Second Saturday Lecture Series: On the Trail: A History of Hiking in Pennsylvania

Join Silas Chamberlain, CEO of York’s Downtown Inc. and nationally recognized historian of American hiking and trails, as he focuses on the history of hiking and trail development in Pennsylvania. Chamberlain will provide an overview of his new book On the Trail: A History of American Hiking. On the Trail is the first history of the American hiking community and its contributions to the nation’s vast network of trails. In the mid-nineteenth century urban walking clubs emerged in the United States. A little more than a century later, tens of millions of Americans were hiking on trails blazed in every region of the country. This groundbreaking book is the first full account of the unique history of the American hiking community and its rich, nationwide culture. A book signing will be available following the program. In addition after the presentation Carl R. Knoch, Chairman of the York County Rail Trail Authority will highlight the Authority’s recent, current, and future projects.