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Kinzua, Pennsylvania was a unique small town nestled in between the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in Northwest Pennsylvania. It was known for being a great hunting and recreation area.
For years there had been talk of building a large dam to prevent flooding from the Conewango Creek and the Allegheny River. Every spring the flooding created much damage.
The creek also had huge ice jams that were miles long. These jams would create more flooding and were also dangerous. Local town members would go out walking on the ice. If the ice were to shift or start to move while they were out there they could be crushed or fall in the icy water and drown. Dynamite blasts were required to loosen the ice and get the water moving.
Research had been done since the early 1920’s for a dam. It had been talked about so much that in one of the grade schools the teacher asked what the students were going to do over summer break and the one eight-year-old boy said the family was going to go to the dam. This was in the 1940’s.
After so many years of talk of a dam the people in Kinzua considered it an Urban Legend and went on with life.
The dam becomes a reality
It was not until 1959 when final plans were made for the dam. My parents were building onto a house they owned in Kinzua. One day, with no advanced warning, a man showed up at the door. He handed my father papers to halt building onto the house and said the government would be in touch to start talks on buying the house and property.
Many people in the area fought leaving the town. There were families that had lived in Kinzua for five and six generations.
For my family it had been three generations. My relatives had businesses that would have to be shut down or moved. A few of my relatives actually had their houses moved three and four miles away onto Route 59 which lead from the town of Kinzua to Warren Pa.
My parents decided fighting the move would only be a headache and they were actually the first people to sell the house and property to the government. My grandparents moved soon after, from a house they had just built a block away.
My one Uncle was one who fought moving as long as possible. With rumors flying abut abandoned houses people from other areas thought all the houses were empty and would walk into houses to see what they could take. If you locked the doors they tried to break them in.
It was finally so bad at the end those who stayed had to leave one person at home at all times and keep a shotgun at the doors to keep people out of the house.
One other sad outcome of the dam was that the flooding would reach into the Cornplanter tract, otherwise known as the Seneca Indian Reservation. This treaty and tract of land was given to Chief Cornplanter in 1796 for his assistance in trying to find peace for the new Americans and the American Indian. The land comprising or 1500 acres was located in the lower part of New York state on the western shore of the Allegheny River. It was given to him and his heirs “forever.” This was the breaking of the longest Indian treaty
It took until 1965 for all the people to be relocated and the dam to be built. The reservation was moved to lower New York State and is known as the Allegheny Reservation.
Kinzua Dam today
Much history and natural beauty was lost when the dam was built. As with all events there have been positive results. There area is a beautiful recreational area with great fishing. The dam paid for its entire building costs in 1972 when Hurricane Agnes hit the United States east coast with such fury that flooding took a devastating toll in many states.
The water was so high from being held back to protect the lower towns along the Allegheny River in Warren, Pa all the way to Pittsburgh, Pa that there was fear that the dam could collapse if the rain did not let up.
I remember that day. My uncle called to say he had the family up at the dam watching. His reasoning was if the dam broke his house in Warren would be under water so he might as well see the event. Ther is a plaque on the dam that marks how high the water rose behind the dam wall during the storm. There is no doubt the dam saved numerous lives in those few days.
The Kinzua Dam is one of my favorite places. It’s beautiful and has such history. I never visit the place without remembering stories of my families past and remembering Cornplanter and his people.
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I remember the town of Kinzua. It was very disappointing and shocking to those who lived in the towns affected to lose their houses and land. Sara
This story resembles a memorable quote from Alexander Graham Bell: “When one door closes another door opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us.”
Thanks for sharing!
Hugs,
Megan
http://www.TheLawofAttractionStation.com
Megan, Love your thought! As with life everything has good and bad and even if many people fear change it’s what offers us the most in life.
The ending of many towns was sad for many but there have been positive events for all those that lived in th surrounding areas. The Indian reservation was the saddest event in my opinion but even they have really developed their new reservation and business there is expanding. I am not sure if that growth would have happened at the old reservation. (I still feel the breaking of the treaty was entirely wrong!) Denise http://www.thegardenersrake.com
My great-great-great-grandfather, James Morrison, Sr., negotiated with Chief Cornplanter to build a sawmill in this area. He also traveled through the Isthmus of Panama and then overland to reach California in the gold rush of 1849. They were real pioneers! I too regret the breaking of the treaty with Cornplanter and the displacement of so many people. We can only find comfort that their descendants are doing well. Ultimately, the dam saved many lives. I just wish the matter had been handled differently.
