Highlighting Black History in the Lumber Heritage Region - The Lumber Heritage Region

Black History in the Lumber Heritage Region & Forest Industries

In honor of Black History Month, the Lumber Heritage Region (LHR) recognizes the vital contributions of Black individuals in Pennsylvania’s lumber industry, forestry, and conservation efforts. Despite limited documentation, there is clear evidence that African Americans played a crucial role in shaping the region’s forestry legacy.

Black Contributions to the CCC

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a New Deal program that helped restore Pennsylvania’s forests, had 151 camps statewide—33 of which were segregated Black camps. These men planted trees, built roads, and restored lands devastated by overlogging. While Black enrollees earned equal pay to their white counterparts, they had fewer educational opportunities and were often denied leadership roles. Many of the CCC’s forestry and conservation projects remain visible in the Lumber Heritage Region today, nearly 90 years later.

Ralph E. Brock: America’s First Black Forester

Ralph E. Brock

A pioneer in forestry and conservation, Ralph E. Brock was America’s first academically trained Black forester, graduating in 1906 from Pennsylvania’s Mont Alto Forestry Academy under Joseph Trimble Rothrock (Pennsylvania’s “Father of Forestry”). Brock managed the state’s forest seed nursery, successfully overseeing a mostly white staff despite facing racism and discrimination.

After leaving his position, Brock established his own seed nursery and worked in landscape management. He was later hired by John D. Rockefeller Jr. as a gardener for the Paul Laurence Dunbar Apartments in Harlem and oversaw projects at Radio City Gardens, Riverside Park, and Harlem River Houses. His legacy is honored by historical markers, trees planted in his name, and the renaming of South Mountain Seed Orchard to the Ralph E. Brock Seed Orchard by Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR).

The Underground Railroad & the Lumber Heritage Region

The Underground Railroad played a crucial role in Black history and the LHR’s legacy. Williamsport, known as the “Lumber Capital of the World”, was also a key stop on the Underground Railroad..

Daniel Hughes, a Williamsport lumber raftsman, hid Freedom Seekers on his lumber barge. After delivering lumber to Harve de Grace, MD, Hughes would hide them on the barge on his return trip north along the Susquehanna River. His land, located along what was later renamed Freedom Road, became a safe haven, and his cemetery is the final resting place for nine African American veterans of the Civil War.
Frederick Douglass spoke in Williamsport in 1867 at the Doebler House, owned by Charles Doebler, a suspected Underground Railroad agent.
William Whipper and Stephen Smith, wealthy Black businessmen, used their wealth and influence in lumber and railroad businesses to aid Freedom Seekers, operating near the LHR’s borders.

Historic Marker of Freedom Road Cemetery

Honoring & Expanding Representation in Forestry

While pioneers like Ralph Brock and Daniel Hughes broke barriers, representation in forestry, conservation, and natural resource management remains limited. Today, organizations like DCNR, the LHR, and forestry education programs are working to create equitable opportunities for all. Recognizing the contributions of Black foresters, lumber workers, and conservationists is key to promoting inclusivity and preserving this often-overlooked history.

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