1985 Welcome to the Upper Delaware ' A SPECIAL ~I TAKE TO KIND OF RIVER 'I THE ROAD

The Upper Delaware is a very spe­ Although the best way to see the cial river, not only because of the Upper Delaware is from a boat on the beauty and purity of its free flowing river, there are a number of land stream but also because of the cultur­ routes available for those who prefer al/environmental flavor of the land four wheels to two paddles. around it and the unique manage­ Route 97 , on the New York side of ment plan designed to protect it. the Delaware, is a well maintained When Congress passed the law two-lane highway, which passes creating the Upper Delaware Scenic through the river towns of Hancock, and Recreational River, a new kind of Long Eddy, Hankins, Callicoon, Old area - one based on co-operation Cochecton, Narrowsburg, Barryville, rather than federal ownership - was Pond Eddy, Sparrow Bush and Port envisioned. Most of the land would Jervis. Coping with such engineering continue to be privately owned. challenges as the rock cut south of Management of the valley was to be Narrowsburg and the valley spans the joint responsibility of local, state, over the Callicoon and Basket regional and federal agencies. Creeks, its' opening seemed a long Although the plan now calls for the awaited dream come true to local National Park Service (N .P.S.) to own people. minimal acreage within the But it was never intended purely for approximately 79,000 acre corridor, commercial use of local residents. the N.P.S. does provide services The Souvenir Program for Opening beyond the limits of its own property Day, August 30, 1939, made it clear lines. that the road was designed with river Park rangers enforce the law on the watchers in mind: river and cooperate with local "The greater portion of the high­ authorities on the land adjacent to way is built on new ground, very the river. They respond to visitors in little of the road traversing old roads. distress providing help ranging from The river for the most part is in full first aid to search and rescue. view of the motorist and at those sec­ Park rangers are also stationed at tions where the river is not visible it information kiosks located at public was an impossibility to construct the boating access sites on both the road to keep it in full view. " Pennsylvania and New York shores On the Pennsylvania side, river to answer questions and distribute roads are harder to find. No single information to the public. They are route parallels the Delaware River. on duty at the N.P.S. Information However, several sections of Penn­ Center/Bookstore, a facility operated sylvania road do offer intriguing in cooperation with Eastern National glimpses of the river. Park and Monument Association, in WHAT EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW The northern portion of Route 191 the Arts Center Building on Main from Hancock via Stockport to Street in Narrowsburg. The rangers Main Street Business Equinunk is a smooth two-lane high­ present programs at public boating way along the western shore of the accesses, at campgrounds, on the All the settled areas in the valley are rural in character, most too small to be river. Unlike the New York route, river and at other local sites. These legally classified as villages. Nearly all of them have post office, gas station with its panoramic vistas, Route 191 programs are free of charge and open and general store facilities. Hancock, Callicoon and Narrowsburg have the offers a more intimate closeup look, to the public (some require advance most commercially developed Main Street areas. Port Jervis, Monticello and often only a few feet above the shore­ reservations). They include canoeing Honesdale are the nearest population centers. Visitors to the area should note line. Below Equinunk, the route skills and fishing clinics, walking that some businesses, including gas stations, are closed after 5:00 p.m . daily, and turns inland crossing the hills to tours of historic areas, guided canoe all day on Sundays and holidays. Honesdale, Pennsylvania, and be­ trips, safety lectures and audiovisual yond . Pennsylvania Legislative presentations. Accommodations Route 63127, from Lookout, connects In addition, the N.P.S. on the Upper All campgrounds, hotels, motels and restaurants in the river valley are privately 191 to the interstate bridge over the Delaware is involved in such diverse owned. For detailed information, visitors should contact local chambers of Delaware at Callicoon. activities as the river ice monitoring commerce. For the more adventurous river program, training sessions for local watcher, there is also the road south emergency services agencies and the Transportation from Damascus, Pennsylvania, sponsorship of traveling art Aside from limited, seasonal bus service into Narrowsburg, there is no public ending just across the river from