Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 34
Ghost Town Trail
INDIANA
COUNTY
Ghost Town Trail
by Ralph Scherder
photos by the author
Walking or riding the Ghost Town Trail,
Indiana County, is about more than just
recreation. It is a journey through history, the
story of how an area once an epicenter for
coal and ironmaking industries was all but
forgotten, and then reclaimed. Now, almost
100 years after the many towns along its course were
abandoned, the Ghost Town Trail was acknowledged
as a National Recreation Trail in June 2003 and named
Pennsylvania's Trail of the Year in 2020.
The Ghost Town Trail is a 32-mile trail that runs
from Saylor Park in the town of Black Lick to Route
422 in Ebensburg. There are also two extensions-the
Hoodlebug Trail, which connects Black Lick to Indiana,
approximately 10.5 miles, and the C and I Extension near
the town of Vintondale, another 12 miles. All of the trail,
with the exception of the C and I Extension, is surfaced
with crushed limestone for a smooth bike ride or easy
34
walk. The C and I Extension is currently undeveloped,
still consisting of remnants from the old railroad bed, but
there are plans for resurfacing.
The history
Indiana County's coal industry boomed in the
mid-1800s. The Eliza Furnace operated between 1846 and
1849 producing over 1,000 tons of iron annually. Located
near the trail's halfway point outside of Vintondale, Eliza
Furnace is considered one of the best-preserved hot blast
iron furnaces in Pennsylvania. Another hot blast iron
furnace, the Buena Vista Furnace, was built in 1847, and is
located on the trail about 1/2-mile west of PA 56. Both sites
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - Cover1
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - Cover2
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 3
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 4
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - Cover3
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - Cover4
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