Welcome to the First Residents' Path

"Wyoming is still not only a fruitful subject for the poet and the historian , affording an ample field of matter whereon to expatiate [to write at length] , but it is also a beautiful and splendid territory for the painter and the photographer." , Oscar Jewell Harvey, Art Work of Luzerne County, 1897

Fascinating stories about Forty Fort and the Susquehanna River await you along the 2.7 mile First Residents' Path. Thousands of years ago, Native Americans dwelled along these banks, foraging for food and material, and passing down cultural traditions from generation to generation. In the 18th century, this area stood at the center of conflict between Native Americans and colonial settlers, and between Pennsylvanians and Connecticut Yankees claiming rights to the land. One of the bloodiest days of the American Revolution took place in this vicinity. In peacetime, a 19th-century agricultural community flourished here, building the Forty Fort Meeting House and family homesteads standing today.

The river is rich in natural history: ecology, plant and animal life, river islands, riverbanks and geology are topics you'll discover along the trail. No story about Forty Fort would be complete without an account of the 1972 Flood , the havoc it wreaked upon the Forty Fort Cemetery, nearby homes and businesses, and efforts to restore and protect Wyoming Valley communities from future devastation.