Forbidden Land
Written by Robert R. Lyman Sr From the Forbidden Land
Where towering pines and dark green
Hemlocks grow,
Where crystalline springs from rock
Outcrops flow,
Where the Red Man’s Foot has scarcely
Ceased to roam,
Our fathers established their pioneer
Home.
“Tis the top of our world, this land that
We see,
Where waters flow all ways to get to the
Sea.
To the north, to the south, to the east
And west,
The glittering streams glide to the wide
Ocean’s breast.
When the early pioneers came to settle on the Bennett’s Branch, then known as Second Fork, huge majestic pine trees towering down from mountain sides into the valley below dominated the landscape of this primitive country.
One of the largest spar logs cut on the Bennett’s Branch was timbered by Miles Dent and rafted on down the Sinnemahoning. The spar measured 100’ long and contained over five thousand board feet of timber.
“Pioneers of Second Fork" contains many interesting and fascinating stories on logging and rafting on the Bennett’s Branch.
You can obtain information on “Pioneers of Second Fork” by emailing Jim Burke or visiting the "Pioneers of Second Fork" page.