exhibitions. Narrowsburg, New York. Alternately transportation in the valley. Most visitors arrive by car. From Hancock at the hanging precariously over the river north to Port Jervis at the south, New York Route 97 follows the river valley. and winding past the charming old New York Route 17 (known lo.cally as the Quickway) passes through Hancock houses of Damascus and Milanville, it N.P.S. OFFICES as it cuts across southern New York State. For connection with the central part is a treat for the wanderer with time National Park Service Headquarters of the valley, leave Route 17 at Monticello and take 17B west to Callicoon. Route to spare. P.O. Box C, Narrowsburg, 1-84, linking New England with Pennsylvania, passes through Port Jervis just NY 12764 ...... 717-729-7135 to the south. Southern and western visitors may leave 1-81 to Scranton and take Pennsylvania Route 6 to Honesdale. From Honesdale, either Pennsylvania N.P.S. North District Office Routes 191 or 652 lead to the valley. Cochecton, NY ...... 914-932-8218 Bridges N.P.S. South District Office Within the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational Rivers, nine highway EDDIES AND RIFTS bridges cross between New York and Pennsylvania. They are located at Hancock, Shohola, PA ...... 717-559-7527 Lordville, Stalker (Kellams Bridge), Callicoon, Cochecton/Damascus, Skinners Eddies and rifts are two terms Falls, Narrowsburg, Barryville/Shohola and Pond Eddy. The Delaware Aqueduct uniquely connected with the Upper N.P.S. Information Center - known locally as the Roebling Bridge - at Minisink Ford/ Lackawaxen is Delaware River. You may have iden­ Narrowsburg, NY .... . 914-252-3947 currently open to pedestrian traffic only. tified a rift with a rock fissure or an eddy with a whirlpool. But, here along the Upper Delaware, there are other National Park Service summer programs on the Upper Delaware Scenic and definitions - Recreational River Include cultural and natural history walks, canoeing demonstra­ Eddy: a long quiet section of the river between areas of rocky riffles tions and guided canoe tours. All programs are free and open to the public. Some or white water. require advance reservations. For Information, call (914) 252-3947. Rift: a shallow area of the river often characterized by rough water. I I Beware of snakes A Clear, Free-Flowing River above Hancock, in particular, have a major effect on the amount of water in t he river. If you don't know what they are, stay out of their The main stream of the Delaware Ri ver is free­ Not o nly is the Upper Delaware free-flowing, it way! That's the rule of thumb for dealing with local flowing from Hancock to the Atlantic Ocean. Of the also boasts clear. unpolluted water and challenging snakes. 3,422 square miles the Upper Delaware drains, 2, 144 riffles. Rattlesnakes, the most common of the poisonous square miles are undammed and uncontrolled. The stream bottom is mainly composed of gravel snakes native to the region, can grow to as much as The river's four major tributaries - the West and rubble. while in a few places, bedrock is ex­ five feet in length. They are found most frequently in Branch, the East Branch, the Lackawaxen River and posed. Except during flooding, the water is general­ rocky areas, ,arid are dangerous when aroused. the Mongaup River - are not quite so unrestricted. ly clean and clear. Copperheads are less common in this area but The New York City Board of Wa ter Suppy operates Although the average gradient is six feet per mile, equally dangerous when encountered. the Cannonsville Reservoir on the East Branch. A there are some two-mile stretches where the drop The list of harmless local snakes includes the series of reservoirs have been developed on the ranges from 13 to 30 feet per mile. T his creates white common water snake. black snake, garter snake. Mongaup River by Orange and Rockland Uti lities water rapids during periods of medium to high water ribbon snake, ringneck snake and green snake. for hydroelectric power generation. Lake Wallen­ levels. paupack, operated by Pen nsylvania Power and Whatever the water level, there are more riffles Li ght Company for hydroelectric power, discharges than pools in the ri ver. T he riffle areas are generally River Conditions Number into the Lackawaxen River. two to eight feet deep. Pools and eddies are usually Although confined to the t ributaries. these pro­ between a quarter and three-quarters of a mile in Before you venture out onto the river, find out jects do have some impact on the main stream of the length, w ith the two deepest ones at Narrowsburg what to expect by calling the River Conditions Infor­ river. Releases from the New York City reservoi rs (11 3 feet deep) and Pond Eddy (45 feet deep). mation Line, provided by the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River: (914) 252-7100 Eel Weirs

