Whipple Dam State Park
Encyclopedia
Whipple Dam State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on 256 acres (103.6 ha) in Jackson Township
, Huntingdon County
, Pennsylvania
in the United States. Whipple Lake is a man-made lake on 22 acres (8.9 ha) that was originally built during the height of the lumber era that swept through Pennsylvania in the late 19th and early 20th century to supply power for a sawmill
. Whipple Dam State Park is 12 miles (19.3 km) south of State College
, just east of Pennsylvania Route 26
.
. Eventually the Monroe Iron Works was built on the land and the production of charcoal
took place, as well as the mining
of iron ore. Remnants of the iron mines can be seen today at the park.
The demand for lumber reached northern Huntingdon County in the 1860s. The old-growth forests of white pine
and hemlock
were harvested from the mountains. Osgood M. Whipple purchased a large tract of land on which he built a sawmill that was powered by the waters of the lake formed by the dam
he also constructed. Mr. Whipple left the lumber business in 1897, but the lake remained and has been used for recreation ever since (and is today known as Whipple Lake). The state of Pennsylvania purchased the land on January 15, 1904 from the Linden Hall Lumber Company, which was owned by William Whitmer and his sons. The dam was rebuilt in 1928 by the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry, a forerunner of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
. The land was used recreationally by the 1920s. A camp for Boy Scouts
, Girl Scouts
, and Campfire Girls was built on the north side of the lake in 1928 and was used until 1941.
The Great Depression
of the 1930s was a boom time for the construction of state park facilities all over Pennsylvania and Whipple Dam was no exception. Unemployed young men were put to work by the Civilian Conservation Corps
and cleared streams of brush, planted many acres of trees in a reforestation effort, built bridges on state roads and cleared roads through the forests for fire prevention. The CCC also built the facilities that are still in use today at Whipple Dam State Park. In 1935, they dismantled the 1928 dam and built a new one. They also built pavilion
s, restrooms, roads and the beach. Their work was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1987.
, ice fishing
, boating
, and swimming. The lake is stocked by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
with trout
. Gas powered boats are prohibited on Whipple Lake. Electric powered boats and non powered boats must have current registration with any state. The sand beach open Memorial Day
weekend and closes Labor Day
weekend. There is no lifeguard stationed at the beach. There is a beach volleyball
court, bathhouse
and snack bar
at the beach. The lake provides a habitat for a wide variety of waterfowl as well as Great Blue Heron
, Osprey
, Beaver
s and Muskrat
s.
s in the forested picnic area that is near Whipple Lake.
is permitted within certain parts of Whipple Dam State Park. Hunting is not permitted in the day use area. Hunters are expected to follow the rules and regulations of the Pennsylvania State Game Commission. The common game species are Ruffed Grouse
, squirrel
s, turkey
, white-tailed deer
, waterfowl
, and black bears
. The hunting of groundhog
s is prohibited.
Jackson Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania
Jackson Township is a township in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 882 at the 2000 census. Greenwood Furnace State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Jackson Township.-Geography:...
, Huntingdon County
Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania
Huntingdon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. In 2010, its population was 45,913.Huntingdon County was created on September 20, 1787, from part of Bedford County. Its county seat is Huntingdon.-Geography:According to the U.S...
, 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. Whipple Lake is a man-made lake on 22 acres (8.9 ha) that was originally built during the height of the lumber era that swept through Pennsylvania in the late 19th and early 20th century to supply power for a sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
. Whipple Dam State Park is 12 miles (19.3 km) south of State College
State College, Pennsylvania
State College is the largest borough in Centre County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is the principal city of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Centre County. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 42,034, and roughly double...
, just east of Pennsylvania Route 26
Pennsylvania Route 26
Pennsylvania Route 26 is a highway in the south-central area of Pennsylvania. Its northern terminus is at Pennsylvania Route 150 northwest of Howard, Pennsylvania; its southern terminus is at the Maryland state line near Barnes Gap in Union Township...
.
History
The land on which Whipple Dam State Park is located was purchased from the Iroquois Confederation in 1754 by the Proprietary Government of PennsylvaniaProvince of Pennsylvania
The Province of Pennsylvania, also known as Pennsylvania Colony, was founded in British America by William Penn on March 4, 1681 as dictated in a royal charter granted by King Charles II...
. Eventually the Monroe Iron Works was built on the land and the production of charcoal
Charcoal
Charcoal is the dark grey residue consisting of carbon, and any remaining ash, obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances. Charcoal is usually produced by slow pyrolysis, the heating of wood or other substances in the absence of oxygen...
took place, as well as the mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
of iron ore. Remnants of the iron mines can be seen today at the park.
