>From today's Indiana Gazette (October 26): Museum dedicated to history of Cherry Tree to open Saturday (javascript:void(0)) (javascript:void(0)) Written by Randy Wells Thursday, 26 October 2006 CHERRY TREE - After four years of renovations and preparations, the Cherry Tree Area Heritage Society on Saturday will open the Tonkin Museum. Displays in the museum, formerly the home of Robert Tonkin, highlight significant events and developments in the lumbering, rafting and railroading industries in Cherry Tree's history, and document the significance of the town as a stop on the underground railroad for escaping slaves during the Civil War. After Robert Tonkin died in 2002, his house at 261 N. Main St., Cherry Tree, was donated to the borough, and in turn to the heritage society, by Tonkin's nieces, Beulah (Lonacre) Kline and Jenny McKeage (Patchin) Vincent. It has become the repository of Cherry Tree memorabilia, both from Tonkin's collections and from those of other townspeople. Tonkin for years was the unofficial historian of Cherry Tree Borough. Townspeople considered him the best authority on the borough's rich lumbering and railroading heritage. The west branch West Branch of the Susquehanna River flows through the center of Cherry Tree, right beside the two-story wood house where Tonkin lived for 90 years. A century and a half ago, thousands of giant white pines harvested from the surrounding hillsides floated past Tonkin's home on their way to markets in the East. Tonkin enjoyed showing visitors a piece of wood from the wild black cherry tree for which the borough is named. The tree grew in the mid-1700s on a point of land near town where Cush Cushion Creek flows into the Susquehanna. For American Indians, Native Americans the tree was a landmark at the location they called Canoe Place, because it was the last navigable spot of the river. But Tonkin is perhaps best known among Cherry Tree residents as one of the borough's participants in the fabled "last raft" trip of 1938. In that year, his father and uncle hit upon the idea of making a 200-mile sentimental voyage down the Susquehanna River to relive the pioneer lumbering and rafting days of 1840 to 1890. The Tonkins and a few other veteran lumbermen built a raft by lashing together 51 white pine logs. A cabin was built on the raft to shelter the crew and passengers. On March 14, 1938, the raft began its journey from McGees Mills. Some of the elderly raftsmen planned to make the entire trip and nearly 100 other people intended to ride for short distances along the route. Bob Tonkin, then 26, rode along for the beginning of the voyage and worked as a cook for the crew, but he got off the raft when it reached Clearfield. About a week into the trip, the raft crashed into the pier of a railroad bridge near Muncy, tossing nearly everyone on board into the river. Seven of the raft's crew and passengers were killed. All of the expenses of converting Tonkin's house into the town's museum have been met by donations. And Don Rager, Cherry Tree's historical coordinator, said more repairs and renovations remain to be done. Contributions may be sent to the Cherry Tree Area Heritage Society, in care of Rager, at 105 Pioneer Lake Drive, Cherry Tree, PA 15724. The heritage society has also developed the Canoe Place Park on the bank of the Susquehanna River in Cherry Tree. With the museum now opening, the society members may next turn their attention to creating a large public park near the remains of the old McKeage Dam just west of town. The Tonkin Museum will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

Good article, Thank you!