This tape-recorded message, updated daily, Should you see something that looks like a ski reports on local weather and water conditions. jump in the middle of the Delaware. don't be It tells the air temperature, the water temperature. surprised. You are looking at an eel weir (o r eel and the height of the river. The weekend weather National Park Service rangers, at land-based infor­ enforce the law on the river and offer interpretive rack), an ancient but most efficient device for trap­ mation stations and in roving vehicles and boats, programs. forecast and hints on appropriate clothing and ping the American eel. safety precautions are also included. provide information and assistance to visitors, The eel weir has two stone walls (called "wings" ), The Fish Story one extending from the shoreline, t he other from about mid-river, meeting to form a "V." These rock For Indians, frontiersmen, serious sportsmen and wings guide the eels to the weir, at the point of the casual worm soakers, the Upper Delaware has long "V." T he weir itself is made up of slatted, wooden been a favorite fishing stream. platforms, sideboards and supporting stakes. As Brown and rainbow trout, smallmouth bass and eels approach the weir, they swim overt he upstream Canoes, canalboats, and trains wal leye are abundant, as are white suckers and platform and drop off the overhang at t he end of the American eels. Fa llfish, while not considered a trap. There they remain, until removed by the eel First, there was the river. Then the canal. Then the The railroad came to the Upper Delaware in the Erie Railroad chose to place its station away from gourmet's delight, are good sport fish for those w ith rack's owner. railroad. 1840's. Originally chartered in 1832, the New York the commercial center of town. Other communities light spinning or fly tackle. The Upper Delaware's earliest settlers, Indians and Erie Railroad Company built the first long rail­ up and down the valley hummed with local business During May and June, American shad may spawn During the fall migration period, you may see the and frontiersmen, relied heavily upon the river for road in the United States connecting the "Great and tourist trade. in deep pools nearly anywhere along the River from owner, at dawn or dusk, literally ra king up his catch. transport of goods and people. Lenape Indians had Lakes to the Sea." Financial ruin of several railroad Like the canal, the railroad eventually lost much of Belvidere, New Jersey, to Hancock, New York. But A hundred to two hundred eels are often captured long used canoes on the river, a custom white backers delayed construction. By 1846, 7,000 men its dominance in the valley to a new transportation the section of the Upper Delaware River between by t he weir on a good day. settlers readily adopted. Some frontiersmen also and 3,000 horses were at work on the line. innovation - the automobile. But the railroad is still Barryville and Narrowsburg is the preferred spawn­ What are these slithery, wiggly, but distinctly used large Durham boats - the kind you see in The coming of the railroad caused major changes very much in evidence along the Upper Delaware. ing area, with ideal temperatures and streamflow tasty creatures? The American eel is born in the sea­ pictures of Washington crossing the Delaware - to in the valley. Callicoon Depot (now Callicoon, New Under Conrail management, it can be seen hauling conditions. Conservationists consider the return of weed choked Sargasso Sea, far out in the Atlantic. carry cargo as far up river as Stockport. York) suddenly grew from a settlement of three or long trainloads of cargo from Port Jervis to growing numbers of shad a significant turning point The three- inch "elvers" spend the first year of their By the 1820's, canal fever had hit America and a four scattered homes into a commercial center for Hancock, along the shoreline route that brought in the clean-up and revitalization of the Delaware. lives swimming to the east coast of North America. canal seemed the answer for getting Pennsylvania's the area. Cochecton, New York, once the center of dignitaries from New York City to Lake Erie on Licenses are required for all fishing in the river. A The males remain in the brackish water of the river coal to markets in New York. In 1824, William and Cushetunk and terminus of the Newburgh­ opening day in 1851. license from either New York or Pennsylvania is mouths. T he females swim upstream to mature in Maurice Wurts, Philadelphia merchants who owned Cochecton Turnpike, faded in importance when the valid for boat fishing or for fi sh ing from either shore. fresh water lakes, ponds and streams. About seven land in the Carbondale area, shipped a load of years later, when the 2- or 3-foot long females have Carbondale anthracite (an unfamiliar fuel, at the taken on a silvery sheen, they head back to the time) to New York City via Philadelphia for demon­ The