Codorus State Park is a
Pennsylvania state park in
Heidelberg
Heidelberg (; Palatine German language, Palatine German: ''Heidlberg'') is a city in the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Neckar in south-west Germany. As of the 2016 census, its population was 159,914 ...
,
Manheim,
Penn, and
West Manheim Townships in southwestern
York County,
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
in the United States. The park was created around Lake Marburg, an
artificial lake
A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation.
Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including contro ...
covering , and is named for
Codorus Creek
Codorus Creek is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed August 8, 2011 tributary of the Susquehanna River in York County, Pennsylvania in the United States.Gertler, Edward. ' ...
, which forms the lake. Codorus State Park is located on
Pennsylvania Route 216
Pennsylvania Route 216 (PA 216) is a state highway located in York County, Pennsylvania. The western terminus is at PA 116 near Hanover. The eastern terminus is at PA 24 in Winterstown. PA 216 is a two-lane undivided road that passes throug ...
, from the borough of
Hanover
Hanover (; german: Hannover ; nds, Hannober) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Lower Saxony. Its 535,932 (2021) inhabitants make it the 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-largest city in Northern Germany ...
.
History
Early history
When Europeans first reached the land that became Codorus State Park, it was the territory of
Susquehannock Indians, a powerful tribe that controlled much of the land near the
Susquehanna River. Wars and the push of settlers, most of which were German farmers, led to the demise of the Susquehannocks, but industry soon followed.
Built in 1762, Mary Ann Furnace is believed to be the first charcoal furnace built on the western side of the Susquehanna River. The furnace supplied
cannonball
A round shot (also called solid shot or simply ball) is a solid spherical projectile without explosive charge, launched from a gun. Its diameter is slightly less than the bore of the barrel from which it is shot. A round shot fired from a lar ...
s and grapeshot for the continental army and employed Hessian prisoners to run the ironworks while many of the available workforce were off fighting the British. Nothing remains of the ironworks except memories.
The four original founders of Mary Ann Furnace had a great impact on the United States. George Stevenson emigrated from Ireland and was employed as a deputy surveyor by the
Penn Family
William Penn ( – ) was an English writer and religious thinker belonging to the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, a North American colony of England. He was an early advocate of democracy an ...
. Stevenson organized wagons and supplies for the Forbes Campaign during the
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the ...
. When the British occupied Philadelphia and York became the capital of the Colonies, George Washington called on Stevenson to take charge of the supply lines.
George Ross was a lawyer from Lancaster. During the American Revolutionary War, he served in the
Provincial Assembly
Provincial may refer to:
Government & Administration
* Provincial capitals, an administrative sub-national capital of a country
* Provincial city (disambiguation)
* Provincial minister (disambiguation)
* Provincial Secretary, a position in Can ...
, the Provincial Conference and the Continental Congress. He signed the Declaration of Independence. He also introduced George Washington to the widow of his nephew, the flagmaker
Betsy Ross
Elizabeth Griscom Ross (née Griscom;Addie Guthrie Weaver, ''"The Story of Our Flag..."'', 2nd Edition, A. G. Weaver, publ., 1898, p. 73 January 1, 1752 – January 30, 1836), also known by her second and third married names, Ashburn an ...
.
William Thompson emigrated from Ireland. In the French and Indian War, he served as an officer under John Armstrong in the
Kittanning Expedition
The Kittanning Expedition, also known as the Armstrong Expedition or the Battle of Kittanning, was a raid during the French and Indian War that led to the destruction of the American Indian village of Kittanning, which had served as a staging p ...
and as a captain of the light horse in the Forbes Campaign. In the American Revolution, he became the colonel of the first colonial infantry and advanced to brigadier general. He was captured in the
Second Assault on Quebec and held prisoner for four years, only to die not long after his release.
Mark Bird was the son of ironmaster William Bird, of
Hopewell Furnace. In the American Revolution, Bird served as deputy quartermaster and as a colonel. He used his own money and ironworks to supply cannons and munitions. After the war, he was never repaid. Deep in debt, he went bankrupt and fled to North Carolina to avoid his creditors.
Modern history
The creation of Codorus State Park is tied to a cooperative effort between private enterprise and state and local government. The borough of
Spring Grove and the
P.H. Glatfelter Company worked together to
dam
A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use ...
