Download - May 2001 Friends of White Clay Creek State Park Newsletter

8/9/2019 May 2001 Friends of White Clay Creek State Park Newsletter

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THE FWCCSP RECORDFriends ofWhite Clay Creek State Park Newsletter

Friends ofWhite Clay Creek State ParkP.O. Box 9734Newark, DE 19714-9734http://fWccsp.udel. edu

Volume 4, No.1 May 2001

Six Hundred More Trees Planted in Possum Hill FieldThe spring tree planting in the Possum Hill section was a great success. Volunteers planted,

fertilized, mulched, watered, and installed deer guards on 600 trees, bringing the total to 1400 treesplanted as part of the project.Superb organization and outstanding work by about 65 volunteers saw the planting completejust after midday on April 7. Planting was originally scheduled for March 31, but a soggy field and theprospect of young and adult volunteers out in a cold rain postponed the work for a week.Three water tanks recently purchased by the park provided a great improvement over last fall'swatering. Each tank, loaded on a pickup truck, had two hoses allowing two rows of trees to bewatered at the same time per truck. Last fall's watering, with a single tank and smaller hoses, had to becompleted during the week after the planting

To date, we have planted 14 different varieties native to our area. They include sycamore, blackgum, sweet gum, red maple, silver maple, sugar maple, Virginia pine, tulip poplar, American beech,swamp white oak, pin oak, river birch, white ash, and white oak. The trees are now leafing out for thesummer. Stop by the field to see the results of our work.

Please also mark your calendars for October 6, the tentative date for the final planting of 600more trees to fill the remainder of the 9-acre field.

Park staff will continue to mow the field for some years after the planting to keep down invasivespecies, until the trees are big enough to provide a shade canopy_ We'll go back in to plant shrubs andother understory plants some time after mowing ceases, several years from now.Annual Meeting Program is a Big Hit

At the Annual Meeting on March 15, Debbie Paruszewski, manager of the Chambers HouseNature Center at the park, gave a slide presentation and answered questions about historical sites andruins in the park. Debbie's talk, titled "Trailside Time Travel," took us through the White Clay Creekregion of centuries past. Her presentation about historical sites found along the trails, the roadways,and the creek was a big hit with the approximately 75 persons in attendance, a standing-room-onlycrowd.

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Special Newsletter Supplement Chronicles Chambers Family History"Honoring Quaker Roots" by Debbie Paruszewski, manager of the park's Chambers House

Nature Center, describes the history of the Chambers family who were early settlers in the White ClayValley. It is included as a special supplement to this newsletter and continues our practice of publishingarticles on topics of interest that are not directly associated with the Friends.New Officer Elected at Annual Meeting

On March 15, Christa Stefanisko was elected vice president of the Friends ofWhite Clay CreekState Park. Christa has been an active project leader during the past few years, including leadership ofthe Trail Watch program (1999) and co-leadership of our highly successful reforestation project. Wewelcome Christa as a new officer and member of the Executive Committee.Christa will replace Frank Rawling, who stepped down after a two year stint as vice president tofocus on some other interests. We greatly appreciate Frank 's many contributions, including leadershipof our migratory bird day programs last year and this year, organization of two bird walks, maintenanceand monitoring ofbluebird boxes in part of the park, and leadership of our successful effort to achievetax-exempt 501(c)(3) status.Migratory Bird Day Program is Popular

On Saturday, May 5, our program of bird walks, a wildflower walk, a children's program onpreying insects, and a live raptor demonstration drew a total of approximately 50 participants. It wasgreat fun and an excellent opportunity to appreciate the diversity ofwildlife that can be observed in thepark. This was a joint program with the park staff, and we thank our partners and volunteer leaders fortheir excellent efforts.Support Needed for Open Space Preservation

During the past few years, much has been done to preserve open spaces in Delaware, includingnearly 1000 acres of land additions to White Clay Creek State Park. This' has been possible through thesupport of our legislators and other government leaders for yearly funding appropriations from thestate's substantial budget surpluses. However, with the economic slowdown and reduced revenueforecasts, finding funds for open space has become more difficult. It is, therefore, more critical thanever that you contact your legislators and ask them to somehow find ways to preserve these criticalopen spaces before they are lost to development.CCArts Discussion Continues

