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What's in a name?
So much!
from the editor:
As I began to write this article, I first sought to differentiate between the Pine Creek Gorge and the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, in order to make it clear the precise meaning, geographic boundaries, technical differences, and etcetera. But as I further absorbed all the information available and combine that with my personal experience, the clearest and simplest statement I can make is that they are one in the same. The PA Grand Canyon is the Pine Creek Gorge, and visa-versa, differentiated only by name, but truly there's so much more. Let me share some of this with you.
I'm a native of the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon area, and I can assure you that in my almost sixty years, I have never heard anyone say, “I'm heading to the Pine Creek Gorge.” Most folks here in Wellsboro would probably scratch their head wondering what you were talking about, asking, “oh, do you mean the canyon?” or, “do you mean you're going down Pine Creek?”
But of course a rose is a rose by any other name, even rosa rosaceae. And perhaps that is the point, that scientifically speaking we would be correct in saying the Pine Creek Gorge, and also correct in designating the portion of which is the Nationally recognized Natural Area, but if you want to get directions to the popular Scenic Vistas and Information about all the area has to offer, then you may want to use the term, the local colloquialism or the nickname if you will, the PA Grand Canyon. Now folks will know what you're talking about… but somebody better let the internet search people know what's going on...
At the time of writing this article, it appears that some search results are helping to confuse potential visitors by using the Scientific term ‘Pine Creek Gorge’, overriding the search term “PA Grand Canyon”, returning Wikipedia definitions, reviews, maps and so forth for “Pine Creek Gorge” instead of those resources pointing towards the term “PA Grand Canyon”. Maps are pointing to the town of Waterville, or to Ward Township instead of the Leonard Harrison State Park and Colton Point State Park areas near Wellsboro Pennsylvania, sending tourists around in circles. But with so many businesses trying to gain a foothold on Internet traffic, it's no wonder that disinformation, or in the least confusing information, has been distributed.
To us here in the Wellsboro area, the canyon is a precious and gorge-ous natural resource. Its geology is severe and stunning, it is worth visiting and spending time here, that’s why we call it the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, and that's why we share it with people from all over the World. And while you are visiting the canyon, you can also enjoy all there is to enjoy in the area, from Williamsport to Wine Country. To me, this is the Canyon area.
I hope this article can help head Information in the right direction. I created PAcanyon.com many years ago to help provide an online guide to the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon area, and it is my honor to provide this service.
I do business as PAcanyon.com along with PineCreekGorge.com, ThePennsylvaniaGrandCanyon.com, ThePaGrandCanyon.com, TheGrandCanyonOfPA.com and PAcanyon.net .
Scott Turner