Thursday, May 23, 2024

Susquehanna National Heritage Area, Conservation Fund Partner To Preserve Historic 87 Acre Farmstead In York County

A 19th-century farm and house that played key roles in the Underground Railroad are now permanently protected with help from a DCNR grant.

The Mifflin House and 87-acre farmstead in Hellam Township, York County, had been under threat of demolition and development before The Conservation Fund acquired them in 2022.

DCNR provided more than $2 million from the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund to help the organization purchase the property. The Conservation Fund matched the grant dollar-for-dollar.

At the end of 2023, the organization officially transferred the property to its new long-term owner, the Susquehanna National Heritage Area.

“We are thrilled to welcome the Mifflin House into the Susquehanna National Heritage Area family,” said Mark Platts, President of Susquehanna National Heritage Area. “This acquisition aligns seamlessly with our mission to connect the people and communities of Lancaster and York Counties to one another and to the nation through stories about this nationally important place.”

The Mifflin House was a key stop on the Underground Railroad. It provided a haven for freedom seekers passing through central Pennsylvania. 

With assistance from the Mifflin family, their fellow Quakers, and other locals, those escaping slavery found a safe place to rest and cross the Susquehanna River on their journeys north.

With acquisition now complete, Susquehanna National Heritage Area will begin a multi-year effort with the community to transform the site into The Susquehanna Discovery Center and Heritage Park.

For more information, visit the Susquehanna National Heritage Area website.


(Reprinted from the WeConservePA website.)

Related Articles:

-- Chester County Awards French & Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust $623,765 To Preserve 4 Environmentally Sensitive Properties Totaling 228 Acres  [PaEN] 

-- Berks Nature, Partners Protect 131 Acres In Schuylkill County And Kittatinny Ridge  [PaEN] 

-- Susquehanna National Heritage Area, Conservation Fund Partner To Preserve Historic 87 Acre Farmstead In York County  [PaEN]

-- Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust Protecting 41-Acre June Fete Fairgrounds In Montgomery County  [PaEN]

-- Heritage Conservancy Completes Conservation Easement Preserving 29.3 Acres In Northampton County  [PaEN] 

-- Natural Lands Preserves Additional 22 Acres In Stone Hill Greenway, Montgomery County  [PaEN]  

-- Allegheny Land Trust Permanently Protects Former Hospital Site In Allegheny County  [PaEN]

[Posted: May 23, 2024]  PA Environment Digest

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