Jacobsburg Enivronmental Education Center is home to the only remaining old-growth forest in the Lehigh ValleyLehigh Valley
The Lehigh Valley, known officially by the United States Census Bureau as the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metropolitan area and referred to locally as The Valley and A-B-E, is a metropolitan region consisting of Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, and Carbon counties in eastern Pennsylvania and...
. The Henry's Woods section of the park is a largely virgin forest. Ecologists note the lack of large Eastern White Pine
Eastern White Pine
Pinus strobus, commonly known as the eastern white pine, is a large pine native to eastern North America, occurring from Newfoundland west to Minnesota and southeastern Manitoba, and south along the Appalachian Mountains to the northern edge of Georgia.It is occasionally known as simply white pine,...
s in what is otherwise a stand of old growth deciduous trees and Eastern Hemlock. The trees are up to 130 feet in height.
Recreation
Recreational opportunities include hikingHiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
on 18.5 miles (29.8 km), fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, biking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
, hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
, and picnic
Picnic
In contemporary usage, a picnic can be defined simply as a pleasure excursion at which a meal is eaten outdoors , ideally taking place in a beautiful landscape such as a park, beside a lake or with an interesting view and possibly at a public event such as before an open air theatre performance,...
king. The walking bridge adjacent to the main parking lot was destroyed in 2004 during a flood caused by Hurricane Frances
Hurricane Frances
Hurricane Frances was the sixth named storm, the fourth hurricane, and the third major hurricane of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. The system crossing the open Atlantic during mid to late August, moving to the north of the Lesser Antilles while strengthening. Its outer bands affected Puerto...
, but was replaced in 2008. The center provides an environmental education program, with classes in natural history. The center is known for its diversity of wildflowers that are especially striking during springtime. There is a heritage education program at Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center. This program displays and demonstrates early gunmaking practices. A living history program includes a mid 1840s rendezvous and military re-enactments. Blacksmith and gunsmith classes are offered and the historic buildings are open for tours.
Hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
is permitted on about 937 acres (379.2 ha) of Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center. The most common game species are squirrel
Eastern Gray Squirrel
The eastern gray squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus native to the eastern and midwestern United States, and to the southerly portions of the eastern provinces of Canada...
s, pheasant
Common Pheasant
The Common Pheasant , is a bird in the pheasant family . It is native to Georgia and has been widely introduced elsewhere as a game bird. In parts of its range, namely in places where none of its relatives occur such as in Europe , it is simply known as the "pheasant"...
s, rabbit
Eastern Cottontail
The eastern cottontail is a New World cottontail rabbit, a member of the family Leporidae. It is one of the most common rabbit species in North America.-Distribution:...
s and white-tailed deer
White-tailed Deer
The white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States , Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru...
. The hunting of groundhog
Groundhog
The groundhog , also known as a woodchuck, whistle-pig, or in some areas as a land-beaver, is a rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots. Other marmots, such as the yellow-bellied and hoary marmots, live in rocky and mountainous areas, but...
s is prohibited. Hunters are expected to follow the rules and regulations of the Pennsylvania Game Commission
Pennsylvania Game Commission
The Pennsylvania Game Commission is the state agency responsible for wildlife conservation and management in Pennsylvania in the United States...
.
Bushkill Creek
Bushkill Creek
Bushkill Creek is a tributary of the Delaware River in eastern Pennsylvania in the United States.A portion of Bushkill Creek passes through Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center. The confluence with the Delaware River is in Easton.-References:*Gertler, Edward. Keystone Canoeing, Seneca...
is stocked
Fish stocking
Fish stocking is the practice of raising fish in a hatchery and releasing them into a river, lake, or the ocean to supplement existing populations, or to create a population where none exists...
with trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is the state agency responsible for the regulation of all fishing and boating in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania...
.
Nearby state parks
The following state parks are within 30 miles (48.3 km) of Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center:- Beltzville State ParkBeltzville State ParkBeltzville State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Franklin and Towamensing townships, Carbon County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park was developed around the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flood control project, Beltzville Dam on Pohopoco Creek. Beltzville Lake is a with of...
(Carbon CountyCarbon County, PennsylvaniaAs of the census of 2000, there were 58,802 people, 23,701 households, and 16,424 families residing in the county. The population density was 154 people per square mile . There were 30,492 housing units at an average density of 80 per square mile...