The demand for lumber reached northern Huntingdon County in the 1860s. The old-growth forests of 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,...
and hemlock
Tsuga
Tsuga is a genus of conifers in the family Pinaceae. The common name hemlock is derived from a perceived similarity in the smell of its crushed foliage to that of the unrelated plant poison hemlock....
were harvested from the mountains. Osgood M. Whipple purchased a large tract of land on which he built a sawmill that was powered by the waters of the lake formed by the dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
he also constructed. Mr. Whipple left the lumber business in 1897, but the lake remained and has been used for recreation ever since (and is today known as Whipple Lake). The state of Pennsylvania purchased the land on January 15, 1904 from the Linden Hall Lumber Company, which was owned by William Whitmer and his sons. The dam was rebuilt in 1928 by the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry, a forerunner of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources , established on July 1, 1995, is the agency in the U.S. State of Pennsylvania responsible for maintaining and preserving the state's 117 state parks and 20 state forests; providing information on the state's natural resources; and...
. The land was used recreationally by the 1920s. A camp for Boy Scouts
Scouting in Pennsylvania
Scouting in Pennsylvania has a long and rich tradition, from 1908 to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live.-Early history :...
, Girl Scouts
Girl Scouts of the USA
The Girl Scouts of the United States of America is a youth organization for girls in the United States and American girls living abroad. It describes itself as "the world's preeminent organization dedicated solely to girls". It was founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912 and was organized after Low...
, and Campfire Girls was built on the north side of the lake in 1928 and was used until 1941.
The Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
of the 1930s was a boom time for the construction of state park facilities all over Pennsylvania and Whipple Dam was no exception. Unemployed young men were put to work by the Civilian Conservation Corps
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...
and cleared streams of brush, planted many acres of trees in a reforestation effort, built bridges on state roads and cleared roads through the forests for fire prevention. The CCC also built the facilities that are still in use today at Whipple Dam State Park. In 1935, they dismantled the 1928 dam and built a new one. They also built pavilion
Pavilion (structure)
In architecture a pavilion has two main meanings.-Free-standing structure:Pavilion may refer to a free-standing structure sited a short distance from a main residence, whose architecture makes it an object of pleasure. Large or small, there is usually a connection with relaxation and pleasure in...
s, restrooms, roads and the beach. Their work was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1987.
Whipple Lake
Whipple Lake is open to fishingFishing
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....
, ice fishing
Ice fishing
Ice fishing is the practice of catching fish with lines and fish hooks or spears through an opening in the ice on a frozen body of water. Ice anglers may sit on the stool in the open on a frozen lake, or in a heated cabin on the ice, some with bunks and amenities.-Locations:It is a popular pastime...
, boating
Boating
Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels , focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, such as fishing or water skiing...
, and swimming. The lake is stocked 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...
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...
. Gas powered boats are prohibited on Whipple Lake. Electric powered boats and non powered boats must have current registration with any state. The sand beach open Memorial Day
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
weekend and closes Labor Day
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
weekend. There is no lifeguard stationed at the beach. There is a beach volleyball
Beach volleyball
Beach volleyball, or sand volleyball, is an Olympic team sport played by two teams of two players on a sand court divided by a net.Like volleyball, the object of the game is to send the ball over the net in order to ground it on the opponent’s court, and to prevent the same effort by the opponent....
court, bathhouse
Public bathing
Public baths originated from a communal need for cleanliness. The term public may confuse some people, as some types of public baths are restricted depending on membership, gender, religious affiliation, or other reasons. As societies have changed, public baths have been replaced as private bathing...
and snack bar
Kiosk
Kiosk is a small, separated garden pavilion open on some or all sides. Kiosks were common in Persia, India, Pakistan, and in the Ottoman Empire from the 13th century onward...
at the beach. The lake provides a habitat for a wide variety of waterfowl as well as Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron
The Great Blue Heron is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North and Central America as well as the West Indies and the Galápagos Islands. It is a rare vagrant to Europe, with records from Spain, the Azores and England...
, Osprey
Osprey
The Osprey , sometimes known as the sea hawk or fish eagle, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey. It is a large raptor, reaching more than in length and across the wings...
, Beaver
Beaver
The beaver is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver and Eurasian Beaver . Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges . They are the second-largest rodent in the world...
s and Muskrat
Muskrat
The muskrat , the only species in genus Ondatra, is a medium-sized semi-aquatic rodent native to North America, and introduced in parts of Europe, Asia, and South America. The muskrat is found in wetlands and is a very successful animal over a wide range of climates and habitats...
s.