Shirley
I agree with you Shirley. The Dam has served a valuable service but I wiah things would have been handled differently. The old Cornplanter camp sits in ruins and many historical area disappear daily. Denise
I used to live on Kinzua Road in the 70’s(route 59). I recall many of the neighbors had moved their houses from Kinzua. It was hard to believe that that town where so many lived was underwater. I can recall stories about people refusing to move and people coming home to find their landscaping dug up and removed. I also remember Agnes 1972. The water was 3 feet from the top of the dam! One guy up the road worked for the Army Corps of Engineers and had a few tales to tell about cracks. Thanks for the great article.
What a nice memory. I remember when my brother took me for a ride, in his new “used” Pontiac Chieftan, to show me the town of Kinzua before it was lost to history. The tears of good memories bring back the days of the Kinzua Bridge where I grew up waving to my Uncles on the B&O, the Pennsy, and the Erie Lackawana. From the European Alps, to China Beach, to Dubai, there is no place, world-wide, more beautiful than Western Pennsylvania. It’s always nice to read the messages and sweet memories about our great country; the innocence of growing up during a time period when people didn’t say Pop. they said ‘Mountain Top’ for the POP made in Mt. Jewett.
Kinzua was an amazing town and such a large amount of history was lost. I am glad the article borught back memories, Denise
I also lived on Kinzua Rd. my Dad was the guy who worked for the Corps of Engineers. Used to love all those stories about the cracks in the dam,since the dam is still there i guess ther really wasnt any cracks. We came to visit in 2006 and of course we went to the dam ,when I see the high water mark on the dam I remember how we went out in a boat and marked the concrete with a paint stick where its painted now ,we went right up next to the big floodgates at the top of the dam and looked over the top of them its a long way down to the spillway,especially when youre twelve years old! Great article Denise.
Then your father would have known mine. There are many memories left for a town that has disappeared! Thanks for stopping by! Denise
I am very interested in the reservation. My gggrandfather taught farming on the reservation. He was born in England in1825 he came to this country and lived with the indians, I was told that he contracted T B and was cured by the medicen woman who was the daughter of the chief of the reservation. I would like to know if all the graves of the indians were removed and if they were where to. My gggrandfather David John Crouch is buried in Grove city Penna. I do not know where his wife was buried. I have been told her name was Morningstar. Can anyone tell me the name of the Chief of the reservation during the mid to late 1800? I would appreciate any information anyone may have. Can someone tell me what the translation for morningstar to Sennaca is Thank You
David John Crouch
They say that all the grave sites were removed and relocated, but I really doubt that. One burial ground located along the allegheny is having problems with erosion from the winter weather and a project has been started to stop the problem and save the cemetary. Denise
I lived in Morrison Pa. and was 10 when my family was forced to leave to leave their home and the land that had been in the family for 5 generations. I remember the heartbreak my parents went through and the sight of my ancestors graves being removed and transported to their new resting place. Kinzua was a quiet little village nestled in the foothills of the Allegany Mountains and while the Senecas were treated unfairly, many people forget about the others that lost their homes and had the lives disrupted for this dam.
I totally agree with with your feelings in the loss of Kinzua and the surrounding towns. The one side of my family had an extensive history there and owned several businesses in town.
Any time I hear the name Kinzua it brings back memories of family. I was young enough at that time that I hear more stories of the town than have actual memories. But I do remember it was unique and beautiful. Denise
i live in warren county and have been looking up everything i can about the history of the dam… i want to educate my children about this whole thing. and the one thing that i would like to visit is chief cornplanters grave site ( well where he was moved too) but i can not seem to find it anywhere.. i remember when i was in high school one of my teachers used to talk about the site and i think it is very interesting. if anyone knows where this site is please let me know.. along with any other sites that would be interesting to visit.. i have lived here all my life and frequently go to some of the overlooks.. my kids absolutly love goin to rim rock.. they range in age from 8-15 years old.. thank you for any info..
tanya
Hi Tanya,
Check at the Warren Historical society. I have not been able to fins a reference to where the grave was moved, all comments say “to a higher ground” I wonder if they are keeping the location secret so people will not disturb the site?
Kinzua has an amazing history. And rim rock and Jakes rocks are one of my favorite places. Hector Falls is also nice and the mini falls just up the road from the dame, maybe 1/4 to 1/2 mile towards Bradford is very nice.
This is a clip I found while looking fro Cornplanters grave that I thought was interesting and i don’t know before
The majority of the Cornplanter Grant acreage was flooded during the Kinzua Dam Project which created the Allegany Reservoir, spelling the end to residence on the grant by Cornplanter’s heirs. As a consequence of the construction of the Kinzua Dam in the 1960s, the remaining homes and outbuildings on the Cornplanter Grant, including the church and school, were bulldozed and burned. The trees were leveled and burned, and the Spring of Handsome Lake, reputedly the source of water used to initially revive the Prophet at the end of his first vision, was destroyed in the process of construction of the dam. Today, many of the nearly six-hundred descendants of Chief Cornplanter still meet at an annually family picnic on the Allegany Reservation in August and formally recognize their proud ties to both Cornplanter, a major figure in Iroquois history, and to the land granted to him.
