A Distant Glow

A Distant Glow. . The flickering lights of Cherry Springs' tavern offered early travelers a welcome refuge from the forest darkness. Today, this Dark Sky Park draws astronomers from all of North America to one of the few spots in the Northeast where the absence of light pollution lets more than 2,000 stars shine through. , , The innkeeper and his wife , Jonathan Edgecomb built the original Cherry Springs tavern in 1818 in the wilderness of Potter County. Mrs. Edgecomb, only about 15 years old, fended for herself and guests while her husband hunted and fished for food. While most guests were quiet, one group of Native American demanded whiskey, built a huge fire in front of the hotel, and stage a "pageant" that lasted well into the night. Today, visitors find a tavern replica built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the late 1930s. , , A favorite retreat , "And such woods, so vast in their silence and beauty; the mountains, too, roase so majestic in their grandeur...host spared no pains to regale us with the choice morsels from his cellar and dairy. The hotel is a fine, modern structure, built by a gentleman in New York, and kept by Mrs. Devans. Across the way is the old log house so long a hospitable home for the wearied traveler...A rustic pavilion, quaint and rude, is very near the Springs." , - Unknown visitor in August 1876. , , The super highway of 1835 , The Coudersport and Jersey Shore Turnpike opened in 1835, crossing the path of the Buffalo and Susquehanna Railroad. Every five miles, tollhouses charged fees until 1860-three cents per section for one horse or mule, 12 cents for a score of cattle. , , It is up to future generations to protect the night-time sky at Cherry Springs and ensure that it stays almost as dark as it was in the 1800s