PARK HISTORY
Over 300 million years ago, the Panama Rocks were Sea Islands of sand and gravel, along the shore of a vast inland sea that extended west toward what is now Utah. These islands were part of the delta of a great river, larger than the Mississippi. What remains of that delta extends from the Allegheny River toward Lake Erie, and from eastern Ohio into southwestern New York.
The Panama Rocks were sea islands in the Devonian period of the Paleozoic era [AKA: the Age of Fishes]. Animal life was just emerging from the seas. The first forests were spreading over the earth's landmasses. Primary life forms were corals and marine mollusks. Radiolarian, crinoid, and syringopora are some of the fossils that were found in this formation in the 1800's.
The Panama Rocks are a sedimentary type of rock, composed of particles deposited by that ancient river. Layer after layer was deposited, until thousands of feet of sediments covered the original Sea Islands. The weight of these deposits caused "pressure compaction". The water was driven out, and due to the composition of the materials, a natural form of concrete was created. This type of rock is known as "quartz-conglomerate", and it is sometimes referred to as "pudding stone". Some books refer to this as the "Panama Conglomerate". Stones embedded in this rock are oval and rather flat, due to the water action [wave action] they experienced when they were on those ancient Paleozoic beaches. These embedded stones are primarily quartz (white), spar (pinkish amber) and flint (tan).
Approximately 165 million years ago, there was major geological activity [earthquakes, etc.] on what are now the east and west coasts of North America. Block-faulting and uplifting occurred. It is believed that the layer of rock that became the Panama Rocks was raised to its present altitude [1650'] at that time. After this rock layer had been fractured, seepage of water through overlaying sediments carried minerals [iron, lead, etc.] in solution, and deposited them in the fractures in the rock below. [Indians obtained lead from a site in the rock formation and sold it to settlers. In 1985, pieces of naturally formed lead were found in the park using sophisticated metal detectors.]
The present day Panama Rocks formation was most dramatically affected by a glacier in the last Ice Age, about 10,000 years ago. The weight and pressure of the glacier accelerated widening of fractures in the rock, creating thousands of crevices and alley passageways. When the glacier melted, this unique rock outcrop was first revealed. Eventually a forest grew over the site. The Panama Rocks are reputed to be the most extensive formation of glacier-cut, ocean-quartz conglomerate in the world. The ridge is approximately 1/2 mile long.
A "mixed" forest of deciduous trees and conifers grows over the formation. Dominant species are beech, maple, cherry, ash, birch and hemlock. Other varieties include: oak, poplar, locust, apple, pine, yew, hawthorn, cucumber [magnolia family], walnut, elm, etc. It is said that the forest has never been harvested for timber, and some of the trees are very old. The soil is thin and poor. In search of vital nutrients, the trees send their roots snaking over rocks, down cliffs and deep into crevices. Some roots are longer than the tree trunks are tall! Ferns, mosses and wildflowers abound.
Spring is the best time to enjoy flowers, fragrances and birds. Some of the varieties of birds that have been observed at Panama Rocks include: finches, grosbeaks, orioles, tanagers, cardinals, buntings, wrens, warblers, jays, hummingbirds, nut hatches, wax wings, swallows, robins, juncos, owls, hawks, woodpeckers, sapsuckers, flickers, shrikes, buzzards, ducks, geese, herons, etc.
Mound Builder arrowheads that date to the period of 3000-5000 years ago, have been found at the park. Stone Age peoples probably used the rock formation for shelter, to protect fires from the elements, and to hide from enemies. Wild game was abundant, and meat could be preserved into the summer in the ice and snow that lasted well into July in some of the deepest crevices.
The Eriez [aka: the "Cat People"] lived throughout this region when French explorers arrived in the 1600's. During the Iroquois War era [1641-1701], the Iroquois [Seneca, Mohawk, Cayuga, Oneida, Onondaga] conquered and destroyed the Eriez, who ceased to exist as a tribe. To control the very lucrative trade in beaver pelts, and armed with British guns, the Iroquois attacked west to the Mississippi River, and north to Lake Superior. They made war on about 30 tribes, including: Eriez, Wenro, Shawnee, Miami, Potawatomi, Winnebago, Menominee, Kickapoo, Illinois, Abenaki, Algonquin, Huron, Ojibwa, Ottawa, Missisauga, et al. Some of these tribes allied themselves with the French, who provided them with guns. These tribes then counter-attacked the Iroquois. In 1687, they took the war back into Iroquois territory. Forced to defend their own villages, the Iroquois finally sued for peace, and councils took place in 1701.
American Indian Tribal Histories
National Museum of the American Indian
Early French explorers learned of a portage from Lake Erie to Lake Chautauqua. This portage connected the Great Lakes with the Allegheny-Ohio-Mississippi River System. This was an important route connecting the eastern and central parts of the continent. A trail roughly paralleled the water route, and extended from Barcelona on Lake Erie to Irvine on the Allegheny River. This trail passed below the rock formation. Eventually, it became an important wagon and stagecoach route.
