White Clay Creek Preserve

For the Delaware State Park, see White Clay Creek State Park.

White Clay Creek Preserve
Pennsylvania State Park
Natural Monument (IUCN III)
Confluence of the East and Middle Branches White Clay Creek, in the Preserve.
Named for: White Clay Creek
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Chester
Township	London Britain
Location	^[1]
- coordinates	39°44′35″N 75°47′21″W / 39.74306°N 75.78917°W / 39.74306; -75.78917Coordinates: 39°44′35″N 75°47′21″W / 39.74306°N 75.78917°W / 39.74306; -75.78917
- elevation	253 ft (77 m) ^[1]
Area	1,255 acres (508 ha) ^[2]
Founded	1984 ^[2]
Managed by	Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Location of White Clay Creek Preserve in Pennsylvania
Website : White Clay Creek Preserve

White Clay Creek Preserve is a 1,255-acre (508 ha) Pennsylvania state park along the valley of White Clay Creek in London Britain Township in Chester County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park was donated by the DuPont Company in 1984 for the purpose of "preserving the diverse and unique plant and animal species, and the rich cultural heritage of the area". Dupont also donated an additional 528 acres (214 ha) for the adjoining White Clay Creek State Park to the state of Delaware. White Clay Creek Preserve is 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Newark, Delaware on Pennsylvania Route 896.

History

Opasiskunk

The land on which White Clay Creek Preserve is located was originally sold to William Penn by Lenape Chief Kekelappen in 1683. Historians believe that Chief Kekelappen may have lived in Opasiskunk an Indian town that was at the confluence of the east and middle branches of White Clay Creek. This town was quite large and covered several acres. Archeologists have found evidence that Opasiskunk was inhabited from the Archaic Period until the early 18th century.^[2]

Colonial times

There are several buildings from the early colonial era still standing in the vicinity of White Clay Creek Preserve. The Yeatman Mill House was once the hub of a prosperous milling and agriculture complex during the 18th and 19th centuries. The London Tract Baptist Meetinghouse was built in 1729. It is at the intersection of Sharpless and London Tract roads. Many of the area's earliest settlers are buried in the cemetery of the church.^[2]

Mason-Dixon Line

The original Mason–Dixon line

White Clay Creek Preserve borders the Mason–Dixon line and Twelve-Mile Circle at the Pennsylvania border with Delaware and Maryland. The line was established to end a protracted boundary dispute between the British colonies of Maryland and Pennsylvania, in 1750. Monuments marking points along the border line and arc can be seen at White Clay Creek Preserve.^[2]

Recreation

White Clay Creek Preserve is the only state park in Pennsylvania designated as a preserve. This designation has kept development to a minimum.^[2]

Hunting - The park is open to white-tailed deer hunting only, on about 1,220 acres (494 ha).^[2]
Fishing - White Clay Creek is stocked with trout several times a year by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. The middle branch and east branch of the creek are also open to fishing.^[2]
Hiking - A 3 miles (4.8 km) hiking trail runs the length of the northern part of the park and connects with trails in White Clay Creek State Park in Delaware.^[2]
Cycling - There are two trails, Peltier and New Peltier trails, that are designated for biking. Roads in and surrounding the park are also open to biking.^[2]
Horseback riding - There is an 8 miles (13 km) trail for recreational horseback riding at White Clay Creek Preserve.^[2]
Cross-country skiing - All trails and fields of the park are open to cross-country skiing during the winter months.^[2]

Big Elk Creek Section

The trail map of the Preserve (revised as of Sept. 28, 2010) includes an insert showing a "Big Elk Creek Section," which lies a few miles west of the main area of the Preserve. The Section, covering about 739 acres of unbroken open space, was acquired by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on January 28, 2010, from property owned by George W. Strawbridge, Jr.. It is managed by the staff of White Clay Creek Preserve^[3] and owned by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural resources.^[4] A recent (i.e. 2013) webpage from Franklin County refers to this area as "Big Elk Preserve."^[5]