) - Big Pocono State ParkBig Pocono State ParkBig Pocono State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Jackson and Pocono townships in Monroe County, Pennsylvania in northeastern Pennsylvania in the United States...
(Monroe CountyMonroe County, Pennsylvania-National protected areas:* Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area * Middle Delaware National Scenic River -Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there are 176,567 people, 49,454 households, and 36,447 families residing in the county. The population density was 228 people per square mile...
) - Bull's Island Recreation AreaBull's Island Recreation AreaThe 79-acre Bull's Island Recreation Area is on Bull's Island at Raven Rock along the Delaware River approximately 3 miles north of Stockton, within Delaware Township in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. The park is a part of the 3,578-acre Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park. It...
(New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
) - Delaware and Raritan Canal State ParkDelaware and Raritan Canal State ParkDelaware and Raritan Canal State Park is a New Jersey state park along the Delaware and Raritan Canal.In 1974, most of the canal system was declared a New Jersey state park. It remains one today, and is used for canoeing, kayaking, and fishing...
(New Jersey) - Delaware Canal State ParkDelaware Canal State ParkDelaware Canal State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Bucks and Northampton Counties in Pennsylvania in the United States. The main attraction of the park is the Delaware Canal, which at is the only canal that remains fully intact from the towpath canal-building days of the 19th century...
(BucksBucks County, Pennsylvania- Industry and commerce :The boroughs of Bristol and Morrisville were prominent industrial centers along the Northeast Corridor during World War II. Suburban development accelerated in Lower Bucks in the 1950s with the opening of Levittown, Pennsylvania, the second such "Levittown" designed by...
and Northampton Counties) - Gouldsboro State ParkGouldsboro State ParkGouldsboro State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Coolbaugh Township, Monroe County and Lehigh Township, Wayne County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park includes the Gouldsboro Lake. Gouldsboro State Park is located very close to Tobyhanna State Park and Pennsylvania State Game...
(Monroe and Wayne CountiesWayne County, PennsylvaniaAs of the census of 2000, there were 47,722 people, 18,350 households, and 12,936 families residing in the county. The population density was 65 people per square mile . There were 30,593 housing units at an average density of 42 per square mile...
) - Hacklebarney State ParkHacklebarney State Park300px|right|thumb| One of the waterfalls at Hacklebarney State Park, New JerseyHacklebarney State Park is state park of the U.S. state of New Jersey, located between Long Valley and Chester in Morris County. The park contains of land in a glacial valley carved by the Black River and its...
(New Jersey) - Hickory Run State ParkHickory Run State ParkHickory Run State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Kidder and Penn Forest Townships in Carbon County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is spread across the Pocono Mountains...
(Carbon County) - Lehigh Gorge State ParkLehigh Gorge State ParkLehigh Gorge State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Luzerne and Carbon Counties, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park encompasses the Lehigh Gorge, which stretches along the Lehigh River from a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flood control dam in Luzerne County to Jim Thorpe in Carbon County...
(Carbon and Luzerne CountiesLuzerne County, Pennsylvania- Demographics :As of the 2010 census, the county was 90.7% White, 3.4% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 3.3% were of some other race, and 1.5% were two or more races. 6.7% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino ancestry...
) - Nockamixon State Park (Bucks County)
- Ralph Stover State ParkRalph Stover State ParkRalph Stover State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on in Plumstead and Tinicum Townships, Bucks County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It is a very popular destination for whitewater kayaking on Tohickon Creek and rock climbing on High Rocks...
(Bucks County) - Round Valley State Park (New Jersey)
- Spruce Run State Park (New Jersey)
- Stephens State ParkStephens State ParkStephens State Park is a state park in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is 805 acres in area, located in western Morris County, north of Hackettstown along the upper Musconetcong River...
(New Jersey) - Tobyhanna State ParkTobyhanna State ParkTobyhanna State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on mostly in Coolbaugh Township, Monroe County, with a small portion of the park in Dreher and Lehigh townships in Wayne County, all in Pennsylvania in the United States. The park includes the Tobyhanna Lake and a portion of Tobyhanna Creek...
(Monroe and Wayne Counties) - Voorhees State ParkVoorhees State ParkVoorhees State Park is a state park in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is 1400 acres in area and is located in Glen Gardner Borough. The park is operated and maintained by the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry....
(New Jersey)