Dingmans Ferry in Pike County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

George W. Childs Park

Courtesy of Thomas P. Martin, August 11, 2016

1. George W. Childs Park Marker

Inscription. Attracted by its natural beauty and wildlife, philanthropist George W. Childs purchased this land in 1892. He developed a public park because he believed everyone, not just wealthy landowners, should be able to experience and appreciate being outdoors. The park was designed to highlight and enhance the natural and man-made amenities found here. The capstone boulder, inscribed with the park name and founding year, still proudly welcomes visitors.

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Your Park to Explore…
• 40 miles of the Middle Delaware National Scenic and Recreational River
• 67,000 acres of forested mountains, riverine valleys, and fertile floodplains
• Tumbling waters, rhododendron ravines, and hemlock forests
• The spectacular Delaware Water Gap
• More than 100 miles of hiking trails along streams, ridges, and mountaintops
• Bountiful wildlife in habitats ranging from river to ridge top
• 27 miles of the Appalachian Trail
• More than 100 miles of scenic roadways
• Historic villages, structures, and landscapes from the valley's colonial past
• Agricultural fields that have been farmed for more than a thousand years

Caption: George W. Childs earned his fortune as publisher of the Philadelphia Public Ledger.

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National Park Service.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Environment • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1892.

Location. 41° 14.228′ N, 74° 55.155′ W. Marker is in Dingmans Ferry, Pennsylvania, in Pike County. It can be reached from Park Road (Road T344) west of Silver Lake Road (County Road 2004), on the left when traveling west. Marker is at the southern (accessible) trailhead of George W. Childs Park in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Dingmans Ferry PA 18328, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains.

It is also in the American Northeast,

in the Mid-Atlantic,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy

and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Woodland Paradise (here, next to this marker); Roosevelt's Tree Army (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Harnessing the Creek (about 700 feet away); Dingman's Ferry (approx. 2.7 miles away); a different marker also named Dingmans Ferry (approx. 3.3 miles away); The Village of Bevans (approx. 3.9 miles away in New Jersey); Bevans, New Jersey (approx. 4½ miles away in New Jersey); Layton, New Jersey (approx. 5.1 miles away in New Jersey). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Dingmans Ferry.

George W. Childs (1829-1894) image. Click for full size.

Frederick Gutekunst via Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division (public domain), circa 1875

2. George W. Childs (1829-1894)

He was also a noted philanthropist and book publisher who introduced author book tours and "blurbs," or endorsements on book covers by usually well-known people other than the author.

Credits. This page was last revised on March 29, 2022. It was originally submitted on March 25, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 495 times since then and 34 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on March 25, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 2. submitted on March 26, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

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