Endless Mountains - Human History

Human History

Native American bands settled the area in prehistoric times. By the early colonial period, Susquehannock and Iroquois were the principal occupants of the region. The majority of the local place names were derived from the Native Americans. The native groups were driven out by the late colonial period and white settlement began. Many settlers came from Connecticut leading to armed conflict with settlers from Pennsylvania (See Pennamite Wars). During the American Revolution in 1778, a combined Native American and British force attacked the Wyoming Valley settlers on the eastern edge of this region, and killed many of the settlers. Washington sent general John Sullivan on a campaign to destroy the Native American threat by a "scorched earth" drive up the Susquehanna and Chemung Rivers into central and western New York.

The region's economy was formerly based on mining, lumbering (especially of hemlock for tanning) and industry but is now largely agricultural with forestry and tourism contributing to the economic base. Much of the land is steep, but there are a few good farms on rolling hilltops or valley bottoms; many of these farms have been occupied by Mennonite and Amish people who have migrated northward as their traditional homelands became developed.

Quarrying remains an important local industry with the region's high quality Blue stone being particularly valuable. The area is on the edge of Pennsylvania's Coal Region, with some minor veins of coal extending into the area.

Songwriter Stephen Foster lived in the area for a while, and Bradford County's Camptown is immortalized in his song Camptown Races.