Codorus Creek. The purpose of the dam was to provide drinking water for Spring Grove and to meet the industrial needs of the paper plant owned by the P.H. Glatfelter Company in the borough. The construction of this dam was also beneficial to the people of Pennsylvania when a park was created on the shores of the newly made
Lake Marburg.
Lake Marburg gets its name from the small community of Marburg, home of a handful of buildings - including a farmstead - that was flooded in December 1966, when Codorus Creek was dammed. The dam is high, wide and thick. It is not owned by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, but is instead owned by and on the property of the P.H. Glatfelter Company.
The land for the park was acquired as part of the
Project 70 Land Acquisition and Borrowing Act, with the governor approving the acquisition on December 10, 1964. The park officially opened in 1970.
It was originally named "Codorus Creek State Park".
Lake Marburg
To fill its massive water demands, P.H. Glatfelter Company, now known as Glatfelter Paper, built Lake Lehman in 1942. Later, to fill additional needs, the company built Lake PahaGaCo (P.H. Glatfelter Co.) in 1955. It supplemented PaHaGaCo’s 1.3 billion gallons () with water from the Thomasville Stone & Lime Company quarries. But a severe drought of 1963 proved that more water was needed.
The drought also convinced Pennsylvania officials that more reservoirs were needed and that dovetailed with separate state plans to build a new state park on the west branch of the three-pronged Codorus Creek.
Lake Marburg has of coastline.
The lake holds many different species of fish. Fishermen will find
largemouth bass
The largemouth bass (''Micropterus salmoides'') is a carnivorous freshwater gamefish in the Centrarchidae ( sunfish) family, a species of black bass native to the eastern and central United States, southeastern Canada and northern Mexico, bu ...
,
yellow perch
The yellow perch (''Perca flavescens''), commonly referred to as perch, striped perch, American perch, American river perch or preacher is a freshwater perciform fish native to much of North America. The yellow perch was described in 1814 by Sam ...
,
crappie,
muskellunge
The muskellunge ''(Esox masquinongy)'', often shortened to muskie, musky or lunge is a species of large freshwater predatory fish native to North America. It is the largest member of the pike family, Esocidae.
Origin of name
The name "muskell ...
,
catfish
Catfish (or catfishes; order Siluriformes or Nematognathi) are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the three largest species alive ...
,
northern pike
The northern pike (''Esox lucius'') is a species of carnivorous fish of the genus ''Esox'' (the pikes). They are typical of brackish and fresh waters of the Northern Hemisphere (''i.e.'' holarctic in distribution). They are known simply as a p ...
, and
bluegill in the warm waters of Lake Marburg. Cold water fishing is available in the east branch of Codorus Creek where anglers will find
rainbow trout and
brown trout that have been
stocked for sport fishing by the
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is an independent state agency responsible for the regulation of all fishing and boating in the state of Pennsylvania within the United States of America. Unlike many U.S. states, Pennsylvania has a sepa ...
.
Canoe
A canoe is a lightweight narrow water vessel, typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or kneeling paddlers facing the direction of travel and using a single-bladed paddle.
In British English, the ter ...
s,
kayaks,
sailboat
A sailboat or sailing boat is a boat propelled partly or entirely by sails and is smaller than a sailing ship. Distinctions in what constitutes a sailing boat and ship vary by region and maritime culture.
Types
Although sailboat terminolo ...
s and motor boats up to 20 hp are all permitted on Lake Marburg, provided they are registered properly with the state.
Recreation
The park is open for
fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...
,
boating, and
camping
Camping is an outdoor activity involving overnight stays away from home, either without shelter or using basic shelter such as a tent, or a recreational vehicle. Typically, participants leave developed areas to spend time outdoors in more na ...
. It also has a
swimming
Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, or other liquid, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Locomotion is achieved through coordinated movement of the limbs and the body to achieve hydrodynamic thrust that r ...
pool and a 54-hole
disc golf course.
Codorus State Park has modern and rustic camp site available. There are 198 camp sites that are suitable for
RV's (up to in length) and tents. There are eight campsites with
electricity
Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter that has a property of electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as describ ...
or accommodate campers with disabilities. Codorus State Park also has 13 walk-in campsites for those interested in camping in tents only.
Picnic tables are scattered throughout the park, and two pavilions may be reserved for use by large groups.