The first European buildings at this location consisted of a log cabin hamlet on the hill above the rock formation. Permanent European settlers arrived later [1810-20]. The U.S. Post Office at Panama was established in 1826. This was the first, officially recorded, use of the name "Panama".
Around 1800, when Jamestown had only one house at the rapids, Panama was a busy community. The Little Brokenstraw Creek was easily dammed-up and water-powered mills were built to grind grain, cut wood, etc. During its heyday, Panama had 6 mills, 4 blacksmith shops, 2 carriage factories, the largest tannery in NY, an ashery 7 stories high, a fairgrounds and racetrack, a daily newspaper, stores, churches, hotels and taverns.
The traditional story of how Panama got its name is about Panama Joe, a man who had been across the Isthmus of Panama, and said these rocks reminded him of Panama's rocks. Eventually, the rocks became known as Panama Rocks. When the village was to be named, there was an argument. Finally, it was suggested that they name it after the famous rocks, as they were here before, and they would be here long after any family. So, they officially named the village "Panama".
In the early 1800's, outlaws used the rocks to hide their loot. Once, a courier carrying a gold shipment to the Clymer bank was waylaid. The gold was supposedly dropped into a hole in the rocks at night. When the robbers returned, they couldn't find the gold because there were so many holes. An organized search was begun, but it was suddenly abandoned before being completed. The man who was in charge of the search was suspected of being one of the robbers.
During the mid-1800's, a gang of counterfeiters used the rock area to mint and conceal their spurious coin. An inn near the rocks was the rendezvous for the gang. When the inn burned, thousands of dollars worth of counterfeit coins were found in the debris. And, there was a secret passageway leading from the inn to a den, deep within the rocks, where dies and coins were found.
When the railroad bypassed Panama [1850-1860], business suffered and population dwindled. However, the rock formation continued to attract many visitors.
The land that includes the rock formation was part of a farm called the "Rock Farm". Mr. George Hubbard purchased the property and created the park in 1885. Using oxen to haul a building from across the road, he added to the farmhouse, making it into a summer hotel. He operated a stage coach to transport sightseers from the railroad station in Ashville, six miles to the east.
By the turn-of-the-century, the Panama Rocks had a reputation as a lovers retreat, as there were so many concealed niches in the rocks where lovers could avoid the prying eyes of the public. It became a popular destination for honeymooners, as can be well attested to by the many photographs taken by Mr. Fred L. Yeager, the "official" park photographer at that time.
Around 1910, D. L. Davis purchased the property. He started the Panama Rocks Co., and began to develop the scenic area by constructing an access road [now the lower part of the hiking trail] and he added stairways down into some deep, cavernous dens. He built a large dining hall. People drove from as far away as Buffalo to enjoy the Sunday chicken dinners and to see the rocks.
The park was closed to the public during WWII, and it was about this time, the park was sold to Glen Eddy of Westfield, NY. Over the years, the buildings fell into disrepair, and brush grew up all around them.
Local families owned Panama Rocks from 1968-1978: Vanderkooi, McChesney, Nagel, Wood, Wevers, Reardon. They repaired buildings, cleared brush, and created a lovely picnic area and campground.
In 1979, the park was sold to Craig & Sandra Weston. They have further repaired the buildings and improved the grounds. In 1987, they renovated and winterized the original farmhouse section of the old hotel building, and they currently live there full-time.
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THE FOLK FAIR YEARS: 1973 - 1999
The first annual Early American craft show was held on July 4th, 1973. In 1979, the craft show was renamed the PANAMA ROCKS FOLK FAIR. However, it cost more to stage than it earned in admission fees, and could not be sustained as it had been run in the past. The Folk Fair was moved to the weekend after the holiday weekend, and became a 3 day event. It featured a large number of exhibits & demonstrations of traditional arts & crafts, American Indian and frontier exhibits, performances of Living History, bluegrass & acoustic music, foods, etc. The Folk Fair was staged for 27 years, from 1973 through 1999.
FINAL NOTE
Opening this special nature to the public as a park, while keeping it relatively unspoiled, involves a variety of responsibilities, including: daily maintenance of grounds, buildings & equipment; checking-in patrons; staff supervision; compiling & distributing information ( brochures, maps, history, etc.); advertising ( design, copy, purchasing, etc.); organizing & directing events; bookkeeping; preparing & filing government forms; etc. Costs include: wages; payroll fees; insurance; taxes; tax accounting; advertising; mortgage & loan payments; utilities; maintenance equipment & supplies; etc.
Most scenic attractions are financed by governments or large national organizations [e.g., Audubon, et al.]. Panama Rocks Scenic Park is entirely self-sustaining, and depends on funds earned to pay for park expenses. When compared to similarly financed scenic attractions listed by AAA, admission fees are modest, and patrons have more freedom to explore off-trail and to climb.
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