Riverfront Park Honors Bressler With Heritage Trail
By Robin Van Auken

Even on a gray afternoon, with the rain misting and a chill wind blowing, a stroll along the James P. Bressler Heritage Trail is invigorating and educational. It's also tranquil, this quiet spot along the Susquehanna River's West Branch.

Completed in September, the trail is part of Loyalsock Township's Riverfront Park and is dedicated to James P. Bressler. A scholar and educator beloved in his community, Bressler has carved a niche for himself in the region's prehistory and history books with his archaeological investigations.

"That is, in my estimation, one of the best-kept secrets in the county," Bressler said about the trail. "This is a unique attempt to integrate a number of different things. First of all, local history is really not being taught in our schools because there are too many competing things to teach. I understand that. But this is a unique way to combine a pleasant walk, a history lesson, and nature study. It's just a pleasure to walk around there."

Excavating Native American sites for the past four decades, Bressler has led several digs on and near Canfield Island, a small spit of land turned into a man-made island by 19th-century lumber mill owners. Publishing his findings in a series of books, Bressler and volunteers from North Central Chapter No. 8, Society of Pennsylvania Archaeology, have added immensely to the area's knowledge of Native American culture as far back as 5000 B.P. (Before Present).

"The story of how it (the trail) came about is interesting," he said, chuckling. "Some years ago, about the middle '90s when we were working on the Ault Site, call it inspiration if you like, I thought it would be a good idea to put together a synopsis of the events that have occurred in the area of Canfield Island. I call it the 'Loyalsock Historic Complex; A Rationale for commemoration.' It's a synopsis of many things, historic and prehistoric.

"It gives you a background of the area, of its importance in the scheme of things. In archaeology, it's up to the local people to safeguard and enhance their own concepts of what's important."

It is a tribute to Bressler that the township acknowledges his expertise and the significance of his archaeological research. And Bressler relishes the gesture.

"Seldom ever, in my life, has a dream come about as this one has. This whole thing is an answer to a dream," he said. "At that time we did not know that it would be a trail, but one way or another we ought to be proud of what we know of our history. How we were gong to do that, I had no idea. After that, things just fell into place. The island became available, Loyalsock Township recognized, 'Yes, indeed. Here's an opportunity to put up a park with river frontage, a beautiful spot.'"

But the park has more to offer than just scenery. Plans are to include a tree identification area, a butterfly habitat, and eagle nesting towers. Owl boxes in the park are already being occupied, Bressler said.

"It's very important to everybody. In the fist place, the Susquehanna River, in my estimation, is one of the greatest assets Pennsylvania has. Fresh water flowing by your doorstep. But if you have no access to it, you're limited in how much you can enjoy it," he said. "This park is part of a much larger, long-range plan. They're talking about a greenbelt the entire length of the Susquehanna. And also river floats are becoming more and more important. But you have to have places where you can get on the river, or off of it. And this is one of those exit/entrance points. "

In his honor, Loyalsock Township, assisted by Creekside Creative Media and Lock Haven University students, helped Bressler develop the one-half-mile walking trail as part of Riverfront Park Phase I Development.

Interpretive displays researched and created by Creekside stretch along the trail, sharing some of Bressler's findings about prehistoric life along the river, as well as events from modern times.

A "Welcome" sign acknowledges trail underwriters and orients the visitor.

The signs use photos, maps, illustrations and text to help visitors learn about three archaeological sites, The West Branch of the Susquehanna River (Otzinachson), the Sheshequin Trail, the Canfield and Colton Sawmill, the death of Capt. James Brady during the Revolutionary War, Cannon Hole and events during the lifetime of a 200-year-old red oak tree.

Township personnel worked with Bressler and students from Lock Haven to select the subjects, do research, and write preliminary copy. Creekside was hired to refine the copy, carry out further research as necessary, find or create all visuals, write captions, design the signs, supervise photography, create final artwork, and consult with township and sign manufacturer on sign frames, color scheme and panel production.

Creekside, which consists of the husband-and-wife team of Mark Canouse and Emmy Award-nominated documentary filmmaker Karen Frock, worked with Bressler, the Township, the Lycoming County Historical Society and the James V. Brown Library to finalize sign content. Accuracy is critical, Bressler said, because the information associated with this important archaeological site is all that's left. Working with Frock he said, was a pleasure.

"I am in awe of what she does," he said.

He said he appreciates her enthusiasm as much as he does her energy and appreciation for history.

"It's all a part of what we call heritage. This is what everybody inherits. But few people know about it. What good is an excavation, for instance, if we don't issue a report and say, 'Here is what we found. Here is what it means.' Unless you say that, what have you done? Nothing but vandalism. Destroyed an irreplaceable resource," Bressler said, adding, "So if you undertake doing a dig, you also undertake the responsibility of doing it in detail and making it part of the permanent record. That's not a sermon; that's a doggoned fact. That's why I'm doing it."

It is primarily because of Bressler's research that Canfield Island was named to National Register. His research and excavations were, Bressler said, "The Alpha; the trail is the Omega.

"But by itself (archaeological research), it is incomplete. It has no means of expressing itself. It's manifested in the trail. There, you're touching the past. And if you want to know a great deal more, you come up here (the Lycoming County Historical Society) and flesh out your interest. It's all part of a larger effort."

The James P. Bressler Heritage Trail is open to the public, located just off the Broad Street, Montoursville, Exit of I-180, near Williamsport.

Summary of Interpretive Signs

The Canfield and Colton Sawmill -- Constructed in 1850, the Canfield and Colton Sawmill operated on these banks until 1889 when the "Great Flood" destroyed it.

The Canfield Archaeological Site -- The North Central Chapter of the Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology unearthed evidence of human occupation dating as far back as 5,000 B.C.

The Cannon Hole -- A deep water hole near Kremser's Landing named from when the French dumped their cannons overboard after an aborted attempt to take over the British fort at Shamokin.

The Murder of James Brady -- After returning from Fort Augusta to harvest the grain left after the "Big Runaway," James Brady was fatally wounded by a Native American war party.

The Otzinachson -- Native Americans referred to the West Branch of the Susquehanna River as Otzinachson. This word translates to "People of the demon's den."

The Ault Site -- The Shenks Ferry people built this village sometime after 1200 A.D. upon the site of an earlier culture, the Clemson Island/Owasco.

The Sheshequin Trail -- The Sheshequin Trail was an important thoroughfare for Native Americans living in the northeastern region of North America.

Shenks Ferry Wigwam -- A bark-covered structure 48-fee long and 17-feet wide with rounded ends and an arched roof once occupied this area.

Significant Tree -- This very large red oak tree is at least two centuries old.