History lesson

I went to a talk at the library about the history of Five Rivers - a slide presentation to compliment the newly published Five Rivers: the History of a Special Place.  We were taken right back to prehistoric times and the geological formation of the area.  Native Americans farmed and hunted there, before having to give way to settlers from Europe who cleared the land for more extensive farms.

The Civilian Conservation Corps developed a portion of what is now Five Rivers into an experimental game farm in the 1930s, diverting the Vlomankill to create the now much-loved Beaver Pond.  The game farm later developed into the Delmar Zoo, featuring various native animals - it was a popular attraction for local families.  Then in the early 1970s the local Audubon Society encouraged the Department of Environmental Conservation to create an environmental education centre - and Five Rivers came to be.  It has extended over the years, acquiring portions of land as they became available, but now - hemmed in by roads and railways and housing developments - it has grown about as big as it can: 445 acres, 10 miles of trails.

For my few local readers who may be interested, the book about all this is available at the Five Rivers Visitor Center and would, as they say, make an excellent holiday gift!