When was raystown lake made

This topography naturally encourages the channeling of runoff from rain. The watershed or drainage area for the Raystown Branch of the Juniata River and Raystown Lake is square miles, or about 3 times the size of Huntingdon County. The first people to call this area home were mobile bands of hunters-gathers who probably came up from the south as ice sheets in northern Pennsylvania retreated. Eventually the Susquehannock Indians settled into the region.

One area of particular interest at Raystown is the Sheep Rock Shelter between mile markers 7 and 8 where early inhabitants used the natural Rock Shelter to protect them from the elements. This area was heavily excavated just before inundation of the present-day lake. One of the most popular questions rangers hear is where exactly was Rays town?

The name Raystown originated from a trapper named Robert Ray who established a small camp near Bedford around The first Raystown Lake was a shallow lake that was only about a quarter the size of the 28 mile long.

The old 45 foot tall dam is still in place at the bottom of the lake near mile marker 2, just upstream of the current foot tall dam. It would take nearly ten years before the Dam was completed. In , then Vice-President Gerald R. Seven Points Marina is currently the largest wet and dry slips full-service marina in Pennsylvania.

The marina's rental fleet includes fishing boats, ski pontoon boats, and 15 houseboats. A popular activity with young and old is the fish feeding station. There are about 3, campsites to choose from in the Raystown Lake Region of Pennsylvania. The Allegrippis Trails at Raystown Lake are ranked as some of the top single track mountain bike trails in North America.

In the s, the U. Army Corps of Engineers announced plans to expand the reservoir, and Sheep Rock Shelter would be flooded. To prevent loss of Native American archeological evidence, researchers from Juniata College and the Pennsylvania State University excavated Sheep Rock Shelter, uncovering the skull and bones of woman from approximately 6, years ago.

In , the U. Army Corps of Engineers completed the expansion project, creating an 8, acre lake, backing up water for over 30 miles and providing flood control, electricity and recreation. The expanded reservoir included Seven Points Marina, which was first founded in as just a small place to rent boats, and is now the largest marina in Pennsylvania. The Raystown Lake area offers something for everyone.

The area has boat marinas, swimming areas lake and pool , picnic sites, scuba gear rental and activities, camp grounds, trails for hiking and plenty of fish to be caught.