William Penn State Forest

Can you picture a forest named after a man who championed religious freedom, yet owned slaves? That’s the paradox of William Penn State Forest. Here, in the heart of Pennsylvania, lies a forest bearing the name of the state’s founder, a man of both vision and contradiction. William Penn State Forest, originally named “Valley Forge State Forest,” underwent a name change in 2007 to avoid confusion with the nearby national park. This forest spans a relatively modest 901 acres, a patchwork of ten separate tracts scattered across several counties. One piece rests in Lancaster County, another, a 200-acre plot, sits on Little Tinicum Island in the Delaware River. The largest section, 602 acres, comprises the Goat Hill Serpentine Barrens in Chester County. William Penn State Forest is a direct result of the rampant deforestation of Pennsylvania during the late 19th century. Conservationists, witnessing the devastation wrought by lumber and iron companies, lobbied for the state to purchase these depleted lands and begin the process of reforestation. The first land acquired for what would become William Penn State Forest was a mere 10 acres purchased in 1935 from the heirs of the Cornwall Iron Furnace. This parcel contained the Cornwall fire tower, built in 1923. Later acquisitions included Little Tinicum Island in 1982, bought for $100,000, and the ecologically unique Goat Hill Serpentine Barrens, costing $239,500 with the help of the Nature Conservancy. William Penn, the man for whom this forest is named, was a complex figure. An advocate for religious tolerance, he nonetheless held slaves. He envisioned a “Holy Experiment” in Pennsylvania, a society built on Quaker principles, but often struggled with practical governance and personal financial management. William Penn State Forest stands as a testament to the evolving history of Pennsylvania, from its exploitation to its conservation, reflecting both the virtues and the flaws of its namesake.