Jackie, Jeremy & Lori : Bushkill Park

This past weekend, the three of us ‘tracked’ the effects of the predicted hurricane (that passed us) would have on the creek. We went out Friday and Sunday. The water levels were definitely higher than previous trips to the site, and the water was a bit higher Sunday than Friday.

Friday, there were no ducks or geese on our side of the creek; Sunday, they were everywhere! Jackie and I even took a trip to the other side of the bridge to visit the feeding site. We made friends with the ducks and some locals. Friday and Sunday we also borrowed one of the recorders from the FAMS Department to capture the sounds of our site. The nice day one is actually quite peaceful to listen too!

I have been uploading our pictures and videos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lori_lombardo/albums/72157659120529626

We have also been making efforts to learn more about the history of the Bushkill Park as well. Professor Brandis mentioned that Rachel Hogan Carr (who happens to be my professor this semester for Organizations and the Environment) the current director of Easton’s Nurture Nature Center, might have a connection to the park. He had thought her dad may have owned it at one point! And its true! Her father (a lawyer) bought the place with a clown who had worked there! When I spoke with her after class she was very excited to hear about the project and is eager to help our group! She gave me a super quick history on why her father decided to buy the park:

He had to sell and break up his parents farm when they passed away (because he was the lawyer in the family). He never stopped feeling guilty about this. They spent much of their childhood with their father looking for a farm to buy to replace the one he had to give up. When the Bushkill park closed, he decided to save the park like he couldn’t save his family’s farm. She had no idea how he was able to afford it, they were so poor. But he did, with the clown.

Professor Carr worked at the park, she was about 12. Before the park closed, her father took her and a friend (or sibling?) to the park for the day. They had so much fun they didn’t want to leave when the park closed for the day. This is how she found out her dad had bought the park! He told them they could stay even after the park closed!

Because I had to run to my next class, she shared these two Facebook groups with me to look for more pictures and articles about the park: “You know you’re from Easton…” and “Frozen In Time. Lehigh Valley And Easton Pennsylvania”. At quick glance, there is a wealth of historical pictures and pictures that aren’t so old as well as articles about the park.

We will be setting up a time to meet with Professor Carr soon! She even sent me away with a task: To find the tour of the park her father gave to Discovery Channel in the early 90s – it’s priceless she says, “he’s so cute!”