The Big Elk Creek Section is bordered on the south by the boundary line with Maryland, and on the north by Strickersville Road, and lies in Elk Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania (west of Big Elk Creek) and Franklin Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania (east). The western and eastern borders of the Big Elk Creek Section run up against private properties, as do some portions near the southern edge of Strickersville Road. Although various trails run from the edge of the fields into the forests of the Big Elk Creek Section, the insert on the trail map for White Clay Creek Preserve as yet shows only elevation, main creeks, and roads, not trails, forests, or fields. A few forest trails, as well as fields and forests, are contiguous with those of Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area, Maryland.

The Big Elk Creek Section has a free parking area off of Strickersville Road (east of Augustin Lane—latitude 39.730962, longitude -75.835785). The sign at this parking area reads thus:

"The acquisition of this land as a public site was made possible by The Conservation Fund with financial assistance from: Mt. Cuba Center, Inc., the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation, Growing Greener 2 Bond Fund, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Capital Project - DGS 192-41, Preservation Partnership Program, Commissioners of Chester County, Pennsylvania, Carol Aichele, Terence Farrell, Kathi Cozzone."

Nearby state parks

The following state parks are within 30 miles (48 km) of White Clay Creek Preserve:^[6]^[7]^[8]

Alapocas Run State Park (Delaware)
Auburn Heights Preserve (Delaware)
Bellevue State Park (Delaware)
Brandywine Creek State Park (Delaware)
Elk Neck State Park (Maryland)
Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area (Maryland)
Fort Delaware State Park (Delaware)
Fort DuPont State Park (Delaware)
Fort Mott State Park (New Jersey)
Fox Point State Park (Delaware)
Lums Pond State Park (Delaware)
Marsh Creek State Park (Chester County)
Ridley Creek State Park (Delaware County)
Susquehanna State Park (Maryland)
Susquehannock State Park (Lancaster County)
White Clay Creek State Park (Delaware)
Wilmington State Parks (Delaware)

References

1 2 "White Clay Creek Preserve". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. August 30, 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "White Clay Creek Preserve (Pennsylvania)". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved 2006-12-10.
↑ "Franklin Township Newsletter, Vol. 4, No.1, p. 3" (PDF). Retrieved 2013-01-16.
↑ "Franklin Township -- Parks and Preserves". Retrieved 2013-01-16.
↑ "Franklin Township -- Deer Hunting Program". Retrieved 2013-01-16.
↑ "Find a Park by Region (interactive map)". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved 2011-11-12.
↑ 2007 General Highway Map Chester County Pennsylvania (PDF) (Map). 1:65,000. Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Bureau of Planning and Research, Geographic Information Division. Retrieved 2007-07-27. Note: shows White Clay Creek Preserve
↑ Michels, Chris (1997). "Latitude/Longitude Distance Calculation". Northern Arizona University. Retrieved 2008-04-23.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to White Clay Creek Preserve.

"White Clay Creek Preserve official map" (PDF). (1.50 MB)

Protected areas of Pennsylvania

Federal

NPS National Historical Parks & National Historic Sites	Allegheny Portage Railroad NHS Edgar Allan Poe NHS Eisenhower NHS Friendship Hill NHS Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Church NHS Hopewell Furnace NHS Independence NHP Steamtown NHS Valley Forge NHP

National Memorials	Benjamin Franklin Flight 93 Johnstown Flood Thaddeus Kosciuszko

National Battlefields and National Military Parks	Fort Necessity NB Gettysburg NMP

National Trails	Appalachian Trail

Other protected areas	Allegheny National Recreation Area Blue Marsh National Recreation Area Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Lackawanna Heritage Valley National and State Heritage Area Middle Delaware National Scenic River Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River