The plan to locate a facility for the Center for Creative Arts on the Big Pond tract of the parkhas sparked ongoing discussion and concerns. The Friends organization, recognizing that some of ourmembers support the plan and others are opposed, has not taken a position, pro or con. However, wewill continue to encourage our members to express themselves when the opportunity presents itself

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There is active consideration of an alternative site at Milford Crossroads opposite the l\1BNA facility.We will keep you informed as more information becomes available.Trail Improvement and Cleanup Resumes

The weather finally cooperated in March to allow us to resume our monthly trail work. Westarted a continuing project of rerouting a sizeable portion of the David English Trail, following a newroute designated by the Sta te Parks & Recreation trail specialist. Improved erosion control and a morenatural trail setting will result. Our April work coincided with Christina River Cleanup Day. Inpartnership with the park staff, we mounted a two-pronged attack on trash and debris. In and aroundthe White Clay Creek bordered by the Preserve Loop Trail, a couple of intrepid waders and somelandlocked scavengers removed many interesting treasures, including four regular tires, a truck tire, andparking stops originally placed at the Chambers Rock parking lot before flooding relocated them.Meanwhile, at Judge Morris we were joined by a group of enthusiastic student volunteers, mostly fromthe University of Delaware, who represented Hope Worldwide. Their hard work resulted in removal oftwo-and-a-halftruckloads of debris from areas around trails.Contact Wendel Cassel, 302-737-3319, i f you are interested in monthly trail work and currentlyare not on his communication list.Foxden Road Yields Another Haul of Litter

With springtime comes the sprouting of flowers and trees and litter along Foxden Road. OnApril 7 (the same day as our tree planting) eight Friends volunteers harvested a bumper crop of30 bagsof trash plus various car parts and o ther large pieces of trash. We hope the task will be easier at thenext cleanup, which is tentatively scheduled for June when some of the inevitable accumulation oflitterwill be hidden by vegetation. Contact Dee and Dick Benson at 410-398-4180 i f you would like to beadded to their list of Adopt-A-Highway volunteers.2001 Membership Renewals Past Due

Special thanks to the large number ofFWCCSP members who have renewed their membershipfor 2001. We appreciate your continued support of White Clay Creek Sta te Park and the Friendsgroup. A few memberships are now past due. I f you have not already done so, please renew yourmembership by sending a check ($15 family, $10 individual, $5 student) to, FWCCSP, P.O. Box 9734,Newark, DE 19714-9734. Make checks payable to Friends of White Clay Creek State Park. Newmembers who joined the group after August 31, 2000, are not required to submit dues to remainmembers through March 2002. If you have any questions about your membership status , please callTreasurer Kyle Bottorff at 239-9828 or e-mail [email protected] Membership Passes 200

During the first four months of 2001, 41 new members joined the Friends, bringing themembership total to 230, an increase of71 members over this period one year ago. Passing the200-member mark is an accomplishment that all members should take pride in, especially consideringthat the Friends group did not even exist until mid-1998. We believe that the high rate of membership

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growth and retention demonstrates a strong vote of confidence in the direction the Friends group istaking. Thank you for your support. We are looking forward to continued growth, both inmembership and in activities throughout the year.

Ifyou know of any persons who would like information on joining the Friends group pleaserefer them to our web site at http://fwccsp.udel.edu or they can call Kyle Bottorff at 239-9828 or LisaWool at 235-2240. Alternatively, pass them a copy of this newsletter which includes a membershipapplication form.Volunteers Thanked during International Volunteer Year

The year 2001, the International Year of the Volunteer, is an especially appropriate time torecognize and thank the many people who support our various projects and activities. We consider ourvolunteers, both members and nonmembers, as second to none in their willingness to help out whenneeded. In that regard we note that the Friends recorded 315 hours ofvolunteer time during the firstthree months of 200 1, organizing and doing the many activities described elsewhere in this newsletter.Water Ice Sales to Resume During Summer Concerts At The Park

