ANFVB Seeking Artifacts
From Kinzua Viaduct
By SANDRA RHODES
Allegheny National Forest Vacation Bureau
For a more than 120 years, the Kinzua Viaduct, in one form or another, stood the test of time, spanning across the Kinzua Gorge in McKean County.
This engineering marvel, however, came crashing down after it was hit by a F1 tornado in 2003.
Now, the Allegheny National Forest Vacation Bureau is calling on you to keep the memory of the Kinzua Viaduct alive. The Vacation Bureau, which promotes tourism to McKean County, is searching for artifacts of either viaduct, the original one constructed in 1882 or the steel replacement erected in 1900.
The Vacation Bureau is currently working on an interpretive plan with Imperial Multimedia in Wisconsin and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for exhibits and displays that will be part of the new interpretive/discovery center that will be located at the Kinzua Bridge State Park.
“We are very excited that this project is moving forward,” said Linda Devlin, executive director of the Allegheny National Forest Vacation Bureau. “And we are hopeful that there are collectors out there that will share their treasures with us and become a part of this important project.”
This exciting endeavor, in its infancy, will include interactive displays and information on the original bridge as well as the second steel bridge, which replaced the iron bridge in 1900. The steel “studier” bridge was eventually destroyed by a tornado in 2003.
The Kinzua Viaduct, a 2,053-foot railroad bridge, was a National Engineering Landmark and a wonderful tourist attraction for McKean County. Since the tornado, people still come to the bridge, but not as many as before.
Devlin also hopes the line “if you build it they will come” from the movie Field of Dreams will hold true with this project.
“With the prospect of a new attraction comes the hope that more people will make McKean County a destination for upcoming vacations,” she said. “We can’t wait to see the park come alive once more.”
The engineering aspect as well as the feeling of flight is pegged to play an important part of the new center, especially considering Octave Chanute, one of the engineers, went on to later teach the Wright Brothers how to fly.
“There is so much history we are trying to capture to make this destination all it can be,” Devlin said.
The center is just one of the projects happening at the state park.
Following the stabilization of the existing six viaduct towers, the viaduct will be re-opened as a pedestrian walkway with an overlook at the end featuring stunning views of the Kinzua Gorge. The new skywalk should be opened later this year; the new interpretive center could come to fruition as early as 2010.
Among the items the Vacation Bureau is interested in are photos, engineering drawings, steel sections or tubing. Of particular interest is a Phoenix column or items from the building of the first bridge that could be loaned to the Vacation Bureau and put on display at the center.
Devlin noted that people may not know what they have and encouraged people to search what they have and let the Vacation Bureau know.
Call the Vacation Bureau at 800-473-9370 or e-mail Sandra Rhodes at the Vacation Bureau at Sandra@visitANF.com as soon as possible.
Allegheny National Forest Vacation Bureau
For a more than 120 years, the Kinzua Viaduct, in one form or another, stood the test of time, spanning across the Kinzua Gorge in McKean County.This engineering marvel, however, came crashing down after it was hit by a F1 tornado in 2003.
Now, the Allegheny National Forest Vacation Bureau is calling on you to keep the memory of the Kinzua Viaduct alive. The Vacation Bureau, which promotes tourism to McKean County, is searching for artifacts of either viaduct, the original one constructed in 1882 or the steel replacement erected in 1900.
The Vacation Bureau is currently working on an interpretive plan with Imperial Multimedia in Wisconsin and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for exhibits and displays that will be part of the new interpretive/discovery center that will be located at the Kinzua Bridge State Park.
“We are very excited that this project is moving forward,” said Linda Devlin, executive director of the Allegheny National Forest Vacation Bureau. “And we are hopeful that there are collectors out there that will share their treasures with us and become a part of this important project.”
This exciting endeavor, in its infancy, will include interactive displays and information on the original bridge as well as the second steel bridge, which replaced the iron bridge in 1900. The steel “studier” bridge was eventually destroyed by a tornado in 2003.
The Kinzua Viaduct, a 2,053-foot railroad bridge, was a National Engineering Landmark and a wonderful tourist attraction for McKean County. Since the tornado, people still come to the bridge, but not as many as before.
Devlin also hopes the line “if you build it they will come” from the movie Field of Dreams will hold true with this project.
“With the prospect of a new attraction comes the hope that more people will make McKean County a destination for upcoming vacations,” she said. “We can’t wait to see the park come alive once more.”
The engineering aspect as well as the feeling of flight is pegged to play an important part of the new center, especially considering Octave Chanute, one of the engineers, went on to later teach the Wright Brothers how to fly.
“There is so much history we are trying to capture to make this destination all it can be,” Devlin said.
The center is just one of the projects happening at the state park.
Following the stabilization of the existing six viaduct towers, the viaduct will be re-opened as a pedestrian walkway with an overlook at the end featuring stunning views of the Kinzua Gorge. The new skywalk should be opened later this year; the new interpretive center could come to fruition as early as 2010.
Among the items the Vacation Bureau is interested in are photos, engineering drawings, steel sections or tubing. Of particular interest is a Phoenix column or items from the building of the first bridge that could be loaned to the Vacation Bureau and put on display at the center.
Devlin noted that people may not know what they have and encouraged people to search what they have and let the Vacation Bureau know.
Call the Vacation Bureau at 800-473-9370 or e-mail Sandra Rhodes at the Vacation Bureau at Sandra@visitANF.com as soon as possible.
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