Remembering the Pine Creek Declaration of Independence

Remembering the Pine Creek Declaration of Independence in Clinton County Pennsylvania.

The Pine Creek Declaration of Independence, as it has come to be known, was signed on July 4, 1776 beneath an elm tree on the west bank of present-day Pine Creek in Clinton County.

A photo of the Tiadaghton Elm before it perished in the 1970s.
A photo of the Tiadaghton Elm before it perished in the 1970s.

The signers were a group of frontier settlers known as the Fair Play Men, and they signed their own declaration of independence from Great Britain at about the same time as the final draft of the Declaration of Independence was being approved by the Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia.

The Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.
The Continental Congress approved the final draft of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.

Separated by more than 200 miles, and without any knowledge of what each other was doing, it is one of the more remarkable coincidences of the Revolutionary War that the Fair Play Men and the Continental Congress should declare independence at nearly the same time.

The Declaration of Independence was signed on August 2, 1776.
The Declaration of Independence was signed on August 2, 1776.

While no copy of the Pine Creek Declaration of Independence is known to exist, the story was considered valid enough that it is the subject of not one but two state historical markers in Clinton County.

Tiadaghton Elm historical marker along Route 220 in Clinton County, Pennsylvania.
Tiadaghton Elm historical marker along Route 220 in Clinton County, Pennsylvania.

The first marker (pictured above) is located along Route 220 North; a second marker (pictured below) is located at the site of the declaration signing, near Pine Creek (known to the area settlers as Tiadaghton Creek in 1776).

The Tiadaghton Elm, beneath which the Pine Creek Declaration of Independence was signed.
Tiadaghton Elm historical marker, located where the Pine Creek Declaration of Independence was signed.

The Taber Museum in nearby Williamsport also has an exhibit related to the Pine Creek Declaration of Independence.

The Taber Museum in Williamsport features an exhibit about the Pine Creek Declaration of Independence.
The Taber Museum in Williamsport features an exhibit about the Pine Creek Declaration of Independence.

Considering that the Declaration of Independence drafted in Philadelphia wasn’t actually signed until August 2, 1776, it is possible that the Pine Creek Declaration of Independence was the first “signed” declaration of its kind!

Signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia on August 2, 1776.
Signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia on August 2, 1776.

Visiting the Site of the Pine Creek Declaration of Independence

The site of this often-overlooked event in Pennsylvania history is along a rural road just west of present-day Pine Creek, on the Clinton-Lycoming county line.

Map to the location of the Tiadaghton Elm and the site of the Pine Creek Declaration of Independence.
Map to the location of the Tiadaghton Elm and the site of the Pine Creek Declaration of Independence.

If navigating by GPS, use coordinates 41.179956, -77.278764 to locate the gravel lot pictured below, near the Tiadaghton Elm historical marker.

Parking area near the Tiadaghton Elm historical marker is located.
Parking area near the Tiadaghton Elm historical marker is located.

The Tiadaghton Elm itself perished in the 1970s, so only the historical marker, historical photos, and vintage postcards remain.

Vintage postcard showing the Tiadagton Elm, site of the signing of the Pine Creek Declaration of Independence.
Vintage postcard showing the Tiadagton Elm, site of the signing of the Pine Creek Declaration of Independence.

Aside from the historical significance of the site, it’s also a popular boat launch, being so close to the confluence of Pine Creek and the West Branch of the Susquehanna River.

Standing on the banks of Pine Creek near the site where the Pine Creek Declaration of Independence was signed.
Standing on the banks of Pine Creek, near the site where the Pine Creek Declaration of Independence was signed.

Bridge aficionados will enjoy seeing the Jersey Shore Bridge, built in 1889 just a few yards from the Tiadaghton Elm.

The Jersey Shore Bridge spans Pine Creek between modern day Clinton and Lycoming counties, near the site of the Pine Creek Declaration of Independence.
The Jersey Shore Bridge spans Pine Creek between modern-day Clinton and Lycoming counties.

The Jersey Shore Bridge carries River Road over Pine Creek, linking Clinton and Lycoming counties.

The Jersey Shore Bridge near the Pine Creek Declaration of Independence site is 290 feet long and was built in 1889.
The Jersey Shore Bridge is 290 feet long and was built in 1889.

The bridge is 290 feet long, 16 feet wide, and was rehabilitated in 2011.

Berlin Iron Bridge Company plaque on the Jersey Shore Bridge near the site of the Pine Creek Declaration of Independence.
Berlin Iron Bridge Company plaque on the Jersey Shore Bridge.

Also located near the site of the Pine Creek Declaration of Independence you’ll find a marker denoting the original location of the Pine Creek Presbyterian Church, organized in 1792, 16 years after the settlers in this region became some of the first in the American colonies to put their intentions to form a new nation in writing.

Plaque marking the site where the Pine Creek Presbyterian Church once stood, near the site where the Pine Creek Declaration of Independence was signed.
Plaque marking the site where the Pine Creek Presbyterian Church once stood.

The more-famous Declaration of Independence was of course signed at Independence Hall in Philadelphia.

Exploring Independence Hall in Philadelphia.
Independence Hall in Philadelphia.

Today Independence Hall is the centerpiece of the Independence National Historical Park, and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution were both debated and signed inside this room at Independence Hall.
The Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution were both debated and signed inside this room at Independence Hall.

Nearby Attractions

Hyner View State Park in Clinton County offers visitors one of the finest scenic overlooks in all of Pennsylvania!

Fall foliage views for miles at Hyner View State Park.
Fall foliage views for miles at Hyner View State Park.

Kettle Creek State Park is another outstanding Clinton County state park, 17 miles to the west of Hyner View.

Springtime view of Kettle Creek State Park from Kettle Creek Vista.
Springtime view of Kettle Creek State Park from Kettle Creek Vista.

Logan Mills Covered Bridge is the last remaining historic covered bridge in Clinton County.

Summer at Logan Mills Covered Bridge in Pennsylvania
Summer at Logan Mills Covered Bridge in Clinton County.

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Rusty Glessner
Rusty Glessner is a professional photographer, lifelong Pennsylvanian, and a frequently-cited authority on PA's best travel destinations.