Tales of the Bald Eagle Mountains in Central Pennsylvania

by Henry Wharton Shoemaker

Tales of the Bald Eagle Mountains, originally published in 1912 by the Bright Printing Company, was the fourth of Shoemaker's many published volumes of fantastical tales about Pennsylvania's folklore and wildlife. Focusing on what Shoemaker calls the "dark and sombre" Bald Eagle Mountains of Centre, Clinton, Lycoming, Juniata, and Union counties, the book provides a tale or legend centered on each mountain in the range. Stories of hunters and wolves, giant bears, quirky innkeepers and mysterious travelers, nefarious magic, brave Native American warriors, tragic murders, and anguished lovers are spun with the author's usual flair for blurring the lines between myth and reality. Like Shoemaker's other books, Tales of the Bald Eagle Mountains preserves a rich oral history, capturing what the author calls "a passing phase, a time and mode of life that will come no more," and provides a window onto the cultural life and folklore of early central Pennsylvania.

510 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1912

About the author

Henry Wharton Shoemaker (February 24, 1880 – July 14, 1958) was a prominent American folklorist, historian, diplomat, writer, publisher, and conservationist.

Shoemaker was born in New York City, but was closely associated with Pennsylvania, where he spent summers in childhood and took up residence later in life. His father, Henry Francis Shoemaker (1845–1918), was a railroad magnate, investment banker, and close confidante of future Senator and Vice Presidential candidate Charles W. Fairbanks. His mother, Blanche Quiggle, was the sole daughter of railroad magnate and diplomat Col. James W. Quiggle of Philadelphia and Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. He attended the E. D. Lyons Classical School and Columbia University. He then served in the military and attained the rank of Colonel. Attracted to foreign service, he worked in European embassies before returning home to enter a brokerage venture with his brother William. His brother died in an elevator accident, and Henry closed the brokerage.