Raccoon Creek State Park

Geobox Protected Area
name = Raccoon Creek State Park
native_name =
other_name =
other_name1 =
category_local = Pennsylvania State Park
category_iucn = III

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image_caption = A waterfall at Raccoon Creek State Park
etymology_type = Named for
etymology = Raccoon Creek
country = United States
state = Pennsylvania
region_type = County
region = Beaver
district_type = Townships
district = Hanover
district1 = Independence
city =
location =
lat_d = 40
lat_m = 30
lat_s = 28
lat_NS = N
long_d = 80
long_m = 26
long_s = 11
long_EW = W
location_note = cite web | url=Gnis3|1184577 | title=Raccoon Creek State Park | date = August 2 1979 | work=Geographic Names Information System | publisher=United States Geological Survey | accessdate=2007-12-22]
elevation_imperial = 932
elevation_round = 1
elevation_note =
area_unit = acre
area_imperial = 7572
area_note =
area_round = 1
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established_type =
established = 1945
established_note =
management_body = Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
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visitation =
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free_type = Nearest city
free = Aliquippa, Pennsylvania
free1_type =
free1 =


map_caption = Location of Raccoon Creek State Park in Pennsylvania
map_locator = Pennsylvania
map_first =
website = [http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/raccooncreek.aspx Raccoon Creek State Park]

Raccoon Creek State Park is a 7,572 acre (30.64 km²) Pennsylvania state park on Raccoon Creek in Hanover and Independence townships in Beaver County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is about convert|30|mi|km|-1 from the city of Pittsburgh, near Hookstown. Raccoon Lake State Park is easily accessed from Pennsylvania Route 18 and U.S Routes 30 and 22. The park offers numerous activities such as hiking, biking, cross country skiing, camping, swimming, fishing, and boating, the last three at the convert|101|acre|km2|1|sing=on "Raccoon Lake."

Raccoon Creek State Park is one of twenty-one chosen by the Pennsylvania Bureau of Parks for its "Twenty Must-See Pennsylvania State Parks" list. [cite web| url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/twenty/20parks.aspx | title = Twenty Must-See Pennsylvania State Parks | accessdate = 2007-08-08| publisher = Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources "Note: Despite the title, there are twenty-one parks in the list, with Colton Point and Leonard Harrison State Parks treated as one."]

History

Health resort

Raccoon Creek State Park is located on the site of a former Victorian era health resort. Frankfort Minerals Springs was the site of a natural mineral spring. It was founded by Edward McGinnis in the mid-1800s. He believed that the mineral spring waters held curative powers. McGinnis built his resort atop a hill in what is now Raccoon Creek State Park. Visitors to the resort walked down steps to the springs. The resort was very prosperous. At one time it featured a hotel, dance hall, livery stable and numerous guest cottages. Franklin Mineral Springs closed during the first part of the 1900s.cite web | url = http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_573379.html | title = State park, preserve resort once sought for curing powers | accessdate = 2008-06-20 | publisher = Pittsburgh Tribune Review]

Park

Raccoon Creek State Park has continued to develop from the park’s beginning as a Recreational Demonstration Area operated by the National Park Service in the 1930s, to one of the largest state parks in Pennsylvania. Facilities at the park are a mix from the early Civilian Conservation Corps camp to modern facilities. In addition to recreational areas, there are large tracts of undeveloped land.cite web
url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/history/historycccyears.aspx
title = Pennsylvania State Parks: The CCC Years
accessdate = 2006-11-28
publisher = Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources ]

Recreation

There are about 500 picnic tables spread among 5 picnic areas at Raccoon Creek State Park. Five pavilions are available to rent or if unrented are available on a first come, first served basis.cite web
url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/raccooncreek.aspx
title = Raccoon Creek State Park
accessdate = 2006-11-28
publisher = Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources ]

Raccoon Lake is open for year round fishing. The common game fish are bullhead catfish, bluegill, yellow perch, crappie, walleye, muskellunge, and both large and smallmouth bass. Raccoon Lake's feeder streams are stocked with brook and rainbow trout by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. These fish can also be found in the lake.

Hunting is permitted on over convert|5000|acre|km2|0 of Raccoon Creek State Park. Hunters are expected to follow the rules and regulations of the Pennsylvania Game Commission. The common game species are ruffed grouse, squirrels, turkey, pheasants, white-tailed deer, and rabbits. The hunting of groundhogs is forbidden.

Nearby state parks

The following state parks are within convert|30|mi|km|0 of Raccoon Creek State Park: [cite map |scale = 1:65,000| publisher= Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Bureau of Planning and Research, Geographic Information Division
url= ftp://ftp.dot.state.pa.us/public/pdf/BPR_pdf_files/Maps/GHS/Roadnames/beaver_GHSN.PDF
title= 2007 General Highway Map Beaver County Pennsylvania
accessdate= 2007-07-27 "Note: shows Raccoon Creek State Park"] cite web
last = Michels
first = Chris
year = 1997
url = http://www2.nau.edu/~cvm/latlongdist.html
title = Latitude/Longitude Distance Calculation
publisher = Northern Arizona University
accessdate = 2008-04-23]
*Beaver Creek State Park (Ohio)
*Guilford Lake State Park (Ohio)
*Hillman State Park (Washington County)
*Point State Park (Allegheny County)
*Tomlinson Run State Park (West Virginia)

References

External links

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