Picnics
There are three large pavilions that were built by Civilian Conservation Corps. These pavilions can be reserved up to 11 months in advance. Pavilions that are not reserved are available on a first come, first served basis. In addition to the pavilions there are many picnic tablePicnic table
A picnic table is a modified table with attached benches, designed for eating a meal outdoors .-Uses:...
s in the forested picnic area that is near Whipple Lake.
Hunting
HuntingHunting
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 within certain parts of Whipple Dam State Park. Hunting is not permitted in the day use area. Hunters are expected to follow the rules and regulations of the Pennsylvania State Game Commission. The common game species are Ruffed Grouse
Ruffed Grouse
The Ruffed Grouse is a medium-sized grouse occurring in forests from the Appalachian Mountains across Canada to Alaska. It is non-migratory.The Ruffed Grouse is frequently referred to as a "partridge"...
, 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, turkey
Wild Turkey
The Wild Turkey is native to North America and is the heaviest member of the Galliformes. It is the same species as the domestic turkey, which derives from the South Mexican subspecies of wild turkey .Adult wild turkeys have long reddish-yellow to grayish-green...
, 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...
, waterfowl
Waterfowl
Waterfowl are certain wildfowl of the order Anseriformes, especially members of the family Anatidae, which includes ducks, geese, and swans....
, and black bears
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
. 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.
Nearby state parks
The following state parks are within 30 miles (48.3 km) of Whipple Dam State Park:- Bald Eagle State ParkBald Eagle State ParkBald Eagle State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Howard, Liberty, and Marion townships in Centre County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park includes the Joseph Foster Sayers Reservoir, formed by damming Bald Eagle Creek and other smaller streams and covering . Bald Eagle State Park...
(Centre CountyCentre County, PennsylvaniaCentre County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is part of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 153,990....
) - Black Moshannon State ParkBlack Moshannon State ParkBlack Moshannon State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Rush Township in Centre County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It surrounds Black Moshannon Lake, formed by a dam on Black Moshannon Creek, which has given its name to the lake and park...
(Centre County) - Greenwood Furnace State ParkGreenwood Furnace State ParkGreenwood Furnace State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Jackson Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is near the historic iron making center of Greenwood Furnace. The park includes the ghost town of Greenwood that grew up around the ironworks, old roads and...
(Huntingdon County) - Canoe Creek State ParkCanoe Creek State ParkCanoe Creek State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Frankstown Township in Blair County, Pennsylvania. It is 12 miles east of Altoona, the nearest city. Canoe Lake, at , is the focus of recreation at the park and is open for fishing year round. Canoe Creek State Park is a half mile off U.S....
(Blair CountyBlair County, Pennsylvania-Significant Topographic Features:*Brush Mountain*Logan Valley*Morrison Cove*Tussey Mountain-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 129,144 people, 51,518 households, and 34,877 families residing in the county. The population density was 246 people per square mile . There were 55,061...
) - Penn-Roosevelt State ParkPenn-Roosevelt State ParkPenn-Roosevelt State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Harris Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is surrounded by Rothrock State Forest. Penn-Roosevelt State Park is miles from U.S...
(Centre County) - Poe Paddy State ParkPoe Paddy State ParkPoe Paddy State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Haines Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is surrounded by Bald Eagle State Forest. Poe Valley State Park is to the east. The park is at the confluence of Big Poe Creek and Penns Creek. Poe Paddy State Park is...
(Centre County) - Poe Valley State ParkPoe Valley State ParkPoe Valley State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Penn Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is surrounded by Bald Eagle State Forest. Poe Paddy State Park is to the west. The forests of the park surround the Poe Lake. Poe Valley State Park is in isolated Poe...
(Centre County) - Reeds Gap State ParkReeds Gap State ParkReeds Gap State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Armagh Township, Mifflin County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is largely a wilderness area with large white pine and hemlock trees. Honey Creek flows through the park, providing a habitat for trout. Reeds Gap State Park is from U.S...
(Mifflin CountyMifflin County, PennsylvaniaMifflin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 46,682. Its county seat is Lewistown. It is named after Thomas Mifflin, the first Governor of Pennsylvania.-Geography:...
) - Trough Creek State ParkTrough Creek State ParkTrough Creek State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Cass, Penn and Todd Townships, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The majority of the park is in Todd Township along Pennsylvania Route 994, east of the unincorporated village of Entriken. Huntingdon is the nearest...
(Huntingdon County)