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Appalachian Trail Museum

The Appalachian Trail Museum Society serves the Appalachian Trail community by telling the stories of the founding, construction, preservation, maintenance, protection, and enjoyment of the Trail since its creation. The Museum will collect, preserve, and interpret materials relevant to these subjects in an effort to portray not only the history of the Trail, but also the essence of the physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual human experience of the Appalachian environment and the culture of hiking.

Our mission statement is reflected in the Museum that is located in Pennsylvania's Pine Grove Furnace State Park, about two miles from the midpoint of the Appalachian Trail, the Museum is halfway between Maine and Georgia. Appropriately, the Museum is housed in a building that is itself a historical artifact, a structure built more than two hundred years ago as a grist mill. It stands across the road from the Pine Grove General Store, a site famed in hiker lore. It is here that thru-hikers traditionally stop to celebrate reaching the midpoint by eating -- or attempting to eat -- a half gallon of ice cream in one sitting.

The dream of an Appalachian Trail Museum has finally become reality. With the June 5, 2010 Grand Opening behind it and a promising future still to come, the Museum is open for visitors. From Memorial Day through November 1st the Museum is open every day from noon to 4:00 PM, and in the spring and fall during the same hours but only on weekends. Admission is free.

Located in Pennsylvania's Pine Grove Furnace State Park, about two miles from the midpoint of the Appalachian Trail, the Museum is halfway between Maine and Georgia. Appropriately, the Museum is housed in a building that is itself a historical artifact, a structure built more than two hundred years ago as a grist mill. It stands across the road from the Pine Grove general store, a site famed in hiker lore. It is here that thru-hikers traditionally stop to celebrate reaching the midpoint by eating -- or attempting to eat -- a half gallon of ice cream in one sitting.

Nearby is the Ironmasters Hostel which, which recently underwent for extensive renovation and is a lovely place to stay.

The Old Mill is owned by the State Park, but has had limited use in recent years. Following the negotiation of a lease agreement that allowed the building's use for museum purposes, extensive renovations were undertaken -- mostly with the use of volunteer labor. The result is that the main floor is now up to code requirements and is in use as the Appalachian Trail Museum. Plans are in the works for future renovations, as funds become available, that will make space available on another floor.

Current exhibits include a trail shelter that was built by hiker legend Earl Shaffer. The shelter, which has been replaced with a more modern one, was painstakingly disassembled at its former site on Peters Mountain in Pennsylvania and reassembled in the new Museum. In addition, there are artifacts that belonged to other hiking pioneers such as Grandma Gatewood, Gene Espy, and Ed Garvey. In the Museum computers display the more than 12,000 photos that have been taken of thru-hikers as they reached Harpers Ferry on their journeys either north or south. There is also a children's discovery area and hiker welcoming areas both inside and outside.

Below is an example of what the Appalachian Trail Museum is doing:

Historic Plaque/Trail Marker Presented to the Appalachian Trail Museum

GARDNERS, PA. -- Karen Lutz, regional director of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, presents Larry Luxenberg, president of the Appalachian Trail Museum Society, with the Center Point Knob Plaque from the Mountain Club of Maryland. Once a marker of the midway point on the 2,179 mile Appalachian Trail, the plaque will be displayed in the Appalachian Trail Museum as part of a new permanent exhibit that will open in the spring when the museum begins its second season. The plaque was affixed by the Mountain Club of Maryland to a bolder on Piney Knob, Pennsylvania, in 1935. It disappeared in the 1940's and was found in the mid-1960's by Wilmer Harris, a farmer digging post holes.

He lives in the vicinity of South Mountain. It appears that the vandals who removed the plaque left it there. Mr. Harris had no idea where the plaque came from and kept it on the mantle of his fireplace for years. Two friends of the trail, Bruce Dunlavy and Bob Wise, learned that Mr. Harris had the plaque. Bruce is an active member of CVATC and several other trail groups, and Bob is President of the North Chapter of Potomac ATC. After learning where the plaque came from, Mr. Harris was eager to to give it to an appropriate trail organization.

After discussions among MCM, PATC, ATC and CVATC, we have agreed that the appropriate organization to receive the plaque is the new Appalachian Trail Museum. MCM may have a duplicate plaque installed on Center Point Knob. We are planning a celebration at the Museum to thank Mr. Harris and to officially deliver the plaque to a place of honor there. We are all very grateful to Mr. Harris, as well as Bruce and Bob, for their roles in bring the “prodigal plaque” back into the trail community.

The "prodigal" Center Point Knob plaque

The Appalachian Trail Museum: http://www.atmuseum.org