Cook Forest Living History Weekend

24-05-24 All day
Cook Forest State Park
Phone:814-744-8407
Address: Cook Forest State Park (Office), 100 Route 36, Cooksburg, PA, United States

See below for exact locations of each event:

Please join us (PA DCNR) for a fun filled weekend of living history as we journey through various historical eras of the United States: French & Indian War, Colonial Period, Civil War, Spanish American War, and Pennsylvania’s lumber heritage. Join living historian and master story-teller Paul Stillman, historical interpreter Dave Clark, and historian-songwriter Van Wagner, as they take us through these noteworthy periods of American history through first person character portrayals, hands-on demonstrations, and song.

Friday, May 24 from 800-1000pm

‘Seneca Point by Candlelight’ Take a walk back in time with historical characters from the past. Please meet at the Fire Tower parking lot where a 1750’s French Marine will guide us through the ancient rocks of Seneca Point in search of old Seneca & Abenaki warriors on their trek south along the Catawba Trail.

Saturday, May 25 from 900-1100am

Paul Stillman as a ‘Seneca Indian’ A Native American visits us from the past on his trip from New York as he travels south along the historic Olean Trail. Please bring your camp chairs and meet at the Log Cabin Inn Environmental Learning Classroom where he will be preparing for his trip.

Saturday, May 25 from 100-230pm

Paul Stillman and Dave Clark as ‘The North Meets South’ Come see the Civil War through a New York regimental line soldier and a rebel of the Army of Northern Virginia. Please bring your camp chairs and meet at the Log Cabin Inn Environmental Learning Classroom.

Saturday, May 25 from 800-900pm

‘An Evening with Ben Franklin’ by Paul Stillman One of the founding fathers of our country. Science, glass music, and philosophy are only part of Doctor Franklin’s life. Join the elderly stateman as he reminisces about his involvement in the French & Indian forts of the 1750’s. Please bring your chairs & blankets and meet at the Ridge Camp Park Amphitheater.

Sunday, May 26 from 100-200pm

Dave Clark as a ‘Private of the 71st New York Regiment During the Spanish American War’ Private Charles Johnson Post recounts the charge up San Juan Hill. Post, an illustrator for William Randolph Hearst’s newspaper, endured the hardships of a soldier in the “Splendid Little War in Cuba”. Please bring your camp chairs at meet at the Log Cabin Inn Environmental Learning Classroom.

Sunday, May 26 from 230-330pm

Paul Stillman as a ‘Colonial Craftsman’ Learn how things were made during the early part of the 18th century during a quill and bamboo pen fabrication workshop. Please bring your camp chairs at meet at the Log Cabin Inn Environmental Learning Classroom.

Sunday, May 26 from 430-600pm

‘Tall Timber: Van Wagner’s Timber Heritage Program’ Celebrate the past and present of Pennsylvania’s timber heritage with historian, songwriter, and forester, Van Wagner, as he demonstrates dozens of tools spanning 200 years of logging history. He will also focus on the old rafting days when millions of board feet of Pennsylvania Timber were assembled into various styles of rafts and piloted down our streams and rivers. Please bring your camp chairs and meet at the Log Cabin Inn Environmental Learning Classroom.

Sunday, May 26 from 800-900pm

‘Evening Concert by songwriter Van Wagner’ Featuring acoustic songs about the cultural and natural heritage of Pennsylvania at the Ridge Camp Park Amphitheater. Van’s music has been featured on the History Channel, Country Music Television, and several film productions. Be prepared to not only be entertained, but also inspired to learn more about Pennsylvania’s history. Don’t forget your chairs and blankets!

Related upcoming events

  • 26-06-26 All day

    Please join us for an interpretive  guided float down the National Wild & Scenic Clarion River.  Wildlife and lumber history abound along this secluded stretch of the river.  Fishing is excellent.  Help us document wood duck nesting success, river otter sign, and bald eagle nests while we kayak through the Steel Trap.  This is a true wilderness boating experience.  No sign of human occupation until we get near the end.  Only experienced boaters permitted.  Please meet at the Park Office where we will drive to the starting point.  Folks must pre-register by 6/22 by contacting the Park Office at (814)744-8407.  Registration limited to 10 boats.  Cost is $50/boat payable by cash, check or money   order made out to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  All boats, gear, and lunch provided.  Prior Cook Forest kayak training participants receive a 50% discount.  Register early, available spots go fast.  See you on the river!

     Friday, June 26, 2026 8:30am to 4:30pm

  • 03-07-26 All day

    Please join us at the Fire Tower parking lot for a night hike in, around, and under the rocks of Seneca Point.  We’ll be looking and listening for animals that go bump in the night, and exploring the caves and crevices they live in.  One never knows what we’ll find on this challenging hike at night.  Creepy cave crickets abound.  Bring your hardhats and headlamps!

