The "The Mighty River Oyster: Part I - The Beginning" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Driving along Rt. 30W, over the mighty Susquehanna River that divides the two Pennsylvania counties of York and Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  As I looked over the side of the concrete-mile-long bridge I could see both the north and south sides of the river.  Boulders rise from the river's floor on both sides of the bridge and I often wondered if I could enter the river on one side and manage to walk most of the way across the river via the rocks.  Being I'm not a good swimmer, I have never attempted the feat.  

Aerial view of Columbia, Pennsylvania with the Sus

After a few recent trips, and blog stories, to the town of Columbia, Pennsyl- vania, I thought it would be interesting to learn a bit more about the Susque- hanna River and how it played a big part in our nation's history.  Lancaster and York Counties as well as the Susquehanna River have been a key to our nation's political, cultural and economic development over the past two centuries.  The mighty Susquehanna is one of the oldest rivers in the world and spans more than 700 miles from its headwaters in Cooperstown, New York, to were it empties into the Chesapeake Bay at Havre de Grace, Maryland.  

The Susquehanna River watershed.

Centuries before Europeans began to arrive in North America, American Indians used the the Susquehanna River for trade, transport and warfare.  Actually the name Susquehanna is a name derived from the Delaware Indian name "Sisa'we'had'hanna" which means River Oyster.  It was near the end of the last Ice Age, more than 12,000 years ago, that Native Americans arrived in the Susquehanna River Valley.  They became the area's first farmers growing corn, beans, squash and tobacco.  They were known as the Susquehannocks who survived until the Europeans arrived.  

An early Native American fort along the Susquehanna River.

It was reported that in August of 1608, Captain John Smith traveled the length of the Chesapeake Bay in search of the Northwest Passage.  As he entered the Susquehanna River at a small town known as Havre de Grace, he encountered what eventually would be called Smith's Falls.  Their journey ended at this point, but they did meet and trade with the Susquehannock Indians.  By the 1690s Susquehannocks were dispersed by their enemies and many joined other refugee peoples to form the Conestoga Indians.  It was in 1763 in the city of Lancaster that a group of frontiersmen killed the last of the peaceful Conestoga Indians.  

Susquehannock artifacts in the Pennsylvania State Museum.

Years ago many petroglyphs were found along the river's edge from the town of Columbia to Conowingo, Maryland.  The carvings included images of birds, animals and humans.  More than 300 of these petroglyphs still survive on the rocks along the river near the Safe Harbor Dam.  Eventually Europeans focused on using the Susquehanna River for trade.  By the early 1800s many mills lined the shores of the river near Lancaster and York.  Raw materials from the area needed to be delivered to areas such as Philadelphia and Baltimore.  It was determined that the lower Susquehanna River was the way to transport consumer products.  But, how could all that be done?  There had to be a way.  Many schemes were developed which I will tell you about tomorrow.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.