Before we know it, the Wednesday night concerts will be starting at the Carpenter RecreationArea in the Park. The scheduled starting times and dates are 7:00 pm from June 13 to August 1 and6:30 pm from August 8 to August 22. Bring a chair or blanket and enjoy this wonderful summerentertainment, and please reserve a Wednesday evening or two to help us sell water ice. Our goals areto provide an extra treat for the audience and to raise some money for future Friends projects. We hadgreat volunteers last year and we'll need more this summer because long-range forecasts promise norain on Wednesdays! Also, extra people will be needed on July 11 when we'll be servingcomplimentary refreshments in celebration ofDelaware State Parks' 50th anniversary. Contact TomHallenbeck, 610-274-1345, and let him know when you can help.Many Other Projects are Continuing

To keep the newsletter brief, we do not attempt to cover every ongoing volunteer project ineach issue. However, we do express appreciation to volunteers working on other projects, includingtrail watch (trail surveillance and maintenance), trail benches, and kestrel and bluebird box maintenanceand monitoring. We'll report on some of these efforts in future newsletters.

We are now contacting those persons who expressed interest at our Annual Meeting in possiblyhelping to staff the Chambers House Nature Center during limited weekend hours. In the meantime, ifothers are interested please contact Tom Hallenbeck at 610-274-1345.Community Celebrations: FWCCSP Will Be There!

Each year, we present displays and provide information about the park and our FWCCSPorganization at various community events. In the coming months, we plan to exhibit at the followingevents, with a little help from our Friends.

Liberty Day, July 4, ] 1:00 am- 4:00 pm, Carpenter Recreation Area. I fyou can spend a few

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hours at our display, greeting visitors and providing information, contact Tom Hallenbeck at610-274-1345.

Newark Community Day. September 16. University ofDelaware mall. We have exhibited atthis well-attended event for several years. In addition to volunteers to staff the booth, we are lookingfor a coordinator with responsibility for setting up and taking down displays and scheduling volunteers.To find out more about what is involved or to volunteer for a two-hour shift, contact Kyle Bottorff at302-239-9828.

Pike Creek Community Day. September 22. 10:00 am - 3:00 pm, Carousel Park. We have beeninvited to exhibit at this growing annual event, and we will have the displays available to do so. Perhapsmembers living in the Pike Creek area would be particularly interested in helping out on this day. Anyand aU interested volunteers should contact Tom Hallenbeck at 610-274-1345.

Any member is welcome to borrow our displays and information about the Park i f they wish tomake a presentation or just bring a display to a civic association or other organization meeting.Calendar of EventsApril 30 Executive Committee MeetingMay 5 Migratory Bird FestivalMay 12 Trail WorkJune 2 Trail WorklNational Trails DayJune 11 Executive Committee Meeting with the Advisory BoardJune 13- August 22 Wednesday Night Concerts and Water Ice Sales (Carpenter Recreation Area)June 30 Trail Work (no trail work scheduled in July)July 4 Liberty Day DisplayAugust 11 Trail WorkAugust 13 Executive Committee MeetingSeptember 8 Trail WorkSeptember 10 Executive Committee MeetingSeptember 16 Newark Community Day DisplaySeptember 22 Pike Creek Community Day DisplaySeptember 27 Biannual Membership MeetingOctober 6 Fall Tree Planting (tentative)

Leadersbip:President: Andy Urquhart, 239-2471, [email protected]: Christa Stefanisko, 369-1933, [email protected] and Membership Chair: Kyle Bottorff, 239-9828, [email protected] and Newsletter Editor: Dick Benson, 410-398-4180, [email protected] Committee Chair: Tom Hallenbeck, 610-274-1345, [email protected] Assistant: Lisa Wool, 652-3488, [email protected]

Current Project Leaders:Trail Watch: John Thomas, 456-3242Adopt-a-Highway: Dee and Dick Benson, 410-398-4180

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Park Benches: Andy Urquhart 239-2471Advocacy: Andy Urquhart. 239-2471Reforestation: AI Zverina. 239-5046, and Christa Stefanisko. 369-1933Birding Festival: Frank Rawling, 738-0913Trail Improvement Work: Wendel Cassel, 737-3319Website: Rick Hall, 831-1295Bird Boxes: Frank Rawling, 738-0913 and Andy Urquhart, 239-2471

Join us! I f you are not already a member and would like to join, please return this formwith your check made payable to Friends of White Clay Creek State Park.