Hell-o i now how to get to Cornplanter cemetery. you go 59 until you come to the Warehoues restaurant turn left onto 321 .Don’t now if they have sign up or not. Go to state line BUT GO SLOW when you get to state line it just on the other side. just a road that has a gate on it on the left. The sing on the gate saids ” no parking in front of gate cemetery” Its been a year the last time I was out .
Thanks Deb for the information. I will have to add this to my list of local places to visit. Denise
James Morrison, Sr. is also my great, great, great grandfather and I recently visited the Cornplanter Cemetery and saw several Morrison tombstones along with Cornplanter’s monument, however I did not see one for James Morrison, Sr. Do you know where his grave is located – I just thought it would be there but couldn’t locate it. Any info you have woud be helpful. Thanks
I’ll ask around and see if I can find any information. Denise
I too remember Kinzua and Corydon. I grew up in Bradford and we had a summer home on Lake Chautauqua and would travel through these towns to get there. I remember the cemeteries were shielded off so you could not see the men moving the graves. There was one intersection between cornfields where there was an American Indian stand that sold baskets and other ideas that were made by the Indians. Being about 7 I remember my heart breaking for the children that had to leave their homes. Any of you out there to tell your story? Judi Miller, Boston, MA
would like to see pictures of the town before the dam
Great information. Corydon corn and Carl and Emily’s Restaurant.
I was born and raised in Kinzua ,left in 1960 went to Vietnam. I often wonder if anybody my age are still alive. like to hear , good or bad. kinzuakid09@live.com I use too live on river rd. across from quigleys. Does anyone remember the day when it turned black darker than midnite at noon what day what year. GOD BLESS!
My family came to the area as my father was the master mechanic on the dam project for Operating Engineers local 66 that helped build the dam.
As far as the cracks go there were lots of them!!
I remember call in the middle of the night to my father were he would have to leave in a hurry because they found another crack or one that was there was growing. They had another issue as they were putting reinforcement steel beans in the holes for the supports the long 20 to 30 foot steel beans would disappear. I have a friend whose father supplied the steel beans and he told her they used twice as many beans that were need. I remember they had engineers from Italy come in something about a swift underground river. I also remember the Seneca Indians doing dances and putting curses on the dam. John Cash wrote a song about Cornplanter, “were oh were will all his braves go” as a protest to the dam.
While building the dam my father had a broken arm and leg suffered several heart attacks and lost his right hand in a piece of machinery while making repairs (I believe in the curse). I can remember going with my mother to take him his “lunch pail” and see him at a top of a cranes arm sitting on top of the dam structure that was hanging out over what is now the spillway fixing the cable.
Mom and dad are both gone now but my family spends time kayaking and fishing the whole area.
Four of my family members worked on the dam doing backhoe work. They have many interesting stories to tell. Denise
Ronald, this is a great article on the “The Day the Sun Went Out”
http://www.bradfordlandmark.org/index.php?The%20Day%20the%20Sun%20Went%20Out%20In%20Bradford
The Morrison’s were also relatives of mine. James Sr. was my 5x great grandfather. I am hoping to visit Kinzua again so I can visit the Cornplanter Cemetery. James Sr. might be found at the Willow Dale. I know Mary M Massa asked about the location in July 09. Let me know if my information is incorrect.
Cindy
I just googled Carl & Emily’s, wondering if anyone else remembers the great dinners and the wonderful horseradish sauce they used to make. I was pleased to find the article on Corydon and Kinzua and know that many others still remember those places and at least a few still miss Carl and Emily’s! We lived in NY but my dad used to ride his bike down to Kinzua and Corydon when he was a kid, and it was many a Sunday dinner he took us to eat at Carl & Emily’s!
[...] point. Many throughout the history on Warren PA have admired the hills and mini waterfalls in the Kinzua [...]
I noticed several people asked about the reburial location of James Morrison, Sr. He is now buried at Willow Dale Cemetery located at 30 Hedgehog Lane in Bradford, PA. Attached is a link to information about his life as well as a picture of the grave marker.
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=morrison&GScid=46649&GRid=28953120&
I am also a descendant of James Morrison and will be visiting the Kinzua Dam for the first time this weekend. Thanks to all of you for your personal stories and information on the area and how your families were affected by the building of the dam. Knowing this history will help make the trip more meaningful.
The Kinzua Dam is a beautiful area. The leaves are still offering a lot of color so its a great time to stop by. Enjoy your visit. Denise