2013 Duncannon A.T. Community Calendars Available

Did you attend Duncannon's June 2, 2012 Appalachian Trail Community designation festival? If so, or if you have an affinity for this historic trail town where the Appalachian Trail meets the Juniata and Susquehanna Rivers, check out the 2013 Calendar made available by Duncannon's A.T. Community Committee (DATC).   The day's events featured a variety of local hikes, educational programming, non-profit and artisan vendors, musical performances, the unveiling of the post-card art contest winners and the official designation ceremony.

Mail checks to 2 Ann St., Duncannon, PA 17020.  Make payable to DATC Advisory Committee.  For pick up in Duncannon, contact Mary "Trailangelmary" Parry at trailangelmary@gmail.com or call 717-834-4706.

Clark's Ferry Tavern excavation stirs up interest in Duncannon

Clark's Ferry Tavern. (Photo: SEDA-COG)

The Perry County Times recently reported excitement at the on-going excavation of the Clark’s Ferry Tavern in Duncannon.  Recently acquired by Duncannon Borough for eventual restoration, Clark’s Ferry Tavern is the oldest standing structure in town and served an important role in the area’s transportation history as the western landing of Clark’s Ferry.   Historical Society of Perry County members and volunteers began an educational excavation in September 2012 and have found artifacts ranging from arrowheads to a small gold pin.

Read the full report: Workers unearth history at historic Duncannon tavern

Duncannon, a designated Appalachian Trail Community and welcoming stop for A.T. thru-hikers, boast a number of heritage and scenic attractions that tell of its history as a river, canal, railroad and trail town at the base of the Kittatinny Ridge.  Learn more about some of these special places on Susquehanna Greenway Partnership’s River Towns description: Duncannon.   

Duncannon A.T. Community Committee hosts coloring contest at Duncannon's Winterfest

Gigi Sylvester, Age 12

Duncannon’sAppalachian Trail Community Committee (DATC) held a coloring contest for Duncannon area children at the Borough’s recent WinterFest celebration.  Winners Abby Heckard, Age 11, and Gigi Sylvester, Age 12, colored vibrant recycling snail pictures while learning more about their Community's connections to the Appalachian National Scenic Trail.  Duncannon Borough is one of the few towns in Pennsylvania the Appalachian Trail travels directly through and DATC hosted a town-wide A.T. Community designation ceremony as part of a day-long Trails festival this past June.  DATC recently launched a new web site and is starting planning for another event in June 2013!  

Abby Heckard, Age 11

And who can forget the winners of the Susquenita Middle School "Trail to Every Classroom" Post-Card Art Contest this past June!  They're proudly on display in area businesses and in the Appalachian Trail Conservancy's Mid-Atlantic Regional Office.  See below photo.

Duncannon A.T. Community Post Card Art Contest

Duncannon, Pennsylvania Designated as Appalachian Trail Community

Duncannon, PA (May 1, 2012) – On June 2nd, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) will celebrate the official designation of Duncannon, Pennsylvania as the newest Appalachian Trail Community™. Event activities will begin at 8:30am at area trailheads with hikes sponsored by local hiking groups with the designation festival titled “Saving Our Community from Nature Deficit Disorder”. The designation festival will begin at noon at the Borough on Cumberland St. Activities include live music, vendors, workshops, presentations and raffle – followed by a ceremony at 2:45pm.

The community is working collaboratively to bring awareness to the Trail and to their respective community highlighting the Trail as a national resource and international icon. During the ceremony the ATC and town leaders will speak with a proclamation signing and an unveiling of new community signs.   Visit the Duncannon A.T. Community Advisory Committee's Blog.

"Each year, municipal leaders, members of the Boy and Girl Scouts, Trail Angels, local citizens, and members of the school community take a great deal of pride in making Duncannon part of the Trail by offering a unique experience for those passing through a community nestled along the sparkling Susquehanna River. It is indeed an honor to be one of a small number of towns through which the Trail directly passes," wrote Daniel Sheats, Superintendent of Schools, in his letter supporting the community designation.   The event will also announce the winners of the 4^th grade postcard art contest, and will be made available for sale at the area’s local businesses.

The Appalachian Trail Community™ designation is a new program of the ATC, the nonprofit responsible for management and protection of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. Launched in 2010, this program recognizes communities for their part in promoting awareness of the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) as an important local and national asset.
“The Appalachian Trail Conservancy is proud to celebrate communities that are helping to protect and promote the Appalachian Trail,” states Julie Judkins, Community Program Manager for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. “These new partnerships will increase local stewardship of public lands, support community initiatives for sustainable economic development and conservation planning as well as support healthy lifestyles for community citizens.”

A Duncannon Appalachian Trail Community Advisory Committee was formed to process the community’s application, and will continue to work on behalf of the outdoor recreation and natural assets in the area. The committee is also planning improved river access and downtown beautification through their support of Apple Tree Alley, a proposed site plan that would transform the underused old railroad right-of-way corridor into a new space for community use and serve as the route of the A.T. in Duncannon, guiding hikers through a town park to connect them with amenities, river access points and businesses.

“Each hiker experiences not only a piece of America as they stroll Duncannon's sidewalks, but also senses the welcoming atmosphere innate to the neighborhood.” Karen Balaban, President Susquehanna Appalachian Trail Club.

The ATC was founded in 1925 by volunteers and federal officials working to build a continuous footpath along the Appalachian Mountains. The A.T. is approximately 2,180 miles in length, ranging from Maine to Georgia, making it one of the longest, continuously marked footpath in the world. Volunteers typically donate more than 220,000 hours each year on Trail-related work and about 2 to 3 million visitors walk a portion of the A.T. each year. This year also marks the 75th anniversary of the completion of the A.T.

For more information about this event visit www.duncannonappalachiantrailcommunity.com. For more information about the Appalachian Trail Community™ program visit www.appalachiantrail.org/atcommunity.

Duncannon Borough Plans for Revitalization with Apple Tree Alleywalk

Apple Tree Alley is an old railroad right-of-way running from Fritz Avenue to Noye Park between High and Market streets in Duncannon, PA.  The AlleyWalk Master Site Plan prepared by SEDA-COG in 2009 proposes a transformation of the underused corridor into a new space for community use and enjoyment.  As proposed, the AlleyWalk would extend approximately one mile in length between Little Juniata Creek and Fritz Avenue.  The AlleyWalk would be constructed within the limits of the existing Borough right-of-way and could serve as the route of the Appalachian Trail in Duncannon - guiding hikers through a linear town park with connecting hiker-amenities, river-access points and businesses!  For more info on potential Apple Tree Alley economic benefits visit Duncannon Appalachian Trail Community blog.

Apple Tree Alley as it appears today

The AlleyWalk concept provides dedicated park-like space where pedestrian and bicyclist uses are separated from motor vehicles as well as shared space designs where people and motor vehicle uses mix in a low-speed environment.

When completed, the AlleyWalk will serve a variety of community resident and visitor needs.  Suggestions for community activities along the AlleyWalk include parades, community yard sales, and other community event related activities.  The AlleyWalk would become part of the larger Susquehanna Greenway system in Pennsylvania and could be designated as the official route for the Appalachian Trail through Duncannon, which currently travels down High St. removed from the main business district.

Southern section of the Alley through residential area.

But even more than this, the AlleyWalk is about making Duncannon a better place - increasing its attraction as a place to live, work, and play - and improving public health by making better use of Apple Tree Alley as a community destination for walking and bicycling.  With thoughtful design, the AlleyWalk can also enhance real estate value and create new business opportunity in Duncannon.