September 30th, 2008
On Thursday night, the South Bethlehem Historical Society (SBHS) presented an evening of events related to iconic photographer Walker Evans.
St. Michael’s Cemetery
The night began with a gathering of about 30 community members in St. Michael’s cemetery, a large tract of land that rises steeply from Fourth Street into the wooded slopes of South Mountain. The cemetery was the site of Walker Evans’ famous photograph of a cross framing South Bethlehem and the Steel.
Braving threatening skies and a stiff breeze, a member of SBHS provided a short history of St. Michael’s, the resting place of Catholics from churches throughout the city, and spoke about efforts to document fading or vandalized gravestones and maintain the grounds. St. Michael’s faces a number of challenges: vaultless graves on a shifting hillside; missing, displaced, and buried gravestones; unmarked graves; an encroaching forest that has enveloped the uphill portion of the cemetery; and a lack of adequate funds from the church, the city, or the community to maintain the grounds or document the site before it deteriorates further.
Luckily, there is a positive among these challenges: a group of committed volunteers (led by the SBHS) that is eager to fight for the cemetery. The audience was presented with a “wish list” that will help with this fight, including used lawn equipment, volunteers to maintain the grounds, and donations to help organize the campaign. Most importantly, SBHS encouraged those present to express their interest to the public, walk the grounds, mark the graves of their relatives with flags (or with GPS), write to the newspaper or the City of Bethlehem to express the need to protect the site. Although the land, owned by the Church and hemmed in by Lehigh University property to the north, is not threatened by development, time and neglect have and will continue to take their toll, unless something is done soon.
On a personal note, the view from St. Michael’s is great. It is no wonder Evans decided to shoot from this vantage point, which looks across South Bethlehem,to the Steel and across the Lehigh Valley to the mountains. The amazing thing is that this unique resource does not see more use and receive the attention it deserves. I would encourage anyone who has not done so to plan a walk through the cemetery; I am already thinking about when I can get back there again.
Walker Evans in the Lehigh Valley
From St. Michael’s the group moved to the Northampton Community College’s Fowler Family Southside Center for SBHS’s annual meeting and a lecture by noted Evans scholar and photographer Rodger Kingston. Kingston was introduced by Michel Lefevre, of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, who spoke about the need to protect urban cemeteries for their historical importance but also because they represent scarce, open, green space in otherwise densely-populated communities.
This argument for preservation might seem macabre to twenty-first century conceptions of cemeteries as forbidding places of mourning, yet many proponents of cemetery preservation find that encouraging recreational use is one way of giving the community a vested interest in the maintenance of cemeteries.
After Lefevre’s brief introduction, Kingston presented a slide show on Evan’s career and his influence on other well-known photographers to a packed room of 60 to 70 people.
Kingston argued that Evans’ talent was rooted in his ability to capture the spirit of a town or an individual in seemingly-mundane scenes. He also noted Evans’ desire to represent the nobility and pride in working-class and African-American culture. Unlike some photographers of the period, who sought scenes of abject poverty, Evans’ tried to capture the dignity of marginalized people and places.
Kingston’s lecture was followed by a reception at Time Zones Gallery, just down the street from the Fowler Center.
This was an opportunity to view an unique exhibit of Evans’ prints, produced and collected by John T. Hill, at one time a colleague of Evans at Yale University, and to ask Kingston questions about Evan’s life and work.
This was a great night for the South Bethlehem Historical Society that would not have been possible without a grant from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and the support of the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor and the Northampton County Historical and Genealogical Society.
If you are interested in joining the South Bethlehem Historical Society or want more information about St. Michael’s cemetery and how you can help, please contact D&L Historic Resource Specialist (and mastermind behind this successful event) Amey Senape at Amey@DelawareandLehigh.org.
Posted in Events
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September 25th, 2008
The latest issue of A.T. Journeys, the official magazine of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC), features an article on the Lehigh Gap Nature Center, written by the Center’s director and friend of the D&L Trail, Dan Kunkle. The article highlights efforts to reseed the defoliated Lehigh Gap and the work of the ATC, D&L, Allentown Hiking Club, and Philadelphia Trail Club to build a trail network along the Lehigh River and Kittatinny Ridge.
Also included in this issue is a brief article on Pennsylvania’s recent zoning legislation, intended to ensure the natural character of the Appalachian Trail and its buffer.
Both of these articles are available free from ATC’s member center.
Posted in Appalachian Trail, In the News
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September 23rd, 2008
The Fall 2008 issue of the D&L’s newsletter Along the Corridor is now available. This is our way of keeping you up-to-date on the D&L’s accomplishments and upcoming events. Inside this issue you will find articles on Trail Tenders’ work, the Artisan Trail Studio Tour Weekend, the Walker Evans exhibit series, and D&L Trail updates.
If you would like to receive the quarterly newsletter, please fill out the online contact form. On our website you can also find copies of each Along the Corridor dating back to Fall 1999.
Posted in FYI
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September 19th, 2008
Trail surfacing and trailhead redesign work continues at the Lehigh Gap Nature Center. The new trail surface is down and rolled, and the trailhead, located just south of the Rt. 873 bridge, is now under construction.