Name(s) _AddressPhone _ E-Mail

Annual Memberships__$10.00 Individual Membership__$15.00 Family Membership$ 5.00 Student Membership$ Extra Contribution$ Total Enclosed

Friends of White Clay Creek State Park, Inc.P.o. Box 9734 Newark, DE 19714-9734

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Newsletter Supplement

Honoring Quaker RootsDebbie Paruszewski

ManagerChambers House Nature Center

The choice of "Chambers House" as a name for the nature center at White Clay Creek StatePark honors both the structure's original builder and his ancestors who were one of the first Quakerfamilies to settle in the valley. The present structure was built by Joseph Chambers after 1819. I t islikely that he was the great-grandson of John Chambers, a Quaker emigrant, and the first recordedindividual of that surname in the region.

According to John Whiteclay Chambers II, a Rutgers University history professor anddescendant, "In 1713, a yeoman farmer in Yorkshire named John Chambers, seeking to escape fromreligious persecution of Quakers in England, sold his farm and sailed with his family to William Penn's'Holy Experiment' in Pennsylvania." He and his wife Deborah along with their five children arrived inPhiladelphia in 1713. By 1715, John Chambers had settled on a plot of land on the White Clay Creekclose to the present day Pennsylvania state line. In 1720, he purchased from David Lloyd, WilliamPenn's agent, 664 acres along White Clay Creek, originally part of the "Hopyard" tract. He alsopurchased land on the west side of the creek. Upon John's death, the land was divided among his sons.His eldest son Richard married Elinor Miller of what is now Avondale, and they had at least two sons,John and Benjamin. Over the next two centuries, the descendants of John Chambers operated theirfarms, known as "Hopyard," "Hillvale," "Pennview," "Hillside," and "Hilltop," located along the WhiteClay Creek and what is now Chambers Rock Road.

I t was a Benjamin Chambers who purchased 250 acres from David Evans in 1775, including theland on which the nature center stands. According to 1. Thomas Scharf's History ofDelaware, (1888),"previous to 1798, Benjamin Chambers erected a saw mill on White Clay Creek in the northwest part ofthe hundred." An 1810 census lists Benjamin Chambers, his wife, three sons, and four daughters asresidents of White Clay Creek. Tax assessment records from 1816 value his holdings at $5,523 anddescribe a "good framed dwelling and unframed bam." It is clear that this is not the present naturecenter building, which must have been erected after this date. Upon Benjamin's death in 1819, his landwas divided between two sons, Samuel and Joseph. Joseph received I 00 acres, and according toScharf, dismantled his father's mill. It was on this tract of land that the nature center was built, sometime after 1819. Joseph and his family are listed as residents of White Clay Creek Hundred in the 1820,1830, and 1840 census records.

Although much of the extended Chambers family retained their Quaker Meeting memberships,Joseph Chambers was not a Quaker. Members of the Chambers, Passmore, Thompson, and Sharplessfamilies purchased land in Strickersville in 1827 where they built a meeting house which becameLondon Britain MontWy Meeting. These family names are visible today on many of the tombstones

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Park Benches: Andy Urquhart 239-2471Advocacy: Andy Urquhart 239-2471Reforestation: AI Zverina, 239-5046, and Christa Stefanisko. 369-1933Birding Festival: Frank Rawling, 738-0913Trail Improvement Work: Wendel Cassel, 737-3319Website: Rick Hall, 831-1295Bird Boxes: Frank Rawling, 738-0913 and Andy Urquhart, 239-2471

Join us! I f you are not already a member and would like to j o please return this formwith your check made payable to Friends ofWhite Clay Creek State Park.Name(s) _AddressPhone _ E-Mail

Annual Memberships__$10.00 Individual Membership__$15.00 Family Membership__$ 5.00 Student Membership$ Extra Contribution

$ Total Enclosed

Friends of White Clay Creek State Park, Inc.P.o. Box 9734 Newark, DE 19714-9734

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Download - May 2001 Friends of White Clay Creek State Park Newsletter

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