Frances Slocum State Park

HistoryEdit

The park is named for Frances Slocum, who was taken captive by a group of Lenape on November 2, 1778 when she was just five years old. Her family had been among the first whites to settle in the Wyoming Valley of Pennsylvania. It is believed that she escaped captivity that first night but was soon recaptured and was held for the night under a rock ledge along Abraham Creek in what is now part of Frances Slocum State Park. Frances Slocum spent the rest of her life with the Native Americans. Her brothers found her 59 years later living on an Indian Reservation near Peru, Indiana. Despite the pleadings of her brothers, Frances refused to leave her family. She had been married twice and was the mother of four children. Frances, now called "Mocanaquah" (meaning "Young Bear"), lived for the rest of her life in Indiana. She died in 1847 when she was 74 years old. Her name lives on in Indiana, where the Frances Slocum State Recreational Area and Lost Sister Trail in the Mississinewa Reservoir and State Forest are named in her memory. Her final resting place is marked with a monument along the banks of the Mississinewa River in Indiana.

Frances Slocum Lake was built to help control flooding in the North Branch Susquehanna River basin in 1968. Frances Slocum State Park was built around the dam and lake. The park became home to 280 families that were displaced by the flood created by Hurricane Agnes in 1972. The park was closed to the public and was not reopened until 1974 when all the families had moved out of their temporary homes.

Hunting and fishingEdit

About 700 acres (280 ha) of Frances Slocum State Park are open to hunting. Hunters are expected to follow the rules and regulations of the Pennsylvania Game Commission. The common game species are squirrels, rabbits and white-tailed deer. The hunting of groundhogs is prohibited.

Frances Slocum Lake is a warm-water fishery. Fisherman can catch crappie, bluegill, walleye, muskellunge, pickerel, and smallmouth and largemouth bass from the shore, fishing pier and from electric or non-powered boats. Gasoline-powered boats are prohibited at Frances Slocum State Park.

Camping and picnickingEdit

There are 100 campsites at Frances Slocum State Park. 15 are walk-in tent sites and 85 sites can accommodate tents or trailers. The larger sites have electric hook-ups. Each site has a fire ring and picnic table. There is a modern bathhouse with showers, flush toilets and drinking water. There is a large group tenting area that has a 40 tent capacity. It is within walking distance of the main camping area and its bathhouse.

The Park made some changes to its registration process in 2008 to accommodate a new camp store for campers. Previously, camper registration was performed at the Contact Station along the road to the campsites. That building is no longer used, and camper registration is performed at the Main Office near the entrance to the Park.

Frances Slocum State Park has several picnic areas. There are three pavilions available to rent. The picnic areas have tables, grills and charcoal disposal pits. They also have restrooms, drinking water, and garbage and recycling bins.

TrailsEdit

Frances Slocum State Park has 9 miles (14 km) of hiking trails.

Winter activitiesEdit

Frances Slocum State Park is open during the winter months for ice fishing, ice skating, sledding, tobogganing, and snow mobiling.

Nearby state parksEdit

The following state parks are within 30 miles (48 km) of Frances Slocum State Park: