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Directions to Driving Tour Stop #7

Continue on PA 601 South 1.6 miles to the intersection of PA routes 601 and 403 in Hollsopple. Turn left onto PA Route 403 South at the intersection of PA Routes 601 and 403 and proceed 0.1 miles across the bridge over the Stonycreek River to Benson. The community park sits to the left along the Stonycreek.

Latitude: 40.2156
Longitude: -78.9017


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Driving Tour Stop #6

Foustwell was the original name of the village of Seanor, which became a mining community once Berwind-White Coal Company opened Eureka mines 38 and 39 circa 1900 and built company houses there the following year. Just north of Seanor, where PA Route 601 crosses the Stonycreek River, Foustwell now refers to a couple of structures in the immediate vicinity of the bridge.

Today Foustwell is notable as the only easily accessible boater put-in within the Stonycreek Canyon – and one of the best places to view whitewater activity, especially during the annual Stonycreek Rendezvous. Park here and walk upstream a short distance and you’ll see the Showers, the uppermost named rapid within the Canyon. Walk downstream and you will see a series of hydraulics known as the Surf Lab.

This also is an excellent place to see the 66-inch pipeline that extends for 14 miles from Quemahoning Dam to the steel mills in Johnstown. You will be walking right on top of its concrete encasement in each direction along the Stony and can see it emerge from the river downstream near Surf Lab. Another point of interest, about one-quarter mile downstream from the parking area, is a small stone guardhouse that was used by Bethlehem Steel Corporation employees, assigned to guard the pipeline from saboteurs during World War II.


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