Delaware Aqueduct VIPs Sargasso Sea, to breed and die. stration purposes. Within three months, enthusi­ astic merchants and government officials had Along the Upper Delaware , VIPs are not only Very formed the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company Important People, they are also participants in the for the expressed purpose of creating a tranporta­ Volunteers In Parks program of the National Park tion route from the Pennsylvania anthracite mines Service. Assisting the National Park Service staff Rafting the River to the consumers of New York City. with everything from office work to first aid, they An intricate engineering project, the canal fol­ play a major role in making the visitors' stay in the lowed the Lackawaxen River from Honesdale, river valley enjoyable. Ecirly in the 1760's, a young frontiersman They spun yarns about Hersh Horton, who Pennsylvania, to the Delaware River. It then The majority of the Upper Delaware's VIPs are named Daniel Skinner lashed together pine logs bumped into t he new East Branch bri dge and re­ paralleled the Delaware downstream to Port Jervis, members of the National Canoe Safety Patrol. the length of ships' spars and rode them down the marked that he had hit every other pier on the New York, and cut across country to Rondout on the Involving canoeists from several canoe clubs, this Delaware River from near the mouth of the Calli­ Delaware and thought he would try his luck with Hudson River. Gravity railroad cars delivered the organization of skilled volunteers offers assistance coon Creek to Ph iladelphia. He earned $60 in hard that one. Of Alexander Rutledge, who convinced an coal to canal boats at Honesdale, Pennsylvania. The wherever personnel trained in canoe techniques, cash and t he enduring t itle of " Lord High Admiral of inexperienced contractor that his scrubby hemlock Hudson River floated cargo boats their last miles to rescue work, first aid and Cardiopulmonary the Delaware. " logs were "knot" pine, excusing himself by claiming New York City. But the heart of the system was the Resuscitation (CPR), might be needed. in addition Skinner's simple method, repeated and refined later that he had c learly stated they were "not pine." canal and the heart of the canal was the Delaware to active patrol work, members instruct Red Cross over the next 150 years, transported millions of Of Deacon Mitchell, who won a bet with his brother­ section. training sessions, conduct informal riverside semi­ board feet for ship's masts, spars, wharves and in- law by racing his huge raft through the night and When the Delaware and Hudson opened to full nars and host campfire programs on water safety at buildings. By the time the industry hit its stride in making 200 miles in less than two days. A nd of Zeel use in 1828, boats loaded with coal left the canal area campgrounds. the mid- 1800's, the rafts were mam mouth, often Ross, who lost his false teeth overboard and. bed at Lackawaxen, Pennsylvania, and used a rope Begun in 1979 before the National Park Service 25 feet wide and over 200 feet long, manned by four according to legend, had them confiscated by a par­ ferry to pull them across the Delaware River. Since opened its first office on the Upper Delaware, the or five hands plus a steersman. ticularly greedy fish. the river was already in use by raftsmen steering National Canoe Safety Patrol now coordinates its The raftsmen of those days were a rough, flam­ Eventually, all the useable timber was cut, the hills their massive timber rafts downriver to Trenton, efforts with park staff, under the umbrella of the VIP boyant lot. T he tales they told, the folklore they left denuded. By t he 1920's, the industry that had New Jersey, the inevitable collisions, claims and Program. Any qualified volunteer who is interested behind, were often incredible and sometimes true. opened up the Upper Delaware was only a memory. brawls resulted. In 1847, the canal directors, tired of in the program should contact: dealing with lawsuits by disgruntled raftsmen and Richard Rhodes, Commodore disturbed by the high cost of removing silt from the National Canoe Safety Patrol river entrance of the canal, hired John August The Delaware Aqueduct at Minisink Ford/Lacka­ Hudson Canal Company. It was later converted to a 3404 Iroquois Way Roebling to " build the canal above the water." The waxen is America's oldest wire rope suspension road crossing. Now owned by the National Park Ambler, PA 19002 resulting suspension aqueduct between Lacka­ bridge. Forerunner of the Brooklyn Bridge, it was Service, it is a registered National Historic Telephone: (215) 641-1747 waxen, Pennsylvania, and Minisink Ford, New York, built in 1848 by John A. Roehling, originally Landmark. Non-canoeing volunteers help with a variety of (still in use as a bridge) was the prototype for serving as an aqueduct for the Delaware and other