Donegal Township to add historical park featuring walking trail
Donegal Township soon will have a park that features an ADA-accessible walking trail and signs highlighting the township’s history.
Volunteers have started to install the interpretive signs at the new park, called “Donegal Township Historical Park,” which will encompass six acres adjacent to the township’s administrative building on Liberty Street.
The township received an American Spirit Grant for up to $25,000 from the Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency for the project.
The total cost of the project is estimated at $31,500.
Located on the park site is a plot of tombstones dating to the 1700s, and includes five Revolutionary War veterans.
The township currently doesn’t have a park, and supervisors said the new park will provide a place for township residents to visit and learn about the history of the township and the people who built it.
“There is a lot of history in the township and this is going to be a great way to highlight that,” said Supervisor Eric Graham.
Plans include two entrance points with 12-foot circle entry patios and arch signs overhead, and a quarter-mile long walking trail with benches and at least six signs providing a history of the township, which was founded in 1781.
Donegal Township played a significant role in Pennsylvania’s pioneer history, and the signs will provide information on events, people, and sites that tell stories about the township’s past. The town of West Alexander, for example, became a key stop on the National Road in the early 1800s, and Old West Alexander Cemetery, founded in 1790, is the resting place of many of the area’s early settlers.
Installation of the signs was slated to start on Friday, and the park is expected to be open in upcoming weeks.