    Friday, July 3, 2026 8pm to 10pm

  • 04-07-26 All day

    Please meet at the Log Cabin Inn Environmental  Learning    Classroom for an interpretive hike into the Forest Cathedral, a registered National Natural Landmark.  Learn how to identify old growth forest characteristics, and observe different types of environmental disturbance that are an integral part of old growth forest ecosystems.

     Saturday, July 4, 2026 3pm to 5pm

  • 04-07-26 All day

    Please bring your headlamps, GPS units, and phones to the park amphitheater to help us celebrate America’s 250th birthday.  Come help us find DCNR’s new old growth geocache with a new twist, trying to find one at night!

    Saturday, July 4, 2026 8pm to 10pm

  • 05-07-26 All day

    Please bring your binoculars and meet at the Fire Tower Parking Lot for an historical interpretive tour of the Fire Tower and Seneca Point.  Learn about local logging history,  observe Indian sign, and take a breathtaking view from the top of the Fire Tower.

    Sunday, July 5, 2026 11:30am to 2:30pm

  • 12-07-26 17:00 - 12-07-26 19:00

    Cook Forest State Park, River Pavilion

    100 RT 36, Cooksburg, PA 16217-0120

    Sunday evenings, nurturing your mental & physical health, moderate level hiking, approximately 2hrs long, open to all women ages 14 & up, dogs on a leash, rain or shine.

     

    July 12

    500pm starting at the River Pavilion

     

    For more information, please contact Meredith Reinhart (814)319-4621.

  • 18-07-26 All day

    Late spring and early summer are a great time of year to go out looking for snakes, frogs, salamanders, and turtles.  We will start our car-pool at the Park Office to help the park naturalist survey herp’ hot spots along the Clarion.  Participants must be able to traverse steep muddy slopes and rocky terrain.  Sturdy walking stick and hiking boots are advised.

     Saturday, July 18, 2026 9:30am to 1:30pm

  • 24-07-26 All day

    Cook Forest & Clear Creek State Park will be conducting a 7.3mile interpretive float down the National Wild & Scenic Clarion River from Clear Creek’s boat launch to Cook Forest’s   4-mile launch.  Odds are pretty good we’ll see plenty of otter sign.  Along the way we’ll go past remnants of the old bridge, dam, and raft building sites at Clarington, go through the ripple and past rock cliffs of the Hogback, and talk about the rafting tragedy at Maze Gap.  Fishing is good along this stretch, don’t forget your poles!  Only experienced boaters permitted.  Please meet at the Clear Creek canoe launch near the playground.  Participants must pre-register by 7/20 by contacting the Cook Forest Park Office at (814)744-8407.  Registration limited to 10 boats.  Cost is $50/boat payable by cash, check, or money order made out to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  All boats, gear, and lunch provided.  Prior Cook Forestkayak training participants receive a 50% discount.  Register early, available spots go fast.  See you on the river!

     Friday, July 24, 2026 8:30am to 4:30pm

  • 31-07-26 All day

    Please bring your binoculars and meet at the Fire Tower Parking Lot for an historical interpretive tour of the Fire Tower and Seneca Point.  Learn about local logging history,  observe Indian sign, and take a breathtaking view from the top of the Fire Tower.

    Friday, July 31, 2026 1pm to 2:30pm

  • 16-08-26 17:00 - 16-08-26 19:00
    Cook Forest State Park, Nuthole Pavilion

    100 RT 36, Cooksburg, PA 16217-0120

    Sunday evenings, nurturing your mental & physical health, moderate level hiking, approximately 2hrs long, open to all women ages 14 & up, dogs on a leash, rain or shine.

    August 16

    500pm starting at the Nuthole Pavilion

     

    For more information, please contact Meredith Reinhart (814)319-4621.

  • 19-09-26 11:00 - 19-09-26 15:00

    Come celebrate America’s 250th birthday as you walk back in time in our to observe, and possibly sample, historical cast iron cooking from our nation’s past.  State park educators from North Central and Western PA will be dressed in period clothing preparing period dishes that relate back to their park from our nation’s founding to the late 1800’s.  This is a one-time-only new park event that you will NOT want to miss!  Located at our River Cabin area, just upstream from our new River Pavilion along River Road about 1 mile up-river from the RT36 Cooksburg Bridge.

     Saturday, September 19, 2026 11am to 3pm

  • 27-09-26 17:00 - 27-09-26 19:00
    Cook Forest State Park, Park Office

    100 RT 36, Cooksburg, PA 16217-0120

    Sunday evenings, nurturing your mental & physical health, moderate level hiking, approximately 2hrs long, open to all women ages 14 & up, dogs on a leash, rain or shine.

    September 27

    500pm starting at the Park Office

     

    For more information, please contact Meredith Reinhart (814)319-4621.

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