About Pymatuning State Park
“All human accomplishments begin with a dream.” The Honorable Gifford Pinchot, then governor of Pennsylvania, delivered these stirring words as part of his address at the Pymatuning reservoir ground breaking in 1931. Pinchot was fulfilling a Pennsylvania dream that began in 1868 when the General Assembly provided a survey and an estimate of the cost to drain the Pymatuning swamp to create farmlands. However, the swamp was not drained because it would cripple the industries downstream in the Beaver and Shenango Valleys.
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A severe flood in 1913 spurred the legislature to action. The Pymatuning Act, signed the same year, appropriated $100,000 to initiate building a dam. The Pymatuning Act states that the primary purpose of the Pymatuning Reservoir shall be for the conservation of waters entering the Pymatuning Swamp and for regulating the flow of water in the Shenango and Beaver Rivers. A secondary purpose is to use the dam and lake as a reservoir to impound flood water during periods of excessive runoff from the 158 square miles of drainage area above the dam. Construction of the concrete “spillway bowl” allowed independent regulation of the 2,500-acre upper reservoir to provide optimal wildlife habitat.
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It took 18 years for public and private organizations to raise the funds needed to build the dam. Work began in the fall of 1931. It took three years and almost 7,000 men to turn the dream into a reality.
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Almost everything about Pymatuning State Park is big. At 16,892 acres, it is one of the largest state parks in the commonwealth. The 17,088-acre Pymatuning Reservoir is the largest lake in the commonwealth and Pymatuning is one of the most visited state parks in Pennsylvania. Perhaps the biggest thing about Pymatuning is the fun you can have boating, fishing, swimming, camping, and enjoying other recreational opportunities.
In addition to the state park facilities, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission operates a fish hatchery and visitor center, and the Pennsylvania Game Commission has wildlife viewing areas.
