Visitor Center

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• You  are  standing  on  what  was  once  the  property  of  the  South  Fork  Fishing  &  Hunting  Club.    The  house  directly  in  front  of  you  was  the  home  of  the  Club’s  second  and  last  president,  Colonel  Elias  J.  Unger.    The  building  to  your  right,  the  park  visitor  center,  was  designed  to  resemble  the  Unger  barn.    Hayfields  and  orchards  would  have  been  visible  as  well.    Unger  was  originally  from  the  Harrisburg  area.    He  had  an  illustrious  career  working  for  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad,  making  a  name  for  himself  in  hotels.    He  eventually  settled  in  the  Pittsburgh  area.    Through  his  work  with  the  railroad,  he  befriended  many  of  the  rich  and  powerful  club  members.    He  did  not  have  the  same  kind  of  wealth  that  most  club  members  possessed  but  they  wanted  their  Clubhouse  to  be  the  best  and  they  knew  Unger  was  the  man  who  could  make  this  happen.    In  addition  to  this,  Unger’s  duties  included  caring  for  the  South  Fork  Dam,  which  was  directly  visible  to  him  from  this  spot.    The  remains  of  the  dam  are  visible  below  and  to  the  right.    When  Benjamin  Ruff,  the  Club’s  founder  and  first  president  died  in  1886,  Unger  was  elected  to  take  over  as  president.    After  the  breaking  of  the  South  Fork  Dam  and  the  Johnstown  Flood,  he  stayed  on  the  spot,  living  out  the  rest  of  his  years  until  he  died  in  1896.

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