november 2002 friends of white clay creek state park newsletter

8/9/2019 November 2002 Friends of White Clay Creek State Park Newsletter

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FWCCSP RECORDFriends of White Clay Creek State Park Newsletter

Friends of White Clay Creek Sta te ParkP.O. Box 9734Newark, DE 19714-9734

http://fwccsp.udel.eduVolume 5, No. Z November 2002

New and Improved Trails Being Opened in the ParkA number of additions and improvements have been made to the trails in the park

over the last six months thanks to the efforts of the State Parks Trail Crew and significantsupport from the Friends and other volunteers. Prime examples are the David Englishloop trail behind the Park Office and the trails in the Possum Hill area.

The David English trail now has two beautiful new segments. The section alongPleasant Hill Road has been relocated farther away from the road to provide a morenatural setting and reduce interference from road noise. Also, a new cutoff trail starts nearthe Park Office and reconnects with the main loop in the field near the twin ponds. Thecutoff trail provides an alternative for shorter loop hikes in this area.

In the Possum Hill area, most of the red-blazed trail loop has been relocated toeliminate erosion problems on the previous routing and to access interesting naturalfeatures including a pond and a more mature forested area. A connecting trail from thisloop to the parking lot on the Nine-Foot Road has also been completed. Trails are alsobeing added to a newer section of the park extending north from the Possum Hill areaalong Pleasant Hill Road.

Come out and explore the beautiful new trails in these areas. Also, contactWendel Cassel, 302-737-3319, i f you are interested in joining the monthly weekend trailwork and are not already on his communication list.Reforestation Plans Reviewed with Membership

At our October 7th Friends membership meeting, we held a workshop to reviewthe latest plans for our next reforestation project. There was a lot of discussion, but noserious objections or concerns were raised at the meeting. Previous inputs from membershad been incorporated into our initial plans for the plantings, including leaving open spacesfor bird and deer watching and for spring woodcock displays.

The plans aim to increase forested buffers and reduce forest fragmentation at twoor three sites along the creek. The initial planting, scheduled for March 29,2003, willinvolve three acres near the creek in the large field north of the nature center. Subsequentplantings will take place in the spring of2004 and 2005.

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The 2003 planting will involve relatively large trees (2-3-inch trunk diameter)quite widely spaced (--40 ft) in the field. These new trees plus trees in adjacent woods willbe seed sources for natural reseeding of the field. The field will be disked in the fall, afterthe spring planting, to open the soil for seeding when trees are dropping seeds. Weselected this method of planting, instead ofplanting a large number of smaller trees as wedid in our previous project, to develop infonnation about alternative reforestationtechniques in a cooperative effort with the Division ofParks and Recreation.

Invasive, nonnative plant control, essential to growing new native trees and plantsfrom seed, will be handled by a combination ofmowing and selective use of anenvironmentally-benign herbicide (Scythe). This is a compromise from our initial plan touse Roundup or Rodeo, in response to concerns of some of our members about use ofherbicides near the creek.

If anyone was unable to attend the meeting and would like more information,please contact Christa Stefanisko at 369-1933 or AI Zverina at 239-6108.Newsletter Supplement Chronicles Old Railroad through Park

Ever wonder about the old railroad bed that forms the base for parts of the mostpopular trails in the park? How about those old footings in the creek that show wherebridges once crossed?

"The Pomeroy and Newark Railroad" by Debbie Paruszewski Keese, formermanager of the park's nature center, describes the interesting story of the old railroad thatran through the White Clay Valley from 1873 until the late 1930s. Excerpted from anupcoming booklet on the history of the park and the surrounding area, this article isincluded as a special newsletter supplement (page 9).Americorps Volunteer Welcomed to Park

As part of the AmeriCorps State Parks Partners Program, Americorps volunteerKathryn Hendrix recently arrived at White Clay Creek State Park. She will be focusing onvolunteer resources for park programs and activities, and we anticipate working closelywith her in the months ahead. Kathryn is located at the Park Office (phone 302-368-6900;email [email protected]).Critical Wildlife Habitat Being Identified

In a new project, the Friends are drawing upon local experts on various kinds ofwildlife to identify areas in the park that deserve special protection because of theirimportance to rare or endangered wildlife species. Consideration is being given to habitatsknown to be favored by rare birds, plants, dragonflies, damselflies, reptiles, andamphibians.

