Frances Slocum State Park

Geobox Protected Area
name = Frances Slocum State Park
native_name =
other_name =
other_name1 =
category_local = Pennsylvania State Park
category_iucn = III


image_caption =
etymology_type = Named for
etymology = Frances Slocum
country = United States
state = Pennsylvania
region_type = County
region = Luzerne
district_type = Township
district = Kingston
city =
location =
lat_d = 41
lat_m = 20
lat_s = 24
lat_NS = N
long_d = 75
long_m = 53
long_s = 29
long_EW = W
location_note = cite web
url=Gnis3|1196525
title=Frances Slocum State Park
date = August 30 1990
work=Geographic Names Information System
publisher=United States Geological Survey
accessdate=2008-03-04]
elevation_imperial = 1148
elevation_round = 1
elevation_note =
area_unit = acre
area_imperial = 1035
area_round = 1
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established_type =
established = 1968
management_body = Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
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free_type = Nearest city
free = Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
free1_type =
free1 =


map_caption = Location of Francis Slocum State Park in Pennsylvania
map_locator = Pennsylvania
map_first = yes
website = [http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/francisslocum.aspx Francis Slocum State Park]

Frances Slocum State Park is a convert|1035|acre|km2|2|adj=on Pennsylvania State Park in Kingston Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. Frances Slocum Lake is a convert|165|acre|km2|2 man-made, horseshoe-shaped lake that is a popular fishing and boating destination. The park is convert|5|mi|0 from Dallas and convert|10|mi|0 from Wilkes-Barre.

History

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 passed away 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 Mississenewa River in Indiana.cite web
url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/Parks/francesslocum.aspx
title = Frances Slocum State Park
accessdate = 2006-11-26
publisher = Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources ]

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.

Recreation

Hunting and fishing

About convert|300|acre|km2|2 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 picnicking

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.

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.

Trails

Frances Slocum State Park has convert|9|mi|1 of hiking trails.

* Frances Slocum Trail is convert|0.7|mi|1 in length. It is marked with blue blazes. It begins and ends at the boat rental parking lot and passes the rock ledge where Frances Slocum was held for the first night of her captivity.

* Campground Trail is convert|1|mi|1 in length. It is marked with white blazes. It runs from the Stony Point parking lot to the group tenting area.

* Deer Trail is convert|3.8|mi|1 in length at its greatest. It is marked with yellow blazes. Deer Trail has three loops. It passes the lakeshore, a thicket, a hemlock stand, a marsh and mixed and hardwood forests. This trail is used by hunters during hunting season.

* Lakeshore Trail is convert|1.4|mi|1 in length. It is marked with red blazes and provides access to the lakeshore for hikers and fishermen.

* Larch Tree Trail is convert|2|mi|1 in length. It is marked with orange blazes. It loops through a stand of larch trees.

Winter Activities

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

Nearby state parks

The following state parks are within convert|30|mi|0 of Frances Slocum State Park: [cite web
url = http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/region_northeast.aspx
title = Map ref for Frances Slocum State Park
accessdate = 2006-11-26
author = United States Geological Survey
publisher = Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources ] [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/luzerne_GHSN.pdf| title= 2007 General Highway Map Luzerne County Pennsylvania | accessdate= 2007-07-27 "Note: shows Frances Slocum 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 = 2008-04-20]
*Archbald Pothole State Park (Lackawanna County)
*Gouldsboro State Park (Monroe and Wayne Counties)
*Hickory Run State Park (Carbon County)
*Lackawanna State Park (Lackawanna County)
*Lehigh Gorge State Park (Carbon and Luzerne Counties)
*Nescopeck State Park (Luzerne County)
*Ricketts Glen State Park (Columbia, Luzerne, and Sullivan Counties)
*Tobyhanna State Park (Monroe County)
*Varden Conservation Area (Wayne County)

References

External links

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