Driftwood, PA

Evergrey · #1 Posted: **Oct 24, 2011, 10:29 PM**

Driftwood (pop. 67) is a borough in southern Cameron County (pop. 5,084) at the intersection of PA-120 (Bucktail Trail) and PA-555 and the confluence of the Driftwood Branch Sinnemahoning and the Bennetts Branch Sinnemahoning. It is nestled in the deep valleys of the West Branch Susquehanna watershed, and is miles from anything. Lacking a gas station or most daily necessities, the small county seat of Emporium (20 twisty miles away) provides most functions for the few hardy residents.

Driftwood was incorporated in 1872 along the Philadelphia & Erie Railroad during its days as a wild lumber boomtown. Loggers cleared the steep hillsides and floated the logs down the Sinnemahoning to he ghost town of Keating... where they were floated down the West Branch Susquehanna to Lumbertown (today's Williamsport). When the local lumber supply was exhausted, Driftwood declined rapidly. Its three hotels and much of the fabric of the town have disappeared over the years... and it's almost a ghost town these days. A general store and a bar/restaurant still remain... and a few residents live alongside seasonal visitors. The area is popular for rugged hikes, canoing, fishing and hunting.

Silent movie star cowboy Tom Mix was born nearby in Mix Run... as if it could get even more remote than Driftwood.

source: wikipedia

The village of Castle Garden, just west of Driftwood.

Bennetts Branch Sinnemahoning

Downtown Driftwood hosts the Bucktail Monument

The Bucktails were a colorful group of Union soldiers from remote north-central Pennsylvania. They fought valiantly in several campaigns during the American Civil War and were renowned for their marksmanship and distinctive bucktail caps.

entering Elk State Forest

Ridge Road is a dirt road that runs 25 miles or so through the wilderness of Cameron and Potter counties. It offers many vistas.

descending Bailey Run Rd... a house in Potter County

along the lonely PA-872 in eastern Cameron County is Sinnemahoning State Park... a popular site for bald eagle viewing

The George B. Stevenson Dam

The unincorporated village of Sinnemahoning is 4 miles east of Driftwood, and straddles the border of Grove Township (pop. 183) and Gibson Township (pop. 164).

stately old upright-and-wing converted into a hunting camp by people from Lancaster

Kettle Creek State Park is located in northwestern Clinton County... and is just about the most remote, unpopulated spot in Pennsylvania. It's a beautiful spot... but plagued with the most aggressive, painful flies I've ever experienced. This is the Alvin Bush dam:

Ex-Ithacan · #2 Posted: **Oct 24, 2011, 11:30 PM**

What? No McDonalds?!!?
Beautiful scenery, but just too darn isolated. Maybe a few coats of paint here & there would help the town out. Good info about the Bucktail Regiment.

Thanks Eg.

MolsonExport · #3 Posted: **Oct 25, 2011, 12:04 AM**

Lovely scenery.

Expat · #4 Posted: **Oct 25, 2011, 12:23 AM**

Driftwood seems an appropriate name for this town. Seems more like a place for weekenders. The scenery is stunning.

Robert Pence · #5 Posted: **Oct 25, 2011, 1:12 AM**

Some parts of PA are more lonely and remote than they were a hundred years ago. It would be tough living ther in winter.

gtbassett · #6 Posted: **Oct 25, 2011, 1:36 AM**

It reminds me a lot of my brother-in-law's hometown of Milboro Virginia, tucked away in the boonies of Bath County in the heart of Appalachia. Stunning scenery, having lived in a Mediterranean climate my whole life, the lushness and greenery is just amazing. Evergrey, I must thank you for this series of PA threads, they really have me itching to explore Western and Central PA.

xzmattzx · #7 Posted: **Oct 25, 2011, 3:22 AM**

About time! You've been sitting on these for too long. When I originally saw them a couple months ago, I made a note of the Hyner View park. I was going to stop there on my way to Buffalo a couple weeks ago to see the mountains in all their vibrant glory. I ended up going elsewhere due to time, but it's now on my list of places to detour to.

giovanni sasso · #8 Posted: **Oct 25, 2011, 3:25 AM**

good lord man, this place makes punxsutawney look like a major media market. this place is an hour away from my hometown but i've never heard of it.

an interesting, and very PA, set.

Private Dick · #9 Posted: **Oct 25, 2011, 4:23 AM**

I know these lands well. Your photos make me want to summer to return ASAP.

Most Pennsylvanians know nothing of north central PA -- and I like it that way.

Cathy50268 · #10 Posted: **Oct 25, 2011, 4:25 PM**

I used to live in Pa, from 1985-1989, i live in Danville Pa, well you be going to that part of Pa, i would love to see so pictures from there, i am very familiar with Bloomsburg and the other sounding towns, i would really love se Danville, if you going there, Thank you very much. I am from Alabama.

stepper77 · #11 Posted: **Oct 25, 2011, 8:58 PM**

I think I have green envy. Beautiful!

Wheelingman04 · #12 Posted: **Oct 29, 2011, 5:14 PM**

That beauty is mind blowing. PA, my favorite state

Thundertubs · #13 Posted: **Oct 29, 2011, 6:52 PM**

Magnificent:

LSyd · #14 Posted: **Nov 13, 2011, 4:11 AM**

not sure if they have banjos up there, but i hear them.

thanks for the tour.

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Inkoumori · #15 Posted: **Nov 13, 2011, 12:53 PM**

I've always been impressed by the open spaces out west, but this reminds me of how much empty forest and hills we have here in the NE.

Austinlee · #16 Posted: **Nov 13, 2011, 3:36 PM**

Look at all that wood.