We are building on an excellent ecological survey ofthe park completed in 2000by the Delaware Natural Heritage Program. Our objective is to provide maps identifyingareas of critical wildlife habitat to the Division for use in planning new trails, facilities, andhabitat improvement projects.

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Superintendent's Corner-Nick McFaddenAfter a long, hot, and dry summer, activity at White Clay Creek State Park has

picked up dramatically with the change in weather and schools back in session.The Carpenter Recreation Area has been extremely busy with pavilion rentals,cross-country track meets, and general trail/picnic area use. On October ITIl the parkhosted the annual University ofDelaware High School Cross-Country Invitational. The

event drew 25 schools from across the state and over 2,000 spectators and runners. Theweather was ideal for the runners (cloudy & cool), and the damage to the trails and fieldsfrom the large number ofvehicles and feet was minimal.White Clay Creek State Park has a new manager of the Chambers House NatureCenter. Angel Rosauri was illred in August to fill the position vacated by Debbie Keese.Angel has a B.S. in Entomology and Applied Ecology from the University ofDelaware.She previously worked for Delaware State Parks as a seasonal park naturalist here atWhite Clay Creek State Park and at Brandywine Creek State Park. Angel also heldenvironmental educator positions with the Delaware Nature Society, Brandywine Zoo,and the Chesapeake Bay Girl Scouts Council. We're excited to have someone ofAngel'scaliber. We look forward to many new and innovative programs.Summer's hot, dry weather proved to have a positive effect on our concert serieswith an increase of 1,000 plus over the summer of2001. Once again, the water iceprovided by the Friends was a big hit. I know it's not a big money-maker for the group,but it's a great service for concertgoers.

Fall at White Clay Creek State Park not only brings a change in the weather butalso the beginning ofdeer hunting season. The dates for this year are

Archery: October 21-November 14Shotgun: November 15-23December 14-21

January 18-25During archery season, the trails in deer hunting areas will remain open. However, trailusers are advised to use caution. During the shotgun seasons the trails through thehunting areas are closed for obvious safety reasons. Also, there is never any hunting onSundays.

Finally, I would like to recognize some of the Friends for their continuingcommitment to White Clay Creek State Park. First, to Wendel Cassel and his volunteersfor their unparalleled efforts in maintaining and improving the trail system at White ClayCreek. Whenever we receive compliments on the trails, I'm always sure to credit theFriends (and the State Park Trail Crew). Next, to Tom Hallenbeck and the other Friendswho've manned the Nature Center every Saturday and Sunday from May throughOctober. Their commitment to two- and four-hour blocks of time on weekends isimpressive and greatly appreciated. I hope we can continue it next year. Lastly, I wouldlike to thank Sal Gioia for constructing the map/pamphlet box that's now in place outsidethe entrance to the park office. It looks great and is very popular.

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Help Recreate Spectacular Holidays Gone ByCome decorate for and/or help host a winter holiday tour at the beautiful and

historic Judge Morris Estate. There is a need for people to decorate for the holidays andto help captivate guests during tours in a 1939 holiday setting. Get behind the scenes tomake the night special for one and all to enjoy this spectacular mansion. To volunteeryour time for this special event, please call Kathryn Hendrix at the park office(302-368-6900).Field Trip Planned to See Snow Geese

One of the great avian spectacles of this area, or indeed perhaps any area, involvesthe huge flocks of snow geese that winter in Delaware. When these birds, numbering inthe tens of thousands, are seen flying against a bright blue sky, they sparkle like diamonds.It's an amazing sight!

To give our members an opportunity to enjoy this spectacle and also see lots ofducks and other interesting birds, the Friends have arranged a half-day field trip toBombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Smyrna. The trip is scheduled for Saturday,December 7, starting at 9:00 am at the refuge visitors center. If you would like to go orwant more information, please call Frank Rawling at (302) 738-0913. This is ajoint tripwith the Friends of Bombay Hook.Ongoing Projects and Activities Summarized

We were busy during the warm-weather months with events and projects thatpromote and benefit the Park and provide enjoyment for visitors.

