| Ole Bull State Park | |
|---|---|
 Kettle Creek flowing through Ole Bull State Park | |
  Location of Ole Bull State Park in Pennsylvania Show map of Pennsylvania Ole Bull State Park (the United States) Show map of the United States | |
| Location | Stewardson,Potter, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Coordinates | 41°32′10″N77°42′44″W / 41.53611°N 77.71222°W /41.53611; -77.71222 |
| Area | 132 acres (53 ha) |
| Elevation | 1,417 ft (432 m)[1] |
| Established | 1925 |
| Named for | Ole Borneman Bull |
| Governing body | Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |
| Website | Ole Bull State Park |
Ole Bull State Park is a 132-acre (53 ha)Pennsylvania state park inStewardson Township,Potter County,Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is located onPennsylvania Route 144, 26 miles (42 km) north ofRenovo and 18 miles (29 km) south ofGaleton. Ole Bull State Park is in theKettle Creek Valley, and is surrounded bySusquehannock State Forest. The woods surrounding the park are called the Black Forest because of its once dense tree cover.
Ole Bull State Park is named forOle Borneman Bull. Ole Bull was a famousNorwegianviolinist. He visited the United States several times and played with great success. While visiting the United States, Bull became interested in founding a colony for his fellow countrymen. In 1852, he purchased 120,000 acres (49,000 ha) of land for $10,000 in Pennsylvania and founded the colony, which was called New Norway. He established four communities, New Bergen (now known as Carter Camp),Oleona, New Norway, and Valhalla in the Kettle Creek area. Ole Bull began work on a "castle", which he named Nordenskjold. The castle and the communities were abandoned in less than a year. The problems encountered by the Norwegian pioneers were mainly based on the inexperience of the farmers in dealing with clearing the land of its many trees. Efforts to settle the area were parodied in the 1853 Norwegian folk songOleanna, which was translated into English and popularized by Pete Seeger in 1955. The Norwegians, however, did not give up. They migrated west intoMinnesota and theDakotas. The settlement may have failed, but Ole Bull was not forgotten. The citizens ofNorway paid for the construction of a monument to honor Ole Bull. The statue was placed in the park on the 150th anniversary of New Norway in 2002.[2]
TheKettle Creek area was part of the massivelumbering operation that occurred in most of north central Pennsylvania in the 1880s and 1890s. The lumbering industry harvested the old-growthwhite pine andhemlock. Tworailroads were built on the banks of Kettle Creek to haul the timber tosawmills in the Cross Fork area. Theold-growth forest was soon gone. The land was no longer useful to the lumber industry and it fell into disuse. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania purchased much of the land and Ole Bull State Park was opened in 1925.[3]
Many of the facilities at Ole Bull State Park were constructed during theGreat Depression by theCivilian Conservation Corps founded by American PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt. The CCC created many jobs for the out of work industrial workers from throughout the United States. Ole Bull State Park is home to many examples of the work of the Civilian Conservation Corps throughout North Central Pennsylvania. They builtouthouses,pavilions, and the camping areas. The CCC also built the original dam in the swimming area.[3]
Hunting is permitted on 25 acres (10 ha) of Ole Bull State Park. Hunters are expected to follow the rules and regulations of the Pennsylvania State Game Commission. The common game species areruffed grouse,squirrels,turkey,white-tailed deer, andblack bears. Many more acres of forested woodlands are available for hunting on the grounds of the adjacentSusquehannock State Forest.[3]
The water quality ofKettle Creek andOle Bull Run is very good. The waters offer fishing forbrook,rainbow andbrown trout. There is a special fishing area of children and people with disabilities near the dam on Kettle Creek. Fishing is prohibited between the wires at the dam basin and in the swimming area.[3]
Swimming is permitted at the 150-foot (46 m) sandy beach on Kettle Creek during the months of May through mid-September. Swim at your own risk. Lifeguards are not provided. Pets are not permitted at the beach.[3][4]
Camping is permitted year round at Ole Bull State Park. There are two camping areas on the banks of Kettle Creek. Some of the sites are sunny and some are shaded. There are 24 electric hookups at one campsite and 21 at the other. All campsites have a level gravel pad for setting up campers. They also feature a fire ring and apicnic table. Modern restrooms, water hydrants and a sanitary dump station are available at Ole Bull State Park.[3]
The picnic area is on the bank of Kettle Creek across from the swimming area. There are fourpavilions, many picnic tables, a playground, fireplaces, a restroom and water hydrants. There is electricity at the Stone Pavilion. These pavilion must be reserved in order to have access to the electricity.[3]
Ole Bull State Park is atrailhead for the 85 miles (137 km)Susquehannock Trail System. It also 2 miles (3.2 km) of self-contained trails. The Daugherty Loop Trail uses old logging roads and a railroad grade to pass through the Black Forest of Pennsylvania. The Beaver Dam Nature Trail follows Kettle Creek for 0.75-mile (1.21 km). The Ole Bull Trail leads to the remains of Ole Bull's "castle", Nordjenskald. This area is the site of a panoramic view of the park. In the winter months cross country skiing, snow shoes and snow mobiles are permitted.[3]
The following state parks are within 30 miles (48 km) of Ole Bull State Park:[5][6][7]
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