Evening star., 1938-05-29
NEWS OF THE MOTORING WORLD
Pennsylvania Kingdom Contrasts Is Close for District Motorists
and Commences Campaign to Publicize Attractions.

Is q visit to Pennsylvania Grand
Canyon. Just now this section Is Of
special interest, since one Of Penn.
sylvania's most spectacular events Of
the year will take place on June 4,
S and 6, at Wellsboro. only few miles
from the canyon proper. At this time
Pennsylvania's fairest OF daughters
will arrive from all sections Of the
State to pay homage to the StaIa
flower, the patrician mountain laurel,
and to compete for the title OF laurel
queen.
Sponsored by the Wellsboro Cham
Der of Commerce and the Lions Cluo.
exceptional entertainment has been
provided for the thousands Of visitors.
The mountains and forests OF Penn
sylvania's canyon country, threaded
by the famous "switchback drives"
render a display of the State flower
that is unsurpassed.
It was in 1896 that Pennsylvania
grand canyon was first brought to the
attention of the travelling public. Leon
ard Harrison State Forest Park lies
directly on the rim Of the canyon,
and a hard-surfaced road has been
built from WeIlsboro to this park, q
distance of 10 miles. Leonard Harri-
son Park is usually the first point
visited by the newcomer. Here are
several breath taking lookout points.
which afford awe-inspiring views, but
only a small portion of the canyon
can be seen from this spot, since the
gorge is approximately so miles long
and 1000 feet deep. To attempt TO
describe the Incompatible beauty OF
the canyon is useless. One might say.
however, that in this masterpiece OF
the Creator there is a living beauty
and wonder, while in the Grand Cam
Won of the West there is grandeur OF
bare rock.
In addition to the Leonard Harrison
Park there are several other parks
located along the canyon rim, ana
throughout this vast territory OF Co..
900 acres the mountain laurel blooms
luxuriantly, with delicate shadlnes
from faint pink to those OF almost
a deep red.
The State Forestry Department,
working with the Civilian Conserva-
ton Corps, has built hundreds OF
miles of forest roads through the can
yon country, all of which are accessible
through planned tours. These tours
lead the motorist over the "switchback
drives" $50 called because they have
been constructed on the grades OF
the old logging railroads, which once
covered the region), takes one through
forested glades and ravines, past a.
large game refuge to the haurts OF the
native deer, past picturesque water
falls to exhilarating heights, where
miles and miles of the canyon country
spreads out before him.
Information regarding the Laurel
Festival and the canyon country may
be had by writing the Tourist Bureau
of the Wellsboro Chamber Of Com
merce, located at the Penn-Wells
Hotel at Wellsboro.
For making this interesting trip to
Wellsboro the Susquehanna Trails.
twin system of highways, await the
motorist. Both trails traverse sec
ton of the East unsurpassed in scenic
and historic interest. While one trail
borders Pennsylvania grand canyon
and the Gettysburg Battlefield, the
other skirts the Capital at Harrisburg
and follows the original first road to
penetrate the Pennsylvania wilderness.
climbing to an elevation Of 1900 feet.
At convenient intervals through the
Susquehanna Valley are located mod
ern bridges, thus making it possible
for the motorist to quickly cross from
one trail to the other and use COM
bination of the two trails should he
desire. Making the trip to Wellsboro,
the outstanding points Of interest are
Gettysburg, Harrisburg, Sunbury,
Northumberland. West Milton and
| Williamsport.