Migratory Bird Walk. This has become an annual May event organized by theFriends. This past spring a large turnout (43 participants) enjoyed a beautiful morning ofbird sights and sounds, thanks to an outstanding job by Jeff Gordon, the leader of thewalk.

Park Office Plantings. Planting of native perennials and shrubs was completed atthe entrance to the park office. Plants are labeled, providing a valuable interpretiveelement as well as aesthetic beauty. The design and execution of the planting reflect theprofessional expertise ofMelindaZoehrer, the project leader, and we also thank thosewho donated materials and plants.

Summer Concert Water Ice Sales. For the third year, the Friends sold water ice atsummer concerts in the Carpenter Recreation Area. Concert crowds were larger this yearto enjoy the new band stage and mostly good weather. This meant we sold more waterice to concertgoers (after a few early missteps with Mother Nature), and increased theprofits we use for park-related purposes. The monetary results are secondary to addingenjoyment for visitors by providing a cool refreshment. The many volunteers whodonated their time to "scoop" made this possible.

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Community Events. We continued our past-years' practices of having displays atLiberty Day on July 4 at the park, and at Newark Community Day in September. Theexhibits provide information about the park and the Friends for purposes of increasingawareness of the park and helping our membership efforts. Our display booth was wellvisited despite the very hot weather on Liberty Day. An even larger attendance visited ourexpanded display at Newark Community Day, and our volunteers enjoyed success ininteresting visitors in becoming members or providing more information about the Friends.Also, sales of walking sticks (donated by a member) and tee shirts were fairly brisk.

Nature Center Staffing. FWCCSP volunteers are completing a six-month seasonof staffing the Chambers House Nature Center on weekends. The original schedule ofopening from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm on Saturdays was expanded in July to include the sameperiod on Sundays. From May to October we welcomed visitors (the final visitor countwill probably be in the 250 to 300 range) and performed other tasks to help the regularstaff keep the center clean and functioning.

Adopt-A-Highway. No matter what the season, there is litter to be picked up onFoxden Road. The latest quarterly sweep by our volunteers on October 19 yielded 16bags of trash. This effort in support of a cleaner environment sometimes needs a fewmore volunteers, so i fyou think you can occasionally spare an hour and a halfon aSaturday morning, please contact Dee Benson ([email protected] or 410-398-4180).

Trail Watch. Recently, several new volunteers joined the group of monitors whoperiodically walk an assigned trail in the park to clean up light debris, report overall trailconditions and any problems to the park staff, and perform limited trail maintenance.Additional volunteers will be needed in the future, so i fyou think you would be interestedin "adopting" a trail, please contact Tom Hallenbeck for more information([email protected] or 610-274-1345) or call the park office (302-368-6900).Recent Wildlife Sightings in the Park

Fall is an exciting time for bird watching because of fall migration. In the park, fallmigration begins in earnest in mid-to-late August with warblers, flycatchers, and vireosheading south. Many of these birds are seen stopping over in the park through lateSeptember or early October.

Among the most common of these fall migrants are warblers-- Black-throatedGreen, Black-throated Blue, American Redstart, Black and White, and Magnolia.Thrushes also move through with and somewhat later than the warblers. Sparrows comemostly in October and later, and some of them will winter over in this area. Hawkmigration extends throughout the fall from late August into December, depending on thespecies.

Many fine birds were seen and reported in the park this fall, with some of the lesscommon species including Connecticut Warbler, Cape May Warbler, Philadelphia Vireo,and Lincoln's Sparrow, along with lots of the more common birds. The importance of our

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park as a stopover for all of these migrants cannot be overemphasized, given the generalscarcity oflarge tracts ofwoods throughout the mid-Atlantic region.Wish List

We welcome the donation of items for use in Park activities by the Friends and thepark staff We thank our members for past donations of needed items such as easels andshovels.