There are of
hiking
Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...
trails with Codorus State Park. The Mary Ann Furnace trail is long. It is a loop trail that winds through pine plantations,
hardwood forests
Temperate broadleaf and mixed forest is a temperate climate terrestrial habitat type defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature, with broadleaf tree ecoregions, and with conifer and broadleaf tree mixed coniferous forest ecoregions.
These f ...
and some
wetland
A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The p ...
s. The LaHo trail is long and follows the lakeshore of Lake Marburg through hardwoods and wetlands. Hiking is also possible on the horse trail on the west side of the park.
There are several mountain biking trails on the northwestern side of the lake, open year round.
There are two 18-hole disc golf courses, and two 9-hole extra courses at Codorus State Park. There is also a 9-hole minis course. The blue course is a more technical 18 holes mostly through wooded areas. The red course is more open, but has some longer holes. There is a bonus course with 9 holes and a cross country course with 9 holes.
Hunting is permitted in Codorus State Park. The most common game species are
ruffed grouse
The ruffed grouse (''Bonasa umbellus'') is a medium-sized grouse occurring in forests from the Appalachian Mountains across Canada to Alaska. It is the most widely distributed game bird in North America. It is non-migratory. It is the only specie ...
,
eastern gray squirrel
The eastern gray squirrel (''Sciurus carolinensis''), also known, particularly outside of North America, as simply the grey squirrel, is a tree squirrel in the genus ''Sciurus''. It is native to eastern North America, where it is the most prodi ...
,
wild turkey
The wild turkey (''Meleagris gallopavo'') is an upland ground bird native to North America, one of two extant species of turkey and the heaviest member of the order Galliformes. It is the ancestor to the domestic turkey, which was originally d ...
and
white-tailed deer
The white-tailed deer (''Odocoileus virginianus''), also known as the whitetail or Virginia deer, is a medium-sized deer native to North America, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru and Bolivia. It has also been introduced t ...
. Hunters are expected to follow the rules and regulations of the Pennsylvania State Game Commission. Hunters are limited to using
shotguns,
muzzleloaders
A muzzleloader is any firearm into which the projectile and the propellant charge is loaded from the muzzle of the gun (i.e., from the forward, open end of the gun's barrel). This is distinct from the modern (higher tech and harder to make) desig ...
and
bows.
Codorus State Park does not close in winter. Snowmobiling, cross country skiing, sledding, ice skating, ice fishing and ice sailing are all popular winter activities, when the weather permits.
Nearby state parks
The following state parks are within of Codorus State Park:
*
Cunningham Falls State Park (
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
)
*
Gifford Pinchot State Park
Gifford Pinchot State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in northern York County, Pennsylvania, in the United States.
It was named in honor of noted conservationist and former Pennsylvania Governor Gifford Pinchot. The fourth chief of the Unite ...
(York County)
*
Gunpowder Falls State Park
Gunpowder Falls State Park is a public recreation area comprising six non-contiguous areas covering in northeastern Baltimore County and western Harford County, Maryland. The state park is primarily made up of the stream valleys of the Big and ...
(Maryland)
*
Kings Gap Environmental Education and Training Center
Kings Gap Environmental Education Center is a Pennsylvania state park in Cooke, Dickinson and Penn Townships, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania acquired the land in 1973, from the C. H. ...
(
Cumberland County Cumberland County may refer to:
Australia
* Cumberland County, New South Wales
* the former name of Cumberland Land District, Tasmania, Australia
Canada
*Cumberland County, Nova Scotia
United Kingdom
* Cumberland, historic county
*Cumberla ...
)
*
Pine Grove Furnace State Park
Pine Grove Furnace State Park is a protected Pennsylvania area that includes Laurel and Fuller Lakes in Cooke Township of Cumberland County. The Park accommodates various outdoor recreation activities, protects the remains of the Pine Grove ...
(Cumberland County)
*
Rocks State Park
Rocks State Park is a public recreation area located in and around Deer Creek Valley near Pylesville, Harford County, Maryland. The state park's preserve the geologic formation known as the King and Queen's Seat and other features in three n ...
(Maryland)
*
Samuel S. Lewis State Park (York County)
References
External links
*
{{authority control
Campgrounds in Pennsylvania
Parks in York County, Pennsylvania
Protected areas established in 1970
State parks of Pennsylvania
1970 establishments in Pennsylvania
Protected areas of York County, Pennsylvania