park activities including interpretive programs Roebling's later Brooklyn Bridge. (e .g., skills demonstrations, nature walks), clerical In its heyday, during the 1850's, the Delaware and work and information distribution. Anyone wishing Hudson Canal transported a million tons of cargo a to volunteer for this kind of work should contact: year. By the 1890's, inc reased operating costs and It's a bird Interpretive Specialist competition from the railroads spelled the begin­ TOURISM National Park Service ning of the end for the canal. Section by section, the Tourism was the most enduring of the industries One of the most dramatic experiences available P.O. Box C disintegrating canal was abandoned. Today's river along the Upper Delaware is a glimpse of an Narrowsburg, NY 12764 wanderer can still see the Roebling Bridge at begun in the 19th century. Soon after the rai Iroad American treasure, the bald j:!ag le. A somewhat Telephone: (717) 729-7135 Minisink Ford, as well as ruins of stonework locks began bringing passengers into the valley, entre­ rarer sight than in days before DDT use, eagles still and overgrown towpaths at several locations on the preneurs realized its potential as a summer retreat for weary New Yorkers. Hotels sprang up in the can be seen during the winter soaring above the New York side between Minisink Ford and Port villages, and farmers took in boarders, a custom river in search of food. Jervis. Variety is the Spice which by the 1870's had developed into an impor­ Other large birds of the river valley include the tant industry. rare osprey, snowy egret and great blue heron. More From Point Mountain - that pyramid-shaped John Fletcher Kilgour, the bluestone magnate, common sights are the turkey vultures and any one geological oddity that rises nearly 500 feet above developed Shohola Glen as a full-scale resort. At the of five varieties of hawk. Resident owls ra nge in size where the Delaware's East and West Branches meet EDIBLES height of its popularity, the resort had 26 hotels and from the great horned owl to the tiny screech owl. at Hancock - to Cherry Island - nestled below the Upper Delaware woodlands and fields have their boardinghouses and served 100,000 visitors a year. Although there is not enough nesting cover for rocky cliffs of Hawks Nest - the Upper Delaware share of native edibles. Wild huckleberries, black­ In 1904, the Eri e railroad cut off services on its many varieties of water fowl, the merganser often offers a varied environmental experience. Wild and berries, strawberries, raspberries and blueberries switchback line to the resort, and by 1907, the resort make their home here. Other water birds seen along wooded sect ions alternate with small vi llages and can be picked and eaten in season. had closed. the river include the black, teal, mallard. golden isolated homes. Few signs of industrial develop­ But don't be tempted by thoughts of wild mush­ Boardinghouses and hotels throughout the eyed, buffle head and wood ducks, as well as ment mar the landscape. rooms. More often than not, what you find will be region lost much of their popularity during the migrating Canada geese. With a gradient of about 450 feet over the 73 mile toadstools or poisonous mushrooms, and they can depression of the 1930s, although some visitors Wild turkey, since stocking by state conservation stretch, Upper Delaware features include long turn an innocent experiment into a fatality. continued to come to the area to hunt, fish. canoe departments has re-established them in the area. placid eddies, plenty of swift water and several chal­ Be sure to obtain the landowner's permission and enjoy the scenery. By the 1970s, canoeing and have become the primary local game bird. Flocks lenging rapids. When water conditions are favor­ before searching for delicacies on his or her camping had both developed into sizable commer­ can be seen feed ing in open fields throughout able, the experienced canoeist can make the ent ire property. cial operations. the area. run without portage. Settlers Along the Delaware Joseph Skinner and Moses Thomas, leaders of Witter, Calkin and others - it was enough to have the Delaware Company, knew something about land hopes for the future. Upper Delaware country before they came to live Life was harsh, demanding and primitive. Women at the place called Cushetunk. According to legend, died in childbirth. Men were killed or maimed in both Skinner and Thomas had hunted and trapped hunting accidents. Infants died almost as often as and traded with the Indians of the valley during the they survived. Joseph Skinner was shot in the back, 1750's. They knew that vegetation was lush, that his murderer and motive never determined. Moses the river provided a natural highway, and that the Thomas, Jedediah Willis and the entire population resident Indians were friendly. of Ten Mile River settlement were killed by