National Forests	Allegheny

USFS National Historic Sites	Grey Towers

National Wildlife Refuges	Cherry Valley Erie John Heinz Ohio River Islands

State

State Parks	Allegheny Islands Archbald Pothole Bald Eagle Beltzville Bendigo Benjamin Rush Big Pocono Big Spring Black Moshannon Blue Knob Boyd Big Tree Buchanan's Birthplace Bucktail Caledonia Canoe Creek Chapman Cherry Springs Clear Creek Codorus Colonel Denning Colton Point Cook Forest Cowans Gap Delaware Canal Denton Hill Elk Erie Bluffs Evansburg Fort Washington Fowlers Hollow Frances Slocum French Creek Gifford Pinchot Gouldsboro Greenwood Furnace Hickory Run Hillman Hills Creek Hyner Run Hyner View Jacobsburg Jennings Joseph E. Ibberson Kettle Creek Keystone Kings Gap Kinzua Bridge Kooser Lackawanna Laurel Hill Laurel Mountain Laurel Ridge Laurel Summit Lehigh Gorge Leonard Harrison Linn Run Little Buffalo Little Pine Locust Lake Lyman Run Marsh Creek Maurice K. Goddard McCalls Dam McConnells Mill Memorial Lake Milton Mont Alto Moraine Mt. Pisgah Nescopeck Neshaminy Nockamixon Nolde Forest Norristown Farm Ohiopyle Oil Creek Ole Bull Parker Dam Patterson Penn-Roosevelt Pine Grove Furnace Poe Paddy Poe Valley Point Presque Isle Prince Gallitzin Promised Land Prompton Prouty Place Pymatuning R. B. Winter Raccoon Creek Ralph Stover Ravensburg Reeds Gap Ricketts Glen Ridley Creek Ryerson Station S. B. Elliott Salt Springs Samuel S. Lewis Sand Bridge Shawnee Shikellamy Sinnemahoning Sizerville Susquehanna Susquehannock Swatara Tobyhanna Trough Creek Tuscarora Tyler Upper Pine Bottom Varden Warriors Path Washington Crossing Whipple Dam White Clay Creek Worlds End Yellow Creek

State Forests	Bald Eagle Buchanan Clear Creek Cornplanter Delaware Elk Forbes Gallitzin Loyalsock Michaux Moshannon Pinchot Rothrock Sproul Susquehannock Tiadaghton Tioga Tuscarora Weiser William Penn (Wild areas)

Scenic Rivers	Bear Run French Creek Lehigh River LeTort Spring Run Lick Run Lower Brandywine Octoraro Creek Pine Creek Schuylkill River Stony Creek Tucquan Creek Tulpehocken Creek Yellow Breeches Creek

Other

Other	Anders Run Natural Area Forrest H. Duttlinger Natural Area Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Hoverter and Sholl Box Huckleberry Natural Area Johnson Run Natural Area Stone Valley Recreation Area Trexler Nature Preserve Wykoff Run Natural Area

Hiking trails	Appalachian Baker Black Forest Central Mountains Shared Use Darlington Eastern Continental Five Star Glacier Ridge Great Eastern Greene River Horse-Shoe Indian Creek Valley Loyalsock Mid State Standing Stone Mason-Dixon North Country Ohio River Old Loggers Path Pinchot Potomac Heritage Quehanna Rachel Carson Sheepskin Susquehannock Thunder Swamp Tuscarora Valley Forge Historical West Rim Wissahickon Youghiogheny River

Rail trails	Abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike Beaver River East Coast Greenway Five Star Ghost Town Great Allegheny Passage Great Shamokin Path Greene River Indian Creek Valley Lebanon Valley Lehigh Gorge Liberty Bell Lower Montour Ohio River Palmer Bikeway Panhandle Perkiomen Pine Creek Plainfield Township Schuylkill River Sheepskin Struble Susquehanna Warrior Switchback Three Rivers Heritage York Country Heritage Youghiogheny River

Nature centers	List of nature centers in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

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