Trailside Tribute: Castanea Township Unveils New Lumber Heritage and Chestnut Display Sign Along Bald Eagle Valley Trail
By Emily Wright
CASTANEA TOWNSHIP — Beneath a bright fall sky, Castanea Township supervisors, community partners, and local residents came together on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, for a dedication ceremony and ribbon-cutting, unveiling a new historical sign that honors the township’s rich heritage.
Plans for the new sign, which is located along the Bald Eagle Valley Trail just across the street from the Castanea Fire Hall at 111 McElhattan Avenue, were initiated nearly a year and a half ago following the announcement of grant opportunities by the Lumber Heritage Region of Pennsylvania.
At the dedication ceremony, Rick Schulze, Chairman of the Castanea Township Recreation Board, shared, “One of the things we’ve noted here when working with the Clinton County Historical Society, the Model Railroad, the township supervisors, and all of us on the committee, is that people may not recognize some of our heritage and the connection with the chestnut, so we approached the Lumber Heritage Region and they said, ‘Yes, that’s a perfect opportunity to develop a historic display sign that not only notes our chestnut heritage, but also about the blight and how that has influenced the area.’”
Funding for the sign was provided by Castanea Township with additional support from the Community Conservation Partnerships Program and the Heritage Area Program Fund, under the administration of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation.
Visitors walking the Bald Eagle Valley Trail in Castanea can now stop to read the historical sign, which shares the township’s story, from its 1871 founding by Jacob Brown and Peter Keller to the establishment of its original one-room schoolhouse and eventual annexation by Lock Haven.
The sign explains that the township is named after the American chestnut—Castanea dentata—a tree that once dominated the landscape and was highly valued by both Indigenous peoples and European settlers. Indigenous communities carefully managed the environment to encourage chestnut growth, making the most of the plentiful nuts and the wildlife they supported. For European settlers, chestnut wood became a preferred material for building and farming due to its durability.
Chestnuts themselves were an important crop and livestock feed, with large quantities being shipped to urban markets in the late 1800s. The spread of the chestnut blight in the late 19th century brought widespread loss to the species, leaving only a few mature trees, though restoration efforts continue. Notably, a rare mature chestnut tree that survived the blight has been found in Clinton County.
Schulze praised the efforts that led to the new historical display, emphasizing the importance of community involvement. “We are very lucky in this township with the [recreation] committee,” he said. “We have dedicated volunteers, and we have three supervisors that are always supportive of each of our events and activities…They always come through.”
Castanea Township Supervisor John Gradel echoed the appreciation, saying, “We want to thank you and also the [recreation] committee for all the work that you’ve done, especially with the sign,” Gradel said. “We’re also thankful for the partnership with the Lumber Heritage as well for the funding.”
Gradel also announced that the Pennsylvania Chestnut Festival is set to return for its second year at the Castanea Picnic Grounds on January 24, 2026. “We’ve officially dubbed it the ‘Pennsylvania Chestnut Festival,’” Gradel said. “We want to attract visitors from outside of the area into the township as well.”
Wayne McCollough, President of Friends of the Bald Eagle Valley Trail, expressed his enthusiasm for the new sign, stating, “It really enhances the trail, and the trail users will be able to read this sign,” emphasizing what a valuable addition it is. He thanked the Castanea Township supervisors for their collaboration and dedication to maintaining the trail, and mentioned his hope for additional trail connections in the future. “Our zero point is here at the Train Station right now, and we can’t wait to be connected down to Chestnut Grove and eventually to Pine Creek Trail someday in the future, so thank you for everything you do,” he said.
Melissa Dally, Tourism Director at the Clinton County Economic Partnership, emphasized the crucial role that local communities and townships play in bringing projects like the new display to fruition. “If it weren’t for the committees and the townships putting together the events and putting in the time to do projects like these, this work wouldn’t happen,” she noted. “We really appreciate, on a countywide level and a community-wide level, the work that you put in that is outside of the scope of your typical jobs, because you truly are the ones who create these communities where people want to live, work, and play, and so for that we’re extremely thankful for all of your efforts.”
Christopher Miller, Director of Chamber and Tourism Marketing at the Economic Partnership, spoke about Castanea Township’s welcoming spirit. He offered a lighthearted nod to Rick Schulze’s “nutty” ideas, noting that they “turn out to be pretty awesome.” Miller also mentioned excitement about new developments coming to the township, including a highly anticipated restaurant, and he expressed optimism for Castanea’s continued growth.
Bonnie Hannis, President of the Clinton County Historical Society, captured the spirit of the event, stating, “This is a great example of collaboration, collaboration, collaboration. And that equals a successful community. So, congratulations on this event, and any others you might have coming up in the future.”
The new sign now serves as a lasting testament to Castanea’s rich history, strong sense of community, and the partnerships that have helped shape it along the Bald Eagle Valley Trail.