Tools for trail work: wheelbarrows, mattocks, flat shovels, rakes, loppers, etc.To donate contact Wendel Cassel (302-737-3319)

Friends ' displays at public events: folding canopyTo donate contact Tom Hallenbeck (610-274-1345)

Calendar of EventsNovember 10November 11December 7December 8December 9January 12January 13February 8February 10March 8March 10March 17March 27March 29March 29April 12April 14May 3May 4May 12June 7June 9

Trail WorkExecutive Committee MeetingField Trip to Bombay Hook for Snow GeeseTrail WorkExecutive Committee MeetingTrail WorkExecutive Committee Meeting with the Advisory BoardTrail WorkExecutive Committee MeetingTrail WorkExecutive Committee MeetingAnnual Membership MeetingReforestation - Tree DeliveryReforestation - Tree PlantingChristina River CleanupTrail WorkExecutive Committee MeetingMigratory Bird WalkTrail WorkExecutive Committee MeetingTrail WorklNational Trails DayExecutive Committee Meeting with the Advisory Board

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Leadership:President: Andy Urquhart, 239-2471, [email protected]: Christa Stefanisko, 369-1933, [email protected] and Newsletter Editor: Dick Benson, 410-398-4180, [email protected]: Ken Daws, 737-8120, [email protected] Chair : Lisa Wool, 652-3488, [email protected] Committee Chair: Tom Hallenbeck, 610-274-1345, [email protected]

Current Project Leaders:Adopt-a-Higbway: Dee and Dick Benson, 410-398-4180Advocacy: Andy Urquhart, 239-2471Bird Boxes: Frank Rawling, 738-0913, and Andy Urquhart, 239-2471Critical Wildlife Habitat: Andy Urquhart, 239-2471Historical Booklet: Debbie Keese, 369-9128Nature Center Staffing: Tom Hallenbeck, 610-274-1345Park Office Plantings: Melinda Zoehrer, 610-255-0432Reforestation: Al Zverina, 239-5046, and Christa Stefanisko, 369-1933Trail Benches: Andy Urquhart, 239-2471Trail Improvement Work: Wendel Cassel, 737-3319Trail Watch: Tom Hallenbeck, (610) 274-1345Water Ice Sales: Tom Hallenbeck, 610-274-1345Wayside Historical Markers: Wendel CasselWebsite: Rick Hall, 831-1295

Membership ApplicationJoin us! If you are not already a member and would like to join, please return this formwith your check made payable to Friends ofWhite Clay Creek State Park.

Name(s)AddressPhone L J _ 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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Special Newsletter SupplementTHE POMEROY AND NEWARK RAILROAD

by Debbie Paruszewski KeeseIn today's world we have so much on our minds that we tend to forget the importance and

the historic fascination humans have with trains. After all, trains still figure largely in thetransport of goods in our country, and they still carry coal to power plants that generate electricity.In researching the historic record for descriptive images of life in the White Clay Creek Valley, Icaught a little bit of the excitement and reverence felt by our earlier residents when the train camethrough. As I stood below the concrete supports of a long-gone railroad trestle over White ClayCreek, I found myself thinking about that train and asking, "Where did it come from? Where wasit going? What exciting adventures did it hold?"

The trestle once supported the traffic of a railroad line that was referred to as the "railroadthat should never have been built." It was known locally as the Pomeroy and Newark Railroad.The passenger car of that line was fondly called the "Pumpsie Doodle" or the "Pommy Diddle." Itran between the towns of Pomeroy, Pa., and Newark, Del., for a 26-mile length, and on toDelaware City, Del., a total of 39 miles.

Why should it never have been built? Budget constraints in building the road dictated thatthe bed follow the flattest grade possible, which meant that it followed the banks of the White ClayCreek, crossing and re-crossing the stream and surrounding wetlands. In its 26-mile run, therewere 65 wooden bridges that were hard to maintain and very expensive to replace. When youfollow the actual course of the railroad, it is mind-boggling to imagine how difficult a job it was tobuild this line. Building up ballast for the bed, traversing swampy areas, cutting through rockoutcrops, and getting wet in the creek during winter months must have tested the endurance of thework gangs

Construction of the rail line by two different railroads began between 1868 and 1871. TheDoe Run and White Clay Creek Railroad Company built the segment from a point along thePhiladelphia and Columbia Railroad near Pomeroy to the Delaware state line. The Delaware andPennsylvania Rail Road Company built the segment from the state line to Delaware City. Theownership of this line and its official name have changed so often through its history as to make themost organized and agile mind weary, so I will refer to it in this essay as the "Pomeroy Railroad."