Anyone who recalls the old layout will recognize the improvements: the trail and the access road will be clearly demarcated, the new trailhead will provide ample parking, and the uniform trail surface will extend the immaculate Slatington section through the Lehigh Gap.
Construction will continue for several weeks, followed by installation of fencing and new signage. For updates, check the blog or call D&L Trail Steward Scott Everett at 610-923-3548.
Posted in Construction Updates, Events, Trail Improvements
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September 12th, 2008
Rail trails got their start with Congress’ purely pragmatic deregulation of the railroad industry. During the 1970s, the railroad industry was faced with a deteriorating infrastructure, uncompetitive market structure, and the bankruptcy of several large companies. Existing regulations forced companies to hold onto unprofitable branch lines and maintain unreasonable prices for freight and passenger traffic. The United States Congress’ response was the 1980 Staggers Rail Act. The railroad industry welcomed the legislation because it limited regulation of prices in competitive markets, legalized railroad-shipper contracts, and generally increased the financial stability of the industry.
Rail Banking
More important to the development of rail trails was an aspect of the Staggers Act that streamlined the process of selling or transferring abandoned rail lines and property. In 1983 the National Trails System Act was amended to allow for “rail-banking” of dormant lines. Traditionally, abandoned lines were divvyed up between adjacent landowners, in effect becoming private land. Rail-banking was based on the idea that rail corridors (graded, connected, open space) should be preserved, in case the need for rail transportation ever materialized in the future. Meanwhile, these corridors would be made available for recreational uses, such as hiking, walking, and bike riding. The railroad industry and the outdoor recreation community forged an unlikely yet symbiotic relationship: railroads freed themselves fromm the burden of abandoned lines, and recreationists, in theory, provided maintenance in return for access.
In 1986, the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy was founded to provide assistance to trail managers and organizations hoping to obtain oversight of rail-banked corridors and to lobby for favorable legislation in federal, state, and municipal governments. Arguably the most important accomplishment of the Conservancy came in 1990, when it successfully defended the constitutionality of the National Trail Act’s rail-banking amendment, in front of the US Supreme Court.
The Rail Trail Movement
The constitutionality of rail-banking ensured, the rail trail movement began in earnest and long-distance trails appeared around the nation, especially in the Midwest and Northeast. Rail-banking was an important precedent and acted as a catalyst to the rail trail movement but certainly was not the only means of creating trails on old railroad right-of-ways. Out of the nearly 100 rail trails in Pennsylvania, only seven are on rail-banked corridors. The majority of trails are on pieced-together parcels, wholesale transfers or purchases between governments and railroad companies, or old rail beds reverted back to private property and publicly accessed through easements.
Of course, many sections of the D&L Trail follow abandoned rail lines and short spur lines, so our efforts have benefited from the enthusiasm generated by rail-banking and other means of developing rail trails. In some cases, we have successfully cooperated with railroad companies to transfer lands to local governments. In other cases, the interests of railroad companies struggling with insurance liabilities have not coincided with our efforts to expand recreational opportunities. However, as the history of rail trails indicates, there are opportunities for the railroad industry and outdoor recreation community to cooperate, when both of our needs are met.
Posted in History
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September 11th, 2008
As noted in a previous entry, a trail surfacing and trailhead redesign project is underway on the Weissport section of the D&L Trail. On Friday, September 12, members of the community, the D&L, and local government, including Rep. Keith McCall, inspected the new trail surface, which runs from the Weissport trailhead two miles north to the Packerton trestle. Because work will continue on the trailhead, the section will only be open on weekends during the fall. We’ll keep you updated as construction continues!
Posted in Construction Updates
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September 9th, 2008
During September, the South Bethlehem Historical Society, with the help of the D&L and other partners, will host a series of events celebrating the works of photographer Walker Evans. Evans is best known for his photo, “Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 1935,” taken from St. Michael’s Cemetery on East Fourth Street in South Bethlehem.
Prints of this photo and others documenting America’s experience in the Great Depression are currently featured in an exhibit at Time Zones Global Goodies and Framing Gallery that will remain open throughout September. A reception marked the opening of the exhibit on September 5.
Later in the month, noted photographer and Evans scholar Rodger Kingston will give the keynote address, “Walker Evans in the Lehigh Valley,” at the South Bethlehem Historical Society’s Annual Meeting on September 25. Guided tours of St. Michael’s cemetery will be provided prior to the meeting. Afterwards, the society will host a reception at Time Zones, providing an opportunity to view the Evans exhibit and ask Kingston questions.
On September 27, to conclude the month’s activities, Kingston will lead “Footsteps of Walker Evans,” a trolley tour of sites photographed by Evans in Easton and Bethlehem.
For times and other details, please visit the calendar at Save Our Steel, or contact Amey Senape at Amey@DelawareandLehigh.org.
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September 9th, 2008
Artist Billy Selesnick has returned to New Hope to restore the most extensive of the many murals that he painted around town in the 1990’s. The five Delaware Canal murals, located at 145 South Main Street adjacent to the Locktender’s House and Canal Boat Ride Landing, have weathered over the 16 years since they were created and their historical scenes have lost their vibrancy.
