Junior Kayak Trip

On May 10th, thirty eleventh grade students from Towanda High School participated in a kayak trip down the Susquehanna River as part of an experience, Floating through History, supported by the Towanda Education Foundation and the Endless Mountains River Outfitters. The group was fortunate to have perfect weather and along the river they saw fox kits, nesting geese, kingfishers, and an eagle’s nest. One stop was at the Standing Stone landmark. This trip was in connection with the students’ study of the French and Haitian Revolutions and the founding of French Azilum in 1793. Historian Bob Veleker discussed the development of the settlement at French Azilum and gave a tour of the grounds to the students. He explained that 18th-century networking played an important part in why French Azilum was built here. In addition, the founder of Towanda, William Means, worked as a boatman and brought the French settlers by Durham boat up the river.