Builders of the Delaware City portion claimed that this line would make Delaware City the"Norfolk" of the Delaware River, a thriving coal port. Shipped via Pomeroy at a savings of60miles, anthracite would land 30 miles nearer the sea than if it went to Philadelphia. Delaware Citywas preferable to Philadelphia also because it was ice free in winter months. The line could alsosupply coal locally and move the substantial lime, marble, kaolin, and agricultural production thatwas growing in the region. Unfortunately for Delaware City, however, the great success of therailroads up until 1872 came to an abrupt halt in 1873, the year the Pomeroy Railroad wascompleted and the year a great depression hit the country, lasting until 1880.The first train was scheduled to run on May 1, 1873. I t was not without event. Bedeckedin flags, wreaths, and flowers, in honor of the occasion, the mixed freight and passenger trainstruck a cow belonging to John Dorsey, living at Doe Run, and "completely decapitated herwithout injury to the train." The train made two trips per day to Pomeroy. Leaving Delaware Cityabout 7 a.m., it would arrive in Pomeroy at approximately 9:30. It would depart again travelingto Newark and back again to Pomeroy. In the evening it would depart Pomeroy and run the lengthofthe line to Delaware City.

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The company underwent foreclosure in 1879, but was reorganized. In 1880, a bill wasintroduced in the Delaware legislature to legalize the sale ofthe line south of Newark. Anadvantage would be gained in the transport of peaches, because it shortened the distance west toBaltimore. In fact, it was the north-south route of the railroad that changed Delaware into thePeach State, making the peach blossom the state flower. In anticipation of the railroadconstruction, farmers planted peaches in more rural areas. Prior to this, peaches were only grownin Wilmington and in Delaware City, because of access to steamboat transport. Peach productionbecame a part of the Delaware economy, and most peaches were shipped by rail. Unfortunately, adisease called the "yellows" struck the trees and ended the peach endeavor in the 1890s. Farmersthen switched to apples.

To reduce operating expenses, in 1901 the railroad withdrew steam passenger cars andsubstituted a gasoline car operated by two men which made round trips daily between Newark andPomeroy, except Sunday. The single car transported passengers, mail, and light freight. By 1928,however, improved highways and competition from automobiles had caused the patronage of thePumpsie Doodle to shrink. The passenger line was abandoned, and the line carried only freightThe government had anticipated this move, and had already arranged for mail transport by trucks.

In the ensuing years, as mills began closing and another depression hit the country,railroads suffered, and smaller lines were abandoned. In a series ofletters written in 1935 byrailroad officials, the abandonment of the line between Avondale and Newark was discussed. Tiesand bridge ties had been removed between Landenberg and Thompson and used for repairselsewhere on the line, and it was recommended that this be followed by removal of rails and oldbridges. Ensuing correspondence revealed that the plan was to abandon the line from Avondale toNewark but use or reclassify Avondale to Landenberg and Thompson to Newark as sidings. Thenthey could be removed or closed down without approval from the Interstate CommerceCommission.

The line from Landenberg to the Delaware state line was officially abandoned in 1937. In1939 the segment from the state line to Newark was abandoned. The track from Newark toDelaware City remained active until 1982 when N.V.F. went to trucking. Curtis paper, NewarkLumber, and Dayette Mill ceased use of the track when Conrail pulled it up in 1984. Sections ofthe track around Reybo1d were still in use in 1997, revitalized to support the oil refineries.The line was beset by economic and geographic problems from the very beginning.Although gradients were not a problem, the number and tightness of the curves were too difficultfor longer, more efficient trains that would operate at faster speeds. Competition from improvedhighways and other newer rail lines to the east and west, and a difficult economy overall spelleddeath for the enterprise.

(Editors Note: This article was excerpted from an upcoming booklet on the history of the park andthe surrounding area to be published by the Friends organization.)

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november 2002 friends of white clay creek state park newsletter

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