During the last two weeks in August, Selesnick used his talents to bring the murals back to life, but he also enlivened the south end of New Hope by demonstrating his techniques and talents for the town’s summer visitors. Selesnick, who now lives in Palm Beach, Florida, said, “I’m really excited to be back, working and seeing my family and old friends.”
The restoration of the Canal murals is being sponsored by the Friends of the Delaware Canal, the non-profit organization that fostered their creation when a shop, called the Basket Case, burned to the ground in 1992 leaving a gap in the streetscape. Eventually, the Friends decided to create a series of murals to fill the void.
The project, which serves the dual purpose of illustrating both the history of the Delaware Canal and the rich arts tradition of New Hope and Bucks County, was originally funded by a grant from the McLean Contributionship. The current restoration is being supported by grants from the PA Parks and Forests Foundation and the D&L. To close a small funding gap, contributions are being sought from the public. To support the Canal Mural Restoration project, donors may send contributions to Friends of the Delaware Canal, 145 South Main Street, New Hope, PA 18938.
To learn more about the Friends of the Delaware Canal, one of the D&L’s most important partners, visit www.fodc.org.
Posted in In the News
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September 5th, 2008
An update from D&L Outreach Coordinator Dennis Scholl:
My job as manager of the volunteer D&L Trail Tenders became even more rewarding this past week as I watched a dedicated crew of 10 Lehigh Valley Chapter volunteers build a native plant trail adjacent to the D&L Trail at the Sand Island model site in Bethlehem. This is a site the LV Tenders have been working on for 15 months. The completion of the trail and next week’s planting of nearly 2,000 native plants is the culmination of a lot of hard work. I watched 74-year-old Gerry Weiner of Nazareth and fellow retirees Joe Felker, John Cook, Ken Baatz, Charlie Derr and Gary Ritter plot the trail and secure the ties to the ground with lengths of rebar. It was hot and sweaty work, but no one complained a bit. The only break anyone took was to sip water. People using the trail yelled “thank you!” Those two words never grew old on anyone.
“The epitome of volunteerism”
A fellow from Bethlehem who bikes the trail every day stopped by on Tuesday morning and spent the next three days working with us. He was a great help. He even brought a flexible ladder that we propped up against trees to cut dead vines we couldn’t reach otherwise. On Thursday, a Lehigh University student stopped to ask if he could volunteer an hour of his time. We put him to work right away. He said he’d be back. I believe him.
I guess it’s just very heart-warming to see people come together to reach a goal. Our goal at Sand Island was to create a site where the public could be educated about the negative effects of invasive plants on the environment. Since most of the D&L Trail in the Lehigh Valley is bordered by an invasive jungle, we could have chosen a site anywhere. But we settled on 500 feet of real estate where Monocacy Creek enters the Lehigh River at the eastern tip of Sand Island.
On June 24, 2007, the Lehigh Valley Trail Tenders held their first cleanup. A dedicated core group formed and people worked throughout the winter. The City of Bethlehem took notice and responded very positively to our requests for help. They hauled out cut brush, brought backhoes to move logs that littered the site, had a large colony of Japanese knotweed sprayed, and donated 40 cubic yards of wood chips for our trail. Next week the city is bringing compost so our plants get a good dose of nitrogen to kick start their life in a new home. The whole project has been one of cooperation: volunteers with volunteers, and volunteers with municipal government.
An invitation to visit
I hope you have a moment to visit our site. If you’ve never been there before, you’ll be impressed by the very picturesque view of the Lehigh River and old Bethlehem Steel plant on the other side. Imagine not being able to see the river or the steel plant because they were obscured by a solid wall of green. That’s what the site was like before the Trail Tenders took charge. Why, it was even hard to get a breeze along the trail because the plants were so thick. Not anymore.
By the end of fall, our Learning Center will be complete and we’ll be offering history and nature programs. Next spring, the site will be alive with plants that haven’t been present there since the Lehigh Canal was built in 1827. And all of this is due to a chapter of volunteers who set forth on a common goal and pursued it with a very vigilant work ethic. To me, it’s the epitomy of volunteerism. I hope it catches on elsewhere along the D&L Trail. Heaven knows there’s plenty of room for more projects.
Posted in Construction Updates, Trail Improvements, Trail Tenders
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September 4th, 2008
This week marks the first time that the D&L is undertaking two large trail projects simultaneously. The projects are representative of the recent wave of trail improvements that have opened and transformed many segments of the D&L Trail during the past few years.
The first project is a continuation of the work being done on the trail and trailhead in the area of Lehigh Gap Nature Center in Lehigh County. The end result will be a newly paved entrance road and parking lot, with the D&L Trail running parallel. The Lehigh Gap area will be a centerpiece of the trail, and this project will ensure that all trail users have easy and safe access.
The second project will improve the Weissport trailhead, by redesigning and repaving the parking lot, and stabilize the Lehigh Canal, by replacing the eroded, earthen bank with durable, laid stone. This is a very heavily-used section of the D&L Trail, and we are looking forward to improving visitors’ experience.
Posted in Construction Updates, Trail Improvements
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