an Indian Encouraging their fellow Connecticut Yankees to raiding party. join the new Delaware Company settlement to the The Revolutionary War brought new terrors to west, they may have omitted mention of the isola­ Cushetunk. tion - 40 miles of wilderness between them and the In an effort to force General Washington to divert nearest sizeable settlement - and the conflicting troops to the frontier, the British ordered Mohawk land claims. leader Joseph Brant to attack isolated settlements. They no doubt did mention that the land was wild, Brant raided the Upper Delaware in the campaign of beautiful and waiting to be settled. For those first 1778-79. The burning of Peenpack in New York, the families - Tyler, Thomas, Skinner, Tracy, Adams, overwhelming victory of Brant's Indians and Tories at the Battle of Minisink, the persistent rumors of brutality and massacre were enough to convince Cochecton, New Jersey? Cushetunk settlers that the isolated frontier was Fort Delaware Charles II may have been a charming monarch not the place to be. Nearly everyone returned to his but he was a terrible geographer. With cavalier dis­ or her home town in Connecticut or New Jersey, or Fort Delaware, a replica of the stockaded Cushe­ regard for latitude and longitude, he managed to moved temporarily to Goshen, Port Jervis or King­ tunk settlement of the Delaware Company, Is oper­ grant overlapping land titles to Pennsylvania, ston, New York. ated by Sullivan County as a llvlng museum of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. After the war was over, many of the settlers came colonial history. Staff people demonstrate such New Jersey claimed lands as far upriver as Station back to the Upper Delaware. They found their frontier skills as candlemaklng and use of flint­ Rock at Cochecton, lands also claimed by New houses, barns and sawmills burned to the ground, lock muskets. The Fort Is located on Route 97 at York. Connecticut claimed lands west of the their fields and crops destroyed. However, the land, Narrowsburg, New York, and Is open every weekend Delaware also claimed by Pennsylvania. the trees and the river were still there, and times In June and dally from July through Labor Day. To add insult to injury, two separate Indian tribes were peaceful enough to rebuild and plan for the Check with the Fort for the schedule of special - the Iroquois and the Lenape - claimed the right future. events and crafts demonstrations. to sell and to make treaties concerning the same lands. At first, the frontiersmen paid the colony and The Gentle Lenape Indian tribe of their choice and didn't worry about counterclaims. But, as comparative civilization Here along the Upper Delaware, the peaceful northward. The others crossed the Naemissispu and the power of the courts closed in on them, many Lenape got along well with the white frontiersmen (Mississippi) and conquered the snakes (Iroquois). bewildered settlers found themselves paying for who settled on their hunting grounds. The land They then moved east, through the cornlands, their lands a second and third time before gaining swindle known as the 1737 Walking Purchase led to finally settling above and below the strong falls clear title. a brief outbreak of Indian raids, but friendship was (Trenton). more common than hostility. There were three clans of Lenape. The northern­ Deprived of their lands by treaty and chicanery, most, Munsee (wolf) formed a buffer between their their numbers depleted by white man's diseases, Unami (turtle) and Unalachtigo (turkey) brothers most of the Lenape who survived moved west by the to the south and the warring Mohawks to the north. mid-1700's. By the time the Delaware Company settlers arrived at Cuchetunk in the 1750's, the white men found only a small band of mixed clans under the chieftan Minatto. During the Revolution, the new settlers were terrorized by Indian raiders who sided with the IJllllllllllll•I British. But these were Mohawks from the north. By .• this time, the Lenape had moved on to Ohio, some MEDICAL SERVICES . going on to Canada to join the British, some joining Grover Hermann Division (Callicoon)! Americans in the fight for independence. (914) 887-5530 By the time the War was over, nearly all Indians • Community General Hospital (Harris) had gone from the Upper Delaware. But, occasion­ (914) 794-3300 ally, the old timers would remember the gentle Wayne County Memorial Hospital (Honesdale) Lenape who had been their friends. (717) 253-1300 They called themselves the Lenape. White men, • Delaware Medical Center (Narrowsburg) through faulty translation or the desire to give them (914) 252-6677 an English name, called them Delaware Indians. Mercy Community Hospital (Port Jervis) In winter, most of the Lenape lived along the river (914) 856-5351 in what is now New Jersey. But, with the coming of mild weather, some left their bark wigwams and AMBULANCE • headed for the Upper Delaware. There they spent Hancock Rescue Squad the summer, camping out in caves, hunting the deer, (607) 637-4761 elk and other meaty game. Upper Delaware Volunteer Ambulance They were descendants of the Algonquins. (Callicoon) Battleground According to interpretation of Lenape oral picto­ (914) 887-5530 graph legend, the tribe came from northeastern Damascus Ambulance Corps A park, with picnic areas and historic markers, has Asia. From there, they crossed a glassy sea (Bering (717) 224-4252 been created on the site of the Battle of Minisink. Strait) to North America, passing through the region Cochecton Ambulance Corps The battle, fought in July of 1779, resulted in over­ of caves (the Rockies) before stopping for a time in (914) 292-5151 whelming victory for Joseph Brant's Indian and the land of Buffalo (Great Plains) . On the move Tusten Volunteer Ambulance Service Tory forces over the militiamen and volunteers of again, they came to the Great Water (Lake (Narrowsburg) the area. Historic markers along Route 97 and in­ Superior), where part of the tribe split off and turned (914) 252-3321 formation at the battleground offer details of the American Legion Ambulance Service . encounter. (Shohola/Barryville) • (914) 557-6296 • Lumberland Fire Department (Pond Eddy) Safari Along the Delaware (914) 856-7515 .• Ambulances serving the Sparrowbush/ Yes , it is possible. That big grayish-brown cat you area - don't disturb them, but do take a look. The Port Jervis area saw could have been a wildcat. But it isn't likely. beaver is an architectural and engineering master. (Port Jervis Police) (914) 856-5101 (5102) Though native to Upper Delaware country, the wild­ Another favorite riverside animal is the otter. (Mercy Hospital) (914) 856-5351 cat is an extremely rare beast - on the endangered Otter eat only fish and their swimming and diving species list - and even the most experienced Milford Ambulance Service (Pike County) antics are legendary. (717) 296-6111 woodsman will admit he has not seen one in years. The snapping turtle is another river denizen. His But there is wildlife to be seen and most of it is smaller cousins, the wood turtle and painted turtle, of a gentler variety than the wildcat. can be found in nearby woodlands. POLICE White-tail deer are the most common of the big The river and its banks are the feeding grounds New York State Police game. Though by no means tame, they can fre­ Deposit (607) 467-3215 quently be spotted grazing in open fields or drinking for many other animals including muskrat and mink. You may see the groundhog (woodchuck) in • Ferndale/Narrowsburg (914) 252-3212 by the river edge at twilight. They are also inclined to • Pennsylvania State Police jump blindly in front of cars, so be particularly care­ nearby fields or as he pokes along the roadside. And . • Cherry Ridge (717),253-2130 ful when driving after dark. there is also the audacious raccoon, who will gladly raid your food supply. While you are protecting your 253-2159 Deer were not always so numerous along the 689-2066 Upper Delaware. George Harvey Snyder, an picnic basket and garbage pile from the raccoon, you might also keep a wary eye out for the black Lords Valley (717) 775-7374 Equinunk native who has been a Deputy Pennsyl­ bear. "Garbage is caviar to him," says Mr. Snyder. 296-6451 vania Game Protector for 25 years, admits, "I was eight years old before I knew what a deer looked On the smaller, less threatening side, you may see Sullivan County Sheriff (Monticello) • like." During those years, local herds were recover­ an opossum or a fox. Chipmunks, gray squirrels and (914) 794-7100 ing from the large scale hunting of the last century. red squirrels are common sights. Flying squirrels Wayne County Sheriff (Honesdale) .• Conservation departments restocked the area and, and black squirrels are rarer. Cottontail rabbits (717) 253-2641 or 253-5970 ext. 188 Pike County Sheriff (Milford) with a habitat of low brush resulting from logging off seem to be everywhere. But, if you are really lucky, • of the hills, the deer made a dramatic comeback. you may sight a snowshoe rabbit in his brownish (717) 296-6459 • summer coat or his white winter coat. • Beaver were also wiped out in the 1800's, then • successfully re-established. Though not as com­ There are two native animals you may prefer to : In several communities there Is seasonal law : mon a sight today as deer, beaver are often seen avoid: the stripped skunk and the porcupine. Both : enforcement coverage during the summer • along the banks of the stream or in muddy back­ are common woodland animals and quite harmless • months. Consult your local telephone directory : waters. If you sight their home - stumps of cut if left alone. However, close encounters are not : for numbers of these agencies. : aspen and willows are clues that they are in the recommended......