- Wyalusing Path
The Wyalusing Path or
trail was a historical trace that ran from what is now Wyalusing to the Native American village of Canaserage (now Muncy) inPennsylvania in theUnited States . Wyalusing is on the east bank of the North Branch of theSusquehanna River in Bradford County and Muncy is on the east bank of theWest Branch Susquehanna River in Lycoming County, so the path provided a short cut between the two main branches of the Susquehanna River. The alternative and much longer route was to follow the North Branch south from Wyalusing to the confluence with the West Branch at theSaponi village of Shamokin (nowSunbury, Pennsylvania ), then north up the West Branch to Muncy.On leaving Wyalusing, the path went south a short distance, then forded the Susquehanna River near the Moravian village of Friedenshütten. It followed Sugar Run Creek upstream, climbed Bartlett Mountain, and crossed into what is now Sullivan County near the modern-day village of Colley in Colley Township. The Wyalusing Path climbed Dutch Mountain (coming near or crossing into Wyoming County), then passed between the headwaters of
Loyalsock Creek andMehoopany Creek in Sullivan County. The exact course of the path is less clear here, but it encounteredMuncy Creek near its source in Sullivan County and followed it to it mouth at Canaserage (Muncy).Much of what we know about the Wyalusing Path comes from travelers' accounts of it. In May of 1772, Samuel Harris had to ford Muncy Creek twenty times following the path. In June of 1772, Moravian
Bishop John Ettenwein lead a group of some 200Lenape andMohican Christian s from their village of Friedenshütten ("Cabins of Peace") west along the Wyalusing Path to Muncy, fording Muncy Creek thirty six times along the way. At Muncy they took theGreat Shamokin Path and others to their new village of Friedensstadt ("City of Peace") on theBeaver River in southwestern Pennsylvania.cite book
last = Wallace
first = Paul A.W.
title = Indian Paths of Pennsylvania
edition = Fourth Printing
date = 1987
publisher = Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
location =Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
language =
id = ISBN 0-89271-090-X
quote = (Note: ISBN refers to 1998 impression.)
pages = pp. 188-190]The trail crosses some of the roughest terrain in northeast
Pennsylvania , but provided a major transit route for Native American populations.References
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