Rothrock State Forest was formed as a direct result of the depletion of the forests of Pennsylvania that took place during the mid-to-late 19th century. Conservationists like Dr.
Joseph Rothrock, for whom the forest is named, became concerned that the forests would not regrow if they were not managed properly. Lumber and iron companies had harvested the
old-growth forests for various reasons. They
clear cut the forests and left behind nothing but dried treetops and rotting stumps. The sparks of passing
steam locomotives ignited
wildfires that prevented the formation of
second growth forests. The conservationists feared that the forest would never regrow if there was not a change in the philosophy of forest management. They called for the state to purchase land from the lumber and iron companies. The lumber and iron companies were more than willing to sell their land since they had depleted the natural resources of the forests. The changes began to take place in 1895 when Dr. Rothrock was appointed the first commissioner of the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters, the forerunner of today's
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The
Pennsylvania General Assembly passed a piece of legislation in 1897 that authorized the purchase of "unseated lands for forest reservations". This was the beginning of the State Forest system. The lands acquired in the early 20th century were divided into three separate state forest reserves. Logan State Forest comprised the land in northern Huntingdon County and
Ferguson and
Harris, Townships in
Centre County. Penn State Forest was located in
Potter Township, Centre County and
Armagh Township and
Brown Township, Townships in
Mifflin County. Rothrock State Forest was near
Mount Union and Entriken, in Huntingdon County. The three forests were merged in 1953 with parts of Penn and Logan being added to
Bald Eagle State Forest and the rest combined to make what is now Rothrock State Forest. Some of the first
fire towers built in Pennsylvania were constructed in Rothrock State Forest in the 1920s.
Pennsylvania Governor Gifford Pinchot, former chief of the
U.S. Forest Service upgraded the Pennsylvania Forestry Division to full department status and gave the new Department of Forest and Waters the funds needed to build steel observation towers in the state forests. The construction of the observation towers combined with changes in forest management lead to a dramatic decrease in the number and size of
forest fires throughout the state forests of Pennsylvania. Much of the land that is now Rothrock State Forest was cleared of dried underbrush during the
Great Depression by the young men of the
Civilian Conservation Corps created by President
Franklin D. Roosevelt. In addition to clearing the forests and streams of brush the CCC also built roads and trails in the state forests and parks and many of the recreational facilities still in use at the
state parks in the Rothrock State Forest area. By the 1950s the
second growth forests of
oak and
hickory had grown to a size that the wood was ready to be harvested for
lumber. A scientific forestry management plan was put into place in 1955. The timber management plan was expanded to a
natural resource management plan in 1985. The new management plan covers the management of water, wildlife, timber, fire protection and recreation. Recreational use of the Rothrock State Forest has grown in the last several decades. All visitors are asked to learn and comply with all state forest regulations while using and respecting the forest and its facilities. ==Neighboring state forest districts==